Christ in Esther: Our Salvation

In preparation for this week’s study I read several different opinions of how Christ is foreshadowed in the book of Esther, and I came to the conclusion that each of these opinions has some valid points.  One opinion was that Christ was typified in Mordecai, sitting at the gate of the city, making intercession for his people to the king.  Another said that Christ was typified in King Ahasuerus.  And Esther certainly could represent the Church as the Bride of Christ. Although that opinion offends my senses since Ahasuerus was not at all like Christ, but instead he was a self-indulgent man, detached from his people and his duties, I must admit the correlation could possibly be a valid one if we looked at the story of Esther in light of the definition of allegory -- a parable or symbol.  In any allegory, the parallels will fail at one point or another.  And in any foreshadowing, we see only a “shadow” of what is to come, not a clear picture with every detail intact. But the opinion that I will use for this study is that Queen Esther foreshadows and typifies Christ.  I am by no means saying the other opinions are not correct, but only that, for this study, we will look at the third option.  I would encourage you to read the ten chapters of the book of Esther for yourself and come to your own conclusion.  I would be interested in hearing what you think.  Trusting that you will read it for yourself, I will not recount the entire story here, but will just point out some interesting parallels in this true story about a real, live, heroic queen of Persia.  

When Queen Vashti refused to go to King Ahasuerus when he called for her, it made the king angry.  He consulted with his advisors and they recommended that she be removed as queen and that the king choose another queen to replace her.

If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.  (Esther 1:19)

Here Vashti represents good works and the law.  Vashti was beautiful, and she was something in which the king took great pride.  She looked good on the surface, but her heart was not right.  In the same way, our good works look good on the surface, but our good works cannot bring us into a right relationship with God.  No one can be good enough to keep all the law perfectly.  When we say no to God’s grace and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as payment for our sin, we are like Vashti, cast away, never to come into the presence of the King of Heaven.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We are not told a lot about Esther’s childhood.  We know who her parents were, and that she was raised by her cousin, Mordecai, who loved her very much.  We know that Esther also loved Mordecai and trusted him completely.

And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.  (Esther 2:7)

Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.  (Esther 2:10-11)

In much the same way, we are not told a lot about the childhood of Jesus.  We know that His step-father, Joseph, was a carpenter and that Jesus worked with him.  We know that He was taught by Mary and Joseph.  And we know that He loved them, and that He loved and trusted His Father completely.

Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:51-52)

The king chose Esther to replace Vashti.  Esther spent a year in preparation before she was called into the king’s presence. 

Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. (Esther 2:12)

Jesus was 30 years old before His ministry on earth began.  He had spent His entire life in preparation for His work.  And when He was baptized by John the Baptist, He demonstrated to His followers how they should be prepared to follow Him.  Then He spent 40 days in the wilderness in prayer and fasting, preparing to face all the opposition that He was about to confront.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

In our look at the parallels in Esther’s story, we see Haman as a parallel to the devil.  Haman had become a powerful man in the court of the king, just as the devil has become powerful in our world.  Haman was indignant that Mordecai would not bow down to him, so he convinced the king to order that Mordecai and all of the Jewish people be killed.

And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women.  (Esther 3:13a)

The devil wants nothing more than for us to turn away from Jesus Christ and bow down to him instead.  If we do, he will destroy us.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

As we have seen in our two previous studies of Ezra and Nehemiah, Esther was placed in a position of authority by God.  She was loved by the king.  But even though the king loved her, she could have been put to death for daring to approach him without first being called by him.  It took a great deal of courage for her to go to the king to beg for the lives of her uncle and all the rest of her people.  Mordecai was wise enough to know that God had placed her where He had for a purpose.

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

Jesus had a purpose when He came to earth as a man.  He was placed here by the authority of God the Father at just the right time in human history to fulfill every prophecy that had been written about Messiah.

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. (Luke 24:44)

Esther loved her uncle, and she loved her people.  She prayed and fasted, asking God to save her people and to protect her, if it was His will to do so, but she was willing to die for them, if need be. 

“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:16)

Jesus loves us.  He loves us so much He was willing to die for us.  He prayed, asking God to save Him if it was possible, but He was obedient, even to death on the cross.

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)

Through the artful and intelligent work of Esther, Mordecai and the Jewish people were saved, and Haman was defeated and killed.  Not only was Mordecai saved, but he was exalted to the position that Haman had once held.  All the Jews living in Persia were happy and were honored because of Mordecai and Esther.

So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.  (Esther 8:15-16)

Through the saving work of Jesus on the cross and because He rose from the grave on the third day, our enemy, Satan, is destroyed, and we are saved to live a life of eternal joy, honored as children of the King of Kings!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

I hope you have enjoyed the study of Esther as much as I have.  And I hope you will also have the kind of faith that she demonstrated . . . not a faith that is just wishful thinking, but a genuine, deep, abiding faith in God who loves us so much that He sent His Son to come to earth to die for us.  My prayer for you and for myself this week is inspired by Esther 4:16:

“Dear Father in Heaven, please show me your will for my life.  Give me the courage to do your will in every area of my life.  Protect me if it is your will to do so.  And if following you causes my friends to laugh at me, they will laugh at me.  If I perish, I perish.  Thank you for sending your son to die for me. Amen.”

All scripture is from the New King James Version