Morning
“So will I go in unto the king.”
Esther 4
To please his favourite, the king had doomed all the Jews to destruction: we can imagine the universal distress which it created.
Esther 4:1 , Esther 4:2
He felt as if he had been the cause of the overthrow of his people, since it was for his sake that Haman had determined to massacre every one of them.
Esther 4:3
As well they might, since they were all doomed to die by the sword. The Lord’s people were in great jeopardy.
Esther 4:9
Evidence of the great danger of her race was supplied to her both by word of mouth and by the copy of the decree which she could read for herself. No one could now help the poor doomed nation but Esther; for her it would be a dangerous task, and she had no great measure of that high all-daring faith which had dwelt in some of her ancestors. Her position as queen, in an alien court, was not one which fostered the highest form of spiritual life.
Esther 4:10-14
Mordecai was sure that God would deliver his people in some way or other, and he warned Esther that if she missed the honour of being her nations deliverer, she would not herself escape, for the king’s edict would operate even in the palace.
Esther 4:17
If they would pray for her, she would venture. Surely, if she thus plucked up courage to approach a hasty, imperious tyrant, no penitent sinner need fear to come to God by Jesus Christ.
Thy church through every past alarm
In thee has found a Friend
And, Lord, on thine Almighty arm
We now for all depend.
Evening
“If ye have bitter envying in your hearts, glory not.”
Esther 5
The three days of prayer and fasting were over, and the time came for Esther to risk all, and go in unto the king unbidden, and plead for her nation.
Esther 5:1
These kings affected great state, and, partly to impress their people with awe, and partly for their own safety, none dared approach them on peril of their lives, if they had not been expressly called. For Israel’s sake Esther encountered this mortal danger.
Esther 5:3
She had good speed at the outset. If we will but act boldly, the Lord will help us.
Esther 5:4-8
Either she had not yet the courage to speak out, or else she wisely judged that her influence over the king needed to be strengthened before it would outweigh that of the cunning favourite.
Esther 5:9
Sternly would Mordecai gaze upon him, viewing him now with utter abhorrence, as intending to murder all the Jews.
Esther 5:12 , Esther 5:13
Pride is a pitiful thing, and so hungry that all the world cannot satisfy it if some one little matter go amiss.
Esther 5:14
He was such a favourite that he had only to ask and have, so that he would make short work with sulky Mordecai. Next morning he would go to court and get the kings warrant for the man’s execution. We shall see what happened.
But no such rigid law we fear,
Who to the King of kings draw near,
Boldly approach his gracious throne,
And freely our requests make known.
Beyond the inner court we press,
Enter within the holiest place;
Sure to obtain the peace of God,
And all we ask through Jesu’s blood.