King Jesus and King Xerxes
Jesus is a better king. Can you compare Xerxes and Jesus in the book of Esther?
Jesus is indeed a better king than Xerxes was. Though there are many, below are a few comparisons.
I hope this helps.
| Reigned from India to Ethiopia (Est. 1:1) | Reigns over all the entire universe (Zech. 14:9; Psa. 11:4) |
| Sat on a throne in Susa (Est. 1:2) | Sits on a throne in heaven (Isa 6:1; Rev. 3:21) |
| Never left his royal throne (Est. 1:2) | Left glory of heaven to become a man (Phil. 2:6-7) |
| Nickname: king of kings | In Reality: The King of kings (Rev. 19:6) |
| Fashioned himself a god | Is God (Col. 1:15-19) |
| Surrounded himself with a private guard – the 10,000 immortals (Est. 1:3) | Could have called more than twelve legions of angels, but didn’t (Matt. 26:53) |
| Threw a party to show how great he was (Est. 1:3-4) | Instituted a meal to remind us of the importance of his sacrifice (1 Cor. 11:23-26) |
| Wanted people to show off his riches (Est. 1:4) | Pours out his riches (Eph. 2:7) |
| Extravagantly wealthy (Est. 1:4-7) | All things belong to him (Psa. 50:10) – immeasurable wealth (Eph. 2:7) |
| Wanted people to show off his riches (Est. 1:4) | Pours out his riches (Eph. 2:7) |
| Desired to parade Vashti, his bride, naked (Est. 1:10-11) | Clothes his bride in fine linen (Rev. 19:8) |
| Couldn’t make decision on his own, so surrounded himself with advisors (Est. 1:13-14) | In eternal counsel of Trinity, ordained all things that come to pass (WSC 7) |
| Punished all who disobey him (Est. 1:15; 3:8; 7:7-10) | Loves his church even when we were dead in sin (Eph. 2:4-5) |
| Banishes his bride, Vashti, from his presence forever (Est. 1:19) | Will spend eternity with his bride, the church (Rev. 21:2-3) |
| Makes laws that can’t be repealed (Est. 1:19) | Came under the law (Gal. 4:4) to fulfill the law (Matt. 5:17) |
| Declared male headship through men domineering their wives (Est. 1:20-22) | Demonstrated headship giving his life for the church, and calling husbands to do the same for their wives (Eph. 5:25) |
| Commanded royal edicts to go to people in their own language to rule over them (Est. 1:22; 3:12) | Commanded the gospel to go to people in their own language (Matt. 28:18-20; Rev. 7:9-10; Est. 8:9) |
| Killed those who entered his presence uninvited (Est. 4:11) | Died and rose again that the church might come boldly into the presence of the Father (Heb. 4:16) |
| Honored those who saved his life (Est. 6:1-3) | Honored by the Father for giving his life to save others (Phil. 2:8-11) |
| Reigned for 20 years and then died | Died, rose again, and lives and reigns forever (Dan. 4:34-35) |
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