After the dismissal of queen Vashti, when the king’s wrath had subsided, one of his servants came forward with the suggestion that the fairest young maidens from all parts of the kingdom be presented to the king, from whom he should select a new queen. The king was pleased with this suggestion, and he sent forth a commandment that it should be done.
When Mordecai the Jew, who sat in the king’s gate, heard of the commandment, he thought of Esther who was so fair and beautiful, and so it came about that she was among those who were to be presented to the king. When her turn came, we read that “the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight... so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti,” who was never restored.
We can see in all this how that God was working out His promises concerning His people. Not only were they to return to their land, but they were also to be preserved, because their Messiah was to be born there in a time yet to come. Perhaps Mordecai and Esther knew little of this, but God was watching all that was happening in this kingdom. Mordecai had told Esther not to tell the king or any one else in the palace that she was of the Jewish captives. He was deeply burdened about her all the while she was in the palace and he walked every day before the court to try to find out what had become of her, until he learned that she had been chosen as queen.
One thing we notice in Esther is that she was faithful in carrying out Mordecai’s wishes, for he had been to her like a father. And this makes us think of a scripture in Deuteronomy 5:1616Honor thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. (Deuteronomy 5:16) “Honor thy father and mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee in the land which the Lord thy God giyeth thee.”
When the king chose Esther as his new queen, he made a great feast; he called it Esther’s feast, and invited all his princes. Does not this remind us of the feast the Lord Jesus has told us about in Matthew 22, where the king made a feast for the marriage of his son? That is what God is doing now, He is inviting all to come to the feast of His Son. We do not read that any refused to come to Esther’s feast, but it is sad how many refuse to come to the feast that God has spread for sinners.
One thing we notice in the story of Esther is the way the king honored Mordecai. Not only does he sit in the king’s gate, but he becomes the means of making known to the great king an attempt to take his life. One day he learned that two of the chamberlains had planned to murder the king. Mordecai made it known to Esther, who sent a message to the king in Mordecai name. The king immediately ordered an investigation; the report was found to be true, and the two men were hanged. This has marked the history of the world since the voice of the tempter was listened to in the garden of Eden. Man is a fallen creature, his heart is desperately wicked, and deeds of this kind are thought of and carried out. We know that day is coming where “a King shall reign in righteousness.” Those that lift up their hands against the Lord then will be discovered, and immediately punished.
ML 11/01/1959