Symbolism in the Book of Esther
I recently read the Book of Esther for the first time and noticed many parallels between her story and Jesus’s story. King Ahasuerus generally represents God the Father while Mordecai represents Jesus Christ, and Haman represents the devil Satan.
Esther 1
King Ahasuerus’s extravagant feast: The book of Esther begins with King Ahasuerus hosting an extravagant feast displaying his power and wealth. This is symbolic of God’s unlimited power and wealth.
Esther 2
Mordecai adopts Esther: Mordecai adopted Esther as his own child. This foreshadows the way that God adopts believers into his family as his own children.
Esther becomes queen: The king took pleasure in Esther and made her queen. This foreshadows the way that Christ takes pleasure in the church and makes her his royal bride.
Esther 3
King promotes Haman: In Esther, King Ahasuerus promotes Haman above all his other nobles, and gives him the royal signet ring: letting him exercise the king’s power to carry out his wishes. This is reminiscent of how God made Satan more powerful than many of the other angels and allowed him to have serious power.
Mordecai wouldn’t bow: Haman walked past Mordecai and Mordecai refused to stand in honor of Haman which made Haman furious. This foreshadows when Christ would refuse to bow to Satan while he was being tempted in the wilderness.
Esther 4
Mordecai weeps: When Mordecai learns that his people are destined to be wiped out, he weeps. This foreshadows the inner turmoil that would cause Jesus to sweat drops of blood in the garden of Gethsemene.
King’s inner court: Esther is scared to approach the king, because the law said that anyone who entered the king’s throne room without being summoned was liable to be executed. This is reminiscent of the way that if anyone entered God’s throne room they would die.
Esther 5
Mordecai to be hung like Jesus : Haman hated Mordecai, so he went home and constructed gallows just so he could hang Mordecai and kill him. This foreshadows how Christ would be hung on a cross.
Esther 6
Mordecai honored on horseback like Palm Sunday: The king honors Mordecai by having him celebrated on a horse through the town square (Esther 6). This is reminiscent of Palm Sunday when Jesus rode through town on the back of a donkey.
Esther 7
Haman hanged on own gallows: Haman is hung on his own gallows that he prepared for Mordecai. This is reminiscent of how God takes Satan’s crafty schemes and uses them for good.
Esther 8
King gives Haman’s house to Esther: After Haman is executed, the king gives his house to Esther. This symbolizes the way that God will execute Satan and then give Satan’s domain to God’s children.
King lets Mordecai use his ring: The king takes his royal signet ring back from Haman and gives it to Mordecai so he can rewrite the edict. This foreshadows the way that God will take Satan’s power over the earth and give it to Jesus.
Mordecai is crowned: The king crowns Mordecai, just like God will crown Jesus.
Jews party: After Haman is executed and Mordecai rewrites the law, the Jews throw a huge party. This foretells the way that God’s people will party when the Evil One is finally defeated.
Non-Jews claim to be Jews: God’s people celebrate so mightily that the surrounding people become scared and even start claiming to be Jews themselves. This is reminiscent of the way that God extends the invitation of eternal life to the Gentiles in the New Testament.
Esther 9
Jews defeat their enemies: The Jews slaughter the people who oppose them. This parallels how God and his people will be victorious over their enemy.
Esther 10
Mordecai honored: Mordecai is honored, becomes second only to King Ahasuerus, and is loved for the way he seeks the good of his people. This foreshadows how Jesus will be honored at the second coming and will be second only to God the Father.