 So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther.2 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.”3 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. 4 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.” 5 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?” 6 And Esther said, “A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.
Haman Is Hanged 7 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. 8 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. 9 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.” 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated. Meditation Recently I was teaching about Satan’s strategy, Satan’s long view, demonstrated in his setting traps that take their toll years down the road. Satan sows seeds of discord and waits patiently. Eventually marriages reap harvest of division, societies have disharmony, and the fruit of darkness is birthed in people’s lives. Someone asked, “Yes, but doesn’t God have a longer game? Isn’t His sovereignty such that the efforts of the enemy will be his own downfall, like the cross?” Yes, my wise friend. Yes indeed. Evil and workers of evil will come to an end. Haman set gallows to hang Mordecai and manipulated a decree to kill all the Jews in Persia. Esther set the stage to advocate for salvation of her people. Haman’s evil plan was eventually reversed, trapped by his own efforts designed to kill Mordecai. Evil will eventually collapse in on itself, destroying the evil one and those who practice evil. The Bible teaches this truth throughout the wisdom literature: Those who dig a pit for others fall into it themselves (Proverbs 28:10; Psalm 7:12-16); Those who set nets to catch others snare themselves (Psalm 9:15; 56:7); Those who set a trap with rocks will have it roll back on their own heads (Proverbs 26:27). The greatest reversal is seen at the cross. Satan’s trap to kill Jesus followed the sovereign plan of God. Jesus alone gives victory over death. Jesus alone is our advocate- we need not fear. God wins! And evil will fall into the traps set for others. Richly Dwelling -Do you see God’s sovereignty over evil, using what was intended for evil to destroy evil? -Which image from scripture stands out the most- Haman’s gallows, wisdom literatures pit, net, or rock, or the cross itself? Why? -How does this give you hope, empowering patience to wait on God’s deliverance while also standing and speaking against evil? Key Verse 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated. Comments are closed.
|