“…and the king held out to Ester the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Ester drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.” Ester 5:2
Dear Ones:
In the fifth century, when the Jews were captives in Persia, the king at that time was Ahasuerus, or Xerxes. It was the law of the land that, “…whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live.” (Ester 4:11) From a human standpoint, to enter the presence of the Persian king, unannounced, was a very serious matter, one that could end in death. This was due to the elevated honor and respect associated with the king’s power and authority. He thus possessed the right to decide if one lives or dies. It is for this reason that, if someone came into the “inner court” to see the king, and that unannounced, their lives were in jeopardy, unless the king extended to them his scepter, as a sign of acceptance. If this was true of an earthly king, what about the Heavenly King, Christ, and the Father, one that is holy, our Creator and Redeemer?
We know from the testimony of Scripture, that God is perfectly holy, separate in every way from sinful man, by His divine nature, as well as by his ways and thoughts. The gospel also tells us that man is not only sinful, but hopelessly lost, and incapable of changing himself, removing his sin, and being perfect, in order to be accepted before the Eternal God. John, the Apostle, tells us that there is a settled opposition to, and judgment upon, lost, faithless man. It is called God’s wrath. Sinful man cannot be given access to God, much less, be accepted by Him in His presence, unless a way is provided by God, one that is perfect, holy, and acceptable to God. That perfect solution is singular, and salient, for it is Christ, and His solitary work of redemption on Calvary. In the heralding of a Savior to come, from the creation of the world, through the writings of the Old Testament, and beginning in the New Testament, there is revealed a picture, a path, and a Person, whose ways and thoughts, righteousness and wisdom, did accomplish for man a perfect access to God, and a perfect acceptance by the Father, into His very presence, in peace, without wrath. Scripture tells us that Christ entered into the “Holiest of all,” that holy, and heavenly, place of communion with the Father, once for all, “…by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Heb. 9:3,12) Jesus makes this ever so clear when He tells His disciples that He is the “WAY,” and that , “…no man comes unto the Father but by Me.” (Jn. 14:6) Paul reaffirms this by writing to Timothy, “…For there is one God, and one mediator, between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) What about the believer’s access to God?
Paul, in writing to the Ephesians on the subject of having peace with God, as opposed to to being under His wrath, declares: “But NOW in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace.” (2:13,14) The solitary, and perfect Son of God, has entered into the holy place of heaven with His precious blood, the testimony of His sacrifice and perfect righteousness. He has rent the veil of separation between sinful man and the holy God. The believer is called to now, boldly, “…enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” (Heb. 10:19) The believer is called also to see, and grasp, that he or she is “…accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph. 1:6) Not only is he or she justified and redeemed before God by Christ, but they have become complete in Him, perfect in the sight of God. It is to this one that God extends His scepter of acceptance, love, and blessing.
Dear Father, Open our eyes to see what it means to come to Thee. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad