King Ahasuerus: A Spiritual Portrait of Almighty God, The Father in Heaven
Introduction
For the curious reader, it should be understood that this study is one of six individually posted “Character Profiles”, which in addition to this one include 1) Vashti 2) Mordecai, 2) Esther, 3) Heggai/Hatach, and 4) Haman. These profiles are all excerpted from an in-depth, expositional commentary of The Book of Esther which shows, by many examples, how the Book of Esther was crafted by God, through the orchestration of time and space, with the Holy Spirit inspired recording of it, to perfectly form an Historical Parable. More clearly stated, the Book of Esther has both an earthly/historical meaning and a heavenly/eternal spiritual meaning, which involves significant use of “allegories” and “types“. This study is one of many posted on this website to show that there are many such Hidden Treasures embedded within the various historical accounts that are recorded in the Bible. The Bible is a Spiritual Book, and the understanding of many of the key aspects of the Bible requires spiritual discernment. It should also be remembered that Jesus only spoke in parables to the multitude for the reasons explained here: “Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables?“.
In the Book of Esther, we are immediately introduced to King Ahasuerus. In the very first verse, Esther 1:1, we read, “¶Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this [is] Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, [over] an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)“. In this literal historical narrative that forms the Book of Esther, king Ahasuerus is simply the man who ruled the vast empire of the Medes and Persians following the fall and capture of king Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon. However, this historical figure serves another, much more important, role when viewed from a spiritual perspective. From that perspective, we will will consider how king Ahasuerus can represent Heavenly Father (or more generically, Almighty God).
“Ahasuerus“: According to Strong’s Concordance this king’s name is of Persian origin. It is said to be more of a title, referring to a king, rather than a specific name. It is believed to be the same as either Artexerxes or Xerxes (which has been said to mean “Mighty Eye” or “Mighty Man“, but this is also unclear from the Biblical text alone). It has been claimed in more than one reference that the name means “venerable father“, which, if true, is extremely significant as we shall see later.
There is no genealogy provided (Remember that God Himself has no genealogy). It should be noted that in Daniel 9:1 we read, that “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;”. Darius is one of the kings of Persia who commanded, in Ezra chapter 6, that the Jews rebuild the temple and walls of Jerusalem. In Ezra 6:14 we read, “And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.”
NOTE: Given that king Darius is stated to have been “the son of Ahasuerus“, we can certainly wonder if king Darius might therefore also be the son of queen Esther? If that were to have been the case, then it would mean that Darius was half Jewish, half Benjamite, and of the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! It would also help to explain why Darius would have been motivated to have the Jews rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem. Moreover, given that Mordecai (and hence Esther) are descendants of a man named Kish (the name of the father of king Saul), we might also wonder, if the above is true, then perhaps king Darius would have also been a descendant of King Saul, hence Jonathan, and hence Mephibosheth (whose name means “Dispeller of Shame”). This lineage is certainly not beyond the realm of possibility of what God could have orchestrated. Also interestingly, let us not forget that the Apostle Paul was also a Benjamite, whose original given name was Saul, as in King Saul. We must never underestimate what God can do! For more on the implications of Mordecai’s possible relationship to king Saul, please below in Mordecai’s Character Profile.
All “Glory” and “Honor” and “Majesty” Belong to God, as He Alone is Excellent!
Psalm 8:1, “{To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.} O LORD our Lord, how excellent (אַדִּיר (‘adîr))H117 [is] thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 above the heavens.“
Psalm 8:5 “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ)) H3519 and honour (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926.
Psalm 21:5, “His glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 [Is] great in thy salvation: honour (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926 hast thou laid upon him.”
Psalm 24:10, “Who is this King of glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519? The LORD of hosts, he [is] the King of glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519. Selah.“
Psalm 45:3-5, “Gird thy sword upon [thy] thigh, O [most] mighty, with thy glory (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and thy majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926. And in thy majesty(הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926 ride prosperously because of truth and meekness [and] righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows [are] sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; [whereby] the people fall under thee.“
Psalm 72:19, “And blessed [be] his glorious (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled [with] his glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 ; Amen, and Amen.“
Psalm 93:1, “¶The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty(גֵּאוּת (gē’ûṯ))H1348; the LORD is clothed with strength, [wherewith] he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.”
Psalm 96:6, “Honour (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935and majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926[are] before him: strength and beauty [are] in his sanctuary.”
Psalm 104:1, “Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926.“
Psalm 111:3. “His work [is] honorable (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and glorious(also “majesty” (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926: and his righteousness endureth for ever.“
Psalm 113:4&5, “The LORD [is] high above all nations, [and] his glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 above the heavens. Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,“
Psalm 145:5, “I will speak of the glorious (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 honour (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926of thy majesty (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935, and of thy wondrous works.” [NOTE: The Hebrew word that was translated as “works” should more accurately be translated “words” (דָּבָר (dāḇār))H1697. Therefore, we can also read it as saying “I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous words.“]
Psalm 145:10-13, “All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.They shall speak of the glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926 of his kingdom. Thy kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion [endureth] throughout all generations.“Actually, all of Psalm 145 extols, and speaks praise to, Almighty God’s Glorious Honor and Majesty.
