Esther is a Type of the Bride

Esther 2: 17 "And the king loved Esther above all the women, and sheobtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that heset the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti."

Esther, being of an extraordinary character, is a type ofthe Bride of Christ. She was a remarkable lady in that she had an obedientspirit and always did what Mordecai commanded. (Esther 2: 20) Mordecai is a typeof the law. The Bride of Christ will be willing to obey all that is commandedin the Law of God.

Esther was a very wise, brave, faithful and dedicatedindividual, as the Bride of Christ will be. Esther was willing to die to beobedient rather than try to escape the judgment that was pronounced upon herand her people.

Esther 4: 16 "If I perish, I perish…"

Like the Bride of Christ, Esther was a virgin that wasselected for her beauty from among many other virgins. There was a reason whyEsther was chosen over the others. During the time of her purification, sherequired nothing but what Hegai, the kings chamberlain, appointed. (Esther 2:15)

Hegai, the king's chamberlain, is a type of the HolySpirit. Esther followed the leading and instruction of Hegai. So will theBride of Christ follow the leading and instruction of the Holy Spirit.

In Attitude

Esther was Obedient

Esther 2: 15 "Now when the turn of Esther… was come to go in unto the king,she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of thewomen, appointed."

Esther obeyed, unlike Vashti (a type of the Jews) whorefused to come when she was sent for by the King Ahasuerus.

Esther 1: 12 "The queen Vashti refused to come at the King's commandment…"

Ahasuerus, the king, is a type of Christ. His name means"Majestic Prince." Ahasuerus was the greatest king on the earth. Vashti,being self-willed, refused to give up her present enjoyment of her self-madeplans to obey the king's command. Like Vashti, the Jews were bound by thetraditions of their fathers and rejected the commands of God.

Vashti's disobedience led to her being rejected as thequeen. Although she was still in his kingdom and under his rule and authority,she lost her position as queen. Without question, she did not think thissimple act of disobedience would result in such disastrous consequences.

Esther 1: 19 "That Vashti come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let theking give her royal estate unto another that is better than she."

Rom. 11: 21, 22 "For if God spared not the natural branches, take heedlest He also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity ofGod: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continuein His goodness: Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

Esther was obedient in everything that was required of herby the king's chamberlain, Hegai (a type of the Holy Spirit). Esther "requirednothing" but what was appointed her. She left herself entirely in thehands of him who had the responsibility of preparing her to go see the king. (Esther 2: 8, 9, 15)

Esther was also obedient in everything Mordecai (a type ofthe Law) commanded.

Esther 2: 20 "…For Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as whenshe was brought up with him."

The Bride will be obedient to the leading and guidance ofthe Holy Spirit, and to the revelation of the Word as taught by theSpirit. He is preparing her for the King of all Kings.

Esther was Teachable

Esther gave up her own will and desires. She submitted tothe leading and teaching of the king's chamberlain. Vashti, like the Jews,refused to be taught anything.

The Bride will submit herself willingly to the Holy Spirit,requiring nothing but what the Holy Spirit appoints.

Jn. 14: 26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Fatherwill send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things toyour remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

I Cor. 2: 13 "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man'swisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual thingswith spiritual."

Rev. 3: 22 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith untothe churches."

Esther Was Humble

Esther 4: 16 "…So will I go in unto the king, which is not according to thelaw: and if I perish, I perish."

Humility is a strength, not a weakness. Pride andhaughtiness are forms of weakness. One meaning of the name Vashti is"weak." Esther was meek and humble. The Bride of Christ will be meek andhumble like her Lord.

Matt. 18: 4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this littlechild, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Lk. 14: 11 "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he thathumbleth himself shall be exalted."

Jas. 4: 10 "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall liftyou up."

In Preparation

A Speedy Preparation

Esther 2: 9 "…And he speedily gave her her things for purification…"

Rom. 9: 28 "For He will finish the work, and cut it short ("Santemno" -speedily, cut, short) in righteousness: because a short work willthe Lord make upon the earth."

