Three Truths about Royalty from the Story of Esther -

This spring, millions of people from all over the world were glued to their televisions to watch the historic wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. We marveled over her dress. We beheld the royal procession. The beauty of the ceremony was breathtaking, and the notion of an unlikely maiden becoming royalty is a fairy tale we all love hear.

This incredible image of a beautiful bride parallels to the life of another royal woman in the Old Testament who was altogether lovely in form and feature. Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, but many knew her as Esther.

She, along with many young virgins in Susa, were taken from their homes and brought to the palace of the king. There they underwent 12 months of beauty treatments and special diets before each of them were to meet King Xerxes. Once they were presented to the king, she would not return to him unless he summoned her by name (Esther 2:14).

King Xerxes, mind you, was no knight in shining armor. He was a rather selfish king who in a moment of public humiliation, banished his former queen Vashti on a whim of fury.

Our Heavenly King is nothing like this pagan king was, but the story of Esther’s rise to royalty can teach us a great deal about our own royalty in Christ.

When it was Esther’s turn to be presented to the king, she won the favor of all who saw her. Watch the king’s response to Esther’s striking beauty and lovely composure:

Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality. Esther 2:17-18

There are so many rich spiritual truths about our great King wrapped in these two verses!

Let’s unpack three powerful truths from the story of Esther that we can use to understand our own royalty in Christ.

1. The king notices Esther
First, King Xerxes notices Esther, and is attracted to her more than the other women. God does not show favoritism, but out of all the billions of people he has created, not one of us goes unnoticed by him. We, like David can confidently say,

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 17:8).

Your King sees you. He loves you deeply and intimately. All of the hairs on your head are accounted for, and he has called you by name.

2. The king crowns Esther
King Xerxes was so taken with Esther’s beauty that he immediately set a royal crown on her head and made her the new queen.

Our King has also crowned us with royalty—and so much more.

Instead of ashes, he has crowned us with his beauty (Is 61:3).

Instead of shame, he has crowned us with glory and honor (Ps 8:5).

Instead of hatred, he gives us a crown of love and compassion (Ps 103:4).

Instead of eternal death, he delights in us and crowns us with salvation (Ps 149:4).

Instead of darkness, we are crowned with his glorious splendor (Prov 4:9, Is 62:3).

Instead of ignorance, he gives us a crown of knowledge (Prov 14:18).

Instead of despair, we are crowned with everlasting joy (Is 35:10).

What a rich royalty we have in our Lord and Savior King Jesus!

He crowned himself with a crown of thorns on the cross of Calvary to give us access to the everlasting crown of life (James 1:12). Our King is coming back for us, his precious bride. When he appears, we will all receive a crown of glory that will never fade away! (1 Peter 5:4).

[bctt tweet=”Jesus crowned himself with thorns to give us a crown of life.” username=”christinbaker12″]

3. The king held a banquet in honor of Esther
After King Xerxes crowned Esther and declared her the new queen, he gave a great banquet in her name—“Esther’s banquet”, for all his nobles and officials. The king even declared a special holiday to honor Esther throughout the entire kingdom (Esther 2:18).

Esther went from being a nameless nobody to the queen of Susa. Now everyone knew her, and a great banquet was given in her name!

Did you know that our Great King has prepared a banquet for us? The beautiful bride in the poetic book Song of Songs describes her groom, King Solomon, as strong and distinguished above other young men. She eagerly awaits their wedding with longing and anticipation.

She proclaims,

He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.
Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.
Song of Songs 2:4-5

God has taken us to the banquet hall of his unending love for us. He takes us by the hand and escorts us to the table of his rich feast of joy, hope, and everything we need for abundant life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

When we are faint and weary from the burdens of this world, we can go to the King’s table and feast on the richness of his love.

Not only has God prepared a banquet for us, but one day in his Kingdom, we will feast at his heavenly banquet forever.

He invites us to come, feast, and dwell with him forever.

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” Revelation 19:6-8

Praise be to our God, who has invited us to the wedding feast of the Lamb! There, we will forever be clothed in white, adorned in radiant garments of splendor, worshiping our Savior and Bridegroom forever.

That wedding procession will certainly go down in history, and echo throughout eternity!