Before we go to Esther, let's take a moment to review the general end-time scenario presented in Revelation 13. Turn there with me please. And hear my disclaimer: I am summarizing here, and I am going to speak forthrightly. Do be aware that I am not speaking generally of individuals, but of powers and organizations. There are many sincere, first-rate Christian people in these groups. Keep that in mind.

The First Beast

The chapter discusses two beasts and their interactions with the world in which they operate. These beasts represent Satanically-led powers fighting against God and His followers. Notice that the first ten verses are about the first beast--a beast rising up out of the sea, and wearing crowns of blasphemy (vs. 1). It combines the elements of the main beasts from Daniel (vs. 2), receives a deadly wound that is healed (vs. 3), and through this power, "all the world" wonders after the beast, worships the dragon, and worships the beast (vv. 3, 4).

Starting with verse five the message about the first beast shifts more directly to its actions--it's speaking great things and blasphemies, its long reign of 1260 years, and the particular focus of its blasphemies: against God, against His tabernacle, and against those that dwell in heaven. Verse seven focuses then on this beast's war with God's people, the saints, and points to the vast influence wielded by this power in the end-time--influence so great that "all that dwell upon the earth," who are not worshiping the true Creator, "shall worship him" (the non-creator)

Finally, verses 9 and 10 give an additional identification of this beast and a warning for God's people. The section closes with, "Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." Sounds a lot like Revelation 14:12 across the page, doesn't it?

I think, friends, that we all know which power this is. Together, recently we've gone through the main prophetic applications, so won't go into this in detail today. We know that historically, only one power matches the points of identification fitting this beast. We can identify this beast only as the religious body known both today, and down through history, as the Roman Catholic Church.

The Second Beast

Verses 11-18 identify a "second" or "image" beast. And they follow just the same pattern as the first ten verses. Verse 11 identifies this beast just as the first verses of chapter 13 identified the first beast. Here we find a beast coming up out of the earth, in contrast to the first beasts' coming up out of the sea. The horns of this beast are different, as is the characterization. While the first beast is uniformly represented as wearing crowns of blasphemy and having a persecuting character, this second beast instead has "two horns like a lamb," and speaks finally "as a dragon." The image beast undergoes a transition from lamb-likeness to dragon-likeness.

We have correctly understood this beast to represent the United States of America which over the passage of time, veers away from its constitutional principles of religious freedom. It ultimately comes under the power of an apostate Protestantism--an amalgamation of religious bodies--which eventually take on the dragonic characteristics of the Roman Catholic Church. Remember, when this nation came up at the close of the 17^th century, the churches would be in the pre-Laodicea period (Revelation 2 and 3); they had not yet rejected the principles upon which Protestantism was based. But in the mid-1800's they did truly rebel against God--they rejected the light of the end-time message of Revelation 14:6-12 and broke decisively away from obedience to God's law. Heaven was forced at that time to reject them, issuing the plain statement that "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" (Revelation 14:8). As time has continued, these religious entities have entered into a dark decay phase, sinking inevitably downward from one apostasy to another. Today many of these churches are playing the world's music, some are ordaining homosexuals to serve as their ministers, there is spiritualism with the tongues-speaking deception, and the list goes on. And we (...surprise...) also see a movement growing to use government to enforce the will of a "Christian" power-block.

Notice that, following the same pattern as the first verses do with the first beast, we next read of the actions of the second beast. Verse 12 speaks of the enforcement of false worship by this second beast, causing the worship of the first beast. Verses 13 and 14 speak of the capacity of this second beast to deceive people through its miracles. The bottom of 14 and then 15 tell us that the second beast causes the image of the beast to "speak" through its legislative branches. Verses 16 and 17 remind us that the mark of the beast is enforced so that no one can buy or sell who does not have it--who has not sold-out conscience to break God's holy Sabbath day and observe Sunday, the false-sabbath imprinted upon the compromised theological systems of false-christianity.

