神的异象
公义的权杖
经文
以斯帖记五1-14
1第三日，以斯帖穿上朝服，进王宫的内院，对殿站立。王在殿里坐在宝座上，对着殿门。
2王见王后以斯帖站在院内，就施恩于他，向他伸出手中的金杖；以斯帖便向前摸杖头。
3王对他说：王后以斯帖啊，你要什么？你求什么，就是国的一半也必赐给你。
4以斯帖说：王若以为美，就请王带着哈曼今日赴我所预备的筵席。
5王说：叫哈曼速速照以斯帖的话去行。于是王带着哈曼赴以斯帖所预备的筵席。
6在酒席筵前，王又问以斯帖说：你要什么，我必赐给你；你求什么，就是国的一半也必为你成就。
7以斯帖回答说：我有所要，我有所求。
8我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若愿意赐我所要的，准我所求的，就请王带着哈曼再赴我所要预备的筵席。明日我必照王所问的说明。
9那日哈曼心中快乐，欢欢喜喜地出来；但见末底改在朝门不站起来，连身也不动，就满心恼怒末底改。
10哈曼暂且忍耐回家，叫人请他朋友和他妻子细利斯来。
11哈曼将他富厚的荣耀、众多的儿女，和王擡举他使他超乎首领臣仆之上，都述说给他们听。
12哈曼又说：王后以斯帖预备筵席，除了我之外不许别人随王赴席。明日王后又请我随王赴席；
13只是我见犹大人末底改坐在朝门，虽有这一切荣耀，也与我无益。
14他的妻细利斯和他一切的朋友对他说：不如立一个五丈高的木架，明早求王将末底改挂在其上，然后你可以欢欢喜喜地随王赴席。哈曼以这话为美，就叫人作了木架。
信息分享
我们要继续来思考「神的宝座也是恩典的宝座」这个事实。没有其他甚么能比今天的经文更好的来诠释这一点。以斯帖皇后来到王那里，准备实行自己计划的第一部分，借以破坏哈曼屠杀犹太人的奸计。在当时，不被邀请的话，任何人都不能去见王，哪怕是皇后也不例外。因此，以斯帖尽量盛装，并站在王可以看见她的地方。王一看见她站在王院子的入口，便请她走近，向她伸出权杖，表示欢迎和接纳她。以斯帖触摸杖头，表示她确认王的欢迎，进而讲述她的要求。
这是一幅显示我们这些罪人能够得到万王之王接纳、并来到祂面前的美好图画。希伯来书一章8节告诉我们，神也有一支权杖──公义的权杖，是污秽的罪人永远都不能触摸的。不过，福音的好消息是：我们可以怀着一份确信，来到圣洁神的宝座前，知道透过十字架上的牺牲，神将自己的公义赐给我们，而这公义是基督完成的工作所带来的结果。当我们近前触摸神的权杖，也就是确认我们接受它的时候，就蒙神接纳来到祂的面前，好像我们从没有犯过罪。能够在公义和圣洁的神的宝座前蒙接纳──天上地下还有甚么比这更为美好的事？而这完全是因为有耶稣。愿祂的名永远得到颂扬！
「神接受我们，好像我们从没有犯罪似的」
进深研究
诗六十五1-13；诗四十八10；诗九十七2；诗一四五17-18
1. 神宝座的根基是甚么？
2. 伴随着神的公义的是甚么？
祈祷
天父，您将基督的救恩赐给我，我应该怎样感激您？这是多么惊人的怜悯！多么奇妙的恩典！求您帮助我以我的嘴唇和我的生命来见证这救恩。我奉耶稣的名祷告。阿们。
The Vision of God
The sceptre of righteousness
Bible reading:
Esther 5:1-14
1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.
2 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.
3 Then the king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you."
4 "If it pleases the king," replied Esther, "let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him."
5 "Bring Haman at once," the king said, "so that we may do what Esther asks." So the king and Haman went to the banquet
6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, "Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."
7 Esther replied, "My petition and my request is this:
8 If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king's question."
9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king's gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai.
10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife,
11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials.
12 "And that's not all," Haman added. "I'm the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow.
13 But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate."
14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,[a] and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself." This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.
Message
We continue meditating on the fact that the throne of God is also a throne of grace. I know of no more wonderful picture to illustrate this than the passage before us today. Queen Esther approaches the king in order to put into operation the first part of her plan to outwit Haman in his desire to massacre the Jews. In those days no one would enter into the king's presence uninvited, not even the queen. So she dresses as attractively as possible and stands where the king can catch sight of her. As soon as the king spots her in the entrance to the king's hall, he invites her to approach him and holds out the royal sceptre toward her as a sign that she is welcomed and accepted. Esther touches the top of the sceptre in acknowledgement of the king's welcome and proceeds to outline her request.
What a beautiful picture this is of the way we sinners are accepted into the presence of the King of kings. We are told in Hebrews 1:8 that God too has a sceptre - a sceptre of righteousness - which soiled sinners would never be able to touch. However, the good news of the gospel is this: we can approach the throne of a holy God with the assurance that through the sacrifice on the cross, God has given us His righteousness - the consequence of the finished work of Christ. As we move forward and touch it, in other words acknowledge our acceptance of it, we are welcomed into His presence as if we had never sinned. Can anything be more wonderful in earth or heaven than to be accepted at the throne of a righteous and holy God? And it's all because of Jesus. Blessed be His name forever!
"We are welcomed...as if we had never sinned"
Prayer
O Father, how can I sufficiently thank You for extending to me Your offer of salvation in Christ? What amazing mercy! What wondrous grace! Help me witness to it both by my lips and by my life. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Further study
Psalm 65:1-13; 48:10; 97:2; 145:17-18
1. What are the foundations of God's throne?
2. What accompanies the righteousness of God?
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