When all would bow before Haman, Mordecai stood alone, refusing to bow to such a wicked man. Haman hated Mordecai so completely, he thought it wasn’t enough to make only him pay for his insolence – he decided to go after everyone connected to him. Like the snake who so thoroughly despises God that he spends his every hour scheming against all those who God calls His own, so Haman schemed against all those connected with his nemesis. If the anti-christ spirit cannot destroy the Christ, then his next target are His Christ-ians. Yes, this snake still slithers, speaking false words into the ears of the daughters of Eve trying to convince them that forbidden fruit is sweetest.
Haman forces the hand of the king against all the Jewish people in the realm – all those connected to Mordecai. A great wailing goes up from the capitol city and spreads throughout the empire as the people of God hear that their lives have been betrayed for the promise of silver. When the word reaches Mordecai that the sentence of death has been passed over all the people, he weeps at the palace gates, but is unable to enter any further – his cries unheard by the ears of the King. The Queen hears of her cousin’s sorrow and sends him new clothes to replace his mourning attire, but Mordecai sent back word of what was to come for her people. She must intervene. She must act or all would be lost.
Esther received his words with fear as everyone knew that she had no right to enter the King’s presence without an invitation, and it had been over a month since she had last received one. If anyone was to enter the king’s court without being summoned, the sentence was death, and though she was a queen, she lived under this law as well. There is only one exception to this rule: the king must extend his sceptre, the one by which he rules the world; only then will the way be made open for her to approach the throne. She sent word of her situation back to Mordecai only for him to reply that she would die along with all the rest of them if she did not do something. Esther, for all her position, wealth and looks, would still fall under this curse of death. Mordecai, perceiving God’s hand at work, told Esther that it may be that she is queen for such a time as this. Maybe all that has happened to her has been God positioning her to rescue her people. Esther determined in her heart to do whatever it took to plead her case and that of her people to her husband, the King, even if it meant her death. If I die, I die. For 3 days she lived under the cloud of death, knowing, without a miracle, her life would be taken from her. She fasted both food and drink for 3 days and 3 nights. On the third day she rose and dressed in her special robes – the picture of royalty and a glory to the King.
Esther crossed the threshold into the inner court, and into the presence of the King. She intentionally broke the law of the land that separated the subjects from their King. She stood in the middle of the court, amongst all the nobles and officials, awaiting the judgement of the King. The room went silent with morose anticipation as every member of the court knew what accompanied this transgression. The orphan queen’s story surely had come to an end. Across the hall sat the King of Kings, on his throne, in judgement. When his eyes caught sight of his Queen standing before the throne, time stood still. A mere frown from the King would be the end of her life. His last queen had been deposed for rejecting his invitation, now this queen has come unbidden into His throne room. To grant her a pardon would be to do for one what he did not do for the other. Besides, he would have to break his own law in order for her life to be spared. It would humiliate him in front of all the world, and yet favor bloomed in the heart of the King. He searched out this Queen, he positioned her for royalty, and though the law called for her death, his heart responded in love. With one swift move, he extended the sceptre by which he ruled the world. His love had extended grace. The court gave a collective gasp as the Queen was spared. Esther, overcome with gratefulness, approached the throne of grace boldly under the protection of the sovereign sceptre. Her King had not only become her husband, now he had become her savior.