The Number of the Beast

Finally, verse 18 again turns to warning, in a pattern identical John's treatment of the first beast. Now there's something interesting here, because we have historically identified this number with the first beast. But if you look at the pattern, that would appear to break the pattern. I won't go into it very far right now, but I believe that while 666 is applicable to the first beast, its primary application is to the second beast.

That number of the name spells out to 666, and we know that "vicarius fili dei," "vicar of the son of God" means to put in the place of the Son of God. And the Pope is indeed an individual putting himself in the place of the Son of God. The true vicar of the Son of God is the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). But may I suggest that today most of the deceptions entering into Christianity are coming in through the fallen churches of apostate Protestantism? It's true, you know. Now I'm not saying that the first beast doesn't have a part in it--it very plainly does! But if the first beast is largely the origin point, I can assure you that it is the second beast that is the strong influencer and promoter of the adoption of those dark teachings and apostasies. The floodgates of apostasy are today open and the false-innovations are pouring in to Christianity in torrents through the fallen churches of Protestantism. And this number really points to apostate Protestantism's giant role in bringing these events which have so long been foretold by the book of Revelation to a climax. Remember, in the old world--in Europe and most of the rest of the planet, Roman Catholicism will be the primary power, but here in America--in this, the "new" world--the second beast will be the primary agent of Satan, and will push us to embrace the false-teachings and practices of the first beast.

No, the second beast may not formally use the title "vicarius fili dei," but by teaching that we should disobey the law of God, it positions itself surely in that darkling role; it makes itself the vicar of the son of God; it takes that place. "The patience of the saints" comes up again in Revelation 14:12, under the proclamation of the third angel's message at the end. When the second beast is fully dragonized, it will enforce the worship of the first beast. Yes, the names of blasphemy and the great words spoken against the most High are associated pointedly with the first beast; but the second beast enforces the worship of the first. So what we have here are really two religious powers, a mother and her daughters. And the young ladies--the false churches--the harlots that have descended from the mother of harlots, finally enforce upon the world the worship of their mother. Is it not so?

Well, let's turn now to Esther, and see the parallels. I think you'll be intrigued!

The core story of Esther comes at us from chapters two through nine of the book. The king providentially selects Esther, a Hebrew young lady, to be the new queen. Haman, eventually becoming the most influential counselor to the king, receives reverence from all of the other counselors and, at the kings command, they all bow down to him when he passes by. But Mordecai the Jew, Esther's uncle and step-parent, refuses to bow down to a mere human. Haman is outraged that Mordecai won't bow down to him, and hatches a plot to destroy not just Mordecai but all of the Jews in the kingdom.

But he doesn't know that queen Esther is Jewish!

A Refusal to Bow Down

Haman became obsessed with Mordecai and killing the Jews. Day after day, we read in Esther 3:7, that they cast lots before Haman to determine just the right time to present Haman's plan to kill all the Jews to the king. Finally a day came that, doubtless, according to the lots, was opportune--the fates were right! Haman went in and succeeded in pursuading Ahasuerus to approve the genocidal plan to destroy the Hebrews. What was the basis of his argument? Look with me at Esther 3:8-10:

And Haman said unto king Ahaseurus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

See that? On what basis did Haman urge destruction of the Jews? Because their laws were "diverse from all people!" Not only that, but "neither keep they the king's laws." Now do you remember Daniel six? What did the enemies of Daniel conclude there? Look at Daniel 6:4-5:

Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Bowing down is the all-important satanic goal--bowing down to the principles of a false-god. That's what it was all about then, and that's what it is all about now too.

An Issue Between Two Laws

See? It is the same issue! It is all about the law of God. What did we read just one page previously in Daniel about the little horn? Daniel 7:25 says that "He shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws." Friends, this all comes down to laws. The universe faces a choice between law A and law B--between God's law and Satan's law.

And did you see how Haman sweetened the pot? He said, "King, I'll even cover the costs for this deed. It won't cost you a thing." So what happens in Esther? The king gives his approval to Haman's plan. Ahasuerus hands over his ring to him and his authority is placed behind Haman.

