Esther 5
Notes
Transcript
1-8 9-14
1-8 9-14
1-8
1-8
After three days of fasting and prayer by Esther and her women and Mordecai and all the Jews in Susa Esther begins preparations for a feast if she is successful in her attempt to see Ahasuerus perhaps knowing that Ahasuerus is happy and would be more eager to aid her after a meal. She dresses herself in her royal robes and goes to the entrance of the inner court when the king was there and the court was in session. King Ahasuerus sees Esther and he is glad, the first part of their prayers are answered as he invites her in and extends the golden sceptre to her. He then asks her what it is that she desires, up to half of his kingdom, an expression we also see Herod use after watching Herodias’s daughter dance for him in Mark 6:23 “And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.””. Esther does not ask for the repeal of the edict to wipe out the Jews at this time, she has a simple request that Ahasuerus and Haman attent the feast that she has had prepared for them that day. She defers her real request until later when she is sure that Ahasuerus is fed and happy, twice over even. After the feast when Ahasuerus was full and had drunk his fill of wine he asks her a second time what her wish is, up to half of his kingdom. Again Esther defers her wishes until after another feast that she is throwing for King Ahasuerus and Haman the next day.
9-14
9-14
Haman leaves the feast feeling pretty good about himself and how good he has it, then he sees Mordecai at the gate and saw again that Mordecai did not even get up from where he sat when Haman came by and he was filled once again with anger and hatred but he did not strike out against Mordecai there, he went home and sent for his friends and his wife. When they arrived Haman has an ego fest and recounts how great he is in the kingdom second in command to the king, how rich he is and how many sons he has, at least ten per 9:13. Even at queen Esther’s feast she only invited the king and Haman and tomorrow she is throwing another feast for Haman, and the king. But all his wealth and power mean nothing and do not please him if he sees Mordecai not bowing and giving him his deserved homage. His wife Zeresh and all of his friends suggests that he has a gallows fifty cubits high, that is about 75 feet high so that people from far off will be able to see it, and tomorrow morning tell the king that he should have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then after Mordecai has been hung on the gallows he can go to Esther’s second feast happy. Haman liked this idea and has the gallows made.