In the law of the Medes and Persians it was illegal (punishable by death!) to appear before the king without first being summoned, yet there was a caveat provided for all to whom he reached out the golden sceptre. Queen Esther, after three days of fasting from food and water, approached the king knowing her life hung in the balance. How relieved she must have been when she found grace in his eyes and he extended life to her when he held up the sceptre. This began a chain of events which led to exposing wicked Haman as the enemy of the Jews who was promptly executed for his crimes--hung on the gallows he had built to hang Mordecai the Jew who was promoted to Haman's prior role.
See what happened next in Esther 8:3-4: "Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king..." Haman had been executed, but his devious legislation which commanded the annihilation of the Jews remained. Esther fell at the feet of the king with tears, begging he act against the edict written to destroy the children of Israel. Then the king held out the golden sceptre, extending grace towards her. Esther rose to her feet and asked her petition of the king, having received his favour.
Isn't this a beautiful scene when we consider the grace God has extended to us through Jesus Christ? John 1:17 says, "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." God has always been gracious and faithfully extended it to mankind, but Jesus brought a fresh revelation of grace we receive through the Gospel that enables us to stand before the presence of the Father with exceeding joy, boldly bringing our petitions before Him. We could never earn such a privilege, yet we have received it by faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God. Paul wrote in Romans 5:1-2, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Wow!
Esther fell down at the feet of the king and wept, and I imagine her tears were quickly wiped away when she realised she had the favour of the king and had been heard. The law written by Haman could not be undone, but a new command was given to all the lands that counteracted it beautifully--so well in fact that many people chose to convert and become Jews! The spiritual law that says a soul that sins must die cannot be undone, but God by His grace has provided a new covenant that is sealed with the blood of Jesus who died so we can be justified by faith in Him. It is no wonder Jesus promises to wipe every tear from our eyes because He has been gracious to us, and we have been heard by our almighty heavenly Father who has compassion on us. God's grace changes everything.
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