“Esther the Benjamite“

This message is a liturgical message due to the days of Purim which end on the 15th day Sabbath of the month of Adar which is the 12 month, also known as ‘the Feast of Esther’.
In this liturgical message we take a good look at the overview of the story of Judah in Medo-Persia, Queen Esther, who she was, who her enemies were, and what expression of brotherly love with Faith we are encouraged in by the acts of Mordecai and Esther the Benjamites.

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Delivered on 12-15-2021 / grego. 4-16-2022

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Compiled by JS LOWTHER
renewedcovenantministry.com
servant@renewedcovenantministry.com

Esther the Benjamite

Est_2:5  Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

Est 2:6  Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

Est 2:7  And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

Est 2:8  So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

Est 2:9  And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

Est 2:10  Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

Est 2:11  And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

….

Est 4:7  And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

Est 4:8  Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.

Est 4:9  And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

Est 4:10  Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;

Est 4:11  All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

Est 4:12  And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.

Est 4:13  Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.

Est 4:14  For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Est 4:15  Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

Est 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 also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

Every Sabbath of Purim I think to myself of the importance of the story of Queen Esther, she is perhaps among one of the most well know matriarchs of the bible having a book named after her, while no other book bearing a woman’s name exists.

Some who doubt the validity of the accepted cannon say this is one of the points that show Esther’s book is not to be called Scripture, we here accept the cannon as it is in our bible and I teach with a high regard also to the deuterocanonical books called the apocrypha, looking at them as having an inspired attribute of preserved history and wisdom- therefore such accusations are of little bearing on me.

I would on this day of the feast of Esther take time to go through the life of what we know about Queen Esther and show the highly important spiritual lesson which this brave woman of Israel can offer us as a Christian work.

Often time, I’ve heard when expressing to others that I remember the feast of Purim or Esther’s feast as a Christian, the response: “Moses didn’t even command the feast of Purim or Esther.” some time I hear, ‘that is Jewish, only Jews keep Purim”.

Well I believe the Bible is the Word of God, and like most all reformed protestants I believe Esther is part of the word of God, thus in the book of 2 Tim 3:14-17 Paul says to Timothy who was raised in the faith by his grandmother Louis and mother Eunice to

2Ti_3:14… continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Now since Esther is part of the bible it is Scripture, and as scripture it was breathed out by God or inspired. This means surly the book has a place in our Christian life as sons and daughters of God brought near to and by his Spirit. And to day my focus is going to show why a yearly remembrance of Esther is a Christian duty for these reasons.

I have chosen to use a liturgical calendar for my teaching and preaching and I hope that as we develop our presbytery here we will continue to utilize this out line for our worship, and the reason I think this is so crucial is because of days like today: A Biblical liturgical calendar forces you to consider every year and every month and every week particular lessons God has inspirationally preserved in His word by dates.

The reformed Churches have pulled away from calendar liturgy because of the gross innovations made upon it, and for that time this was better, they said “the Sabbath which we’ll say is sunday is all we are going to do”, but over the years the innovation of the Papal system has allured the churches back to her strong hold. Now, though having a foundation which repudiates innovations, the reformed church innovates every unbiblical celebration: Christmas, Easter and those purported to follow with these.

Why does this happen? How do we as a people see the error of unbiblical worship and then embrace it, and we do so to a point that the generations to come believe that what they do is biblical though it is not in any part of scripture, let alone commanded? And I tender the answer is, because everyone by nature who is religious, culturally or faithfully and both desire a liturgy to guide their time on earth!

You will no escape a liturgy, it is inevitable, the soul of man craves decency and order in the worship of almighty God, and I further assert this is true because God made all things with an observable and undeniable order an decency, and we are part of that order.

Now we might say, at least what our people do is Christian, it focuses on Christ: his birth his death, his resurrection and his ascension, right?

Yes, this is true and I’ll grant that all these are seemingly better than sacrificing your baby to baal and/or moloch, but the degradation of non-biblical calendar worship can degenerate so much more quickly, for one simple reason… It is not biblical, thus it is not spiritual and thus it is not true, YH WH never commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into his mind.

Jer_19:5 / Jer_32:35

They have built also the high places of Baal/ moloch, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:

On the other hand, a people guided by what the bible say, look at what the bible says about that time they are in, they do those things they can do on those days, they keep these in their mind because God commanded, because God Spake and because it DID come into His mind.

The Christian desires a liturgy, and he will obtain one way or another, if it is by extra biblical holidays, civil holidays, or pagan holidays, man desired holy days, days set aside. Why as Christian, should we not fill this void? and as Ministers of the Law and Gospel of Christ what better way is there to teach Christ ? than by his own word?

So often time we forget, that the true worship of God is not a simple focus on Jesus as a baby born in a manger, it is not a simple focus of Christ on a cross in agony and death, nor is it a simply thought of Christ ascending into heaven.

No, no, no… It is the understanding of John 1:1’The Word was God and the Word was with God…”

Even in all this simple thought and focus, we are considering an image of what we assume had taken place, but in fulfilling the terms of the word with the proper ministry we have the ability understand those simple thoughts of our focus.

