Est 2:13 | 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 2:13

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.