Psalms 148:13, “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 [is] above the earth and heaven.“
Psalm 150:1&2, “¶ Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness (גֹּדֶל (gōḏel))H1433.“ “Excellent greatness” can also be considered as “magnificence“
1 Chronicles 16:25-28, “For great [is] the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also [is] to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people [are] idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Glory (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and honour (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926 [are] in his presence; strength and gladness [are] in his place. Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 and strength.“
1 Chronicles 29:10-13, “¶Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed [be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness (גְּדוּלָה (gᵊḏûlâ))H1420, and the power, and the glory(תִּפְאָרָה (tip̄’ārâ))H8597, and the victory, and the majesty (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935: for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 [come] of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand [is] power and might; and in thine hand [it is] to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious (תִּפְאָרָה (tip̄’ārâ))H8597 name.“
New Testament References
Matthew 24:30, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.“
1 Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.“
Jude 1:25, “To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.“
God and His Word are Unchangeable
God’s Law is eternal, unchangeable (cannot be altered or annulled) and is irrevocable, just like the law of the Medes and the Persians.
Esther 1:19, “If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.” (Compare with: Daniel 6:8, “Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.” and Daniel 6:15, “Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.“)
Malachi 3:6, “For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.“
Numbers 23:19, “God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?“
1 Samuel 15:29, “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he [is] not a man, that he should repent.“
Jeremiah 4:28, “For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken [it], I have purposed [it], and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.“
We also read in Isaiah 14:24, “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, [so] shall it stand:“ and then just three verses later in Isaiah 14:27, “For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul [it]? and his hand [is] stretched out, and who shall turn it back?“
God’s Word (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is “Published” Throughout All His Empire
Esther 1:20, “And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published (גָּלָה (gālâ))H1540 throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.” The original Hebrew word for published really means to “reveal” or “uncover”. The Word of God, Jesus Christ, Is revealed in the New Testament era!
Psalm 68:11, “The Lord gave the word: great [was] the company of those that published בָּשַׂר (bāśar)H1319 [it].” In this case, the original Hebrew word for ‘publish’ is better understood as “delivering a message” or “preached” the Word.
Mark 13:10, “And the gospel must first be publishedamong all nations.“
Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.“
Deuteronomy 31:30, “And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended. Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish קָרָא (qārā’)H7121, the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. [He is] the Rock, his work [is] perfect: for all his ways [are] judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right [is] he.” The original Hebrew word used here for publish is better translated as “proclaim“.
And to emphasize that the Kingdom of God is from all nations, Revelation 7:9&10, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and beforethe Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”
The Seven Wise Men in Shushan the Palace
In Esther 1:13&14 we read, “Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so [was] the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment: And the next unto him [was] Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, [and] which sat the first in the kingdom;)” Who do these seven wise men represent who knowboth times, law, and judgment? God gives us the answer in Revelation 4:5, “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.“
Please note the similarity to what we find in Exodus 19:16where we read, “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that [was] in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.” and in Exodus 34:2, “And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. Remember what God told Moses when Moses was to go up to Mount Sinai to visit with God? In Exodus 33:20 we read, “And he (God) said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live“. Doesn’t it appear that Mount Sinai was used of God to typify His throne? Furthermore, by typifying God’s throne, both Mount Sinai in Exodus (and Shushan the palace in Esther 1:2, “[That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,“) must therefore represent Heaven. We can say this because of what we read in Isaiah 66:1(and Acts 7:49), “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven [is] my throne, and the earth [is] my footstool: where [is] the house that ye build unto me? and where [is] the place of my rest?“. Finally, isn’t it also reasonable to conclude that the seven wise men in the book of Esther could therefore be representative of the “seven Spirits of God” that are always with Him and see His face and Who know the times, law, and judgment (which relates to the “fire”)?
The key time elements of the Book of Esther effectively spanned a “year” according to Esther 3:7, going from the first month “Nisan” to the twelth month, “Adar”, which spiritually spans from creation to Judgment Day. We should therefore consider that King Ahasuerus’ reign spanned that entire period, which again points us to God, The Father/God Almighty, as He alone reigns over all Creation and all time (beginning to end).
No other entity could be so represented by King Ahasuerus as continuing to reign uninterrupted. For example, let’s take for example, Adam, he was a man of God’s creation in the likeness of God. Adam subsequently sinned and was cursed by God and Adam died. He did not continue to reign. He forfeited his rights to this creation to the wicked one, the devil, represented by Haman. Adam did not reign with a “golden sceptre”. Adam did not reign during the fulfillment of the Feast of Passover, or the Feast of Pentecost, and neither will Adam reign when Judgment Day comes. The believers do not make their prayers known to Adam, but to God the Father and certified in Jesus’ name. The believers boldly come into God’s throne room of grace for salvation, and not to Adam (Adam never had a throne and he could not even save himself).
