Vessels
Esther 1:7-8 And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king. In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man’s pleasure.
Each person is a unique vessel. Gold vessels often sit on a shelf until special occasions. Sometimes special occasions bring out the vessels you have never seen before. It is important to understand the nature of a special time. The old ways are put aside for the hidden, yet valuable, vessels to come into use.
The last 7-years leading up to the return of Jesus are the most special 7-years earth has seen. They are the transition to a new kingdom age, where the truth of life is going to be on display... This is the truth that will be brought to light in a time of great darkness: the truth that a life lived in complete dependence on the connection to God is the truly secure and abundant life.
Esther 1:4-5 when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all. And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.
From God's perspective, each person is much more valuable than gold. He is pulling out many vessels reserved for this unique time. They are different from what the church is used to. This is a sign of the times. The old power structures are being disrupted, just like the first time Jesus came.
We are in the season of the week long banquet that is joyful for those who wish to partake in the joyful time of the king, but also the time that will result in great loss for those who refuse to see how special the week is for the king.
Esther 1:9-12 Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.
Vashti, the rightful queen, had her own party going on...at first it looked like it was the same party the king was throwing...but she had no vision for the two parties coming together. At the time Vashti should have yielded to the king's desire, she simply kept doing her own thing. Even though she was royalty, with all the privileges of the kingdom, she was thrown out and replaced because her heart was really for herself and not the king's desire. She thought her influence and position couldn't be withdrawn. She believed it was her's to do as she wished with. She was very mistaken.
Esther 1:19 If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
Many have labored long for the coming kingdom of Jesus, the true King that Esther is a parable of, yet will find themselves missing what He is doing, and if they don't soften their hearts and agree with Him, they will find they are being removed just when the story is getting good!
Time takes its toll on gratitude if we are not careful. We forget how merciful the king was with us, and we harden ourselves to believe we somehow deserve our spot. When the new thing was happening to Vashti, she was soft and agreeable, because she was full of gratitude, but pride often creeps in to the established places because they have forgotten His joy, kindness, and His desire to do new things and give good gifts before times of great turmoil. Jesus is ready to show off the wealth of the kingdom in a way the "Vashti's" have stopped appreciating, and the Esthers are longing to see. Esthers will do all the strange exercises of preparation with gladness just to be with the king in what He is doing.
Agreeing with Jesus in this hour is to be filled with a desire to see the glorious riches of the kingdom manifest, first in the golden vessel, even if the seem unfamiliar, or unique, at first. The kingdom is coming from the inside out, not in a way as to be seen. Hanging on to the structure you think you are important in will result in great loss in the coming months and years as those old structures become obsolete in the new moves that must come. Jesus is coming, that means and entirely new government, value system, economy, and power must come with Him!
The way to stay in agreement is to stay humble and let God lead you into the new. Vashti was invited to be honored, but she refused to come into the new thing...she liked the honor of her own thing just fine.
By the simple signs of the time, Jesus is doing a new and unique thing. He isn't trading power for loyalty as the old systems of the world do...No, He is lavishing the wine into the vessels for all who want to, to drink from. We all need to drink from what Jesus is pouring out, and each seemingly new vessel is unique. Many of the vessels seem new because they have been hidden on the shelf, waiting for the hour of the banquet. Vashti didn't see the opportunity to drink from the new and still be honored as the queen she was. The message is this: don't keep trying to keep the same old party going. Come to the new thing the King is doing.
There is a moment when the king is offended and the invitation is withdrawn. The banquet, and the trouble that comes with it, is going to happen either way.
Each person is a unique vessel. Gold vessels often sit on a shelf until special occasions. Sometimes special occasions bring out the vessels you have never seen before. It is important to understand the nature of a special time. The old ways are put aside for the hidden, yet valuable, vessels to come into use.
The last 7-years leading up to the return of Jesus are the most special 7-years earth has seen. They are the transition to a new kingdom age, where the truth of life is going to be on display... This is the truth that will be brought to light in a time of great darkness: the truth that a life lived in complete dependence on the connection to God is the truly secure and abundant life.
Esther 1:4-5 when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all. And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.
From God's perspective, each person is much more valuable than gold. He is pulling out many vessels reserved for this unique time. They are different from what the church is used to. This is a sign of the times. The old power structures are being disrupted, just like the first time Jesus came.
We are in the season of the week long banquet that is joyful for those who wish to partake in the joyful time of the king, but also the time that will result in great loss for those who refuse to see how special the week is for the king.
Esther 1:9-12 Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.
Vashti, the rightful queen, had her own party going on...at first it looked like it was the same party the king was throwing...but she had no vision for the two parties coming together. At the time Vashti should have yielded to the king's desire, she simply kept doing her own thing. Even though she was royalty, with all the privileges of the kingdom, she was thrown out and replaced because her heart was really for herself and not the king's desire. She thought her influence and position couldn't be withdrawn. She believed it was her's to do as she wished with. She was very mistaken.
Esther 1:19 If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
Many have labored long for the coming kingdom of Jesus, the true King that Esther is a parable of, yet will find themselves missing what He is doing, and if they don't soften their hearts and agree with Him, they will find they are being removed just when the story is getting good!
Time takes its toll on gratitude if we are not careful. We forget how merciful the king was with us, and we harden ourselves to believe we somehow deserve our spot. When the new thing was happening to Vashti, she was soft and agreeable, because she was full of gratitude, but pride often creeps in to the established places because they have forgotten His joy, kindness, and His desire to do new things and give good gifts before times of great turmoil. Jesus is ready to show off the wealth of the kingdom in a way the "Vashti's" have stopped appreciating, and the Esthers are longing to see. Esthers will do all the strange exercises of preparation with gladness just to be with the king in what He is doing.
Agreeing with Jesus in this hour is to be filled with a desire to see the glorious riches of the kingdom manifest, first in the golden vessel, even if the seem unfamiliar, or unique, at first. The kingdom is coming from the inside out, not in a way as to be seen. Hanging on to the structure you think you are important in will result in great loss in the coming months and years as those old structures become obsolete in the new moves that must come. Jesus is coming, that means and entirely new government, value system, economy, and power must come with Him!
The way to stay in agreement is to stay humble and let God lead you into the new. Vashti was invited to be honored, but she refused to come into the new thing...she liked the honor of her own thing just fine.
By the simple signs of the time, Jesus is doing a new and unique thing. He isn't trading power for loyalty as the old systems of the world do...No, He is lavishing the wine into the vessels for all who want to, to drink from. We all need to drink from what Jesus is pouring out, and each seemingly new vessel is unique. Many of the vessels seem new because they have been hidden on the shelf, waiting for the hour of the banquet. Vashti didn't see the opportunity to drink from the new and still be honored as the queen she was. The message is this: don't keep trying to keep the same old party going. Come to the new thing the King is doing.
There is a moment when the king is offended and the invitation is withdrawn. The banquet, and the trouble that comes with it, is going to happen either way.
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