Esther preparation

14 May 2022

As I was seeking the Lord for this week’s message, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the different types and shadows that represent the bride of Christ. A large portion of this write-up is an extract from the chapter named the Foreshadows of the bride in my Song of Songs book.

 

What are types?

The simplest way to explain a type is that it’s a hidden message or a shadow of something yet to come. Synonyms for a type are a shadow, an allegory, a sign, a foreshadow, symbol or a picture. Paul tells us about a type in Galatians 4:24. He calls it an allegory. Abraham’s two sons are a picture of something else. Isaac is an allegory of liberty and promise and Ishmael a symbol of slavery.

There are many types woven into the stories of the Bible. Nothing written in the Bible is without reason. Every instruction, every ordinance and every word have a purpose and meaning. We read that the Old Testament is a shadow of things to come (Col 2:17).

 

Examples of types

·        Adam was a type or shadow of Jesus (1 Cor 15:45).

·        Abraham who had to sacrifice Isaac was a picture of God the Father who sacrificed His own Son, Jesus (Gen 22:2).

·        The high priest who sacrificed annually to atone for the sins of the people was a foreshadow of Jesus who became the perfect sacrifice once and for all (Heb 9:11).

·        Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. This is a type of Jesus, who was dead and in the grave (Matt 12:40).

 

Types in the book of Esther

There are many types woven into the lines of the story of Esther. We will be spending time on the narrative of a Heavenly Bridegroom and His bride. We read about this in the first two chapters of the book of Esther.

… because I have promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. (2 Cor 11:2 AMP)

·        King Ahasuerus is a type of the King of all kings. Note that people are used to represent types. The faults and character flaws are not always part of the type. In this instance we see that this earthly king didn’t come close to having the characteristics of the One he symbolises. The reference is in the context of a king and his search for a worthy bride.

·        Vashti represents our old man, full of disobedience, pride and rebellion. Our ‘Vashti-heart’ must be dethroned and replaced with a ‘Esther-heart’.

·        Esther is a picture of the bride of Christ. Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, which means ‘myrtle’. We read in Isaiah 55:13 that a myrtle is a sign of blessing and promise. Esther means ‘star’. A star shines at its brightest when the night is at its darkest.

·        Mordecai symbolises the Holy Spirit who adopted Esther and is teaching and guiding her.

·        Hegai, the custodian of the woman, is a type of spiritual leadership, churches and ministries appointed to provide the bride with everything she will need.

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Eph 4:11-12)

 

Pride to be removed

In the first chapter of Esther, we see how the king prepared a feast and summoned queen Vashti to show her beauty to his guests. Our modern thought filters will immediately reason that she had every right to refuse his request. This may be so, but we must remember that the way men, women, marriages and submission, were perceived in those days, are far removed from what we are used to. To understand the spiritual type, we have to remove our modern glasses. Let’s concentrate on obedience and not whether the king’s request was honourable or not.

When we are born again, our spirit becomes alive and the Spirit of God resides within our spirit. We are still full of ourselves, fleshly desires, bad habits, sinful thoughts and addictions. The mere fact that Vashti was related to the king (she was his wife), made her attractive.

Sin, such as rebellion, conceit and pride must be removed. We must understand that these are not transgressions like stealing or swearing. When we look down on people, it’s only the fruit that we see. Beneath the surface there’s a deep and well-established root system. It doesn’t help if we just remove the bad fruit or chop off the tree. The tree must be removed with roots and all. This takes effort and it’s a process.

Everyone who is proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting and exceedingly offensive to the LORD (Prov16:5a AMP)

Satan was cast from the heavens because of rebellion and pride (Isa 14:12-15). The same seed came into the human race at the fall of Adam. This is how long it has been part of us. Pride is the root of all sin. If you think about it, all sin is nothing but rebellion against God’s authority. Saul was disobedient and Samuel compared his disobedience to witchcraft.

For rebellion is like the sin of sorcery, stubbornness like the crime of idolatry. (1 Sam 15:23a CJB)

 

Spiritual pride

Let’s stop for a moment at the issue of spiritual pride. Spiritual pride is when we think we are better than other believers just because we have been on this journey longer than they have.  We must be honest with ourselves. Have these thoughts ever crossed your mind?

