Vashti’s rejection – Preaching
Preaching Outline on Esther 1:9-22 – “If it please the king, let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, and let it not be broken, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king give her kingdom to her companion who is better than she.” (Esther 1:19)
Development
We saw in verses 1 to 8 that King Ahasuerus, after inviting the princes to see his kingdom for one hundred and eighty days, served a banquet of wine for seven days, inviting all the people.
While the king rejoiced with the people at this feast, his wife, Vashti, also held a banquet for the women in the king’s royal house (Esther 1:9).
For the last day of the festival, the king had reserved a special moment where the queen would enter with the royal crown on her head and everyone could contemplate her beauty and royalty.
However, the queen refused to go and was therefore stripped of her queenly status; she was never allowed to enter the king’s presence again and her kingdom was given to another maiden.
The king is like Jesus
As we saw earlier, the king is a type of Jesus.
The first one hundred and eighty days refer to the Old Testament period, when the princes were invited (Israel).
The following seven days are the seven prophetic times of the church.
The feast that the king has prepared for everyone is the feast of salvation.
At this feast, good wine is served, royal wine, according to the king’s status (Esther 1:7).
As we have seen on other occasions, the wine feast could last up to seven days and the last day was called the great day of the feast (John 7:37).
At a wedding feast, it was on this day that the bride and groom met and consummated the marriage.
In this feast of King Ahasuerus, the feast was celebrated in the courtyard and when the queen arrived, the doors would be opened and everyone who was present at the time would enter the royal palace.
The Salvation project
If the banquet of wine symbolizes the seven prophetic times of the church, the last day of the feast is the time in which we live, where the project of salvation devised in eternity will soon be consummated.
The great event of that day will be the arrival of the bride in eternity.
The church will be caught up and receive the crown of glory, entering God’s eternal home.
Vashti typifies the unfaithful church.
While the Lord is carrying out his work of salvation, she has other plans, another private party.
She holds her feast inside the royal house, because religion speaks of the things of God, it has the appearance of a church.
But it’s a party where the main character is not the Lord, but the woman.
The unfaithful church has already decided that it doesn’t want heaven.
It doesn’t want to be called – it doesn’t want to be raptured.
For them, the feast of this world is better than the feast of salvation.
So the judgment that has been decreed and will not be revoked is that she will never enter eternity, nor will she see the face of God.
Conclusion of Esther 1:9-22
And the Lord has chosen another wife better than she, who is known as the faithful church.
This one will receive the crown of glory, the royal robes and will enter into the marriage of the lamb when the heavenly gates are opened.
All the guests who remain at the wine party until the last moment will enter eternity with her.
Further reading: Ezekiel 16
Preaching Outline on Esther 1:9-22 – “If it please the king, let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, and let it not be broken, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king give her kingdom to her companion who is better than she.” (Esther 1:19)
More Preaching Outlines
- The law will not be repealed – Esther 8
- Ahasuerus’ banquet – Esther 1:1-8
- The position of the Servant – Esther 6:12
