Queen Esther has hosted a dinner party for King Xerxes and his advisor Haman, mortal enemy of her cousin Mordecai. Haman, a man who in an effort to eradicate one man whose very existence taunts him, has enacted a law that ALL of Modecai’s race, the Jews, should be exterminated.
Haman goes home elated to have found favour with Queen Esther to be invited to not ONE but TWO dinner parties in a row and is flying high as all of his schemes for revenge are falling into place. Unknown to him, Esther is Mordecai’s cousin. Unknown to him, Esther is a Jew.
The king however is having difficulty sleeping.
That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
“What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.
“Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.
4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
Although God is not mentioned at all in the book of Esther, he is present in the court of Xerxes. He is moving the actors around in this drama
Proverbs 19:21 delivers a chilling truth:
Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
Haman is planning revenge. The Lord moves to preserve his man. Let’s read on:
His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”
“Bring him in,” the king ordered.
When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”
Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” 7 So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’”
“Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”
Haman plans to swiftly remove his enemy by running him through with a giant stake, the Lord proceeds to thoroughly unwind his twisted plans in a manner that completely devastates Haman’s evil heart.
This is TORTURE for Haman. We sense that God has moved in this particular way not to ultimately honour Mordecai, but because this unique task utterly humbles Haman’s proud heart. Take a moment and just IMAGINE Mordecai’s shock when Haman approaches him and carries out this parade of honour. WHAT IS GOING ON?!!!
So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”
Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.
What can his wife and friends say beyond, “Mate, you’re doomed!” The man he seeks to destroy has the king’s favour! The man who has the king’s favour is a Jew. And with that gut wrenching knowledge, his fate is sealed.
There’s a knock on the door and Haman he is escorted to the Queen’s second dinner party and ultimately his own death.
So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.[a]”
King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
This is the moment. God’s reversal of Haman’s plan. Haman would seek revenge for his battered pride. God humbles him. Haman would seek to exterminate Mordecai and his people. God points the finger at him and he is destroyed.
Psalm 37:12-15
The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
The God of the Bible moves against Haman. That is terrifying.