Esther 5:1
Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
On the third day after calling the Jews to fast three days night and day without eating or drinking, Esther put on her royal clothing and stood in the inner court opposite the king's house where the king sat on his royal throne facing the gate. She came into his presence unbidden though to approach without summons ordinarily meant death, resolving in courage, prayer and faith to save her people or die. She found favor in his sight so that he welcomed her, held out the golden scepter to spare her life, and offered to grant her request even to half the kingdom, yet she first invited him and Haman to a banquet and then to another before making her petition known. Her standing before him on the third day before three full days and nights had passed shows that a beginning or ending fraction of a day was counted as a whole day, so that three days means the same as three days and three nights and what comes after three days can come on the third day. By that reckoning Christ's being three days and three nights in the heart of the earth was fulfilled in lying in the grave part of Friday, all of the Sabbath, and part of Sunday and rising the third day, while Esther's venture belongs to God's providence in raising a Jewish maiden to the Persian throne to frustrate Haman's plot in the reign of Ahasuerus to destroy all His people through whom the Man-child should come.
Esther's Risky Approach
On the third day after calling for the Jews in Shushan to fast three days night and day with neither eating nor drinking, Esther went in before the king. She put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king's house over against the king's house, where the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house facing the gate and entrance. She entered the king's inner court and came into his presence unbidden and without being summoned, though to approach without invitation ordinarily meant death.
She acted in a good cause with courage, silent prayer, faith, and resolve to save her people or die, determining if I perish, I perish. In so risking death to ask for her people she fulfilled her responsibility to use her position for the deliverance of the Jews while trusting God with the outcome. She found favor in his sight, so he received her graciously and welcomed her, extending the royal golden scepter to spare her life. Her request was heard, and he offered to grant it even up to half his kingdom, which through providence granted the afflicted queen a hearing.
Instead of immediately disclosing the threat to herself and her people, she first invited the king and Haman to a banquet. When again invited to state her request, she asked them to attend another banquet the next day and said she would present her petition then. Her tact, courage, intercession, and faith in approaching the king to deal with a difficult matter is an example for mothers seeking God's help to resolve perplexing questions and oppose evil in the home.
Counting Three Days
The fast Esther commanded — neither eating nor drinking three days, night or day — means the same as three days and three nights. That fast ended when she stood in the king's inner court on the third day, before that day had ended, without three full days and nights having passed. The two expressions are used interchangeably for the same time, so what is described as occurring after three days could take place on the third day.
The verse proves Jewish reckoning counted a beginning or ending fraction of a day as a whole day, so a period called three days or three days and three nights could comprise part of the first day, the whole of another day, and part of the third. It could describe a period including only parts of its first and third days and the whole of one day, namely the whole of one day and only parts of two others. Jews used cardinal numbers loosely and ordinal numbers exactly, and parts of days were counted as days, so neither eat nor drink three days, night and day means up to the third day. A period described as three days can therefore include parts of three calendar days rather than three complete days or exactly seventy-two hours.
By that reckoning, Christ being three days and three nights in the heart of the earth is the same as being crucified and rising the third day. It was fulfilled in his crucifixion on Friday the preparation day and resurrection early Sunday morning, being in the grave part of Friday, all of the Sabbath Saturday, and part of Sunday. In this way a portion of Friday, the Sabbath, and a part of Sunday can be called three days and three nights.
Providence Against Extermination
Esther's standing in the inner court belongs to the time when Medo-Persia was the second head of the beast and the beast itself was Medo-Persian. It falls in the reign of Ahasuerus, also called Xerxes, when Haman plotted to destroy all of God's people. Through Haman, Satan sought to destroy the woman through whom the Man-child should come, and so to destroy all the people of God.
Through God's providence a Jewish maiden came to the Persian throne in that reign. God frustrated Satan's purpose through Haman. By God's power the Jews were ultimately saved from Haman's plot to destroy them.