The Bible teaches that we need to redeem the time for thedays are evil. Surely this is an evil time, as it was then, so it is now. Weneed to make good use of our time. There is need to make a determined effortto get ready, and get ready quickly.

It is almost time for the Bride to go in before the King. Withall the signs that are around, warning of judgments to come, we need to beready and "…counted worthy to escape all…" that is coming, and to standbefore the King.

A Perfect Preparation

Esther 2: 12 "Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to KingAhasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner… oftheir purifications accomplished…"

Twelve is a perfect number. Esther's purification wascomplete and perfect. The Bride of Christ will be made complete and perfectbefore her translation to go in to King Jesus.

Eph. 4: 13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of theknowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of thestature of the fulness of Christ:"

Rev. 19: 8 "…His wife hath made herself ready."

"Hetoimazo" -- "made" -- to prepare -- to make ready --absolutely

A Process of the Preparation

Myrrh

Esther 2: 12 "…Six months with oil of myrrh…"

"Myrrh" is a bitter, purifying and fragrant substance. TheBride of Christ will learn obedience, like her Lord, by the things she suffers.

Heb. 5: 8 "…Yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;"

Rom. 8: 17 "…If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be alsoglorified together."

II Tim. 2: 12 "If we suffer, we shall also reign ("Sumbasileuo" to reignwith, rule with) with Him…"

II Tim. 3: 12 "…All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall sufferpersecution."

Sweet Odours

Esther 2: 12 "…Six months with sweet odours…" (fragrance)

The Bride of Christ will be like her Lord in that she willbe a sweet-smelling savour.

Eph. 5: 2 "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath givenHimself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour."

II Cor. 2: 15 "For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ…"

Titus 2: 14 "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar ("Periousios" one's ownpossession) people, zealous of good works."

In Character

Esther was Beautiful

Esther 2: 7 "…The maid was fair and beautiful…"

Esther's real beauty was in her purity, simplicity, modesty,and reverence. The character and conduct of Esther reflect higher beauty thanjust physical.

Esther 2: 15 "…She required nothing but what Hegai the King's chamberlain,the keeper of the woman, appointed…"

The Bride of Christ will be beautiful.

S. of S. 6: 4 "Thou art beautiful, O My love…"

The Bride's beauty is not her looks. Her beauty is hercharacter: spiritual character, the inner man, the fruits of the Spirit, thepurity of heart, her love and reverence for the Lord. Modesty is a gracefulquality that adds to the beauty of a pure heart in reverence to God, which isalways beautiful in the eyes of the Lord.

Esther was Wise, Patient, and Bold

Esther 4: 16 "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan,and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I alsoand my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which isnot according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."

Esther's conduct, with regard to Haman and King Ahasuerus,was marked by discernment and a very wise plan to expose evil. The Bride ofChrist will have these same characteristics. The Bride will be wise,discerning, patient and bold in exposing the evil false doctrine. The Bride will also expose the lies and deceptions of the devil.

Esther was Faithful

Esther 2: 20 "Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people; asMordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him."

One of the most attractive qualities of Esther was herchild-like faithfulness to Mordecai (a type of the Law of God). She wasobedient to all of his commands.

The Bride of Christ will be faithful to both theSpirit of God's leading and the commands of God's moral law.

Esther was a Virgin

Esther 2: 17 "And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins…"

Esther kept herself pure. The Bride of Christ will have kept herself pure and unspotted from the world.

Jas. 1: 27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this…to keep himself unspotted from the world."

I Pet. 1: 22 "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:"

The Bride of Christ will not follow after false teachers or false and erroneous doctrines.

Jn. 10: 4, 5 "And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."

The Bride of Christ will test and prove the spirits of prophets. The Bride will not receive and believe all teachers until she has proved them to be of God.

I Jn. 4: 1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."