For Such a Time as This

Esther had worn the crown for four years, and no one in the palace knew she was Jewish. Her cousin Mordecai had told her to keep that secret.

Then the king made a man named Haman his chief official and ordered everyone to bow down to him. Everyone did, except Mordecai. When the other officials asked why, he told them he was a Jew.

Haman was furious. "One Jew won't bow to me? Then every Jew will pay!"

He went to the king. "There is a people scattered through your kingdom who don't keep your laws. Let a law be written to destroy them, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into your treasury."

The king handed Haman his own ring to seal the law. Messengers galloped to every province: on one day, nearly a year away, all the Jews, young and old, women and children, were to be killed.

Mordecai tore his clothes, put on scratchy sackcloth, poured ashes on his head, and walked through the city wailing.

When Esther's maids told her, she sent him fresh clothes. Mordecai sent them straight back.

So Esther sent a servant named Hathach to find out what was wrong. (A queen could not run out to the city gate. Every word went through Hathach, back and forth.) Mordecai gave him a copy of the law. "Show this to the queen," he said. "Tell her to go to the king and beg for her people."

Esther's answer came back. "Anyone who walks into the king's inner court without being called is put to death, unless the king holds out his golden scepter. And the king has not called for me in thirty days."

Mordecai's reply was sharp. "Don't think that because you live in the palace, you alone will escape. If you keep silent now, help for the Jews will come from another place, but you and your family will die. And who knows? Maybe you became queen for such a time as this."

Esther did not argue again.

"Gather all the Jews in Susa and fast for me. Don't eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast too. Then I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I die, I die."

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and walked down the long hall. She stood in the doorway of the inner court, in front of the throne. The king looked up.

Then he held out the golden scepter. Esther stepped forward and touched its tip.

"What is it, Queen Esther?" said the king. "Ask for anything, even half my kingdom!"

Esther lived. But she had walked in hungry and shaking, with no idea which way the scepter would go. A queen could plead before one king, for one people, in one kingdom, and one day Esther would grow old and die.

Long after Esther was buried, God's people were still hoping for a rescuer who could plead for all people, in every kingdom. Then God's own Son came down from heaven to do it. He did not stand at a doorway wondering whether he would die. He knew, and he let himself be killed in his people's place. God raised him from the dead, and he walked right up to the throne of heaven, where no scepter ever has to be held out for him. Jesus is there now for everyone who belongs to him, so God's door is open. No one who comes with him has to wait to be called.