ARE PROTOCOLS OBSERVED?

Dictionary .com gives several meanings for the word protocol. For the purpose of this blog the following will be utilized: “the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette.” In the technology world protocol also has a relevant meaning. Britanica.com explains it to mean: “a set of rules or procedures for transmitting data between electronic devices, such as computers. In order for computers to exchange information, there must be a preexisting agreement as to how the information will be structured and how each side will send and receive it. Without a protocol, a transmitting computer, for example, could be sending its data in 8-bit packets while the receiving computer might expect the data in 16-bit packets.”  In both cases, there are systems and procedures that are known and there is an expectation that there will be an agreement and an adherence to that which was agreed.

Recently I had the privilege of being in the company of a king and queen of a nation. This, for me, occurred at a pivotal season in my life and it was of major significance. Prior to the event, a document from the event coordinator was issued with the protocols of being in the presence of royalty. Among the protocols to be observed were: 1. Obtain permission, 2. Follow the lead/Royal Initiative, 3. Dress appropriately, 4. Be aware of cultural differences and 5. Follow security protocol/ respect boundaries. There were a few others, but these suffice for the purpose of this post. The major thing that we all had to remain mindful of was who was in the room with us. It was not business as usual; we could not treat them as though they were just regular people; protocols had to be observed. It was at the discretion of the royalties to determine who could come near and when they could. The King was very humble, welcoming and friendly. I noticed that some people, however, forgot who he was and wanted to cross lines in being too familiar.

Esther 4:11 & 16 King James Version

¹¹ All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

¹⁶ 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.

Esther 5 King James Version

5 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. ² 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. ³ Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

We see in these scriptures the plight of a Jewish queen whose identity was hidden from her pagan king. The Jewish people were about to legally fall into the hand of their enemy Haman and his decrees. Mordecai, Queen Esther’s uncle alerted her of the plot and verse 16 gives her response to it. Notice the protocol stated in verse 11, that you are not allowed to come before the king unless called. The only way such a person could escape death is if the king holds out the golden sceptre for them to approach. The queen, based on the urgency of the pending plot afoot could not wait to have been called as she had been waiting for thirty days to be called. Her battle strategy was to fast and get all the Jews in the kingdom to fast for three days. Fasting has a way of humbling us before God and man. At the end of the fast, she followed the protocol concerning how to dress and went to the inner court where she could have been seen by the king. She found favor in his eyes, and she was granted access to him.

From this scripture and my encounter with the king and queen, the Lord started to share with me how His children have forgotten His title of King, not merely King, but King of Kings. He said we no longer want to obey protocols where He is concerned and we want to treat Him, His presence and His kingdom as it seems fit to us. He is our friend, but He is a King and there are protocols that must be observed. He wants us to stop being so familiar with Him as we are losing respect, reverence and awe of Him. He said we address Him often as a commoner and not as our Lord. Some have given Him nicknames and have lost the fear of Him. You could not go to the king of England to be heard and say “What’s up my K”. Esther did not simply make her request known immediately, she threw him a banquet, twice! Theologians and historians have posited several reasons why Esther did this, however, I believe that this would have been interpreted by the king to mean honor, respect and regard for what he can do as king regarding her imminent request.

We put on neither physical nor spiritual attire that is in league with royalty. Esther had to put on her royal apparel to go before the king. Nowadays we have preachers, teachers, singers and musicians who dress in such a way that God does not get glory because their attire robs Him of it. If we dress flamboyantly or immodestly, we are the ones who get glory. It’s no wonder the priest in the Old Testament had simple outstanding wear. For some of us, our garment in the spirit is dirty because our walk is contrary, and we do not see the need to be cleansed. For an earthly king, you must be willing to wait to be addressed, this is known as the “royal initiative”. We do not want to wait on God, if God doesn’t respond in a time we deem appropriate, we either do it ourselves or seek it from other sources. If even in technological protocols must be observed for a system to work effectively, then what is our challenge really? It is not ok to have no problems observing the protocols to facilitate an earthly king and be so unwilling to do the same for the heavenly King, who is the KING OF KINGS!