Interrupting the King

Esther looked at Hathach in shock; Mordecai wanted her to do what?

"You have to go the king," Hathach repeated, "and plead for your people."

"Going to the king unsummoned means certain death," Esther replied, "unless he holds up his golden scepter." And I don't think he will do that for me, she added silently to herself.

Hathach continued, "Mordecai also wanted me to tell you, 'don't you think you yourself will be able to escape more than the Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time like this?'"

Esther looked at Hathach, her dear father was right. She was in a position to save the Jews; what was one life in the face of a whole nation?

"Go," she told Hathach, "gather all the Jews in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf for three days. Then I will go to the king, and if I perish, I perish."

0000

Hegai tried to dissuade Esther from what he saw as a suicide mission, but Esther's mind couldn't be changed. For three days and three nights, Esther didn't eat or drink and her maids fasted with her, she prayed that she would find favour in the eyes of the king like she had done before and that she would be able to help her people.

0000

Xerxes was busy planning for war, the council met daily to make preparations. Haman, was also busy planning the annihilation of the Jews, he had been given more power by the king, in addition to this Haman had gallows built – to hang Mordecai who is a thorn in his side.

0000

On the third day Esther prepared herself, like she had done for her one night with the king and made her way to the king's palace.

Xerxes was listening to one of Prince's speak when the door burst open and Esther entered the room. Slowly she made her way towards him.

Esther kept her eyes down, praying that Xerxes would forget all the mistrust and half-truths that had come between them, that he would remember their love. She prayed that God would give her favour in the eyes of her husband, her love.

Xerxes looked at Esther as she walked down the aisle; she looked so beautiful and humble. He wondered what she wanted, what was so important that she would interrupt him thus, for he knew that his Esther was no fool, she wasn't a silly petulant child. He tried to read it from her face but she hid her eyes from him, he couldn't see it.

As Esther walked she heard the Princes shout, they were demanding for her death. At last she reached the podium, she slowly climbed up the steps and looked up at her beloved and smiled.

Xerxes could hear the Princes shout, they wanted Esther's head. Indeed the hangman was moving towards her with his axe ready to chop off her head. Xerxes ignored them all and continued to watch his Esther. She made her way directly towards him, when she was within a few feet of him; she looked up at him and smiled.

Xerxes couldn't help himself, he smiled at her.

The hangman seeing that the scepter hadn't been raised got ready to chop off Esther's head but Xerxes grabbed his arm and stopped him. The crowd gasped, such a scene had never been seen in the king's palace.

Xerxes reached for Esther and smiled at her.

"What is your request my queen?" he asked her, "It shall be given to you. Even to half my kingdom."

Esther looked at the crowd, it was too public. She couldn't let the fate of the Jews be decided in such a place.

"If it pleases you, my king, let you and Haman, come to a feast today that I have prepared for the king."

The king asked Haman to be summoned immediately they had a date with the queen.

0000

As Esther left the king's palace she praised God, for she had survived the axe man.

She hoped that the feast would go as planned, that the Jews would be saved.