The Corporate Esther
Jewish tradition says that when the evil Haman - the villain of the Purim story - wished to destroy the nation of Israel, he staged a lottery to determine the most opportune date. When the lot (called a pur, hence the holiday name of Purim) fell on Adar, he rejoiced. What better month to punish the Jews, he thought, than Adar - the month Moses passed away? Surely, no month could be (lower)? for the Jewish people.
Haman is the main antagonist in the Book of Esther. As his epithet Agagite indicates, Haman was a descendant of Agag, the king of the Amalekites. The great enemy of Israel.
As described in the Book of Esther, Haman was the son of Hammedatha the Agagite. After Haman was appointed the principal minister of the king Ahasuerus, all of the king's servants were required to bow down to Haman. But Mordechai refused to. Angered by this, coupled with the knowledge of Mordechai's Jewish ethnicity , propelled Haman to convinced Ahasuerus to sentence all the Jews in the Persian empire to death.
The plot was foiled by Queen Esther, the king's current wife, and a Jew herself. Esther invited Haman and the king to two banquets. During the second banquet, she informed the king that Haman was plotting to kill her and her people. This enraged the king.
On the king's orders, Haman was hanged from the 50-cubit-high gallows. Ironically, this was the same gallows that Haman had built in order to hang Mordechai. The bodies of Haman's ten sons were also hanged after they died in battle against the Jews. "All the enemies of the Jews" were additionally killed by the Jews, 75,000 of them.
The story of Esther is a prophetic picture that portrays a royal bride - the church - who is given the task to intercede for the salvation of the Jewish people during times of trouble. Just as this story happens during the winter season and during the last month of the Jewish calendar, the Days of Jacob’s Trouble is also the season that leads to the end of our present age. It points to the End Times when the Grace Era finishes and God’s judgments are released on earth. This is the season right before Christ’s reign. A time of great tribulation. A season of spiritual winter where many will have to face death and where darkness and spiritual coldness will cover the earth.
Moses dying on the same biblical month the Jews are delivered from extermination points prophetically to the fact that during the Days of Jacob’s Trouble, the law covenant will finally come to an end for Israel. Although this covenant was replaced by Jesus’ blood covenant 2000 years ago, the Jewish nation will not accept it until the end. And it will be at this time when the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:31-34 will occur for Israel. According to the Torah, we know that Israel was not led into the promised land by Moses, but by Joshua and Caleb. So in the same manner the nation of Israel will be led into the millennial reign through their acceptance of Jesus, not through the law.
We know as well that just as evil Haman was given authority by the king to make a decree to annihilate the Jews, so satan will be given the authority to wage war against the saints during the tribulation. Just as Haman was given a signet ring symbolizing authority, so the antichrist will be given authority to wage war against the saints during the tribulation. Also in the same manner that Aman had 10 sons, the beast has ten horns, which are ten kings who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.
Revelation 13:7 “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
Revelation 17:2 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.”
But in the midst of all the darkness, God will use his corporate Esther to intercede for the salvation of the Jewish people. God’s corporate Esther will play a key role in their deliverance. And when that corporate Esther succeeds to stand for them, we will see the tables turn. Israel will come to salvation thanks to the boldness and intercession of God’s royal bride. The plot of the enemy to destroy Israel will actually turn into a blessing. Because Israel will find salvation through the intervention of the church, which will enter into her fullness when she determines to lay down her life for the Jews. Great adversity will be the catalyst to Israel’s salvation and to the fullness of Christ’s royal bride; ushering in the return of the King. Satan’s plot to destroy the Jews will backfire on him, as it did on Haman, and we will see satan defeated, hanging from his own gallows.
Revelation 19:17-21 “17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs, he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Esther, as the gentile remnant of believers, has two names or identities. She has a Hebrew name and a gentile name. Her Hebrew name is Hadassah which means myrtle tree - a fruitful tree. Her Persian name is Esther which means Star or hidden, just as her true Hebrew identity was initially hidden from the King. Esther was also an orphan and was adopted by her uncle. Equally, as gentile believers in Jesus as the Messiah, Paul says in Romans 11 that we are wild olive branches that have been grafted into the olive tree to become partakers in the original tree-God’s promises to His people. (So even though as gentiles originally we come from the wild olive tree, when we put our faith in the Messiah we become part of God’s olive tree. )? And even though we were orphans, isolated from the love and mercy of our Father, through the cross, we have been adopted into God’s family, receiving all the benefits and blessings as his children. The Lord predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.
Another characteristic that makes Esther special is the fact that she goes through a process of purification before meeting the king. She makes herself ready and appealing so the King will want to marry her. This process of embellishment is what catches the eyes of the king. Esther is the typology of a church that has taken the time to purify herself and make herself ready for the bridegroom and for his marriage supper. Esther represents the bride of Christ of Revelation 19:8 that has arrayed herself in fine linen, clean and white. This is the very royal bride who will play a key role in the salvation of Israel. Esther is a wise virgin with enough oil in her lamp, chosen among other virgins because she displays the beauty of Jesus. Her oil represents the likeness and manifestation of the Anointed One in her, and that is why she shines brightly with the light of Christ just like a bright star. As the significance of her name Esther implies. The corporate Ester is a chosen remnant among other churches that will be given the privilege to play the most important role in the salvation of the Jewish people. So in this hour, the bridegroom king is calling a prepared and courageous bride to stand in the gap for the salvation of the Jews. We must not think that because we are in the Lord’s house we alone of all God’s people will escape the upcoming persecution. For if we remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but perhaps we will perish. And who knows! Maybe this is the very reason we have been called to God’s kingdom. Perhaps it is for such a time as this!