In Revelation 13:12 what do we find? "And he [the second beast] exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed." Notice that while both beasts ultimately put themselves in the place of God, forcing the consciences of their subjects, that only one beast is directly worshiped: the first beast. The second beast never receives worship in the same sense as the first. In the story of Esther Mordecai refuses to bow down to Haman, and he must get the authority of king Ahasuerus behind him in order to issue the death decree against the Jews. That is just like the relationship between the first and second beast in Revelation 13. Apostate Protestantism enforces the worship of the first beast--the Roman Catholic Church. And what is at stake in the end-time? God's law versus Satan's law: in particular Sabbath versus Sunday. In Esther it is the king's law versus Mordecai's conscientious response to God's laws--laws that were "diverse" from the laws of all other people. I am suggesting that Haman is an echo of Apostate Protestantism and Ahasuerus is an echo for the Catholic Church. These persons represent in symbol the situation that will obtain in the end-time.

The Mark of the Beast

What is the mark of the beast involved with in Revelation 13? With a death decree on all who will not bow down to the false sabbath. What is the death decree involved with in Esther? With a faithful remnant who refuse to bow down and give undue reverence to another man--a genocidal man who would kill a whole race to make his point. And don't forget the golden image of Daniel three. There it is again: a law made by the state to enforce false worship--bowing down--to an idol.

When the death decree is published, Mordecai puts on sackclothe and ashes and goes out into the street where Esther can see him mourning. A series of messages are interchanged by Esther's servants through which she learns of the decree. No, she had never revealed her ethnic heritage to anyone, and it was not known that she was Jewish. And Mordecai's noble faith comes to front and center here. Look with me at Esther 4:13-14:

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou hold thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth if whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Mordecai was sure that God would deliver his people, but who he would use depended on the faithfulness of the participants to His call. If Esther refused to stand up for her people, they would still be delivered, but she would be destroyed.

Mordecai saw that it had been the providential hand of God that had placed Esther in a position able to influence and intercede with the king. He also knew that God had other means to fulfill His will that are not always visible.

God Can Go Around Us If We Force Him To.

And by the way, that goes for us too. If we do not do faithfully our Father's work, then there is no question in my mind that He will replace us with "other husbandmen" who will bring forth the fruits of His vineyard. Matthew 21:33-43. God wants to use us, but He is not limited to us. Nonetheless, I believe that He will finish His work with this body--the Seventh-day Adventist Church--and Jesus will come. But we had best not become complacent. We need to step up to the plate, like Esther, and do our part.

Esther's Intercession and the Results

Fortunately, Esther saw the crucial importance of risking her life in order that her people might be saved. If anyone would go in to the king, having not been called, unless he extended his mercy it meant instant death. So I don't think he probably had too much trouble with people bothering him. Esther and her close associates in the women's house fasted. Through Mordecai the Jews throughout the city were alerted and they fasted three days without food or water. Finally, at the end of the period, Esther still had not been called to go in to the king for over a month. When the time came, by faith she stepped into the presence of the king. See it in Esther 5:1-3:

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? And what is thy request? It shall be given thee to the half of the kingdom.

Now look at this. Where was the king? In his "inner court." Kind of interesting, because we find in the Bible the truth that the earthly tabernacle was but a copy of the greater heavenly tabernacle, a tabernacle "built without hands," and "pitched" by the Lord (Hebrews 8:1-5) "and not man." No, Ahasuerus' "inner court" was not a literal sanctuary in a tabernacle/temple type structure. But it was a place where one came before the presence of the king, and where doing so was a matter of life and death! And should we enter the presence of God with less revernece? Of course not. There is a parallel here. And notice the king's response to Esther. He didn't hesitate, or waffle, or sit there with his eye squinted saying "hmm. Maybe I should let her live, or maybe I should kill her." The record of Scripture says that "When the king saw Esther" she obtained favour in his sight, and he held out his sceptre.

