Est 2:12-18 | KingComments | STEP | inform us about the general preparations of a girl before she, when it is her turn, can come to the king. The duration of the beauty treatment is “twelve months”, divided into two periods of “six months” ( ). The first six months the girl is treated, rubbed in, with oil of myrrh. The second six months she is treated with numerous unspecified spices and cosmetics. For the first six months, the candidate queen is only treated with myrrh oil. Myrrh is a pleasantly scented resin and can have a bitter, but also a sweet taste. Myrrh is extracted from various types of trees and obtained by incising them. So the tree is injured. At very high desert temperatures, the softened resin seeps out by itself. In biblical times myrrh is a symbol of suffering and death [Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirre]. With this in mind the following can be said regarding the spiritual meaning of oil of myrrh. The word ‘myrrh’ comes from a word that means ‘bitter’. In Scripture myrrh always speaks of the suffering of Christ and the pleasant fragrance that has risen from His suffering to God (cf. ). In the treatment with oil of myrrh in preparation for the meeting with the king there is an important spiritual application. It speaks of the fact that nothing is so important for our spiritual growth as to occupy ourselves with the suffering of Christ under the guidance of God’s Spirit, of Whom the oil speaks. The number six of the “six months” in which the oil of myrrh is applied is the number of man created on the sixth day ( ; cf. ). Because we are human beings, we need the Holy Spirit, of Whom the oil speaks, to be able to occupy ourselves with the sufferings of Christ. This will awaken the desire to suffer with Him and for Him, and thus to become like Him, even to be identified with Him in His suffering (cf. ). This, of course, does not apply to His suffering with respect to the atonement of our sins. That suffering is unique and we cannot share in it. However, there is another form of suffering and that is suffering because of faithfulness to Him and His Word ( ). In the picture Esther is made familiar with this suffering. Then there is that second period of six months. It is necessary to try out all kinds of spices and cosmetics in order to discover which ones suit her best and accentuate her beauty the most. She can then make a conscious choice to take the right means from the harem to the king’s palace ( ). This is where her responsibility lies. She decides what she will take with her to impress the king, so that his choice will fall on her to take her as queen. The following can be said about the spiritual meaning of this second period as a sequel to the first period. In the first period the foundation has been laid. That period is – spiritually applied – entirely dedicated to being engaged in the suffering of Christ that can only be presented to us through the Holy Spirit. Then follows a second period. That period serves to make the right choices that accentuate the beauty of the believer he has thanks to and in Christ. Each believer has particular characteristics, shows a different glory of Christ, has his own gift in which Christ becomes visible. In order to find out what those characteristics are, the believer must engage in the various glories of Christ. If he studies the Scriptures for the purpose of getting to know Christ better, the result will become visible in his life. Everything happens in view of our meeting with the Lord Jesus. If we think that we will see Him ( ), it will determine our lives in the choices we make. The wrong things, things that prevent us from showing His features in us, will disappear. For example, we are decorating ourselves with the “clothes of righteousness”. We prepare those clothes on earth, but it will appear in heaven that He has given it to us ( ). gives us a further look at the rules for the royal women. A girl called by the king is with him during the night. She goes to the king in the evening and returns in the morning. Then she goes to “the second harem” and comes “to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines”. This means that she is degraded to the rank of concubine and will never go back to the king unless he calls her by her name.

‏ Esther 2:12-18

Preparations to Come to the King

Est 2:12-13 inform us about the general preparations of a girl before she, when it is her turn, can come to the king. The duration of the beauty treatment is “twelve months”, divided into two periods of “six months” (Est 2:12). The first six months the girl is treated, rubbed in, with oil of myrrh. The second six months she is treated with numerous unspecified spices and cosmetics.

For the first six months, the candidate queen is only treated with myrrh oil. Myrrh is a pleasantly scented resin and can have a bitter, but also a sweet taste. Myrrh is extracted from various types of trees and obtained by incising them. So the tree is injured. At very high desert temperatures, the softened resin seeps out by itself. In biblical times myrrh is a symbol of suffering and death [Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirre].

With this in mind the following can be said regarding the spiritual meaning of oil of myrrh. The word ‘myrrh’ comes from a word that means ‘bitter’. In Scripture myrrh always speaks of the suffering of Christ and the pleasant fragrance that has risen from His suffering to God (cf. Eph 5:2). In the treatment with oil of myrrh in preparation for the meeting with the king there is an important spiritual application. It speaks of the fact that nothing is so important for our spiritual growth as to occupy ourselves with the suffering of Christ under the guidance of God’s Spirit, of Whom the oil speaks.

