Esther (6)
Notes
Transcript
Recap:
Queen Esther finds favor in the sight of the king.
Queen Esther makes her Pre-request to the king…she seeks for the king and Haman to join her in a banquet that she has prepared.
Haman is on cloud 9 at this point…thinking that the king and queen desire to honor him
He walks away gloating about his favor with the king, his position and the power he has been given....
one problem still remains....Mordecai.
Mordecai Honored
Mordecai Honored
Up to this point....tension had been increasingly building
This tension which had been building throughout the account now began to dissipate while Previously understated facts are now taking on new meanings.
The incredible events that where happening suddenly seemed to take an abrupt turn.
As incredible as it seems, now all the circumstances begin to point to God’s hand guiding the course of events.
The entire course of history for the Jewish nation was changed because a pagan king, hundreds of miles from the center of God’s activities in Jerusalem, could not sleep.
We remember that Esther had told the king she would give him her request the following day.......
As we had mentioned in our previous bible study, the author had not written why Esther asked for a delay before telling the king her request (Es. 5:7), but the reason was now becoming crystal clear.
We are again reminded of the 2 events in which we where to remember.
The commandment, of the prior king Cyrus, the permission for the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.
This being the proclamation that was on record (in writing) according to king Cyrus.
2: The revealing of the conspiracy against the kings life by Mordecai.
1 That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
In those days, Greek historians would keep especially clear records of important events that would occur. Once again God’s sovereignty is evident.
At this point in the story, the divine providence of God begins to unfold
We see Gods’ plan begins to take shape though God had begun this process many years before these events ever took place.
such an amazing show of the power of God working in the favor and purpose of his people.
reminds me of the time God was attempting to get my attention through the acts 2:38 scripture.
2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
3 Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”
This very event was one that helped to change the entire course for Mordecai, Esther and the lives of every Jew in the kingdom.
Not to mention…Haman.
Mordecai had found out about the plot against the king somewhere around 5 years prior to the actual event.
The bible records that Haman was in the outer court of the king to attempt to gain permission to hang Mordecai in the gallows that he had created.
just as he had discussed with his wife and friends (in hopes of gaining that permission prior to the banquet with the king and queen)
6 So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?”
We see that when Haman came into the court of the king…that the king (so is supposed) immediately asked this question to Haman.
We notice, as it appears, the king did not allow at this point, Haman to even have a chance to ask the king for authorization to hand Mordecai.
so Haman, with all of his pride and self conceit, supposed that they wished to honor him....
thus, the answer Haman gave the king was this:
7 And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor,
8 let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head.
9 Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’ ”
At this point, Haman had begun to seal his own fate.......this was just the beginning.
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken.”
by the very words out of the mouth of Haman was Mordecai honored.
The very man Haman hated the most was now being glorified and honored before him and before all the people.....
So then, Haman was forced to honor Mordecai and did as he had told the king should be done.
parading his number one enemy before the people.......
We are forced to remember that though this was an amazing turn of events…this event within itself, did not change the fate of the Jewish people or for that matter, for Mordecai.
the king did this to appreciate the warning Mordecai had given to the queen several years prior.
this would make it increasingly more difficult to hang Mordecai....but there was still a decree ordered and sealed by the signet ring of the king himself that all the Jewish people would be eliminated.
though the bible tells us that Haman was judged harshly and condemned by his wise men and his wife.
12 Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.
13 When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.”
14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
For obvious reasons I believe Haman was sensing that his plans may not work out the way he had planned....and that his end, may very well have been knocking at his door step.
What a turn of events;
what irony for Haman! Mordecai, whom he hated, had to be honored by Haman. He who wanted respect from Mordecai had to give respect to Mordecai.
Earlier Mordecai had publicly grieved over his people (4:1); now Haman privately grieved over his own humiliation.
When Haman had left his wife in the morning he had been elated. Now the bottom had fallen out from under him. To make matters worse, his advisers and his wife all saw nothing but trouble for him in the future