When Mordecai heard of the decree, he and the Hebrews made great lamentation, and he made Queen Esther acquainted with the plot to destroy her people, and entreated her to go in unto the king and make supplication for their rescue. At first she excused herself, but being led to understand that she, too, was included in the decree, she put her life on the hazard for the safety of her countrymen. It was no light matter for the beautiful young queen to risk her life to save her people. Surrounded as she was by the luxury and elegance of that magnificent Persian court, keenly alive to the charm of all lovely things, it meant much for her to go down to the grave in the brilliant morning of her youth. But when Mordecai turned to her for help, he reminded her that she had come to the kingdom for such a time as that. His faith asserted that God would deliver His people; and, if she failed to do her part, she and her father’s house would perish. She said she would make the attempt. “If I perish, I perish,” was her wail of submission. However, in her great undertaking, she displayed a humble dependence upon the God of Israel; she also showed great prudence and wisdom. She asked her people to fast and pray three days; and all her maidens--who were selected, no doubt, on account of their sympathy with her faith--would also fast and pray. When the books are opened it may appear that the Hebrews were led, through the deliverance that she wrought for them, to the penitence that made it possible for God to take them back to the fatherland. [Illustration: ESTHER PLEADING FOR HER PEOPLE.] At the end of the fast she put on her royal apparel and went unto the king while he was seated upon his throne. The first gleam of hope lighted up her distressed heart when Ahasuerus held out his golden sceptre. It has been said that men’s hearts are reached through their stomachs. Whether this was true of Ahasuerus, or whether Esther knew of this avenue or not, she certainly showed great tact when she desired to make a banquet for the king and his favorite prince, Haman, which the beautiful queen would prepare, where he could then hear her request. It would have been a most natural thing to do, after Esther had risked her life by going uncalled into the presence of the king, and when she found him graciously disposed to partake of her feast, to throw herself at once upon his mercy, and beg for her life and the lives of her people. But no. She must have great power over him to get him to undertake the difficult task of setting aside one of his own decrees. Probably her faith in God was not yet strong enough for her to make a sure move. She saw that she was not yet sure of her ground, nor firm in her faith; so, when he made the great offer even of dividing his kingdom with her, she simply asked that he and Haman should honor her with their presence at another banquet.