Mantle of Esther

Esther

Notes from The Mantle of Esther by Larry Christenson ©2008 by Larry Christenson. Quotes from 2nd Printing, August 2008. ISBN 978-0-8007-9428-6

Chapter 1 I. Esther 1:1-3 A. “Ahasuerus” means “king” and is the Jewish name for Xerxes in the book of Esther. B. Ahasuerus represents God the Father as King C. The book of Esther begins with the majesty of the king. 1. “To focus first of all on the sovereign majesty of God highlights an aspect of intercession often skipped over” (page 21). 2. “Anyone who wants to become an intercessor must first of all embrace the truth of God’s absolute sovereignty” (page 24). II. Esther 1:10-12 A. Eunuchs are the king’s servants. 1. “Their names suggest how richly textured is the obedience due the sovereign authority of the king” (page 25). 2. “Mehuman” means “firm, steady, true; a faithful servant of his master.” 3. “Biztha” is related to the idea of “plunder,” the winnings of warfare. 4. “Bigtha” means “something given by fortune, a gift of God.” 5. “Abagtha” means “happy” or “prosperous.” 6. “Zethar” means “one who slays, a smiter, or sacrifice.” 7. “Carkas” means “severe.” 8. “Harbona” means “a baldheaded man.” B. “Vashti” means “a beautiful woman.” C. “When you enter the ministry of intercession, you are ‘on call’ for God – not at your convenience, but when His moment arrives, when ‘His heart is merry’” (page 28). D. The issue is not one of sexism or whether the king’s desire was inappropriate. Symbolically, the significance of the passage is that Vashti rebelled against the king’s command, and placed her own opinion above his. III. Esther 1:13-22 A. “The names of the king’s counselors are interesting. They suggest the diverse and even paradoxical nature of divine wisdom” (page 30). 1. “Carshena” means “lean, slender.” 2. “Shethar” means “star, commander.” 3. “Admatha” means “God-given.” 4. “Tarshish” means “hard.” 5. “Meres” and “Marsena” both mean “worthy.” 6. “Memucan” means “authority, dignity.”

B. “If we back off from the call of God, the plan of God will go forward, but we can be set aside” (page 32). Chapter 2 I. Esther 2:1-7 A. Mordecai represents Christ. B. Esther is a Persian name meaning “star of the east.” C. “Her charm and appeal is typological of a believer whose life is pleasing to God” (page 38). (See also John 8:29, 1 John 3:22, Colossians 1:10, Ephesians 5:27) II. Esther 2:8-9 A. Hegai 1. Hegai represents the Holy Spirit. 2. His name means “festive.” B. “What first of all pleases the Holy Spirit and finds favor with Him are believers who are teachable: They want to live so as to please God, but do not presume to know how” (page 39). C. Receiving “her portion of food” corresponds to learning scripture. (See 1 Peter 2:2, 2 Timothy 2:15). D. Cosmetics correspond to beauty, and spiritual beauty corresponds to godly behavior. (See 1 Peter 3:4, Revelation 19:8) E. The maidservants correspond to Christian fellowship 1. “As Esther’s story unfolds, they share in her intercession” (page 44). 2. “In scripture, seven suggests fullness or completeness” (page 44). III. Esther 2:10-11 A. “The prelude to active ministry, however, is often a protected time of nurture, training and strengthening” (page 45). B. The intercessor should come under orderly authority, as his ministry is tied to the life of the church. (See Ephesians 6:18-19) IV. Esther 2:12 A. In scripture, the number twelve suggests order and government. B. Myrrh suggests preparation for death. (See 1 Corinthians 15:31, 2 Corinthians 4:11) V. Esther 2:13-15 A. The intercessor does not depend on some personal strength or skill, but takes into God’s presence only what the Holy Spirit suggests. VI. Esther 2:16 A. The number ten suggests “having to do with the kingdom.” B. The number seven suggests that which is appropriate, perfect, or complete. 1. It was not Esther’s seventh year, but it was the king’s seventh year.

VII. Esther 2:17-18 A. “When the Church pleases God, God in His delight turns to bless the world” (page 54). VIII. Esther 2:20 A. The intercessor remains intimately connected and obedient to Christ. IX. Esther 2:22-23 A. Esther reports to the king in the name of Mordecai, as the intercessor reports to the Father in the name of Jesus. B. Esther’s first act of intercession is for the well-being of the kingdom. (See Luke 11:2) 1. “The concern of the intercessor begins, and … never loses sight of the well-being of the Kingdom of God” (page 56). Chapter 3 I. Esther 3:1-5 A. Haman represents evil. 1. Haman descends from Agag, an Amalekite king – the one Saul failed to destroy in 1 Samuel). The Amalekites are enemies of God’s people. B. “Haman” means “celebrated.” C. Satan’s rage is against all of God’s people, and it only takes one living a holy life to set him off. II. Esther 3: 7-11 A. “Haman’s charge against the Jews is vague … This is a typical ploy of Satan: Stir up a gossip of vague charges, innuendo that hangs out in the shadows, playing upon our fears and prejudices” (page 69). III. Esther 3:12-13 A. “When God allows evil to test His people, He often stipulates a time frame. It allows time for intercession. This is part of the mystery of evil.” (See Luke 2:31-32) IV. Esther 3:15 A. “The mystery of evil attains its apex. Satan is under God’s authority, he opposes the people and the work of God, yet God allows him a certain standing and privilege. … People who enter the life of prayer, and do not appreciate the mystery of evil, can easily go off on a tangent in trying to mount battle against evil.” (See Jude 9) Chapter 4 I. Esther 4:1-3 A. “The intercessor draws on the knowledge that Christ identifies with His suffering Church” (page 74). (See Matthew 27:46, Hebrews 5:7, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 12:2) II. Esther 4:4 A. Mordecai will not settle for comfort when intercession is needed. (See Matthew 16:23) III. Esther 4:5-14

