Soaring Eagles (Manisha) Sermon from the Book of Esther The Signet Ring

The Book of Esther is not a very big, long book. Just consists of 10 chapters in all. In the Book of Esther we do not see the word GOD anywhere yet we see His Seal by which He brought Salvation to His people, his chosen people, the Jews. The Story of Esther begins in the citadel of Susa in and around 483 B.C. There is a Persian King called Ahasuerus in Hebrew, Xerxes in Greek. He is the ruler over 127 provinces from India to Cush(Ethiopia). A vast empire. In the 3rd year of his reign he throws a feast for all his officials, nobles, servants and princes of the various provinces, for 7 days. On the 7th day he calls for his queen, Queen Vashti. She is to come before him fully adorned so he can show her off but she refuses to come. The King is angry at her disobedience and with consultation from his nobles he passes a decree wherein she cannot come before the King anymore and her royal position is to be given to another worthy of it. So a nationwide search is conducted and all the beautiful young girls are brought to the citadel including a young beautiful girl called Hadassah also known as Esther. She is an orphan girl and has been brought up by her cousin Mordecai who is from the tribe of Benjamin. When the commissioners appointed by the King find Hadassah, she is taken to the citadel with the other girls to be taken care of and given beauty treatments under the Kings eunuch Hegai. Before she is taken away Mordecai advices her not to reveal her true identity and she obeys the advice. She wins over the favour of Hegai and subsequently does as she is told by Hegai after 2 years when she is brought before the King he is more attracted to her than any other woman and she is crowned Queen instead of Vashti. Meanwhile Mordecai has been visiting the palace often to keep an eye on Esther and it is during one such time when he is at the Kings gates, he overhears two of the kings officers plotting to kill him and foils their bid by reporting the same to Queen Esther. Following these events one of the nobles in kings courts named Haman is honored and given a position higher than all the other nobles. Pride enter him and he want everybody to bow down to him. All do so. All except Mordecai and this

angers Haman. He knows that Mordecai is a Jew and he plans and plots to annihilate all the Jews and we see in Chapter 3 vs 8 to 15 how he carries out his plan. Verse 10 says : So the King took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. What is the significance or importance of the SIGNET RING that the KING gave? 1)The Signet ring is the identity of legal representation - Legal identity 2)The signet ring is the kings stamp of approval on any edict or law that was passed. Legal authority. It is authority given which cannot be revoked. The seal of approval once given had to be carried out. 3) The signet ring is the final legal confirmation - No one could cancel it. It cannot be revoked. When Mordecai hears of this he tears his clothes and puts on sackcloth and ash and goes out into the city wailing loudly and bitterly. Esther sends one of the kings eunuch Hathach to find out what is wrong with him. Mordecai tells him everything and he reports the same to Esther. He advices Esther to speak to the king to save the jews but esther sends a reply that she cannot go before the king without his consent else she can be put to death. In return he reminds her that her royal position may have been given her for such a time as this. This is the pivotal part. Esther then tells Mordecai to gather all the jews and fast without eating or drinking for 3 days and nights as would she and her maids, after which she would approach the King and she perishes, she perishes. This is when things take a turn and Esther is granted audience with the king when he holds out his golden scepter. She calls for a banquet and invites the King along with Haman, but doesnt speak anything to the King the first time round then she calls them again for another banquet and finally reveals to the king how Haman has planned to kill her along with her people, for she is a Jew. The King is furious and sentences Haman to be hanged for his cruel act. The same cruelty that he had devised for Mordecai was now to be his portion. Mordecai is subsequently honoured and in Chapter 8 verse 8 the King tells Mordecai Now write another decree

in the Kings name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, AND SEAL IT WITH THE KINGS SIGNET RING for NO DOCUMENT written in the Kings name and sealed WITH HIS RING CAN BE REVOKED. What do we learn here? The same Ring which was used against Gods people, God turned the circumstances and saved them with the same Ring. What does that teach us today? When we turn to God and become His chosen people. He seals us with HIS SEAL. HIS SIGNET RING. THE HOLY SPIRIT. In Eph. 1:13-14 we read, And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory. Those who have His SEAL are assured of His : 1) Presence : When we see the broader picture we see that God had chosen a people or a nation through which He would fulfill his purpose. The Jews are in the centre of Gods purpose. At every step the enemy has tried to thwart Gods plan. In Genesis he tried to do it, in Exodus he tried to do it and now even in Esther he tries to annihilate the Jews through Haman. But through His own people, Mordecai and Esther Gods presence is seen. 2) Protection : The mark of a seal in the ancient world was an important means by which a person would know the authenticity of an object. The seal told you to whom it belonged and that it was genuine. Not only that, the seal was a means of protection. If the wrong person broke the seal, they would pay for their crime. In cases where a ruler would ask a scribe or servant to take his signet ring and sign a document for him, that person was protected by the ring. The power of the ruler was transferred through the ring to the servant. He could not be touched and was guaranteed sovereign protection until his task was completed. Once the son of a great King wanted to go and spend some time in a beautiful village. But the King was reluctant to let the Prince go because of his enemies living in that area.

So the Prince decided to go in disguise. The King allowed. He got dressed up as a poor lad. He hid in his trouser the signet ring his father gifted him on his birthday. No one recognized the Prince as he went into the village. Happily, he started enjoying the beauty of that place. However, after a few days, a serious fight broke out between two tribes of the village. Hoping to pacify them, he got involved in the problem. But, angrily, they came against this unknown lad and began attacking him. As he was trying to escape them, the signet ring fell out of his trouser. They snatched the signet ring and found out that this was the son of the great King! Terrified, they fell at his feet and apologized for attacking him. They promised him that they would live in peace and wouldnt harm each other any more! What made these angry tribes to suddenly apologize to the poor lad? It was the signet ring the finger ring with the Kings seal set in it. The signet ring revealed his royal identity. Suddenly the poor lad was highly respected as the legal representative of the King.
There are many verses in His word which assure us of His protection. Proverbs 1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil. Psalm 18:2 God is our protector. 2 Timothy 4:17-18 God strengthens us and rescues us. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 God protects us from evil. 1 Corinthians 10:13 God protects us while we are being tempted. Psalm 56:9 God protects us from our enemies. Psalm 91:3-7 God protects us from danger. Psalm 57:1 God protects us until disaster has passed. Psalm 121:3-8 God is always protecting us. Joshua 1:5 God's protection never leaves. Isaiah 41:10 God's protection is reassuring. John 10:28-30 God's protection is powerful. Psalm 124:1-5 God's protection is necessary.

3) Providence : God's seal of ownership, His sign of affirmation is the Holy Spirit. It is the sign or deposit "guaranteeing our inheritance" or salvation until "the day of redemption."

2 Cor. 1:21-22 : Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. What we declare is done, what we bind is bound and what we loose is loosed, stamped by the signet ring of the Lord. The Lord has given us His signet ring of His authority and approval as we declare His word and prophesy to nations, leaders, and generations to line up with the word of God. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:19) Application : How do we have to be to get sealed by God : We have to be like the material on which the seal is stamped. Wax or lac. Mouldable by the LORD. We have to reduce ourselves to nothing to make Him work something for us. Forgo our pride and egos. Make His will the centre of our lives. We have to be humble and completely trust the Lords sovereignty. We have to depend upon him in absolute for our deliverance. When we become such the SIGNET RING OF OUR KING works wonders for us.