Esther a Figure of Jesus

And you know friends, just right here is where Esther ought to remind us of Jesus. She goes in before the king to intercede for the salvation of her people from the death decree. And Jesus goes into the presence of God the Father in heaven for us to intercede for the salvation of His people not from a mere temporal death decree, but from an eternal death. This is recorded in Hebrews 2:9-18. Notice that, like as Esther risked her life and identified herself with her people, Jesus risked His eternal union with His Father, and in the process gave His life to identify Himself with His people.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto My brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given Me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy Him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.

Esther goes in before the king just like Jesus goes in before the King. Esther requests the life of her people, just like Jesus requests the life of His people. The King receives Esther's request, just as our Father in heaven receives Jesus' request.

Now notice that at the end of the story, Esther invites the king and Haman to a feast she puts on. It is at this feast or banquet that she makes her request to the king and uncovers Haman's role as her and her people's persecutor. And by the way, as this climactic feast was coming up, Haman had made a gallows to ask the king to hang Mordecai on. No, oh no; it was not enough to kill virtually the whole Hebrew race for Mordecai's steadfastness, but he must even erect a gallows and hang Mordecai on it to appease his wrath. Haman's character is demonic.

But notice with me that it is when Esther goes into the inner court of the king that Haman's true character is revealed. See, we realize that a lot of the gospel is about God's character being revealed, and that's true. But it is also about Satan's character being revealed--not to God, but to the universe. King Ahasuerus did not know what Haman was, but what he was was revealed by his murderous actions. He was hanged on his own gallows. What Esther was and what her people were was also revealed by their actions, as they united in prayer and fasting for heaven's deliverance.

And we cannot close this worship today without pondering together now how all of this may apply to us. Did you notice that when Esther interceded with the king, she did not intercede alone? Read with me back in Esther 4:15-17:

Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

There was a spiritual preparation undertaken by all of the Hebrews in connection with Esther's intercession. She went in on the third day (Esther 5:1), and so we know that they were all still fasting. There were evidently many hungry and thirsty Jews that day praying for the success of Esther's intercession in their behalf. These things all came together in one climactic, decisive spiritual battle for the ransom of a race.

Brothers and sisters, we were put here for communion with God; we were designed for prayer. A fish needs water, and a bird needs a sky to fly in so that it may fulfill its "birdness." How can we be all that a being made in the image of God can be, if we don't commune with God Himself? If we are made in His image, let's talk with He who is our Father. We are not taking the fullest advantage of prayer. If we were, the world would know it.

Friends, are we not in the same position as the Hebrew people while Esther was going in to plead for their lives? We say we are living in the anti-typical day of atonement--that we are living at the time of heaven's judgment of humankind just before the coming of Jesus. But how faithful are we at standing in our tent-doors while our High Priest is in the inner court of the tabernacle before the King? How much are we willing to cooperate with Jesus so that His intercession for us can be made effective in our lives? How can we forget the solemnity of the hour in which we live; an hour when everything that heaven has been working for for thousands of years is at stake? Cannot we be more prayerful, more sober, more aware of the spiritual battle being fought all around us, not only for our souls, but even for our neighbors and our friends that may not know God or understand how important obedience to His law is? God's laws are "diverse from all people." And don't forget that the devil is busy hammering and sawing, constructing a gallows to hang you and me on.

So heaven's appeal today must be that we go before our God and plead with Him as He pleads for us. We must plead for our own souls and those of those around us. A death decree is coming. It may not currently be showing on CNN, but we know from Scripture that it is coming. All will worship the adversary whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life. A whole world exists beyond the doors of this sanctuary that will see the great wonders of the second beast that deceive them that dwell on the earth; that will watch as fire comes down on the earth in the sight of men--counterfeit fire--a counterfeit Elijah experience. We are commissioned to present a true Elijah experience to the world. And such an experience must begin in our closets as we join Jesus in intercession. Let us pattern after Jesus and after Esther.

Now is the appointed time.

Last Modified 23 March 2000