Remember how Esther, King Ahasuerus' newly crowned (Jewish) queen risked her life by entering the King's court, unsummoned, to plead for her people? The King's response is notable:

And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” Esther 5:2-8

Esther exposes the heinous plot to eradicate the Jews by the King's chief advisor, Haman, and becomes God's hand of deliverance for His people.

In another fascinating account we have King Herod, who ruled in Israel during Jesus' lifetime. Herod had John the Baptist imprisoned because John condemned Herod's marriage to his brother's former wife, Herodias. Herodias wanted John dead for this, but she was thwarted because Herod actually feared and regarded John as a righteous man.

She pounced on her opportunity, when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

When Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”

And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

And we know the rest of that sad story: she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” Mark 6

The cultures of those times afforded kings full authority over life and death. Kings could levy taxes and confiscate goods. Their wealth in many cases was incalculable. A king's power for benevolence or judgement was vast.

A King's word or decree was irrevocable and was disregarded at one's peril.

Notice that no social status, wealth or prowess compared to the honor bestowed by a king's favor.

It occurs to me that in each of these cases something precipitated the kings' offers. When Esther stood in the court, she won favor in his sight. When Herodias's daughter danced, she pleased Herod and his guests.

So stirred were these kings that they offered the greatest gifts they could grant - the half of their treasure, the half of their rule. These women would be highly esteemed throughout the land. They would be timeless legends in the annals of their kingdoms.

On King Herod's first encounter with another King whose name was Jesus of Nazareth, he wanted to see signs and wonders that fit His reputation. Then Herod treated Him with contempt and mocked His kingship by dressing Him in a gorgeous robe.

Turns out this Jesus was the Son of Man, the Son of God. Looking like any ordinary person and not a king, He came to earth on one errand - to do the good pleasure of His Father.

The Father of all send Jesus as a Lamb. No Jew could miss the meaning. This King came first to serve. Having attained perfect obedience through suffering, He fulfilled the Law and pleased the Father. Now He would be the one only means through whom each person could reunite to his Creator, his Father. Jesus would be the sacrifice on which every offense and iniquity of mankind would be laid. His crushing death would consume and obliterate every grappling hook once set in the souls of all men.

Notice this King. None had yet pleased Him. None had yet gained His favor. No, this King marched through alleyways hauling the wood of His own torture, wiping from His face mucus spit from the mouths that jeered and cursed.

When this King had drunk wrath to the dregs - taken away the sins of the world - He said: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

What kind of King is this? Who now would seek an audience or be seen with One so despised and rejected? Even His own followers abandoned Him. There was one though, a broken and desperate man who rebuked his fellow-criminal for blaspheming the Just One; he saw a King bleeding beside him and cried, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”

And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” LK 23:34

What kind of King gives everything before you give anything?