There is a reason Christ dies on Passover day, of all days! There is a reason the heavens witness Christ birth on the day the sun in in the constellation of virgo, the virgin, and the new moon is at her feet. Rev 12:1.

Because God speaks these into existence and fulfills his own word.

Our celebrations of joy and fasting have meaning when they are from Scripture and are seen in the natural world, and we worship accordingly.

And so this is a very long explanation, but a needed one to show why I govern my family as I do, and why I teach and preach as I do according to the calendar the Lord Jesus Christ gave by His word and walked in his earthly manifestation.

Therefore, as will all things written, yes with moses on a higher level, the feast of Esther has purpose and meaning and bearing on our Christian lives.

And finally let me say, as lunar sabbatarians we are always gathered on the 15th of the month, and it is no coincidence that the pur or lot landed at the time it did for this day to be remembered on account of the war planed against Judah and Benjamin in Persia.

And our people chose the full moon, the 14th at even & the15th of the moon of the month of Adar the 12th month to celibate in rest and festivity as stated in:

Est_9:21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

Est 9:22  As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

And so here I have lead to why we keep this time festively. My family use this time a time to give each other gifts, we use a lot or pur to chose a gift for one another. Like wise we send gifts to those who celebrated like us. But it is not just for the sake of gift giving or else I’d change a few letters and say its Easter kids here are some eggs and candy, and pictures of bunnies… which I’ve never understood.

No, but the lesson of these days is the the lesson of Esther, that great Benjamite mother of her people.

Reminder

1Jn_3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

1Jn_4:20  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Esther’s story is a story of a maiden who’s name was Hadassah, raised by Her uncle Mordecai in place of her parents. And She being beautiful and living in a time when kings did as they would, and peoples mentalities accepted this. As a matter of fact, most people would be privileged to have a relation in the bed of the king.

And that is what happened. She was spotted for beauty and taken to be judged and selected to replace the last rebellious queen who would not dance entertainingly in public for her lord.

So Esther is Queen now, she’s un known to be an Israelite, but she has an arch enemy, Named Haman son of Hammadatha who is said to be an Agagite, which according to Est_3:1 was the house of Judah’s enemy. This is historically true, as the scripture says in 1Sa_15:1 that YHWH commanded a war to ensue upon the  remembrance of

Deu_25:17  Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

Deu 25:18  How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

Deu 25:19  Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

We know the story of King Saul the Benjamite king of Israel, who is Esther’s kindred both of the house of Kish, Saul presumptuously leaves some Amalekites alive and thereby looses the kingdom by disobedience and unlawful worship (offering non-Levitically ordained offerings on the altar), of those Saul leaves alive are 2 to name,

1. Agag the king and
2. the Amalekite recorded in 2Sa_1:13 that killed Saul on Gilboa whom David slew for killing Saul.

So Esther’s people and Haman’s people have a lot of history behind them.

They are generational enemies, of a much more concentrated way.

While we can say Israel is enemy with Esau and Amalek also, in Esther’s story, a generational conflic come to a head and rests upon an orphan girl.

Let me explain it a little more:

Amalek the father of Agag Haman’s grand daddy was descended from a conflict and sin that goes back to Jacob and Esau, the Amalekites, Esau’s grandson descended Gen_36:12 from a cursed Canaanite woman whom Esau’s grandfather Abraham forbade in Gen_24:3, and whom Rebecca Esau’s mother forbad in Gen 28:1, and this fornication is called out in Heb 12:16 amidst Esau’s other attributes, and told us in a admonition:

Heb_12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Amalek was the enemy of Israel generationally and one can not consider Esther’s story with out realizing the generational impact and therefore lawful remembrance or memorial as stated concerning this war in:

Exo_17:14  And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

Exo 17:15  And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:

Exo 17:16  For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

So in all this sin by Esau, the man who was first born and forsook it for his miscegenation and fornication and gluttonis ways of faithlessness Amalek is born, he become as Num 25 says a head of the nations to be perished is latter end. Amalek begat sons who beget Agag, Agag and his royal seed is spared as we see afterward in biblical history, though Saul  the Benjamite king was commanded by God through the prophet Samuel and Moses to execute God’s wrath upon them and does not and from that Benjamite act of disobedience comes Haman son of Hamadatha the Agagite the Enemy of the house of Judah, the hater of Benjamin.

Now Haman is not a Persian either, he got to Persia as did Benjamin and Judah by captivity.

But Haman was promoted to a high rank,

Est_3:1  After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

Est 3:2  And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

Est 3:3  Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?

Est 3:4  Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

Est 3:5  And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

Est 3:6  And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

Now those words, with that history of generational warfare should make a little more sense why Haman Got so angry upon finding out Mordecai Esther’s uncles people.

Lets continue:

Est_3:7  In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

Est 3:8  And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.

well if we know the story, Mordecai never leaves Esther’s councils, he helps her make choices throughoutut the rest of the story of Esther when Haman attempts to rid the land of faithful  commandment keepers by this legislation of law.

So what is Haman’s concern? The Law.

Why? Because that Law of the Moses that law of Israel say what Ex 17 say and Deut 25.

Haman’s focus is with hate towards Israel, yet, but what he really hates in the Law of God.

Haman hates God. He hates the Mighty one of Israel.

Est_4:14  For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.