APPENDIX: Questions and Answers
Having provided this study, and the fundamentals of the “Typological” or “allegorical” understanding by which it was derived, let us now look at a few questions that have been brought to this teacher’s attention regarding the preceding commentary and interpretations. It has been asked of this teacher by someone who is very familiar with the Bible (a former Dean of a well known Theological Seminary)…
“What are the implications of a pagan, drunken, self-centered, and rash king (who seeks and is bound by the counsel of his advisors) being likened to God?”
This Teacher’s Reply to the Question Can Be Broken Down into Five Parts:
1) Can A Pagan King Be Likened To God?
Let us take a look at the first part of the question: is it really possible that a “pagan” king can be likened to God? If we turn to Genesis 41:39-44, we can see a similar account where another pagan king, a pharaoh of Egypt, elevated Joseph (who, like Mordecai, is a classic allegorical pre-figurement of Jesus Christ) to his right hand. Notice the language, “And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him [ruler] over all the land of Egypt.” Isn’t it Jesus Christ to whom every knee will eventually bow? (see Philippians 2:10) And doesn’t the fine linen pertain to the righteousness of Christ which will eventually also be imputed to the believers? (See Revelation 18:19). What about kings Cyrus and Darius of Persia when they each gave a commandment to rebuild the temple? (see Ezra 1:1-2, Ezra 6:12) (Also note that in Ezra 6:14, Artaxerxes (Ahasuerus) is also listed with Cyrus and Darius, right after the God of Israel as having given that commandment.) In Daniel 6:25, we read, “Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.” Who is it that has the power to declare to all people, nations and languages, that dwell in all the earth, “Peace be unto you?” Only Almighty God Himself! (John 20:19, John 20:21, John 20:26, and Revelation 1:4) So then, you be the judge…can a pagan king be likened to God?
2) Is God Drunken with Wine?
Regarding the issue of “drunkenness”, there is no place in the book of Esther where there is an explicit reference to “drunkenness” on the part of the king Ahasuerus. What was recorded in Esther 1:10 was only, “When the heart of the king was merry with wine.” We should take a moment to review what is a “parable”?…A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly or spiritual meaning. While we may speculate that in the historical context this means drunkenness, we have to be careful to see what God means “spiritually” by the use of such language. If it can only mean drunkenness, then we would also have to accuse God of being a drunkard, because in Judges 9:12-13, we read, “Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, [and] reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?” Incidentally, in this parable, “the vine” represents Jesus Christ (John 15:1+5), and as everywhere in the Bible, good wine represents the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Even “Strong wine” as we find in Numbers 28:7 “And the drink offering thereof [shall be] the fourth [part] of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy [place] shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD [for] a drink offering.”
Also take for example, in Luke 10:34, we read how the Good Samaritan treated the “half-dead man” (BTW: the half-dead man is someone who is physically alive, but spiritually dead, and hence unsaved), “And went to [him], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” The wine represents the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and the Oil represents the Holy Spirit (Psalms 23:5, Please see this study on Psalm 23), and Jesus is that Good Samaritan as He saves every believer. In Psalm 104:14&15, we read how the Lord God “causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine [that] maketh glad the heart of man, [and] oil to make [his] face to shine, and bread [which] strengtheneth man’s heart.” We have just observed what the wine and oil represents, and every believer should know that the bread represents Jesus Christ’s body that was given for us (please see John 6:35 and John 6:31 and Matthew 26:26, Mar 14:22, and Luke 22:19 ).
Before we leave the subject of wine at the feast (Jesus’s death on the final Passover) to which Vashti (Old Testament National Israel) refused to come. Did the wine (Jesus’s shed blood, as the atoning sacrifice culminating with His crucifixion) cheer God (make His heart merry)? In Isaiah 53:5 we read how Jesus “[was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” And then in Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.“ and again in Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
One other aspect that relates to feasting and wine that is in the book of Esther (mentioned earlier above) relates to the “banquets of wine” at which king Ahasuerus sat down with Haman in the presence of Esther (Esther, chapters 5-7). Did God ever sit down at a feast table with Satan in the presence of believers where wine was also present? Indeed He did! At the last Passover feast, the “Last Supper,” God (as Jesus Christ) sat next to Judas Iscariot (who we know was indwelt with Satan, Luke 22:3) in the presence of Jesus’s eleven other disciples (believers) at the Passover feast where we know the Jesus instituted the sacrament service with wine (representing His shed blood). As Jesus said in John 13:18, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture (Psalms 41:9) may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.“
Note also how that immediately after the banquet of chapter 7, Haman was hung on the high gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The same day as the Passover Feast at which Judas Iscariot subsequently betrayed Jesus (under the prompting of Satan, see John 13:2), Jesus was hung on the cross (see Galatians 3:13). The fact of the matter is, although Satan sought to destroy Jesus at the cross, it was Satan who was actually dealt a death blow on that same cross. (Incidentally, at the same time, so was Judas Iscariot (who in effect was typifying Satan) hanged, see Matthew 27:5). On the last day, Judgment Day, Satan and all his dominion will be permanently cut-off and cast into the lake of fire, as typified by the death and subsequent hanging of Haman’s ten sons.
