Esther 6 - Honor For Mordecai
A. The king's question
1. (1-3) A sleepless night
a. Ahasuerus does what so many of us do when we cannot sleep - he reads, and it may be that he is reading something he hopes will be intentionally boring as a cure for insomnia
b. Christians can use such tools to help them sleep, but should never forget the greatest sleep-aid is God promise in Psalm 127:2: For so He gives His beloved sleep
c. Even as king Ahasuerus had a book of the records of the chronicles (literally a book of remembrance), so God has a book of remembrance: Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. (Malachi 3:16) I want to be part of that book!
2. (4-5) Haman in the courts of the king
a. It is no coincidence that Haman enters the king's court at just that moment; it is no coincidence that Haman came at that moment to ask for the execution of Mordecai; it is no coincidence that king Ahasuerus desires to honor Mordecai at just that moment
b. If this book of Esther shows us anything, it shows us that God manages the affairs of men, even without their knowledge. God knows what He is doing, and in the courts of heaven there are no coincidences or surprises
i. Esther wasn't lucky to be queen; Mordecai wasn't lucky to have overheard the assassination plot; it wasn't luck or chance that made Haman enter the royal courts at this time with this heart. It was God; we don't say praise the luck!
ii. This becomes difficult, of course, when bad things happen to us. It is easy to see God's management of all things when we see good things happen. But what about the bad? Even then, we must trust God's total plan, realizing that all things work together for god to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). We understand that Paul says all things work together; any one event, taken in isolation may seem to make no sense, but when we see all thing working together, we see the ultimate wisdom of God's plan
3. (6) King Ahasuerus asks a question of Haman
a. God has set this up, so that not only will all the Jews be ultimately protected, but so that both Mordecai and Haman will get what is coming to them
b. As is so often the case, God allows fallen man to set his own trap; to make his pride and arrogance be the cause of his ultimate humiliation
4. (7-9) Haman's answer on how the king should honor the man who pleases the king
a. Haman, in his childish desire to be praised and honored by all, asks for things that really matter very little, except to puff one up with pride
b. Haman is a tragic man who can only believe he has done well when he hears applause. It is a good and sometimes appropriate thing to have applause here on earth, but it is tragic to live your life seeking for it. How much more should we seek and be satisfied with the applause from heaven.
B. The king's command
1. (10-11) Haman must lead the chorus of praise for Mordecai
a. It would have been something to see the face of Haman at that moment; to see that the king took his advice completely, but gave the honor to his arch enemy - the man that Haman came to ask for his execution
b. The ultimate humiliation was to have honor Mordecai in such a public way; humiliation is only really humiliation when it is public
2. (12-14) Mourning, warning, and a hasty departure to Esther's banquet
a. Mourning, and with his head covered means that Haman was acting as if someone dear to him had died; in fact, his pride had been dealt a death-blow
b. Haman's wife and his advisors can see the writing on the wall: Haman will not prevail against Mordecai, but Mordecai will prevail over Haman
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