Esther 6
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Hoist
Hoist
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. 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. 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.”
So where were we...
Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet, only to ask them to come back tomorrow.
Haman was thrilled to be invited, only to become furious when he encountered Mordecai.
He called his advisors to figure out what to do,
He wife suggested he build a 75’ high gallows and ask the king to hand Mordecai on it.
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. 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. 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.”
The king was having a sleepless night.
Most of us might count sheep.
The king wants a bedtime story.
His idea of a bedtime story is a history lesson.
Not just a history less, but one about him.
The king asks “Hey, what did we do for Mordecai after he saved my life?”
Do you think the king’s absent mindedness was an accident?
Remember, Esther postponed telling the king what she wanted with not one but two banquets.
Do you think these two things are a coincidence?
Did Mordecai get upset when the king ignored what he had done to save his life?
If he did, he didn’t express it?
We all like to get recognized for what we’ve done, but is that why we do it?
Mordecai’s faithful doing of his duty without recognition is another piece of the puzzle that God is putting together to deal with Haman.
Haman was beside himself with joy after being invited only to be brought down seeing Mordecai.
Remember, his wife tells him to build a giant gallows.
And now, just by “coincidence” the king has a sleepless night?
And his bedtime story is about Mordecai?
So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
The king’s servants said to him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.”
And the king said, “Let him come in.”
Just in time, Haman is in the palace court.
Just when the king needs some advice on how to honor Mordecai, his arch nemesis is at hand?
Just when Haman approaches the king to have Mordecai killed, the king is in a mood to honor him?
You think this was an accident?
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?” And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, 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. 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!’ ”
The king asks Haman how to honor someone.
But the king leaves out the name of who he wants to honor.
After being puffed up by being invited to the queen’s banquet, Haman is full of himself.
So Haman, in his arrogance, assumes the man the king wants to honor is him.
Remember the proverb?
Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
So Haman comes up with this elaborate method to honor someone.
This is how Haman wants to be honored.
Wear the king’s robe.
Ride the king’s horse.
Paraded around by a prince proclaiming his name.
What does this tell us about Haman?
He wants to be like the king, maybe even the king himself if given a chance.
Have you even thought you knew things were going to go well for you, only to see your plans fall apart?
Sure, you may not think the king wants to honor you, but we’ve all had thoughts about how things were going to happen only to find out God had different ideas.
Just like Pharoah, who in his arrogance thought he could stand against God, Haman is about to find out he was wrong, not only about the king’s honor but about Haman’s own power over the Jews.
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.”
So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”
Ooops, the king doesn’t want to honor Haman, but Mordecai.
Haman’s pride has led to this beginning of his fall.
Now Haman has to honor his self-identified nemesis.
Now he has to bring the robe and horse and parade Mordecai around praising him.
How low do you think Haman felt at that point?
It reminds me of a story Jesus told:
“When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.
Haman, in his arrogance, prepared to take the best place in this parade, only to be told to take the lowest.
Do you think that sometimes your arrogance leads to the falls in your life?
Do you think that, like Haman, you may need to be taken down a peg?
How do you think Haman would have behaved if he was honored like this?
How would you act if it happened to you?
Do you think that those who are out to get you, don’t get their comeuppance at the time you think is right because God has bigger plans?
Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 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.”
Mordecai goes back to the king’s gate.
Nothing has changed for Mordecai.
This honor hasn’t made him arrogant.
Nor does he appear to take pleasure in Haman’s humiliation.
Haman goes home mourning.
This has been a bad day.
And it started out so well for Haman.
He was going to have his enemy hung on the gallows he had built.
Then he was going to the queen’s banquet.
It should have been a good day for Haman.
But it has all started to go wrong.
Haman’s plans are falling apart.
When he tells his wife and friends what has happened, they make a point.
If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is Jewish, you are toast.
They have already seen that Haman has begun to fall.
Like a man at the top of a VERY long staircase, this is just the beginning.
If this enemy of Haman is a Jew, he doesn’t stand a chance.
Have you ever made plans that go against God’s will?
Maybe not purposefully defying God, but making plans without checking with God first?
Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord. So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.
Like Joshua with the Gibeonites, doing what you think is right without seeking counsel from God can get you into big trouble.
While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
Oh, more good news.
Now the eunuch shows up to take Haman to the banquet.
This should have been a happy occasion, but Haman’s fall has just begun.
Haman is home mourning and complaining and now he has to go before the king and queen and be happy.
What should have been the capstone of his day is now a burden he must bear.
Have you ever had plans just fall apart right in front of you?
Sure, Haman’s plan was evil, he wanted to destroy Mordecai and the Jewish people.
Have we ever made plans that, whether it was the intention or not, would hurt other people?
What about Mordecai’s point of view.
He put his honoring of God above his honoring of man, now someone is out to get him.
He did what was right, but initially was not rewarded or even recognized.
He could have been miffed about that, but Scripture doesn’t say so.
Do we ever get upset when we don’t get the recognition we’re due?
Then, in God’s time, he get’s recognized, at the expense of his enemy.
When his enemy was humiliated, he did not gloat.
Afterward, he just went about his business.
Haman sees his enemy elevated and he’s crushed.
Have you ever been mad because someone you don’t like gets recognized or promoted?
How about when the team you don’t like wins, even though they played a better game?
Now, with all this hanging over Haman’s head, the king’s eunuchs come to take him to the queen’s banquet.
I wonder if Haman even wanted to go now
How we deal with disappointment is just as important as how with deal with recognition.
Ultimately it comes down to who you honor?
Do you honor yourself?
Do you get upset when others plot against you?
Does it bother you when you don’t get recognized?
Or do you honor God and leave the plots and recognition in His hands?
As Haman’s wife said, he has BEGUN to fall before Mordecai.
Next time, we’ll see the fall completed.