A. “The ultimate risk for the intercessor is God’s response. … It swirls around the thought, ‘What if God does not receive me? What if nothing happens?’ … The temptation comes to back down, to shrink from trusting in God” (page 80). B. “The meekness that hopes only in God’s mercy can be paradoxically wedded to bold audacity in prayer” (page 81). 1. Appropriate boldness before the Father is given and directed by Jesus. It is not brash or irreverent. 2. We must always approach God under the blood of Christ. IV. Esther 4:15-16 A. Intercession throws all upon God’s mercy. If He does not receive you, you will be foolish. Chapter 5 I. Esther 5:1-3 A. Third day = resurrection (hope)

B. Garments = character, esp. change in character (Rev 19:7-8) C. Calls her “Queen.” “… yet He is peculiarly attentive to prayers rising from positions in which He has placed us. Fathers and mothers have special hearing with God when they pray for their children” (page 88). II. Esther 5:4-5 A. Esther begins by seeking to draw near to the king. 1. Worship and aligning our hearts/petitions with God’s will

2. “In a time of communion we learn better to know the ways of the Lord, learn to sense His mood, feel His thoughts impressed upon our minds and to dwell on the reality of His Kingdom” (page 90). III. Esther 5:5-8 A. Intercessor prolongs worship

B. Esther does not confront her enemy, even though she has him available and would be safe to do so. IV. Esther 5:9-10, 14 A. One person resisting the enemy will still cause him to lash out.

B. “Zeresh” means “the one with disheveled hair.” Chapter 6 I. Esther 6:1-2 A. God doesn’t forget, but intercessors are to “refresh” His memory. (See Isa 43:26) II. Esther 6:3 A. Prayers in the Name of Jesus will one day bring ultimate honor and glory to Him. III. Esther 6:4-5

A. The enemy seeks the destruction of believers, but only as one aspect of his higher aim: to exalt himself above God and sit where Jesus belongs. IV. Esther 6:7-10 A. God established the ministry of intercession, but He is always at work regardless. Sometimes He moves without us. V. Esther 6:11-12 A. “The honor of Jesus is always central in God’s plan” (page 102). B. The picture is of Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem. There is a taste of honor, but when the event is over there is still work to be done. VI. Esther 6:12-14 A. It may seem we have prevailed at times, but intercessors press in until it is finished. Chapter 7 I. Esther 7:1-2 A. The intercessor must lean to be patient. To seek God’s presence, guidance, and heart before bringing petition before Him. II. Esther 7:3-4 A. “Now it stands out that her communion with the king has not been a shoddy routine to wheedle him into granting her petition. On the contrary, the time has served to deepen her concern for the welfare of the king” (page 111). B. The intercessor has cultivated such a deep relationship with the Father that her personal concerns either take on new light in an eternal perspective, or become second altogether to God’s greater plan. III. Esther 7:5-7 A. Esther was no match for Haman just as we are no match for Satan in our own power. “In drawing near to the king, Esther has provoked a direct confrontation between the king and Haman” (page 112). B. “The king goes out in wrath. The ministry of intercession reckons seriously with the wrath of God. Beware the temptation to substitute human sentimentality for divine determination. … Right now I’m glad the king has wrath. That means he’s going to deal with the presumption of evil, and deal with it decisively” (page 113). C. When Satan finds out you have found power and intimacy with God, he will try to bargain with you, to get you to compromise. (See 1 Samuel 15) IV. Esther 7:8 A. God loves His bride with a jealous love. (See Exodus 20:5) V. Esther 7:8-10 A. “Harbona” is the “baldheaded man” from chapter one. B. The profound truth of spiritual warfare is revealed in the idea that the weapon the enemy formed to destroy Mordecai – the type of Christ – is used for his own destruction.

Chapter 8 I. Esther 8:1-2 A. The “house of Haman” represents the earth. (See John 12:31) B. Esther has entered into more than she probably imagined when she was taken into the king’s harem. The call to intercession may seem small, but God’s plans are never so simple. 1. “When you feel yourself drawn into intercession, reckon seriously with the fact that the Lord has discovered you and the time is right!” (page 125) II. Esther 8:3-5 A. Esther comes to the king seeking fresh mercy. She does not come to him presumptuously because he received her once. III. Esther 8:5-8 A. God’s word is unchangeable and final, but the king is not stumped and he issues a new decree. B. Esther and Mordecai together receive authority to deal with evil as a result of their intercession. 1. “Tacking ‘in the name of Jesus’ on the end of a self-chosen, self-serving prayer adds five words to the prayer, nothing more. Intercession truly prayed ‘in the name of Jesus’ represents Jesus to the Father” (page 129). IV. Esther 8:11, 15 A. “This is the goal of intercession: to come to a place where we see the glory of Christ triumph over the power of the enemy” (page 130). V. Esther 8:16-17 A. There is joy in the expectation of victory. B. This should always be our greatest joy: that we have been saved by the King. Chapter 9 I. Esther 9:1-4 A. The “officials” represent heavenly hosts that come to aid God’s people. B. “The ministry of intercession participates in the release of Christ’s authority into concrete situations” (page 136). II. Esther 9:5, 10 A. The Jews were allowed to plunder the goods of their enemies, but they don’t. Again, the greater joy is being saved by the king. III. Esther 9:20-26 A. Part of the ministry of intercession is reciting answered prayers to our children. Chapter 10 I. Esther 10:2-3 A. The goal of intercession is always to exalt Jesus.