1st Question: I was watching a show on the television that gave the names of the three kings who came to see the baby Jesus. Do we know the names of these three kings?
Chris: The Bible does not give us their names. Any names that were used could be tradition or something that has been handed down through the centuries, but we have no idea of knowing and so I would not pay any attention to it.
2nd Question: I remembered that they cast lots for Jesus’ garment. Does this mean that Jesus is ultimately the inheritance that we try to cast lots on?
Chris: That is a good question. Yes. They had His one piece of clothing that they did not want to rend. It was more valuable to be kept intact, and so they cast lots to receive it. One of the Roman soldiers received the covering of Christ. This is how we can look at that. So it does point to someone who does become saved and then they are clothed with Christ’s righteousness.
3rd Question: Concerning election, could we say that election was God’s determination before the foundation of the world, that it was His determination rather than His decision because He did not have to choose? I am more comfortable saying that it was His determination rather than saying that it was His decision.
Chris: As far as Christ is concerned, it says in Acts 4:28:
For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
This is referring to Jesus being turned over into the hands of the Romans and being crucified. It was God’s “determinate counsel.” This is saying the same thing. It was His will and His determination.
4th Question: In Esther 5:6 and in Esther 7:2, is the first day of the banquet of wine a picture of May 21 and the second day a picture of October 21?
Chris: No. I do not want to get into this too much, but you are on the right track. If you have time, take a look at the dating of Esther 3 when the decree is given on the 13th day of the 1st month and Haman’s death. God will link it to May 21 and not October 21. October 21 is not in view.
5th Question: In Joshua 11:20, it talks about how the enemies of the Jews should be destroyed utterly. I cannot remember where this is, but if I remember right, one of the things that the nation of Israel did not do correctly was to cast out all of the heathen. I wanted to link this in contrast to Esther because I think that Esther 8:11 is the verse that you were looking for.
Chris: Yes, that is the verse. We read in Esther 8:11:
Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
Additional Comments: So what we are looking at is “destroy them utterly” that we find in Joshua 11:20. Are we on track with saying that the fact that in Joshua’s day they did not destroy utterly was an open door for sin to continue? This is kind of like the ark where there were clean and unclean animals that came off and sin would continue; but in Esther, this is not going to happen because it says to “destroy them utterly.” I think that this will be an indicator.
Chris: I think that this is a good point. We do know that God allowed some of the people of the land to remain. It was the Jew’s responsibility, but God, of course, is in control of all circumstances and He allowed this.
He tells us why in the book of Judges and it was that God “may prove Israel” or to try them; and this was a trial for the Israelites when they would see these foreign nations so close to their own lands, sometimes living in the same lot, and their idols and all of the things that Israel would later seek after. And so they failed the test.
But the overall picture, and God has many pictures, but when He says to slay utterly all of the inhabitants, that is one picture. Historically, we know that there were some left in the land.
6th Question: In Revelation 10 when it says, “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not,” could this relate to Esther and how the name of God is not mentioned at all in Esther? This is just a suggestion.
Chris: I do not know. I have never tied that together or thought about that.
Additional Comments: Could you at another time?
Chris: I will think about this. It is really unusual that Esther is a book without mentioning God or Jehovah in the Bible. This is not a secular historical record. This is a Bible record of history and God does not even record His own name. I am not exactly sure why He did this, but we can certainly see the hand of God in Esther as we read it.
7th Question: Please explain Matthew 24:44.
Chris: We read in Matthew 24:44:
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
I know one thing, which is that this is not telling us that we cannot know the time or that we should not look for the time.
This would be a good hour for the Son of Man to come. Would this not be true after May 21 has passed and after October 21 has passed? God has set up a perfect and severe test for all of us.
We mentioned that the “trying of your faith worketh patience” in the book of James. Let me show something else. Maybe we can discuss this in more detail another time. Let us go back to Esther 8:13:
The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
They are to avenge themselves. Maria said to me, “What does God mean by that?” How can we be in view in the same way as those Jews when they killed their enemies?
This is what happened historically. In Shushan and in all of the provinces, the Jews killed all of those who were going to kill them; and here the law or the commandment is that the Jews should be ready against that day, because it has been turned and they were to avenge themselves.
