How does Esther 7:3 demonstrate Esther's courage in approaching the king? Text of Esther 7:3 “Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life—this is my petition—and the lives of my people—this is my request.’” Setting the Scene • Persian law still held: anyone who approached the king uninvited risked death (Esther 4:11). • Haman’s edict to annihilate the Jews remained sealed with the king’s signet (Esther 3:13). • Esther had already fasted, prayed, and entered the throne room once (Esther 5:1–2). Now she presses the issue to its climax. Facets of Esther’s Courage Revealed • Personal Risk – Esther again steps into the spotlight, aware the king could react unpredictably. – Her words “grant me my life” acknowledge the mortal danger that still surrounds her. • Identification with Her People – She publicly links her fate to the Jews: “my life … and the lives of my people.” – This is a dramatic self-disclosure; until now her ethnicity remained hidden (Esther 2:10). • Direct Appeal to the King’s Heart – She speaks respectfully yet plainly, relying on the favor God had given her (Esther 2:17). – Proverbs 31:30 reminds us that true beauty is rooted in godly character; Esther embodies that by speaking with grace and conviction. • Faith-Filled Boldness – Esther’s earlier resolve—“If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16)—now becomes action. – Her confidence echoes the principle that “The righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). • Strategic Timing – After two banquets (Esther 5–6), she senses the perfect moment. – Courage is not reckless; it discerns when God has opened the door (cf. Acts 14:27). Scripture Echoes • Nehemiah likewise stood before a Persian king with a sorrowful face, risking his life to intercede for Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1–5). • Daniel’s friends faced the furnace rather than compromise (Daniel 3:16–18). • Hebrews 4:16 calls believers to “approach the throne of grace with confidence,” a privilege foreshadowed by Esther’s experience of earthly royalty. Take-Home Insights • Courage flows from trust in God’s sovereignty, not self-confidence. • Identifying with God’s people may cost us, yet honors the Lord (Mark 8:38). • Respectful, prayer-soaked boldness can move even hardened rulers, because “the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:1). |
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