Esther 6 Devotional
Pastor Mark Hudson
“A coincidence is a miracle in which God prefers to remain anonymous” (Jon D. Levenson Esther: A Commentary p. 19). I love how Biblical authors say things like, “On that night the king could not sleep.” Then from verse 1 to v. 4,”Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him.” Like in Ruth 1:22, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.” Or in 2:3, “and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz. . . .” Here in Esther, the author intentionally leaves prayer, God, words like covenant, etc. out of his vocabulary. We ought to ponder why this is so. We ended chapter 5 with Haman building gallows for Mordecai upon the advice of his wife Jezebel, I mean, Zeresh.
It just so happened that the King could not sleep so the king told his servants to read from the book of memorable deeds. Did he do this to fall asleep? And it just so happened that they read about Mordecai and realized that nothing had been done. It just so happened that the king needed advice (again) and who is in the court but Haman? What a coincidence. Haman was going to ask about how he could impale (actually this and not hang) Mordecai.
The king is asking Haman how to honor someone, and Haman thinks the King is talking about how the king should honor him when Ahasuerus was thinking about how to honor Mordecai. The tables are turning so quickly against Haman and for Mordecai. We know what begins to unfold and how it ends. In verse 13, Haman’s wife, Zeresh, speaks almost prophetically about the Jews.
Unknown the Haman, his doom is near. As Esther had no knowledge of the Haman’s edict to kill the Jews, Haman has no idea he is being ensnared and led into a trap. It is only at the end of this chapter that Haman has an inkling that his plans have encountered a tiny bit of trouble. But the events are happening so quickly, Haman has no time to think, change course, and since he is in bondage to sin, he is unable to humble himself.
Recall the unfair treatment of Mordecai in 2:19-3:6. Mordecai told the king of a plot to kill the king. Mordecai tells Esther tells the king ‘in the name of Mordecai’ and after investigation, they find the plot was indeed verified and the two men impaled. But, when one would expect Mordecai to be rewarded, who is introduced and promoted but Haman? This sets up the conflict between Haman and Mordecai. All these various threads, people, and passions make this story weave into one larger story.
The administration is ridiculed (by the Jewish author) for how touchy they are, how self-absorbed, and needy they are for honor and recognition. In the first chapter, Memucan, the spokesman for the “wise men, who knew the times . . . [and] were well versed in law and judgment,” are mocked by the author (wise, well-versed in judgment? Really?) for their over-reaction to Vashti’s refusal to come before a group of drunk men. They end up taking a somewhat private event and broadcasting it, so everyone finds out. Now, Haman, second to the king, can’t get past Mordecai who won’t bow down to him. Haman is obsessed with how others see him, bound like a straight jacket in his pride. He says to his friends that he is rich, has many sons, and is second to the king and only he and the king are invited to a banquet. I have all a man could ask for he claims (5:9-12). “Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting as the king’s gate.” He is miserable over one person who does not bow. The lot (pun intended) of the sinner. You might think they are happy with a new car, a big house, and a few others they own. You might think a beautiful family, nice vacations satisfy but you would be wrong. Trying so hard to be content but finding contentment and true joy inaccessible and out-of-reach is the torment of the unconverted.
Is this because those who oppose God are living out of accord with everything in the universe? If God is the supreme and only King of the universe, then trees, birds, flowers, animals, rocks, mountains all do His bidding. The stars, the sun, the oceans, the rivers, even the planets, the galaxies all do exactly as He orders them. So, when a solitary, isolated, puny man (Ps 8:4, 144:3ff; Job 7:17; 25:6) exalts himself against God, of course it is hard to kick against the goads (Acts 26:14). That person is not to be praised (“I did it my way” extolls Frank Sinatra). Diversity does have benefits but not the way our culture raves about it. When a person does not submit to the very One who created and sustains the entire universe, is it any surprise they feel the way they do? They are resisting the greatest Power, the most just Authority, the deepest Love, and the only Hope given to human beings. Without the blessing and pleasure of God, they will always and forever be unsettled, lost, and ultimately justly punished for their intentional, irrational, deep-seated hatred of God and blatant disobedience to God. And that hatred is personal. Sinners will be held responsible for their sin. If anyone opposes the high and holy God, they will receive eternal punishment. And those of us in heaven will not mourn for those in hell, we will rejoice as we ought to. Because God’s judgments are always just and right, and no one should ever criticize anything God does or says. Ever. All that God does and says should be loved, praised, honored, and held up as THE standard.
Dear Lord, we are only in Your family because Your grace cannot be resisted. We chose You only after Your Holy Spirit broke down our resistance. So, there is no reason for us to boast or ever look down on others. However, we do recognize that You are a God of wrath. We worship Your love but also, we worship Your wrath, judgment, and final justice and that fury will be against people not some impersonal force. Remind us that as much as we long for heaven, You spoke more about hell than heaven and You were blood earnest about Your warnings to unbelievers. Give us that gravitas and solemnity as we talk to unbelievers and also profound joy as we worship Your majesty. In the name of the eternal Son of God, Amen.