Esther 5
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Esther’s Banquets
Esther’s Banquets
Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house.
Remember from last time, this is a risky move by Esther.
She asked all the Jews in Shushan to fast and pray for her for three days.
And this is the third day.
Esther goes in to the kings court.
If the king doesn’t approve, Esther will be killed.
Ask yourself what will you stand up for, even at the risk of your life?
So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.
And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”
Whew! The king holds out his scepter and the queen lives.
Now the king wants to know what Esther wants?
What would drive her to risk her life this way?
Obviously the king is smitten, he offerers anything, up to half his kingdom!
Where else have we heard that?
Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
It seems regardless of the times, men have a weakness for giving gifts to beautiful women.
So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
Wait, I thought Esther was there to ask the king to save her people, what is this banquet thing?
Remember, the order to kill the Jews was sealed with the king’s signet.
Sure, it was Haman’s idea, but the king OK’ed it.
Do you think Esther may be a little worried that the king is in on this, the he’s out to get her people?
After all, she hasn’t bothered to tell anyone in the palace that she’s a Jew.
Also, she’s inviting Haman to join as well.
She’s not going to accuse Haman behind his back.
If the king and Haman truly are working together on this, Esther is in real trouble!
The king jumps at the chance to have dinner with his queen.
“Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said.”
Guys, do we ever get complacent when dealing with our wives?
When was the last time you got EXCITED about going out to dinner with your wife?
And ladies, when was the last time you invited you hubby to dinner?
The king orders that Haman be brought QUICKLY!
The king isn’t waiting around. He wants this done and done NOW!
Doesn’t he sound like an excited kid who just got invited to go out with a pretty girl?
How long has it been since you were that excited to spend time with your wife?
Or your husband?
At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”
Take Two:
The king asks Esther again, what does she want?
He knowd she wants something, and it must be big:
She risked her life to see the king.
She invited him to a banquet rather than just telling him.
All the “sneaking up” on actually asking the question must mean something.
Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and request is this: If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”
OK, lets try this again.
King, if it pleases you, lets do this again tomorrow and I’ll then I will answer your question.
I’m sure we can understand, Esther is probably frightened about what may happen when she tells the king that his right-hand man is plotting to kill her people.
We’ve all had times when we were scared how someone was going to react, so rather than just saying it we work our way up to it slowly.
Like Luther at the Diet of Worms, when first asked to recant his writing he asks for a day to think about it.
In Esther’s case, it appears the king is willing to play along.
This may look like human foibles, but we will see next time how God will use Esther’s reluctance to bring down the man who is after her people.
So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.
We’ve all had those days. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and all is well with the world, only to have one thing happen to destroy our mood.
Haman is over the moon!
The queen asked HIM to join the banquet with the king.
The queen asked HIM to come back tomorrow.
Just imagine if some VIP invited you over not just once, but twice
Whatever this big question is, the queen obviously sees him and important enough to be involved.
Then, Haman bumps to Mordecai.
Mordecai doesn’t honor him.
Mordecai doesn’t tremble at his power.
Mordecai doesn’t care that he’s just come from the queen’s banquet.
Mordecai is like the man behind the Roman general.
When a victorious general would parade into Rome to cheers and glory there was a man in the chariot behind him whose job was to keep whispering in his ear, “remember you are mortal”.
Mordecai, through his actions, reminds Haman that he is just a man.
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh. Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king.
Moreover Haman said, “Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king. Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
Haman calls his “counsel”, his wife and friends for advice on how to deal with Mordecai.
This reminds me of the proverb 16:18:
Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
We all love showing off our success.
We want to be recognized for what we’ve done.
We like to show off our position.
Here, Haman is showing off.
But all he has does him no good, because of his need for revenge against Mordecai.
That reminds me of another saying:
“Before You Embark On A Journey Of Revenge, Dig Two Graves” — Confucius
Haman’s need for recognition from his enemy ruins all of his successes.
With all that Haman has, you would think that Mordecai is little more than a nuisance to him.
Hatred of this man has killed all the joy in Haman’s life.
Why do you think Jesus said:
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Hatred of your enemies often hurts you more than it does them.
Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.”
And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made.
So what is Haman’s wife’s advice?
Build a gallows.
Make sure it is big, 75’ high, so it can be seen.
Then ask the king to hang your enemy on it.
Then you can go enjoy your banquet with the queen.
Some advice from his “better half”.
Of course Haman likes the idea, he is obsessed with destroying Mordecai and all the Jews with him.
Conclusion
Conclusion
What can we learn here? What about us?
We all have challenges.
Ask yourself, what will you stand up for?
What are you willing to risk your life for?
It reminds me of the Martin Niemoller quote:
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
What are you willing to risk your life for?
What will you stand up for?
What are you willing to risk your life for?
When you look at how Esther is postponing telling the king her request, do you chastise her for being weak or recognize your own frailty in how she acts?
Do you see how God is using Esther’s weakness to further His agenda?
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
We all have those we don’t like.
Do we tear ourselves up over them?
Do we rejoice in their pain and wallow in their success?
Do we look for opportunities to harm them or do we pray for them?
We should all see ourselves in how Esther reacted.
We are weak and fearful.
There are people who are out to get us.
Some may even want to destroy us.
It may be dangerous to stand up for what is right.
But we should do what God says anyway.
And when you deal with the difficult people in your life ask yourself,
Do you look more like Mordecai or Haman?