3) Is God Self-Centered?
There is not too much that can be said about this other than God is the Great “I AM.”
In Revelation 4:11, we read, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.“
In Esther 1:4, we read about king Ahasuerus’ “riches of his glorious (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 kingdom and the honour of his excellent (תִּפְאָרָה (tip̄’ārâ))H8597 majesty …” ( Psalm 148:13, “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent (שָׂגַב (śāḡaḇ))H7682; his glory [is] above the earth and heaven.” and Psalm 150:2, “Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent (רֹב (rōḇ))H7230 greatness.“)
In Esther 1:1 we read that the kingdom comprised 127 provinces*. This is a large prime number, and as a result, it cannot be divided into any smaller numbers. God’s kingdom is also great and indivisible. Just as the decrees or commandments of king Ahasuerus could not be rescinded, neither can the laws of God be nullified by another decree. God’s law is eternal and irrevocable (as is to be expected of a just God). Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luk 21:33, God says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” God also says in the Bible (Romans 6:23), “For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” When someone goes to Hell for his sins, it is an irrevocable edict. And if someone is saved by grace (through Jesus’s perfect fulfillment of the law), God assures that person will remain in Heaven forever.
* Interestingly, Sarah lived 127 years as we read in Genesis 23:1 ¶ “And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: [these were] the years of the life of Sarah“. We also know that Abraham was told that in Genesis 22:18 “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” But Sarah, as the mother of Isaac, was also the vehicle by which God would bless all the nations of the earth through here Descendent, Jesus Christ. So the number 127 would therefore seem to point to “all the nations of the earth” from another vantage point.
4) Is God Rash?
The anger and wrath of a just God in the face of sin is never rash. When God sends sinners to Hell for eternity, some might consider that rash (particularly in our day). If all we see in Esther chapter 1 is a simple historical account, it might appear as though the action of king Ahasuerus was rash. Keep in mind that one sin is sufficient to send anyone to Hell (just look at what happened to Adam and Eve, and hence all of mankind descended from them, for their one sin). Queen Vashti was bidden by the king to come to the feast (while at the same time she was holding her own feast “for the women [in] the royal house which [belonged] to king Ahasuerus.”). Again, please see the Parables of the Two Feasts.
Please see Deuteronomy 31:16-18, because it lays the foundation for understanding why National Israel, as a people, fell under and have remained under God’s wrath and condemnation: “¶And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go [to be] among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God [is] not among us? And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.”
God provides additional commentary in Psalm 95:10&11 regarding the nation of Israel after their coming out of Egypt, “Forty years long was I grieved with [this] generation, and said, It [is] a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.“
Remember the parable of Matthew 22:1-14? In that parable, the “remnant”, that Jesus said was bidden to the wedding feast, but who refused to come and then mistreated and even slew the King’s servants (the prophets), was Old Testament National Israel! Like Vashti, she acted rebelliously. She refused to come. She was disobedient. Anyone who takes the same action in response to God’s command to “Come unto me” and to the wedding/marriage feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9) will be cast out of the presence of God forever. Would anyone dare call that rash?
[NOTE: It has also been pointed out to this teacher, that Queen Vashti, who certainly does represent Old Testament National Israel, also has attributes that can also be likened to the New Testament apostate “Christian” church (as opposed to the true eternal church of Jesus Christ), which in effect also refuses God’s command to come to His feast, because it is conducting its own feast in the house that otherwise belongs to God]
[Some may think that because National Israel was restored as a nation among nations again in 1948, with its capital established in Jerusalem in 1967, that this means that God brought this about to restore His relationship with National again. Absolutely NOT! Rather, it is because it is the fulfillment of Jesus proclamation concerning the “parable of the fig tree.” Matthew 24:32&33, “¶Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [is] nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even] at the doors.” The parable was provided in the context of determining the time of the end of the world. Note that it does not say that there would be any fruit. Let him who has ears hear. For more on this topic, please see “Will the Temple Ever Be Rebuilt?]
5) Would God Seek and Be Bound to the Advice of Counselors?
