Esther 6:1-3
God does not sleep.(Psalms 121:4) He works out details and timing of events while we wait on Him, while we sleep, etc. While Esther postponed granting her request, God was at work. God can use anyone to fulfill His will. Xerxes was a part of God’s plan to deliver the Jews whether he realized it or not. God has the sovereign ability to use a pagan as well as a follower.
It was the 3rd night of fasting. The third day is significant. Jewish history has declared the 3rd day to be the day that some relief would be seen. All this timing was more than coincidence. Providence is unfolding. Five years had passed since Mordecai had exposed the assassins. Thirteen years of Xerxes reign had been chronicled but when Xerxes couldn’t sleep on this specific night and ordered to have his chronicle read, it just so happened that the scroll was unrolled to reveal Mordecai’s loyalty to King Xerxes.
God’s people were unfaithful which nearly destroyed them but even in their unfaithfulness, God shows His faithfulness. God also has us deliberately hear or read things at specific times that impact us. He loves and cares about us so much that He is willing to set up moments like that to speak to us. God speaks all languages universally, internationally, and personally. He does this through timing and also when we read His word.
Esther 6:4-6
God’s timing again. Haman is in the right place at the right time. Xerxes had been up through the night wanting to right a wrong while Haman had been up all night having gallows built. Haman was eager for revenge and also honor. Haman presumed he was entitled to be honored. Too many today have a sense of entitlement. Thinking of ourselves too much from a positive or negative perspective can cause us to presume others are doing the same and that will cause us to be preoccupied with unhealthy thoughts. We can also crave honor, whether we receive it or not, so much that it will eventually cause us to make a fool of ourselves. Instead of being full of ourselves let’s keep a repentant heart.
Esther 6:7-9
To be honored in this way with the kings crown, robe, and horse is comparable to asking for kingship. Haman seemed to already be high on a horse. We tend to think what we can’t have will fill the emptiness that only Christ can fill. When we strive so hard to have what shouldn’t be, we miss all the other goodness that God continues to offer. Many times we allow one small thing into our lives that leads us to places we said we would never go and before we know it, we are entangled.
When we feel God forbids certain things in our life, we think He is trying to keep us from something enjoyable. Christ gave His Son for us so that we may have life. The other things He gives us is easy.(Romans 8:32) He will always give us things that lead to life. It is satan that lies to us and offers us things that lead to death and twists the truth to offer us good things but at the wrong time. The only way to keep from being deceived is to remain in a relationship with Christ who is the Truth and test everything by the Word of God.(Romans 12:2)
Esther 6:10-11
God’s Word is Spirit and Life. They can teach us just as much about what we don’t want to be as they can about what we want to be. Proverbs 16:18 tells us pride comes before a fall. Haman could have humbled himself at any moment but instead was humiliated and he did it to himself. He has just been bucked off his high horse. It may be hard to come to the feet of Jesus with our open hearts but it is a whole lot easier than being knocked down. It becomes easier the more we do it because we learn that Christ will never fail us.
You will always rise from your knees stronger. Esther 6:11 was a royal event that as Beth says was probably the longest day of Haman’s life. What kind of emotions, actions, words, facial expressions do you think were going on in these men?
Esther 6:12-14
Mordecai did not let the honor go to his head. When they were done honoring him, he returned to work. He did the same when the edict was issued. He continued to go to work to a place where the edict was initiated. If we get overlooked for affirmation or promotion, so be it. Just do our job. If we get elevated or celebrated so be it. Let’s do our job. If we walk with Christ in His spotlight, the world’s spotlight, whether for us or against us, will be dim. The world’s spotlight will be so insignificant that it will not dictate how we act or feel like acting. God gives us our significance and satisfies our need to be noticed. Amen.
Mordecai was going to continue to do his work no matter what happened to him. However, where did Haman go? It seems he went home to grieve over himself. Do we find ourselves doing this at work, at church, maybe even in our home when we don’t get acknowledged or don’t get treated the way we think we should be treated. If so, does it help and does it set a good example? Maybe we should follow Mordecai’s example.
“Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief” and then “the king’s eunuch’s arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet.” I can relate to the rushing. At times do we over schedule and seem to just get done with one event to hurry to another? How often do we wait on the Lord and ask Him, “Why do you tarry?” and then when He moves, we aren’t ready. As Beth put it, “Our cries, ‘Lord, why do You wait?” turn into ‘Lord, wait!'”
Did Haman put on a different face before going back into the presence of the king? It doesn’t say but do we put on different faces based on who’s presence we share or can we be free to be ourselves?
It seems that Haman was getting exhausted trying to keep his ego a float. He tried to have his friends and family help but it seems they were also exhausted. When our insecurities aren’t placed at the feet of Jesus, we can exhaust ourselves as well as those around us.
Haman’s friends/advisors had different advice this time. Are we ever a little wiser after the fact? Are we ever so headstrong that we don’t want to listen to other’s advice and then when things fall apart, we wish we had listened. Or maybe someone asks our advice and we don’t want to share our thoughts because they may get mad because we don’t see it the same way. At least looking at things from different perspectives and seeking wise counsel, we can make better choices. We should be able to accept good counsel even if it might shatter what we thought was a “great idea”.
Sometimes we may see a bad situation coming to a head and repress those misgivings only to watch them unfold to say “I knew it”. Difficult situations can expose our underlying character traits but God uses those situations to teach us and grow us to new heights if we let Him.
Friends may get weary of supporting us or fear being around us in troubled times but we have a God that will never leave us or forsake us. He is never afraid and does not wear out. Zeresh and Haman’s advisers have now concluded that Haman can’t come against a Jew and win. When we are in a relationship with God through Christ, we too can know that God will bring us through whatever we must endure.
We aren’t fighting for a victory, we are fighting from a victory. The fight was won when Christ went to the cross, took the keys, and rose a Victor. It is easier to fall at His feet if we don’t allow ourselves to think we are above anyone else. We can spend time lifting ourselves just to fall or we can spend time lifting others. What is more satisfying? Of the two scenarios who of the two will have less of a fall when we are called to bow at the throne for “every knee will bow”.