Wednesday, March 30, 2011

A Plan to Save (Est. 8:3-8)

Once again Esther went to speak to the king. This time she fell down at his feet, crying and begging, "Please stop Haman's evil plan to have the Jews killed!" King Xerxes held out the golden scepter to Esther, and she got up and said, "Your Majesty, I know that you will do the right thing and that you really love me. Please stop what Haman has planned. He has already sent letters demanding that the Jews in all your provinces be killed, and I can't bear to see my people and my own relatives destroyed." King Xerxes then said to Esther and Mordecai, "I have already ordered Haman to be hanged and his house given to Esther, because of his evil plans to kill the Jews. I now give you permission to make a law that will save the lives of your people. You may use my ring to seal the law, so that it can never be changed."
(Esther 8:3-8, CEV)

Even though Haman has been taken care of, Esther’s problem isn’t yet solved. Her people are still scheduled for annihilation.

So yet again, she approaches the king—without his invitation. She has faith that King Xerxes really loves her.

And she has faith in the unnamed Jehovah that things will work out.

However, for the moment, she doesn’t really know how that will happen. The letters have already gone out. The plan is in effect.

What can be done? The king’s signature is on those letters and can’t be revoked.

King Xerxes comes up with a brilliant idea. Esther herself will make a law to save her people. She will use the king’s ring to seal it. It too won’t be revocable.

But if a law is already in place to destroy the people, what kind of new law could save them?

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