The answer to this question is found in the fact that God is in three persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit. That is why we read these plural terms in Genesis 1:26, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” God Counsels with Himself. Note also how there were seven counselors. The number seven pertains to the perfection of God’s plan, so it is entirely appropriate that there would be seven counselors. Please see Revelation 1:16 and Revelation 1:20 regarding the seven stars in Jesus’s right hand that were described as a “mystery” and which were “the angels (messengers) of the seven churches.” Finally, as was explained above, God is bound by His own law that He established before the foundation of the world.
Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established.“PostBlock
King Ahasuerus: A Spiritual Portrait of Almighty God, The Father in Heaven
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In the Book of Esther, we are immediately introduced to King Ahasuerus. In the very first verse, Esther 1:1, we read, “¶Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this [is] Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, [over] an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)“. In this literal historical narrative that forms the Book of Esther, king Ahasuerus is simply the man who ruled the vast empire of the Medes and Persians following the fall and capture of king Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon. However, this historical figure serves another, much more important, role when viewed from a spiritual perspective. From that perspective, we will will consider how king Ahasuerus can represent Heavenly Father (or more generically, Almighty God).
“Ahasuerus“: According to Strong’s Concordance this king’s name is of Persian origin. It is said to be more of a title, referring to a king, rather than a specific name. It is believed to be the same as either Artexerxes or Xerxes (which has been said to mean “Mighty Eye” or “Mighty Man“, but this is also unclear from the Biblical text alone). It has been claimed in more than one reference that the name means “venerable father“, which, if true, is extremely significant as we shall see later.
There is no genealogy provided (Remember that God Himself has no genealogy). It should be noted that in Daniel 9:1 we read, that “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;”. Darius is one of the kings of Persia who commanded, in Ezra chapter 6, that the Jews rebuild the temple and walls of Jerusalem. In Ezra 6:14 we read, “And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.”
NOTE: Given that king Darius is stated to have been “the son of Ahasuerus“, we can certainly wonder if king Darius might therefore also be the son of queen Esther? If that were to have been the case, then it would mean that Darius was half Jewish, half Benjamite, and of the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! It would also help to explain why Darius would have been motivated to have the Jews rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem. Moreover, given that Mordecai (and hence Esther) are descendants of a man named Kish (the name of the father of king Saul), we might also wonder, if the above is true, then perhaps king Darius would have also been a descendant of King Saul, hence Jonathan, and hence Mephibosheth (whose name means “Dispeller of Shame”). This lineage is certainly not beyond the realm of possibility of what God could have orchestrated. Also interestingly, let us not forget that the Apostle Paul was also a Benjamite, whose original given name was Saul, as in King Saul. We must never underestimate what God can do! For more on the implications of Mordecai’s possible relationship to king Saul, please below in Mordecai’s Character Profile.
All “Glory” and “Honor” and “Majesty” Belong to God, as He Alone is Excellent!
Psalm 8:1, “{To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.} O LORD our Lord, how excellent (אַדִּיר (‘adîr))H117 [is] thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 above the heavens.“
Psalm 8:5 “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ)) H3519 and honour (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926.
Psalm 21:5, “His glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 [Is] great in thy salvation: honour (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926 hast thou laid upon him.”
Psalm 24:10, “Who is this King of glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519? The LORD of hosts, he [is] the King of glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519. Selah.“
Psalm 45:3-5, “Gird thy sword upon [thy] thigh, O [most] mighty, with thy glory (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and thy majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926. And in thy majesty(הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926 ride prosperously because of truth and meekness [and] righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows [are] sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; [whereby] the people fall under thee.“
Psalm 72:19, “And blessed [be] his glorious (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled [with] his glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 ; Amen, and Amen.“
Psalm 93:1, “¶The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty(גֵּאוּת (gē’ûṯ))H1348; the LORD is clothed with strength, [wherewith] he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.”
Psalm 96:6, “Honour (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935and majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926[are] before him: strength and beauty [are] in his sanctuary.”
Psalm 104:1, “Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926.“
Psalm 111:3. “His work [is] honorable (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and glorious(also “majesty” (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926: and his righteousness endureth for ever.“
Psalm 113:4&5, “The LORD [is] high above all nations, [and] his glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 above the heavens. Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,“
Psalm 145:5, “I will speak of the glorious (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 honour (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926of thy majesty (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935, and of thy wondrous works.” [NOTE: The Hebrew word that was translated as “works” should more accurately be translated “words” (דָּבָר (dāḇār))H1697. Therefore, we can also read it as saying “I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous words.“]
Psalm 145:10-13, “All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.They shall speak of the glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 majesty (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926 of his kingdom. Thy kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion [endureth] throughout all generations.“Actually, all of Psalm 145 extols, and speaks praise to, Almighty God’s Glorious Honor and Majesty.
