A Royal Banquet

One of my favorite Bible stories is the book of Esther in the Old Testament. It’s a story of a common Jewish girl exiled into captivity in Sousa, in the Persian kingdom. It has a rags to riches quality where a commoner becomes a princess and a queen. The story naturally has a villain and a hero, and it has a feel good ending. I strongly encourage you to read this beautiful story in its entirety and see how the Lord speaks to you through it.

Now, some may wonder why this book was chosen to be part of the compilation of books in the Jewish Bible (the Old Testament), because God is not mentioned anywhere in the story. However, when you ponder the words in this book, you can see God pictured throughout the story.

It opens with a feast for the King’s nobles and officials, followed by a royal banquet for all of his subjects. The description of the magnificent splendor of the King’s wealth and the lavish setting is stunning. It takes my breath away when I close my eyes and imagine it infinitely magnified as a description of the Kingdom of heaven, and the splendor of the sovereign King of the Universe. How great is our God! I can just imagine the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19: 7-10)

I found much symbolism and spiritual analogies in the banquet this time around, and that is what I want to share with you. Later in the story, the banquet image returns; only this time Queen Esther is the one preparing the banquet for her husband, the King. Although she had an urgent need and request of him, she first honored him with a banquet of her own.

Just to give you a little context at this point in the story, the evil villain, Haman, had finagled his way into becoming the Kings second in command. He secretly desired to be the King and wanted to be honored in the same way. When Queen Esther’s cousin and legal guardian, Mordecai, refused to bow before Haman, he became enraged and set a course in action to get the king to sign an edict to destroy Mordecai along with the entire Jewish race.

The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy the people of God. (John 10:10) The Jewish people are God’s chosen people to bring salvation to the world. Had these exiled people been annihilated, there would have been no Savior, no Jesus. But God is faithful to his Word and His promises. Also, it is noteworthy to mention that the picture of Haman seeking to be honored as King, mirrors that of Satan seeking to be honored as God.

I found it interesting that Esther did not come right out and make her request of the King, even though she carried that heavy burden on her heart for herself and her people. The King had offered to grant any request she had, even up to half of his kingdom. But before making her request, she invited the King and the evil Haman to come to a banquet she was preparing for them. God’s word is so rich, every word written in it has significance, especially the point that she invited her enemy to the occasion.

Esther desired to honor her King before asking anything from him and she was wise to do this in the presence of her enemy. She held a royal banquet in honor of her husband before expressing her distress and urgent supplication. Then she honored him again, a second time with another banquet on the next day before making her request known.

Effective Prayer

Gods word tells us to come to him with all kinds of prayer. The most effective form of prayer is praise and thanksgiving. It demonstrates honor and faith in Almighty God and His sovereignty.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.”
(Plillipians 4:6)

Praise is an excellent type of prayer, as is giving thanks. Supplication is earnestly begging or asking for something from God. In the first of the Ten Commandments, we are instructed to love God above all else and hold Him alone in high esteem, even before our personal wants and desires.

Esther understood that and she translated that expression of praise and thanksgiving into her life, especially when dealing with the one who held the authority to make a difference. Not only did she choose to honor her King, but she did it in the presence of her enemy. And when she finally did make her request, she exposed the enemy for who he was and how he sought to destroy her people, God’s people.

Queen Esther was beloved by the king, and he delighted in lavishing his love on her, just as God our Father, Lord and King lavishes His love on us.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God; and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)

“Lord you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” (Psalm 23:5)

Oh how our adversary is put in place when we honor God first and offer a royal banquet of praise and thanksgiving to the Almighty King of the Universe.

The story had opened with the King giving the banquet for his subjects. That is a picture of God giving us everything we have. Every answered prayer we have ever received is praiseworthy. Therefore, let us come before our Lord and King as Esther did and offer all of our love and gratitude before we make our requests of Him. If you are a believer in Jesus, your request is already promised, when asked in Jesus name. (John 14:13; 16:23)

So, be patient, and practice praise more than making requests. Our Father in heaven all ready knows what we need before we ask. That doesn’t mean we don’t have to ask, because Gods word tells to do just that. But we do have to obey God as sovereign in our life and put his worthiness of praise, honor and thanksgiving before our own desires.

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

What better way to delight yourself in the Lord than by offering a royal banquet of praise!

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38 NIV)

Many associate this verse with tithing and giving to the poor, which is true, but the Word of God is so much more. Give God the praise he deserves and he will honor you right back with a royal banquet of more than you can ask or imagine.

The story ends with the Jewish people having permission to defend themselves against their enemy and the edict of destruction. During their defense efforts, it says that people were converting (to Judaism) because of their fear of the Jews. The Lords banner of victory was over His people. It is written, they defeated their enemy with the sword.

How interesting that the battles we have in this life are not against flesh and blood, but the powers and principalities in dark places. It’s a spiritual battle, and we are given spiritual weapons to overcome. (Ephesians 6.) There again is Godly symbolism in the fact that the enemies of God’s people were defeated by the sword. Consider the spiritual weapon, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. It has the power to take down strongholds. Another thing to be thankful for and offer a royal banquet of praise to our Sovereign Lord and King.

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope it inspires you to worship the Lord with praise and thanksgiving as the most important part of your prayers. May the the Lord bless you all in Jesus’ name.