Esther 1:10-12 On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who ministered to King Ahasuerus as attendants,¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti before the king, with her royal crown, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to behold.¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.

Can you imagine this? Obviously, it was another culture and another time. The events in Esther occur during the Persian period of world history, between the first return of the Jews after the 70-year Babylonian captivity (around 538 BCE) and the second return led by Ezra (around 458 BCE). To put it another way, Daniel, preceded Esther – he had already passed away.

How can you apply this Scripture – here and now? Revelation 19:6 states: And on His garment (robe) and on His thigh He has a name (title) inscribed, king of kings and lord of lords. Jesus, is King of kings and Lord of lords. The question is, Since Jesus is a King – shouldn’t He have a queen? Absolutely! Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. In this passage we know Jesus is the Lamb. But who is the Lamb’s Bride, His Wife? Ephesians 5:23-33 For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the church, Himself the Savior of [His] body. ²⁴ As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,²⁶ So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word,²⁷ That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless].²⁸ Even so husbands should love their wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.²⁹ For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church,³⁰ Because we are members (parts) of His body.³¹ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.³² This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church.³³ However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].

The Church is Jesus’ Bride, and since Jesus is the King – the Church is Jesus’ Queen. How does all of this apply to Queen Vashti in Esther 1 and Queen Esther? Esther 1:12 states: But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command…Revelation 19:7 reveals the difference: for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. The True Church of Jesus, the King’s Queen – has prepared herself to appear before her King. Esther 2:12 Now when the turn of each maiden came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the regulations for the women had been carried out for twelve months—since this was the regular period for their beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with sweet spices and perfumes and the things for the purifying of the women—….

Esther is a symbol, or Biblical type of the Church. Esther went through 12 months of beauty treatments before she even was presented to King Ahasuerus. If Esther had to go through such rigor before appearing to the King how much more so Jesus’ future Queen? As Revelation 19:7 states, Jesus’ Bride prepares herself. This word “prepare” in the original language implies the practice of kings sending a forerunner before them to make roads. The roads were built for the conquering king, his army, and his vanquished foes to march down. The forerunner would go before the king leveling mountains and hills and filling in valleys to make the highway straight, flat and smooth for the conquering king. Then he would prepare the populations surrounding the highway to appear before the king, his army, and vanquished foes. After all the preparations had been made the forerunner would go before the king announcing the, the King is Coming! the King is Coming! At the root meaning of this word “prepare” is the idea of fitness. To be prepared is to be spiritually fit. The question now is, Which queen represents you? Have you applied for His beauty treatments? Are you an Ephesians 5:23-33 bride? Are you subject to your Husband – in everything? Are you allowing His Word to sanctify and cleanse you? Do you reverence and respect your Husband Jesus? The King is coming!