The book of Esther is not one that all of us are familiar with. Esther 3:16 is not exactly a readily available, go to kind of verse. Because of this, I’d like to present the background of our story in Esther.
There are 4 main characters that we need to know about.
1 King Ahasuerus is the king of the pagan nation of Persia
2 Haman is his new right hand man
3 Esther is a Jewish woman
4 And Mordecai is her cousin
King Ahasuerus is a pretty interesting individual. After “dumping” his wife for not showing up to his party, he has a beauty contest for a new one. Through all of this, Esther is chosen to be the new queen of Persia. Unbeknownst to the king though, Esther is a Jew. This had been kept a secret under the instruction of her cousin, Mordecai.
Mordecai later comes before Haman and refuses to bow down before him. In reaction to this, Haman asks for and receives a decree for the genocide of the whole Jewish nation. Now the Jews are in danger. Mass death is feared. Esther’s family is doomed to destruction.
Only the king can save the Jews. Only Esther can ask the king.
If you have ever heard anything about Esther, it is probably of her courage to come before the throne. Why does it require such strength to go into the king’s presence? In Chapter 4 verse 11, Esther answers this question for us. She says, “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.”
If Esther is to come before the king, she runs the risk of being put to death. The only way that she can live is through an act of grace from the king. By the lowering of the scepter, Esther can stand in the presence of the king. So, what do we see here in the book of Esther?
We see Esther, in the presence of Ahasuerus, deserving death, but awaiting grace. Esther fearfully enters the throne room, and the scepter is lowered. Her life has been spared.
I can only imagine the fear and trembling Esther had as she risked her life by approaching that earthly king. But I ask you, how much more fear and trembling should man have when approaching God, the heavenly king?
1 For, our sins are a hostility against Him
2 They cause separation from him
3 And thus, we are to be rightfully killed in His presence
Exodus 20:18-19 on Mount Sinai illustrates perfectly unrighteousness in the presence of a holy King. The Israelites were afraid of the presence of the King. Afraid of the death that would be brought to them. This was a valid fear. For, how were God’s people to dwell in His presence when they lived in a constant state of disobedience?
Likewise we should ask, how are we to come in worship and prayer before the God of heaven? In the presence of the King without the fear and trembling of Esther or of Israel? For us to be in the presence of God requires the ultimate action of grace from the King. So, mankind enters the throne room, and God lowers His scepter.
Jesus Christ was the Son of God. He died on the cross, He was put in the grave, and he rose on the third day.
Through this, all who are obedient to him can have His righteousness. And through His righteousness, the presence of God. So Jesus is the gift of grace from God. He is the lowering of God’s scepter to us so that we can enter into His presence.
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Jesus is the Grace of the King.
Hebrews Chapter 1 quotes psalms 45 as a kingly description not of God now, but of Christ. Notice, “But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. “YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.”
If God is King and if Jesus Christ is King, then Jesus Christ must be God.
We see here that Jesus left His eternal throne in Heaven so that He could die in our place as both a…
1 God of Righteousness
2 And a King of Grace
Christ was God so that he could bestow His righteousness upon us. Christ was king so that he could manifest His scepter on the cross. It is by the death of Christ, that we can stand in the presence of the King.
We are now in the presence of a righteous King. We deserve death, but we received grace. No longer do we tremble in fear for Christ has lowered His scepter.
How do we react to such grace? The grace of a righteous King to an unrighteous people? I would suggest that we look at Esther and her reaction to her king. “When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him” (Esther 5:2-4).
Esther:
1 Pays homage to her king by touching the scepter and
2 Asks what pleases the king
In return, half of the kingdom is offered to her.
Likewise, we should, in response to the grace at the cross,
1 Pay homage to Christ and
2 Do the will of the King
In return, the kingdom of God is open to us – in the presence of the King for eternity.
The King has lowered His scepter for you.
Jacob July
