Esther 7:1-14[1]
As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011
That Wicked Haman!
The Jews were in a bind: Haman had gained approval from the king to kill, to destroy, and to annihilate (3:13) them all. Of course, he had left out a few details, one being who these 'certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces' were. But young queen Esther had, at the urging of her good cousin Mordecai, stepped up to intercede for her nation. She did so by inviting the king and Haman to a feast; then another feast the following day. But between the feasts, the king couldn't sleep, Haman couldn't tolerate Mordecai any longer, and the tables were turned on who was to be honored! Then wicked Haman went home to his heathen wife and friends, who prophesied rightly that he would fall before Mordecai. So we come to the last verse of chapter six of the book of Esther. I'm going to read and talk our way through this chapter a bit at the time, drawing our attention to each portion as we read it.
Esther 6:14-7:2 While they were yet talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried to bring Haman to the feast that Esther had prepared. So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, "What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled."
1) It is a good thing to have the favor and the ear of the king. What a gathering this was! A king in good humor, a prime minister in dreadful humor, and a determined, humble queen who was a marked foreigner if her king denied her. I'm guessing conversation was a bit stiff before the king implored her to make her request. Now this is the third time the king has stated this incredible offering to his beloved wife Esther; a threefold promise. Surely he is serious about granting her petition. When you're down to the wire and have very few option left, it must be such a relief when an authoritative figure hears your case. After all, the decree of death to the Jews had come from the king's throne – no one else could deal with this situation except the king himself. Even he couldn't reverse an edict once issued; but he could issue other edicts, and he could make something happen, surely. There would have been no one else to help her; when you are out of options, it is a good thing to have the favor and the ear of the king.
Esther 7:3-4 Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king."
2) It is a good thing to appeal wisely and humbly to the king. When I say wisely it is because of her direct approach, the brevity, and the wise wording. Esther appealed straight forwardly for her life and for the life of her people. It wasn't a long diatribe against the decree (which the king signed off on), or a political positioning appeal, etc. It was for her life, and for her nation. By now she knew that the king cared about her, having told her three times to ask fearlessly of and expect generosity from him. It was wisely handled. Notice the wording in her request: "For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. " That should sound familiar. Esther 3:13 "Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children," She used Haman's wording against him, with him sitting there! And cleverly, she didn't accuse the king, though he was complicit and ultimately responsible. Also it was humble of her to simply ask for her life. Even a criminal had a right to appeal for his life from the courts, how much more the queen? And she appealed for the life of her innocent people. It is a good thing to appeal wisely and humbly to the king.
Esther 7:5-7 When King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?" And Esther said, "A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!" Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king.
3) It is a good thing when your enemies become the enemies of your king. With wise humility, she simply asks for her life, and her appalled king certainly grants that (implied) and wants to know who dares to threaten his queen with death! With that question it is obvious that Esther's enemy has become the enemy of Ahasuerus. This is good, to put it mildly! When you were sold to be slaughtered wholesale simply because of your ancestry, your bloodline, it has to be a huge relief to know that the most powerful person in the realm has personally taken on your case, and has committed to your protection.
Now I wonder if this king is walking in the garden to consider how he could have been so completely duped into signing the death warrant for his own queen, and for the man who saved his life – not to mention many other law-abiding, productive citizens in his kingdom. When wise people caution you to read the fine print or get a second opinion before committing to something or someone, remember Ahasuerus' failure to do so; it was almost very costly to his household. Let this man's example spur you to that wisdom. But he was the king; he didn't come ask anyone's forgiveness. He did take action, though. There was no more need to convince him of the justness or the severity of your cause; it has now become his cause. What could be better for Esther!? It is a good thing when your enemies become the enemies of your king. Let's read on…
Esther 7:8-10 And the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. And the king said, "Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?" As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman's face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, "Moreover, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high." And the king said, "Hang him on that." So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated.
3) It is a terrible thing when your sin is exposed and your judgment suddenly arrives. For Esther there is relief; for Haman there is sudden terror! Here the wicked Haman had been secure in his position, secure enough to seek kingly honor for 'the man whom the king wants to honor'. Purple robes, a crown, the king's horse – he had aspirations! Haman never would have gotten out of bed if he had known how this day would go. It began with him confidently approaching to have Mordecai hanged on a gallows; it ended with him swinging lifelessly from that very gallows.
Wow, what a story! What a climax to the story! How awesome to see the invisible hand of God at work on behalf of His people, fulfilling His covenant promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." All this wicked scheming and conniving had been done without thought to the penalty for such crime. His sin was carried out as if there were no higher authority, as if there was no righteous judgment to fear. How wrong Haman was, and how quickly his fortunes changed. It is a terrible thing when your sin is exposed and your judgment suddenly arrives.
Now let's think on this story a little bit, and connect it to our story, shall we?
We all face a judgment for our sins. It's natural for us 'to cherish a feeling of contempt and disgust' toward such wicked actions, but have you considered that such vile things are in your heart as well? We all have this same seed of rebellion, selfishness, and death in our souls. Jesus said, "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." (Matt 15:18-19) So we are guilty as Haman before God who is holy beyond compare, and our judgment day is ahead. It wasn't May 21st, but it can come suddenly: are you prepared? Let's think this through…
You must appeal to God Almighty. Just as Esther made her appeal to her king, you must make your appeal to the One with authority over your life – and death! Pray for your life; pray for your salvation! Repent of your sin! Just as Esther had no hope if the king rejected her, you too have no hope if God rejects you in your sin. Folks, if you aren't certain of your eternal destiny you should seek God, and ask for His mercy, His pardon. He tells you to seek Him this way: "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;" (Isaiah 55:6). He is our only hope for salvation.
It is a wonderful thing to have the King's favor, and for your enemies to become His enemies.
When God sent His Son to earth, it was to provide a way of escape from His wrath. Though we have all gone astray, He has caused the punishment for our sins to fall upon Jesus. On that cross He absorbed our penalty of death. All who repent of sin and believe in Jesus will indeed find the King's favor and mercy. And church, when your enemies become His enemies, you have no more to fear. (Pg 448-449, Ps 3, 4, 5). He hears our prayers, and he grants our requests as they are lined up with His will. It was God's plan to preserve the Jews, and it is God's plan to love and care for His church until He comes for us. Approach the throne, church, and make your requests. There is no better place to seek help and mercy. One day we will see once and for all the salvation of our King.
That Wicked Haman!
That Merciful, Loving God!
Let's pray.
[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.
No comments:
Post a Comment