  • ·        Carl is a ‘Great-Christian’. Do people say this about you? How does it make you feel? Uncomfortable or proud?
  • ·        I can hear God’s voice clearly, better than John.
  • ·        The Lord gave me this revelation because I live holy and close to Him.
  • ·        Nobody will be able to do this as well as I do.
  • ·        I don’t struggle with that issue the way Sue does.
  • ·        I wish that Letitia can just come right.
  • ·        Why is Peter battling to remain standing when it’s so easy?

Doesn’t this remind us of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector?

The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men–swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers–or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but was striking his chest [in humility and repentance], saying, ‘God, be merciful and gracious to me, the [especially wicked] sinner [that I am]!’ (Luk 18:11-13 AMP)

The counter question is whether the searchlight has shone in your heart yet? Have you seen your own hopeless condition?  Have you fallen on your face and begged with tears for mercy because you became aware of your own self-centeredness and pride? Few things are as disgusting as the smell of self-centeredness, pride and false humility.

 

Back to Esther…

This was an important detour, for us to see what we are dealing with to replace ‘Vashti’ with ‘Esther’.

 

Leadership and guidance

Hegai, the custodian of the woman, was appointed to supply the potential candidates with all they would require. The Bible refers to him as the keeper of the women. He was responsible for their beauty treatments, their meals as well as their training. This program lasted for a year. We read that he saw Esther’s potential and put in extra effort with her preparation.

Now the young woman pleased Hegai and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with beauty preparations and her [portion of] food, and he gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace; then he transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. (Est 2:9 AMP)

Hegai, a type of leadership, is an extremely important and serious function within the body of Christ. Responsible and truthful leadership is rare, but crucial for the growth and preparation of the bride of Jesus. Unfortunately there are way too many wolves in sheep’s clothing that is devouring believers instead of providing whatever is necessary for the bride to meet her bridegroom.

On the other hand, we also have to follow Esther’s example. She was working with Hegai and not against him. Pray that the Holy Spirit will show you which leaders are appointed and anointed by Him, leaders that you can trust. Then work with them in humility and love.

 

Treatment programme

The virgins were subjected to a strict preparation programme that lasted for twelve months. The full year time period signifies the period of completion. We learn from Scripture that our sanctification will continue until we have reached spiritual maturity.

till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13) 

 Her treatment had to start as soon as possible

Time is running out. The Bridegroom is soon to return and only those that have made themselves ready will be the wife of the Lamb.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. (Rev 19:7)

She had to eat healthy food

We have to eat clean spiritual food; feasting on the Lamb, eating the bread of life, collecting our daily portion of manna and drinking the living water. Only when we feed on the Truth, will we be nourished and sustained for the times ahead. There is no more time to do drive-through and take-out meals, each day from a different shop. When we’re not satisfied with the menu of this establishment, we move on to the next for the flavour of the day. It’s time to stop eating out and rather collect our manna and, together with Holy Spirit, prepare a home-made meal with it. That way we will be nourished with what is required by the Spirit for us personally.

Separation

She had to be brought to a safe spiritual place where she could learn and grow.

This is a very interesting point. The moment when she found favour, she was separated from the rest. When we mean business in our spiritual life and want to grow to the measure of the fullness of Christ, a separation happens. It’s in obscurity that the Holy Spirit can work deeply. The road of holiness becomes narrower and the fellow-travellers less and less. We shouldn’t be surprised or become upset. A holy, consecrated life is most of the times a lonely walk.

Beauty treatments plan

There was a prescribed treatment plan for these women: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with balm and other beauty products.

6 Months of myrrh

We know that myrrh points to the bitterness of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross and the Mountain of Myrrh in Song of Songs is the place where our old man dies. This is not just one quick treatment, but it is a process which takes time. Can you imagine, half of the time, six of the twelve months is appointed to myrrh. Our flesh doesn’t die so easily.

The Bible has different names for myrrh treatments: suffering, desert seasons, winds that blow, fire and testing. Unfortunately our flesh is strong and doesn’t submit willingly, we learn obedience through suffering.

Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (Heb 5:8b) 

 6 Months of balsam

To the extent that we co-operate with the Holy Spirit during times of testing and suffering, we can move over to the next phase of the beauty treatment plan – the balm and sweet spices. This part of the plan lasted for an equal amount of time as the myrrh. The desert doesn’t last forever. But we have to pass through Gethsemane to move to greater anointing. When we get the order wrong, the false anointing kicks in.

Balsam is also translated as sweet perfume and spices. We are equipped with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and start to emit a pleasant smell to those around us.

But thanks be to God! For in union with Christ we are always led by God as prisoners in Christ’s victory procession. God uses us to make the knowledge about Christ spread everywhere like a sweet fragrance. For we are like a sweet-smelling incense offered by Christ to God, which spreads among those who are being saved and those who are being lost. (2 Cor 2:14-15) 

 

We are not alone

The beloved Holy Spirit never leaves us alone in all of this. We don’t have to try to change with our own strength. The Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord guards over us. (Isa 11:2)

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. (Est 2:11)

We will never ever be able to be the bride of Jesus if we try to accomplish it in our own strength. Only a life lived through the Spirit of the living God will be a well-pleasing offer. It’s not by might or by power, but only by the Spirit of YHVH.

 

An Esther heart

We read that Esther was obedient and submitted to the counsel Mordecai. Remember that he is a type of the Holy Spirit. We need to work with the Holy Spirit in humble obedience. Esther cannot become the queen if Vashti (our own rebellious and stubborn nature) is still on the throne of our hearts. The Holy Spirit doesn’t always give us a reason for a yes or a no. Our job is to trust Him and to radically obey.

Esther found favour in the eyes of everyone that crossed her path, from Hegai, the leadership position, to the rest of the palace staff, and ultimately the king.

The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. (Est 2:17) 

There is another verse in Song of Songs to corresponds to beautifully with this one. There are many members in the ecclesia (body of Christ), but only a few are willing to pay the higher price. They are the ones who He calls His dove.

There are sixty queens And eighty concubines, And virgins without number.  My dove, my perfect one, Is the only one, The only one of her mother, The favorite of the one who bore her. The daughters saw her And called her blessed, The queens and the concubines, And they praised her. (Son 6:8-9) 

 

How do we obtain grace and favour?

Faith

Firstly, by living through faith. Without faith it’s impossible to please God.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Heb 11:6) 

Love

Equal to faith is love. We can accomplish all things for the Lord, but we read in 1 Cor 13 that none of that matters if we don’t have love.

Obedience

I believe that obedience to His voice, His instructions and His Spirit is another way to obtain favour from God. After all, obedience is the result of us loving Him. Obedience is also a way to demonstrate our faith. Faith without works is dead.

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (Jas 2:20) 

A gentle spirit (meek)

Being humble, meek, quiet and gentle and qualities that invite the presence of the Holy Spirit.

rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. (1 Pet 3:4) 

Live by the Spirit

We must lead lives that are led by the Spirit of God. We cannot try to please God by fleshly endeavours. Only Spirit can please Him. When we’re not led by the Spirit, we add all kinds of rules, regulations, laws, doctrines, musts and must-nots. True liberty is only found in a life guided by the Spirit of the living God. Not second-hand hear-say, but direct daily communication with the Lord.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Rom 8:14) 

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Rom 8:8) 

 

Plumbline

·        Let’s put our hand in our bosom and be honest when asking ourselves these questions:

·        Do we work with the Holy Spirit? Or do we grumble and complain about the myrrh, the diet and the instructions?

·        Who sits on the throne of our heart? Vashti, full of rebellion, stubbornness and pride? The bravest prayer is to ask the Lord to allow you to smell your own spiritual scent. Pride has a nasty smell.

·        Do we embrace the myrrh treatments? Or do we only want the balsam and sweet spices.

Let the prayer of our heart be that the Holy Spirit will continue to prepare us to meet our Bridegroom-King. Let’s embrace both the myrrh and the sweet spices. We need to recheck our diets – are we only feasting on the Lamb, the bread, the wine and living water or do we include the occasional spiritual junk food?

 

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” (Rev 22:17) 

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