Psalms 148:13, “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 [is] above the earth and heaven.“
Psalm 150:1&2, “¶ Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness (גֹּדֶל (gōḏel))H1433.“ “Excellent greatness” can also be considered as “magnificence“
1 Chronicles 16:25-28, “For great [is] the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also [is] to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people [are] idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Glory (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935 and honour (הָדָר (hāḏār)) H1926 [are] in his presence; strength and gladness [are] in his place. Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 and strength.“
1 Chronicles 29:10-13, “¶Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed [be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness (גְּדוּלָה (gᵊḏûlâ))H1420, and the power, and the glory(תִּפְאָרָה (tip̄’ārâ))H8597, and the victory, and the majesty (הוֹד (hôḏ)) H1935: for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 [come] of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand [is] power and might; and in thine hand [it is] to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious (תִּפְאָרָה (tip̄’ārâ))H8597 name.“
New Testament References
Matthew 24:30, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.“
1 Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.“
Jude 1:25, “To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.“
God and His Word are Unchangeable
God’s Law is eternal, unchangeable (cannot be altered or annulled) and is irrevocable, just like the law of the Medes and the Persians.
Esther 1:19, “If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.” (Compare with: Daniel 6:8, “Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.” and Daniel 6:15, “Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.“)
Malachi 3:6, “For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.“
Numbers 23:19, “God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?“
1 Samuel 15:29, “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he [is] not a man, that he should repent.“
Jeremiah 4:28, “For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken [it], I have purposed [it], and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.“
We also read in Isaiah 14:24, “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, [so] shall it stand:“ and then just three verses later in Isaiah 14:27, “For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul [it]? and his hand [is] stretched out, and who shall turn it back?“
God’s Word (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is “Published” Throughout All His Empire
Esther 1:20, “And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published (גָּלָה (gālâ))H1540 throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.” The original Hebrew word for published really means to “reveal” or “uncover”. The Word of God, Jesus Christ, Is revealed in the New Testament era!
Psalm 68:11, “The Lord gave the word: great [was] the company of those that published בָּשַׂר (bāśar)H1319 [it].” In this case, the original Hebrew word for ‘publish’ is better understood as “delivering a message” or “preached” the Word.
Mark 13:10, “And the gospel must first be publishedamong all nations.“
Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.“
Deuteronomy 31:30, “And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended. Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish קָרָא (qārā’)H7121, the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. [He is] the Rock, his work [is] perfect: for all his ways [are] judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right [is] he.” The original Hebrew word used here for publish is better translated as “proclaim“.
And to emphasize that the Kingdom of God is from all nations, Revelation 7:9&10, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and beforethe Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”
The Seven Wise Men in Shushan the Palace
In Esther 1:13&14 we read, “Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so [was] the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment: And the next unto him [was] Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, [and] which sat the first in the kingdom;)” Who do these seven wise men represent who knowboth times, law, and judgment? God gives us the answer in Revelation 4:5, “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.“
Please note the similarity to what we find in Exodus 19:16where we read, “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that [was] in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.” and in Exodus 34:2, “And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. Remember what God told Moses when Moses was to go up to Mount Sinai to visit with God? In Exodus 33:20 we read, “And he (God) said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live“. Doesn’t it appear that Mount Sinai was used of God to typify His throne? Furthermore, by typifying God’s throne, both Mount Sinai in Exodus (and Shushan the palace in Esther 1:2, “[That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,“) must therefore represent Heaven. We can say this because of what we read in Isaiah 66:1(and Acts 7:49), “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven [is] my throne, and the earth [is] my footstool: where [is] the house that ye build unto me? and where [is] the place of my rest?“. Finally, isn’t it also reasonable to conclude that the seven wise men in the book of Esther could therefore be representative of the “seven Spirits of God” that are always with Him and see His face and Who know the times, law, and judgment (which relates to the “fire”)?
The key time elements of the Book of Esther effectively spanned a “year” according to Esther 3:7, going from the first month “Nisan” to the twelth month, “Adar”, which spiritually spans from creation to Judgment Day. We should therefore consider that King Ahasuerus’ reign spanned that entire period, which again points us to God, The Father/God Almighty, as He alone reigns over all Creation and all time (beginning to end).
No other entity could be so represented by King Ahasuerus as continuing to reign uninterrupted. For example, let’s take for example, Adam, he was a man of God’s creation in the likeness of God. Adam subsequently sinned and was cursed by God and Adam died. He did not continue to reign. He forfeited his rights to this creation to the wicked one, the devil, represented by Haman. Adam did not reign with a “golden sceptre”. Adam did not reign during the fulfillment of the Feast of Passover, or the Feast of Pentecost, and neither will Adam reign when Judgment Day comes. The believers do not make their prayers known to Adam, but to God the Father and certified in Jesus’ name. The believers boldly come into God’s throne room of grace for salvation, and not to Adam (Adam never had a throne and he could not even save himself).
