06.22.2015 Old Testament: Esth 5.1–3

To read the Bible in a year, read Esther 4–6 on June 22, In the year of our Lord 2015

By Don Ruhl

Esther did not want to approach the king of Persia, as her cousin Mordecai advised, because she had not been invited to see the king for 30 days, and anyone who approached the king uninvited, received the death penalty—and evidently that applied even to wife of the king—unless the king held out his golden scepter to that person.

However, Mordecai reasoned with her, that she might have come into her position of influence as the queen of Persia, for that very time when the existence of the Jews was threatened. He also reasoned with her that she would not escape the plan that a Persian had constructed with the king’s approval of wiping out the Jews. Therefore, she decided to approach the king, even if it was uninvited,

Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!” (Esther 5.1–3). 

Fear ran her life. She feared the worst. Yet, when boldness ran her life, the worst did not happen, but just the opposite.