As we saw last week King Xerxes orders all his royal officials to bow before his second-in-command, Haman. Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, realizes such an act would be idolatrous for a Jew so he refuses. Resentful and obsessed with his own image Haman is so furious he develops a plan to annihilate all of Mordecai’s people by convincing and bribing king Xerxes to carry out his plan.
Like a lot of narcissistic leaders Xerxes doesn’t know his constituents or care about the implications that his decision could have on his nation and so the king agrees with Haman’s planned holocaust. The king said to Haman, “Do with the people as you please.”
Pride has a plan and many times it marginalizes people
Mordecai is deeply grieved by the king’s monstrous edict and it becomes abundantly clear that his adopted niece Queen Esther is in a divine appointed position to save her people. Mordecai tells the beautiful Queen Esther it’s up to her to turn this thing around.
Esther knows that she will risking her own life if goes into the king’s presence without being summoned and tells him he is wrong and kings generally don’t like it when you do. The king is not the husband of just one wife and their marriage isn’t as exciting as it once was. Mordecai challenges Esther,
“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:12-14
A defining moment
This is Esther’s defining moment that can change everything. Her decision to go to the king could save her people from destruction or maybe not. What would you do?
Esther has not been brought to this position of prominence for a big wardrobe, jewelry and perfumes or to be the most desirable woman in the world. She was brought to this strategic place to be part of God’s plan to redeem the world, to work for justice, to spare a whole lot of suffering and oppose an extremely powerful evil man.
The future of the nation Israel was in her hands
Mordecai helps Esther to discern God’s calling and challenges her not to miss the very reason she is on the planet. This is it. She is all in. She knows that her only hope is not in her beauty, intelligence or influence, but in God alone. Esther has a dangerous and brilliant plan.
“I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16
King Xerxes has no idea who his Queen is. He thought he was getting a Barbie doll and got something far different. Esther and other Jews fast and pray for three days before she goes before the king. Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” Esther responds, “If the king and Haman will come to my banquet tomorrow I will answer the king’s question.”
Later that same day Haman boasts to wife and friends about his vast wealth and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above all the other nobles and officials. And that’s not all, now he’s invited to Queen Esther’s banquet. Everything is good, but there’s still this problem with the Jew Mordecai who will not bow down to him. His wife’s counsel is to build a gallows for Mordecai, and so he does.
It’s all about more
Haman’s purpose in life was all about more. More wealth, more applause and he would do whatever was necessary to get more regardless of who was in the way of his success. Later that same night king Xerxes can’t sleep and asks that the chronicles of his reign be read to him. The king hears the story about how Mordecai saved his life, but was never honored for it.
Don’t miss the ironic outcome of Haman’s evil plans and how Esther’s courageous decision saves an entire nation.