APPENDIX: Questions and Answers
Having provided this study, and the fundamentals of the “Typological” or “allegorical” understanding by which it was derived, let us now look at a few questions that have been brought to this teacher’s attention regarding the preceding commentary and interpretations. It has been asked of this teacher by someone who is very familiar with the Bible (a former Dean of a well known Theological Seminary)…
“What are the implications of a pagan, drunken, self-centered, and rash king (who seeks and is bound by the counsel of his advisors) being likened to God?”
This Teacher’s Reply to the Question Can Be Broken Down into Five Parts:
1) Can A Pagan King Be Likened To God?
Let us take a look at the first part of the question: is it really possible that a “pagan” king can be likened to God? If we turn to Genesis 41:39-44, we can see a similar account where another pagan king, a pharaoh of Egypt, elevated Joseph (who, like Mordecai, is a classic allegorical pre-figurement of Jesus Christ) to his right hand. Notice the language, “And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him [ruler] over all the land of Egypt.” Isn’t it Jesus Christ to whom every knee will eventually bow? (see Philippians 2:10) And doesn’t the fine linen pertain to the righteousness of Christ which will eventually also be imputed to the believers? (See Revelation 18:19). What about kings Cyrus and Darius of Persia when they each gave a commandment to rebuild the temple? (see Ezra 1:1-2, Ezra 6:12) (Also note that in Ezra 6:14, Artaxerxes (Ahasuerus) is also listed with Cyrus and Darius, right after the God of Israel as having given that commandment.) In Daniel 6:25, we read, “Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.” Who is it that has the power to declare to all people, nations and languages, that dwell in all the earth, “Peace be unto you?” Only Almighty God Himself! (John 20:19, John 20:21, John 20:26, and Revelation 1:4) So then, you be the judge…can a pagan king be likened to God?
2) Is God Drunken with Wine?
Regarding the issue of “drunkenness”, there is no place in the book of Esther where there is an explicit reference to “drunkenness” on the part of the king Ahasuerus. What was recorded in Esther 1:10 was only, “When the heart of the king was merry with wine.” We should take a moment to review what is a “parable”?…A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly or spiritual meaning. While we may speculate that in the historical context this means drunkenness, we have to be careful to see what God means “spiritually” by the use of such language. If it can only mean drunkenness, then we would also have to accuse God of being a drunkard, because in Judges 9:12-13, we read, “Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, [and] reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?” Incidentally, in this parable, “the vine” represents Jesus Christ (John 15:1+5), and as everywhere in the Bible, good wine represents the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Even “Strong wine” as we find in Numbers 28:7 “And the drink offering thereof [shall be] the fourth [part] of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy [place] shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD [for] a drink offering.”
Also take for example, in Luke 10:34, we read how the Good Samaritan treated the “half-dead man” (BTW: the half-dead man is someone who is physically alive, but spiritually dead, and hence unsaved), “And went to [him], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” The wine represents the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and the Oil represents the Holy Spirit (Psalms 23:5, Please see this study on Psalm 23), and Jesus is that Good Samaritan as He saves every believer. In Psalm 104:14&15, we read how the Lord God “causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine [that] maketh glad the heart of man, [and] oil to make [his] face to shine, and bread [which] strengtheneth man’s heart.” We have just observed what the wine and oil represents, and every believer should know that the bread represents Jesus Christ’s body that was given for us (please see John 6:35 and John 6:31 and Matthew 26:26, Mar 14:22, and Luke 22:19 ).
Before we leave the subject of wine at the feast (Jesus’s death on the final Passover) to which Vashti (Old Testament National Israel) refused to come. Did the wine (Jesus’s shed blood, as the atoning sacrifice culminating with His crucifixion) cheer God (make His heart merry)? In Isaiah 53:5 we read how Jesus “[was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” And then in Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.“ and again in Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
One other aspect that relates to feasting and wine that is in the book of Esther (mentioned earlier above) relates to the “banquets of wine” at which king Ahasuerus sat down with Haman in the presence of Esther (Esther, chapters 5-7). Did God ever sit down at a feast table with Satan in the presence of believers where wine was also present? Indeed He did! At the last Passover feast, the “Last Supper,” God (as Jesus Christ) sat next to Judas Iscariot (who we know was indwelt with Satan, Luke 22:3) in the presence of Jesus’s eleven other disciples (believers) at the Passover feast where we know the Jesus instituted the sacrament service with wine (representing His shed blood). As Jesus said in John 13:18, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture (Psalms 41:9) may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.“
Note also how that immediately after the banquet of chapter 7, Haman was hung on the high gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The same day as the Passover Feast at which Judas Iscariot subsequently betrayed Jesus (under the prompting of Satan, see John 13:2), Jesus was hung on the cross (see Galatians 3:13). The fact of the matter is, although Satan sought to destroy Jesus at the cross, it was Satan who was actually dealt a death blow on that same cross. (Incidentally, at the same time, so was Judas Iscariot (who in effect was typifying Satan) hanged, see Matthew 27:5). On the last day, Judgment Day, Satan and all his dominion will be permanently cut-off and cast into the lake of fire, as typified by the death and subsequent hanging of Haman’s ten sons.
