ESTHER 6...
Honor for Mordecai…The King’s question.
Verses 1-3 The King has a sleepless night.
“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 Xerxes. 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.”
This was a remarkable example of Providence in action. King Xerxes can not sleep, and he can choose 20 different diversions to fill his sleepless night – but he commands that a book be brought to him and read. The one commanded to bring the book could have brought any one book of the records of the chronicles, but he brought one particular book. The book could be opened to any page, but it was opened to the exact page telling the story of Mordecai and how he saved the King from assassination. Almighty God HAD a plan and HE GUIDED EVERY STEP along the way.
Even as king Xerxes had a book of the records of the chronicles (literally a book of remembrance), so Almighty God ALSO has a book of remembrance. “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.” (Malachi 3:16)
Xerxes SHOWED a RARE concern for a common subject, & considered a reward for Mordecai.
Verses 4-5 opens with Haman in the courts of the king.
“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.”
It was NO coincidence that Haman entered the king’s court at just that moment; it was NO coincidence that Haman came at that moment to ask for the execution of Mordecai; it was NO coincidence that king Xerxes wanted to honor Mordecai at just that moment.
If this Book of Esther shows us anything, it shows us that ALMIGHTY GOD MANAGES the affairs of men, even WITHOUT their knowledge. God KNOWS what He is doing and in the courts of heaven there are NO coincidences or surprises.
There is NO such thing as GOOD LUCK, CHANCE, FATE, OR KISMET for children of Almighty God.
Esther wasn’t LUCKY to be queen; Mordecai wasn’t LUCKY to have overheard the assassination plot; it wasn’t LUCK OR CHANCE that made Haman enter the royal courts at this time with this heart. All of these events were ORCHESTRATED BY ALMIGHTY GOD and not by luck.
This becomes difficult, of course, when bad things happen to us. It is easy to see God’s management of all things when we see good things happen. But what about the bad? Even then, we must trust God’s total plan, realizing that “ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Verse 6 King Xerxes asks a question of Haman.
“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?”
God ARRANGED ALL THINGS, so that not only will all the Jews be ultimately protected, but also so that both Mordecai and Haman would get what was coming to them.
God often allows fallen man to set his own trap; allowing Haman to make his pride and arrogance BE THE CAUSE of his ultimate humiliation.
Verses 7-9 tells us Haman’s answer on how the king should honor the man who pleases the king.
“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!’“
Haman, in his childish desire to be praised and honored by all, asked for things that really mattered VERY little, except to puff one up with pride. Haman was a tragic man who can only believe he has done well when he heard applause. It is a good and sometimes appropriate thing to have applause here on earth, but it is tragic to live your life SEEKING THE APPLAUSE OF THE LOST WORLD. We should instead seek and be satisfied with the applause from Heaven.
Verses 10-11 The King tells Haman HE must lead the chorus of praise for Mordecai.
“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!”
IMAGINE the face of Haman at that moment; to see that the king took his advice completely, but gave the honor to his arch enemy - the man that Haman came to ask for his execution. The ultimate humiliation was for Haman to honor Mordecai in such a public way; humiliation is only really humiliation when IT IS PUBLIC.
Verses 12-14 tells us of Haman’s mourning, warning, and a hasty departure to Esther’s banquet.
“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.” While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.”
Covering his head meant that Haman acted as if someone dear to him had died. In fact, his pride had been dealt a death-blow.
Haman’s wife and his advisers could see the future well enough. Haman would not prevail against Mordecai, but Mordecai would prevail over Haman.