Esther 5:1

The Bible says in Esther 5:1-8, “Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.[2] And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.[3] Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.[4] And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.[5] Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.[6] And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.[7] Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;[8] If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king hath said.” This passage shows us once again that God is in charge, God loves and protects His people, and God decides what will happen. The king gladly received Esther and told her that he would give her anything: even as much as half his kingdom. Esther told the king that she would give her request at a banquet and that she wanted Haman to also be at the banquet. She wants Haman to be present when she tells the king the evil plan that Haman has in effect.

The Bible says in Esther 5:9-14, “Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.[10] Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.[11] And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.[12] Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the king.[13] Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.[14] Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.” Haman was so certain that he would be honored before the king that he had a gallows built for Mordecai because Haman was going to ask for permission to kill Mordecai. Be careful what trap you build for others. You might fall into it yourself. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:1-2, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.[2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

The Bible says in Esther 6:1-10, “On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.[2] And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.[3] And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.[4] And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.[5] And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.[6] So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?[7] And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,[8] Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:[9] And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.[10] Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou has spoken.” In verse one we are told that the king could not sleep. Why did that happen: God. Then we are told that the king was reading in the chronicles and he happened to read about Mordecai. Why did his eyes fall upon that incident where Mordecai saved his life: God. Why was the king’s heart touched so that he now wanted to honor Mordecai: God. And then of course, the whole incident where the evil Haman thinks that he is going to be honored only to find that everything turned against him, shows us that God has a sense of humor. Justice will be served because God is just. God can turn the tables whenever He wants to.

The Bible says in Esther 6:11-14, “Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.[12] And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.[13] And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.[14] And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.” Haman’s friends told him that he was doomed because of how much the king honored Mordecai. Haman’s friends were correct. At just the right moment Haman was summoned to the banquet that Esther had arranged. God’s timing is always perfect.

The Bible says in Esther 7:1-10, “So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.[2] And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.[3] Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:[4] For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.[5] Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?[6] And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.[7] And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.[8] Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.[9] And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.[10] So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.” When God brings judgment, He brings it swiftly and surely. No wonder the Lord says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” He certainly does repay when and how He sees fit. No wonder we are told to pray for others: how terrible it will be for them to fall into the hands of the living God. The Jewish people are saved once again. God keeps the promise that He made to Abraha: “I will bless those that bless thee, and curse those that curse thee.”

The Bible says in Esther 8:1-3, “On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.[2] And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.[3] And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.” Mordecai is honored even more, but Esther knows that the rest of the Jewish people are still in danger, and she must make another request of the king. Esther is humble, compassionate, and very brave. She knows the right thing to do, and she does it. If only we had more leaders like that.

The Bible says in Esther 8:4-11, “Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,[5] And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:[6] For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?[7] Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.[8] Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.[9] Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.[10] And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:[11] Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.” Once again we see the hand of God in all of this. God protected the Jewish people. God touched the heart of the king. God gave wisdom so that a plan was formulated that would save the Jews. This should not surprise us. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus decides what will happen on this earth.

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