The Book Of Esther - King Ahasuerus, Queen Esther, and Jesus Christ

A book of the Old Testament, Esther is to believed to have been written between 3 or 4 B.C. The Book of Esther tells of a young Jewish girl named Hadassah who becomes the queen of the King of Persia, Ahasuerus. Her uncle, Mordecai, changes her name to Esther because he fears that it will be discovered that she is a Jew.

As queen, Esther faces a great challenge, when Haman, an official in the Persian Empire creates a plot to annihilate the Jews. Haman gets the King's consent to destroy all of the Jews on a certain day.

When King Ahasuerus gave Haman permission to destroy the Jews, he did it by giving him his ring. Haman was able to proclaim the annihilation of the Jews by sealing the decree with the imprint of Ahasuerus' ring. Haman's evil plot was devised as a way to ultimately pay back Mordecai for refusing to bow to him. Because of one man's action, an entire people would be wiped out.

^" And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring." Esther 3:10-12 K.J.V.

The King's seal, once given, could not be taken back. What the King decreed would be done as his word was law and so the decree that the Jews were to be destroyed in the twelfth month, called Adar, could not be revoked.

When King Ahasuerus realized that Haman's plot to kill the Jews and his decree would cause the death of Queen Esther, he sent out another decree. This time it stated that if any of the Jewish people were attacked on the day the decree was to be sent out, they were to fight back and to kill all those who would threaten them. The seal of the King, with his ruling, was the only thing that was able to save the Jewish people from the King's own decree.

In the beginning, when sin entered the world through Adam, God made a decree as well. As a result of sin, mankind was cursed to work for his bread, to labor in childbirth and finally to die and return to the dust from which he came. (See Genesis 3)

God's word stands forever and His words could not be undone. The Lord's decree was righteous and just because He ruled and still rules over man. It was sealed in heaven and recorded that from that day on, men would die and it is recorded from then on, all of those who did die. All men deserved it - except one.

Jesus - Beloved of God

Just as the Jewess Esther entered into the King's palace and became his favorite and his Queen, so too is Jesus Christ the favored of the Lord. The King's love for Esther was what caused the Jewish people to be saved. He sent out another seal for them to fight because of Esther and Esther alone. The Lord sent out another seal because of Jesus and Jesus alone. His perfection fulfilled all of the law and through His sacrifice, His people, those who belong to His flock, were and are saved. They have permission to live because of Him and are given eternal life through Him.

It can also be looked at with this point of view as well. Jesus the Creator, sent the decree just as Ahasuerus did that those who sinned should be destroyed all because of one man's sin (Mordecai represents Adam here), yet He had a bride that He loved very much and so for this bride, He sent out another decree so that she would be saved and be with Him in His kingdom which is the Kingdom of Heaven.

From either perspective, God's mercy is clear. His love is immeasurable and so is His grace.

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