Compare this to Luke 18 in the parable of the widow woman whom God encourages not to faint. We read in Luke 18:1:
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Has anybody felt like fainting recently, spiritually? You do not have to raise your hand. I could raise two, but I think that God’s people all over the world have felt this. It is not a light thing that has been going on.
It continues on as God is encouraging us to pray, to keep praying, and to not faint; and then says in Luke 18:2-3:
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
The widow typifies the elect. This is like the Jews in the book of Esther where there is a law given that they may now avenge themselves of their enemies. Remember that Esther said of Haman, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman,” but so were the people who were following Haman and so are Satan and all of his emissaries; and here is this parable and it is interesting that the widow woman, who typifies the elect, is saying, “Avenge me of mine adversary.”
Do you ever pray that way? Do you ever pray like that? For a child of God who is told to forgive and to forbear, to say “Avenge me” sounds pretty brutal, does it not? But when do we pray this way? When is it lawful to pray this way? It is when we pray, “Lord Jesus, come quickly and come soon.” This is because what is God going to do when He comes? He is going to take vengeance on all of the emissaries and adversaries of Himself and His people.
So we can understand that this is actually a prayer, and this prayer fits this time. This parable fits right now. We will see why this is so even more as we go on.
It then says in Luke 18:4-7:
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
So God is hearing now “day and night,” because this is a reference to time. We are still on the earth, there are still 24-hour days, and God’s people are crying out, “What happened, O Lord? How long, O Lord? Come quickly, O Lord!” In this sense, we are praying, “Avenge me”; and God is saying, “Keep coming; keep coming; do not give up; keep praying; do not faint; do not stop coming to Me; believe the Bible; trust the Bible.”
Did you believe the Bible? Did you trust the Bible? Is there any shame in that? No. Let them be ashamed who transgress without cause and who believe the things of this world, those who believe the things of the churches, those who believe all of those things. Let them be ashamed. But for anyone who believed the Bible, there is nothing to be ashamed about. There is nothing at all.
We trusted the Word of God and the Word of God is still right there and we cannot find fault. I would say that I was wrong and that I was sorry if we found a mistake, but there is no mistake to be found, except that it did not happen precisely as we thought it would.
The calendar of history comes from the Bible. It is intact. It locked in May 21. It is still something that is faithful, and I do not know what else we can say about it, except that now we wait.
It says in Luke 18:7 again:
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
He most definitely is bearing long with us. We are not perfect. We can very often sound like Israel in the wilderness murmuring and complaining, crying like a little baby because things did not work out in the way that we wanted them to and things are tough for us. He is bearing with us, believe me, and He is doing this long-sufferingly and patiently.
Then we read in Luke 18:8:
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily…
This means that God will come, “Though I tarry, I will not tarry.” He will come according to His Word, according to the set time, the appointed time.
It continues:
Nevertheless….
This is included with that parable. Listen to this statement:
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Did you hear that? Do you see how He is joining this to Esther? “Avenge me.” Here is the elect woman crying out, “Avenge me, O Lord.”
God in essence is saying, “Okay; I hear you. I am putting up with you. I will avenge you because you are My elect. But when I come, will you be found faithful,” because this is a trial of faith. This is a fiery trial of faith and this is the hottest trial that we have ever experienced.
Some have gone left and some have gone right, and some have gone every which way; but will the Son of Man find faith on the earth? Of course, He will find the faith of Christ in His people, because He has given them that faith; and I think that this is what answers that question.
8th Question: Please explain Matthew 2:18.
Chris: We read in Matthew 2:18:
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
Historically, we understand that Herod had just slain the children two years and under in Bethlehem and in the coast. That would be an area that would identify with Rachel, Jacob’s wife. I think that she was buried around there, and so this is why there is this reference to her.
Spiritually, I have heard Mr. Camping go over this, but it has been awhile. I have not studied this myself, so I cannot tell you exactly what this means.
9th Question: In Esther 9:10,15-16, what is God referring to when He says, “But they laid not their hands on the prey”?
Chris: This is getting pretty far along in the book of Esther and we are not there yet, but I think it would relate to when God destroys the world and destroys all of the enemies of His people.
We are not going to take anything from this world. We are not going to take the riches of the world. We are going to receive a new heaven and a new earth. I think it would relate to that.