When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. – Esther 5:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (July 7, 2014): Esther 5

There is a scene in the movie “Emperor,” a movie about the U.S. involvement in post-World War II Japan, where General Douglas MacArthur is handed some information regarding a possible problem with General Bonner Fellers. General Fellers was in charge of the operation to attempt to exonerate Emperor Hirohito and the Japanese Royal family of war crimes during the war. The question that needed to be answered was how much say did the Emperor really have with the events that had happened during the war? But the problem was that Feller had a prior relationship with the Japanese people, and that he seemed to have guided U.S. Military attacks on the country in order to protect certain people within the island nation. In the movie, General MacArthur receives the news and the evidence of Fellers possible complicity with Japan from another officer, thanks the officer that brought him the file and then dismisses him. The information MacArthur was given apparently never sees the light of day. Feller, later in the movie, admits his complicity in trying to protect certain Japanese civilians, in particular a woman with whom he was in love, and MacArthur once more receives the news and then dismisses it. Even though technically Fellers was in violation of the military law, it seems that in the eyes of General MacArthur, Fellers current service was more important than any sins he had committed during the war. The evidence condemning Fellers was buried by MacArthur – not just once, but twice.

There is no doubt that what Esther was doing was a violation of Persian law. And it would seem because a month had passed since Esther had last been called into the presence of the king that his affections for his new Queen may have waned. The reality is that Vashti, the king’s former Queen, had been disciplined for less of a violation than the one that Esther was currently involved with. And as Esther enters into the king’s presence, two things could have happened. The king could have ignored her, and if that had happened the attendants to the king would have forcefully, violently and possible permanently removed Esther from the king’s presence. The other option was that the king could extend his scepter in her direction. The act was a pardoning action by a king toward his subject. And by touching the scepter, Esther was accepting her position and a subordinate of the king, covered only by his grace.

This is precisely what happened. Xerxes saw his queen enter into his presence without being called. Esther knew the consequences of her action, yet she did it anyway. She probably was quite literally shaking with fear. And with one look at his queen standing before him in fear, Xerxes responds in compassion and extends his scepter. With one act, he was able to ease the fears of his bride, forgive her trespass and essentially bury the evidence that would have convicted her. With a single act, Xerxes extended grace, and with another act, Esther received the grace that was offered.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 6