A Picture of Eternal Victory

By Samantha Rodriguez

“When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.”—Esther 8:15–17 (NIV)

Have you ever experienced a moment where you felt like a boss while walking away from something. Perhaps you’ve played on a sports team before, and you remember that one game where you fought hard and gave it your all so the victory in the end tasted all the more sweet. This feeling can even come after giving a presentation in a class or at your job with confidence. One of the moments I personally think about is when I got to choreograph a dance for a competition against other halls at my university. We walked away out of breath but with the biggest smiles on our faces!

The reason I’m bringing this up is because I want you to think about the joy that victory can bring. Sometimes, our victories on earth can become idols that we attach our identity and purpose to. When we worship the victories and successes of our lives, they often leave us empty. On the other hand, the experience of victory always serves as a reminder of the ultimate victory Christ secured for us eternally! That’s exactly what we see in today’s Scripture.

Mordecai is leaving the king’s presence because he was just tasked with the job of writing the new edict that would save his people. This edict allowed for the Jews to fight back against all those who would try to hurt them. As he walks away, probably feeling victorious, Mordecai is wearing royal garments of blue, white, a crown of gold, and a purple robe. This depiction of Mordecai wearing these colors is something we may not recognize as significant without knowing the background of the Jews! In Jewish culture, the colors of blue, purple, and gold were all associated with priestly garments and the interior of the tabernacle. Purple was also the color of majesty and YHWH, the personal name of God. Therefore, this image points not only to the victory of their moment in time but to the hope of eternal victory in God keeping His promise to send the Messiah!

We’re living in light of that promise fulfilled! Christ has come and secured the victory over sin and death for us. We get to walk in freedom because of this, but we still have to wait for His final return, where He’ll restore order and truly establish His kingdom forever. Revelation 19:11–13 (NIV) gives us a glimpse into this epic scene: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.”

One day, we’ll have a holy feast and celebration that’s even greater than the one the Jews had in the Book of Esther. There will be happiness, joy, gladness, and honor! If you’ve put your faith in Christ as God and Savior, then you can live the rest of your life hopefully anticipating this future. Until then, we continue to walk in the victory here and fight the good fight with the ultimate victory in mind!

Pause: Take a moment to imagine the scene of Mordecai—the colors, the victory, the rejoicing, the gladness! Now imagine the scene in Revelation 19. Allow this to fill you with hope for the future celebration we will be a part of!

Practice: Walking with freedom today means fixing our eyes on Jesus and remembering His victory and the hope of our future! Today, worship Him for this freedom and hope in prayer, singing, dancing, or journaling.

Pray: Holy and wonderful God, You are mighty and victorious! Thank You for giving us the hope of forgiveness and restoration! I pray You will help me to live in light of the victory here on earth. In this in between, I pray I would fight the good fight with Your Word and Your Spirit while taking hope in the future victory You have already guaranteed. I love You Lord, thank You! Amen.