3) Is God Self-Centered?
There is not too much that can be said about this other than God is the Great “I AM.”
In Revelation 4:11, we read, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.“
In Esther 1:4, we read about king Ahasuerus’ “riches of his glorious (כָּבוֹד (kāḇôḏ))H3519 kingdom and the honour of his excellent (תִּפְאָרָה (tip̄’ārâ))H8597 majesty …” ( Psalm 148:13, “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent (שָׂגַב (śāḡaḇ))H7682; his glory [is] above the earth and heaven.” and Psalm 150:2, “Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent (רֹב (rōḇ))H7230 greatness.“)
In Esther 1:1 we read that the kingdom comprised 127 provinces*. This is a large prime number, and as a result, it cannot be divided into any smaller numbers. God’s kingdom is also great and indivisible. Just as the decrees or commandments of king Ahasuerus could not be rescinded, neither can the laws of God be nullified by another decree. God’s law is eternal and irrevocable (as is to be expected of a just God). Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luk 21:33, God says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” God also says in the Bible (Romans 6:23), “For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” When someone goes to Hell for his sins, it is an irrevocable edict. And if someone is saved by grace (through Jesus’s perfect fulfillment of the law), God assures that person will remain in Heaven forever.
* Interestingly, Sarah lived 127 years as we read in Genesis 23:1 ¶ “And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: [these were] the years of the life of Sarah“. We also know that Abraham was told that in Genesis 22:18 “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” But Sarah, as the mother of Isaac, was also the vehicle by which God would bless all the nations of the earth through here Descendent, Jesus Christ. So the number 127 would therefore seem to point to “all the nations of the earth” from another vantage point.
4) Is God Rash?
The anger and wrath of a just God in the face of sin is never rash. When God sends sinners to Hell for eternity, some might consider that rash (particularly in our day). If all we see in Esther chapter 1 is a simple historical account, it might appear as though the action of king Ahasuerus was rash. Keep in mind that one sin is sufficient to send anyone to Hell (just look at what happened to Adam and Eve, and hence all of mankind descended from them, for their one sin). Queen Vashti was bidden by the king to come to the feast (while at the same time she was holding her own feast “for the women [in] the royal house which [belonged] to king Ahasuerus.”). Again, please see the Parables of the Two Feasts.
Please see Deuteronomy 31:16-18, because it lays the foundation for understanding why National Israel, as a people, fell under and have remained under God’s wrath and condemnation: “¶And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go [to be] among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God [is] not among us? And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.”
God provides additional commentary in Psalm 95:10&11 regarding the nation of Israel after their coming out of Egypt, “Forty years long was I grieved with [this] generation, and said, It [is] a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.“
Remember the parable of Matthew 22:1-14? In that parable, the “remnant”, that Jesus said was bidden to the wedding feast, but who refused to come and then mistreated and even slew the King’s servants (the prophets), was Old Testament National Israel! Like Vashti, she acted rebelliously. She refused to come. She was disobedient. Anyone who takes the same action in response to God’s command to “Come unto me” and to the wedding/marriage feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9) will be cast out of the presence of God forever. Would anyone dare call that rash?
[NOTE: It has also been pointed out to this teacher, that Queen Vashti, who certainly does represent Old Testament National Israel, also has attributes that can also be likened to the New Testament apostate “Christian” church (as opposed to the true eternal church of Jesus Christ), which in effect also refuses God’s command to come to His feast, because it is conducting its own feast in the house that otherwise belongs to God]
[Some may think that because National Israel was restored as a nation among nations again in 1948, with its capital established in Jerusalem in 1967, that this means that God brought this about to restore His relationship with National again. Absolutely NOT! Rather, it is because it is the fulfillment of Jesus proclamation concerning the “parable of the fig tree.” Matthew 24:32&33, “¶Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [is] nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even] at the doors.” The parable was provided in the context of determining the time of the end of the world. Note that it does not say that there would be any fruit. Let him who has ears hear. For more on this topic, please see “Will the Temple Ever Be Rebuilt?]
5) Would God Seek and Be Bound to the Advice of Counselors?
The answer to this question is found in the fact that God is in three persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit. That is why we read these plural terms in Genesis 1:26, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” God Counsels with Himself. Note also how there were seven counselors. The number seven pertains to the perfection of God’s plan, so it is entirely appropriate that there would be seven counselors. Please see Revelation 1:16 and Revelation 1:20 regarding the seven stars in Jesus’s right hand that were described as a “mystery” and which were “the angels (messengers) of the seven churches.” Finally, as was explained above, God is bound by His own law that He established before the foundation of the world.
Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established.“
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October 1, 2025 at 3:22 pm
[…] 1) King Ahasuerus: A very great and powerful king who reigned over a “glorious kingdom” with the “honour of his excellent majesty.” […]