Esther (7)
Notes
Transcript
Recap:
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.
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?”
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.
Exit Haman.....Enter, Divine Providence.....the divine plan of God.
Divine Providence Fulfilled
Divine Providence Fulfilled
1 So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther.
2 And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”
It kind of makes a person wonder if the king was getting a bit anxious and perplexed of the petition Esther was to ask for.
So finally, the king and Haman come to the banquet that Esther had bid them to.
being the third time for the king to ask what her petition was.
though Haman and the king attend the banquet, its not fully known What Haman knew about Esther.
If he knew of the connection between Mordecai and Esther he may have been even more terrified at the idea of attending the second banquet given by Esther.
This is where the rubber meets the road..
First: the queen was worried about seeking a meeting with the king and not being invited or beckoned or called upon.
But now, she is about to reveal the truth.
3 Then Queen Esther answered and said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
Here we have the moment that Esther comes clean with the king (as well as Haman finding out) and reveals to the king her lineage and her people.
4 For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.”
Esther, at length, surprises the king with a petition, not for wealth or honour, or the preferment of some of her friends to some high post, which the king expected, but for the preservation of herself and her countrymen from death and destruction,
This request, not doubt, surprised the king but nonetheless he was appalled at the idea of a man that would assert such authority without his knowledge or to even think to do something like this.
This scripture tells us right here that King Ahasuerus was not fully aware of what was going on......
5 So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?”
At this point I’m sure that Haman began to sweat just a bit......
Had her people been simply sold into slavery, she would surely not have bothered the king with such a matter......
But we are talking total and complete annihilation....Potentially the end of her people and possibly herself as well.
But this time was different....the king did not become furious. He requested more information about who was doing such a thing to Esther and her people.
The moment of truth comes...
6 And Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!” So Haman was terrified before the king and queen.
Undoubtedly a look of terror was on Haman’s face as he realized that he was about to be exposed before the most powerful man on the face of the earth.
could you imagine just for a moment, the day when we will stand before our maker.....
will we be full of fear or will we be full of joy??
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
In all truth....Haman was about to fall into the hands of the living God.....
we put our trust in so many things of this world....riches, jobs, people, our health.
We must be sure to put our trust in God and the things of God...
all things fade away, but the kingdom of God shall never fade away.
17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
At this point, the bible tells us that the king went out for a quick moment....
it doesn’t tells us why: was he so mad he needed some air. was he considering what to do?
It is my opinion that this event was none other than part of the plan of God....his divine providence.
my opinion is based on what happens next......
7 Then the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stood before Queen Esther, pleading for his life, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king.
We see that when the king left, Haman was pleading for his life to the queen....but the king, upon return, didn’t see it that way.
8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?” As the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
At this point....the king didn’t have to come up with a plan…the plan of God had found him...
9 Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, “Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king’s behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.” Then the king said, “Hang him on it!”
10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.
what a fearful thing....to fall into the hands of the living God.....
The very gallows that Haman had built for Mordecai, was the very gallows that would be his demise.
Listen to what God says to the church of Philadelphia (Rev. 3:9), I will make those of the synagogue of Satan to come and to worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee.
The day is coming when those that hate and persecute God’s chosen ones would gladly be beholden to them.
The story of the ten virgins: Give us of your oil.
The story of the rich man who raised his head from hell being in torments: Father Abraham, send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
The upright shall have dominion;
13 This is the way of those who are foolish, And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah
We have such an awesome promise from God…that he will redeem our souls in the end from the power of the grave.
This story would seem to be over....all seemingly being done and the divine plan of God being fulfilled…
Yet, there is one more thing......
beyond this point, the king gave the house of Haman the Jew’s enemy unto Esther the queen.
all his belongings where confiscated
1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.
the bible makes reference to the fact that if we don’t do what we are suppose to do…that God will get someone else to take our place that will fulfill the will of God.
one that will listen to his voice in obedience and humble servitude.
sometimes we say we don’t want a rock to take our place....but has a rock taken our place....
So now Esther had told the king who Mordecai was to her…not more secrets.
When Esther did this…the king took off his signet ring and gave it to Mordecai....
therefor, putting Mordecai in the same position as Haman was...
Esther then set Mordecai over the house of Haman
4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king,
5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?”
7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews.
8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”
God not only delivers us from our situations that come at us in our lives....but he secures our future as well.
God has promised us that he would never leave us or forsake us...
The bible lets us to know, that if we continue in Christ our future as well, will be secure....
15 So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.
when we serve God:
fully
faithfully
obediently
with our whole heart
We then understand the scripture that says.
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Either directly or indirectly, every providence has a tendency to the spiritual good of those who love God.
Matthew Henry
this quote directly relates to the scripture..
And we know, that all things work together for the good, to them that love God....to those that are called according to his purpose.
when we submit ourselves to the divine plan of God....only then will we realize all the promises therein.
Meaning that the God we serve is faithful and just....and is willing and able to supply our every need.
“Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence.”
Warren W. Wiersbe; Augustine of Hippo