The End of the Scepter- An Invitation from Jesus

Scepter is a free crochet 6 inch square pattern with devotional

Note: All stitches are worked in both loops unless instructed otherwise.

Yarn: Worsted weight-one or two colors

Hook: US I /9 -5.5mm or H/8 -5.0mm

Abbreviations:

BLO-back loop only

sp or sps- space or spaces

st or sts- stitch or stitches

sl st- slip stitch

ch-chain

beg- beginning

sc-single crochet

hdc-half double crochet

dc-double crochet

tr-treble crochet

YO-yarn over

Special Stitches:

Beg Cross Stitch: Ch 3, YO insert hook in previous st, YO draw through st, YO pull through 2 loops twice, (completing dc thus making 1^st cross st).

Cross Stitch: YO insert hook in next unworked st, YO draw through st, YO pull through 2 loops twice, YO insert hook in previous st (you will have 2 dc sharing the same st, one from each cross st), YO pull through two loops twice.

BN8: Bullion Stitch is worked over your hook. Wrap the yarn around the hook 8 times, then insert hook in designated stitch, YO and pull through all the loops on the hook, ch 1 to close.

Using Color A, ch 4 and sl st to beg ch to make loop or make a magic loop.

Rnd 1- Ch 1, 8 sc in the loop, sl st to beg sc. (8 sc)

Rnd 2- Ch 3 (counts as dc) and dc in st before beg ch-3 (see Beg Cross St) making the first cross stitch.  Dc in stitch after beg ch-3 and then dc in same st as beg ch-3 (see Cross St) making your second cross stitch.  Continue making Cross St around the circle, sl st to beg ch-3. (8 cross sts -16 individual dc crossed)

Rnd 3- Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, sl st to beg sc. (32 sc)

Rnd 4- Ch 2, *BN8 in next st, hdc in next st,* repeat from * to * 14 more times, BN8 in next st, sl st to beg ch-2. (16 BN8, 16 hdc)

Rnd 5- *Ch 3, skip BN8, sl st in next st* repeat from * to * 14 more times, ch 3, sl st in same st as beg ch-3. (16 ch-3 sps, 16 sl sts)

Rnd 6- Sl st into first ch-3 sp and ch 1, 4 sc in each ch-3 sp around, sl st to beg sc. (64 sc) Fasten off color A, OR keep using color A to keep it as a solid color square.

Rnd 7-BLO, except for the corner stitches.  Either attach Color B in any first sc of any ch-3 sp with a sl st, or continue using Color A. (Ch 4 (counts as tr), tr, ch 2, 2 tr) in same st (first corner made). * Dc in the next 3 sts, hdc in next 3 sts, sc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 3 sts, dc in next 3 sts,** (2 tr, ch 2, 2 tr) in next st (corner made),* Repeat from * to * three more times ending at ** on the last rep, sl st to beg ch-4.

If your square doesn’t measure 6 inches at this point, work a round of sc or hdc in each st around with (2 hdc/sc, ch 2, 2 hdc/sc) in each corner sp. Fasten off & weave in ends.

A special thank you to my two testors and editors, Carmen Carpenter and Bekah Doughty.  The Lord blessed me when He brought you two into my life J

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A scepter is a literal staff or rod that a king uses to rule his kingdom, and is also symbolically the right to rule and judge his kingdom.

In the beginning of the book of Esther, we find that Queen Vashti did not obey King Xerxes’ command in showing her beauty to him and his drunken guests, and so uses her disobedience as an example for the kingdom and takes away her royal position and rights to enter the king’s presence again. Esther 1:19-21 “’Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.  Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.’ The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memucan proposed.”

After Vashti is banished, a search is made for a new queen, and Esther won the king’s favor and becomes queen, but with something to hide. Esther 2:10 “Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai (her uncle) had forbidden her to do so.” Fast forward, and there is a confidant to the king, Haman who hates all of those of Esther's Jewish faith, and convinces the king to pass a law to kill them- Esther 3:13 “Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews- young and old, women and little children- on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.” Esther was asked to plead her case to the king- and she was terrified because she knew that her life was at stake. Esther 4:11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law; that he be put to death.  The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

What fear- to know that to even approach your husband, the king, that if he didn’t extend the scepter your life was in jeopardy.  Esther 5:2 “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.”

Jesus is our King. He holds the scepter- the right to rule and to judge us.  Hebrews 1:2 “His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”

Genesis 49:10 “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to Whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is His.”

Hebrew 1:8 “But about the Son He says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of Your kingdom.”

Numbers 24:17a “I see Him, but now; I behold Him, but not near.  A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel..”

Fear is a very real thing when it comes to “meeting our maker”- but 1 John 1:9 says that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Jesus was always gathering His loved ones to Him with invitation- extending the scepter for them. And still is for you even today. Will you come to Him?

Matthew 4:19 “ Come, follow me, “ Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

 Mark 10:14b “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these..”

Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

John 7:37-38 “On the last and the greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

John 6:37-40 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Him who sent Me.  And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.  For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

© Copyright April 2012 by Cynthia Boylan, all rights reserved. This pattern, in whole or part, may not be reproduced – mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying -- without the written permission of Cynthia Boylan. Projects made from this pattern may be gifted, swapped or sold. If you use this pattern to sell items on the internet, please credit Cynthia Boylan as the designer.

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