The number six of the “six months” in which the oil of myrrh is applied is the number of man created on the sixth day (Gen 1:26-31; cf. Rev 13:18). Because we are human beings, we need the Holy Spirit, of Whom the oil speaks, to be able to occupy ourselves with the sufferings of Christ.

This will awaken the desire to suffer with Him and for Him, and thus to become like Him, even to be identified with Him in His suffering (cf. Phil 3:10-11). This, of course, does not apply to His suffering with respect to the atonement of our sins. That suffering is unique and we cannot share in it. However, there is another form of suffering and that is suffering because of faithfulness to Him and His Word (1Pet 4:13-14). In the picture Esther is made familiar with this suffering.

Then there is that second period of six months. It is necessary to try out all kinds of spices and cosmetics in order to discover which ones suit her best and accentuate her beauty the most. She can then make a conscious choice to take the right means from the harem to the king’s palace (Est 2:13). This is where her responsibility lies. She decides what she will take with her to impress the king, so that his choice will fall on her to take her as queen.

The following can be said about the spiritual meaning of this second period as a sequel to the first period. In the first period the foundation has been laid. That period is – spiritually applied – entirely dedicated to being engaged in the suffering of Christ that can only be presented to us through the Holy Spirit. Then follows a second period. That period serves to make the right choices that accentuate the beauty of the believer he has thanks to and in Christ.

Each believer has particular characteristics, shows a different glory of Christ, has his own gift in which Christ becomes visible. In order to find out what those characteristics are, the believer must engage in the various glories of Christ. If he studies the Scriptures for the purpose of getting to know Christ better, the result will become visible in his life.

Everything happens in view of our meeting with the Lord Jesus. If we think that we will see Him (1Jn 3:2b-3), it will determine our lives in the choices we make. The wrong things, things that prevent us from showing His features in us, will disappear. For example, we are decorating ourselves with the “clothes of righteousness”. We prepare those clothes on earth, but it will appear in heaven that He has given it to us (Rev 19:7-8).

Est 2:14 gives us a further look at the rules for the royal women. A girl called by the king is with him during the night. She goes to the king in the evening and returns in the morning. Then she goes to “the second harem” and comes “to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines”. This means that she is degraded to the rank of concubine and will never go back to the king unless he calls her by her name.

Esther Becomes Queen

When it is Esther’s turn to come to the king, she does not take advantage of her freedom to take anything she wishes (Est 2:13). She will have been filled with only one thought: “How do I make the best impression on the king?” This makes us think about whether we are dealing with just one question: “How am I and do I live most to the glory of my Lord and Savior?”

Although Esther is completely free in the choice of her clothes and decorations, she decides to take only what Hegai says to her (Est 2:15). Here we see again, as before with respect to Mordecai (Est 2:10), her surrender to someone on whom she depends. It is a voluntary surrender.

We surrender ourselves completely to what the Holy Spirit makes clear to us from God’s Word how we can please God. Esther entrusts herself to someone she knows to have the best for her and knows better than she what is good for her stay with the king. That attitude of modesty and submission is an ornament (cf. 1Pet 3:3-5), through which she “found favor in the eyes of all who saw her”.

The fact that she does not want to take anything but what Hegai says to her is her own choice. Until now others have decided about her. There is a power that directs the event, but there is also an action of her own. In Est 2:16 again she is dealt with. She is taken to the king. That’s not a choice, that happens to her.

The difference with the other girls is also shown by the fact that only her meeting with the king is dated. This also shows her special exaltation above the masses. The meeting with the king takes place in the “seventh year of reign” of king Ahasuerus, i.e. four years after the deposition of Vashti.

That she trusts Hegai completely, has as a result that the king prefers her over all other girls (Est 2:17). God has made Esther beautiful, her beauty comes from Him and He directs the king to choose her. Without any desire on the part of Esther, she becomes the king’s favorite wife. We see here that God’s election is separate from any question on the part of man.

The king’s choice is explained in many different ways:

1. his love for her is greater than for any other woman,

2. she obtains from him more favor and kindness than all the other girls,

3. he sets the royal crown on her head and

4. finally makes her queen instead of Vashti.

This is where Vashti is mentioned for the last time. She disappears from history. Her place is taken by Esther.

The king organizes another great banquet for all his princes and his servants. This time it is not about showing his glory (Est 1:3), but showing the new queen. This banquet is even literally called “Esther’s banquet”.