Esther 6:1-3 (NKJV) 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 Ahasuerus. 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."
Centuries before Esther, King Saul had disobeyed the Lord by failing to execute His judgment on Agag and his people. While Samuel had been the one to comply with God’s command in light of Saul’s rebellion, the Agagites themselves survived.
One of Agag’s far-flung descendants, Haman, plotted to annihilate the Jews in Persia, motivated solely by pride and hatred of Mordecai, Esther’s uncle and guardian. Mordecai’s offense: failing to acknowledge Haman’s lofty position in Ahasuerus’ court. The King fully supported Haman’s genocidal scheme. At the prompting of Haman’s equally vicious wife, and in furtherance of his insane enmity against Mordecai, he plotted to commence the genocide by having Mordecai hung on a gallows he ordered built on his own property.
That very same night, Ahasuerus had insomnia, and he “just so happened” to order the records from five or so years before to be brought to him for his review. And the next day, Haman “happened” to be the first to arrive at court that morning, and was forced to render honor to his sworn enemy, Mordecai, in ways that he had suggested to the King, thinking that he wanted to honor Haman himself. In a “surprising twist”, shortly thereafter, Haman was hung on the very gallows he had constructed for Mordecai.
Although God is not mentioned in the Book of Esther, His will and purposes are clearly evident throughout. I take 5 encouraging lessons from the events in Esther, exemplified by the passage above.
1.It is clear that what the wicked mean for evil God can and does use for good.
2.The plots and schemes of the rulers of this world, however powerful they may believe themselves to be, cannot stand against our Sovereign and Holy Lord.
3.Oftentimes the weightier the threat against God’s people, the more spectacular His deliverance.
4.There are no accidents or happenstance in God’s providential rule over all time and space.
5.More often than not, God works His will behind the scenes according to His perfect timing and in ways that we may never know on this side of eternity.
Haman thought he was in charge. So did King Ahausuerus. They were both so very wrong. Haman lusted after the destruction of God’s people. He and his family were destroyed instead. It was more than a little ironic that he was executed on the gallows of his own making.
Imagine the dread and horror of the Jews anticipating their annihilation. Imagine their joy when rescue came so unexpectedly and from such a surprising source; a young Jewish woman held captive in the court of a powerful monarch.
God’s grace and mercy changes everything. I want with my whole heart to be like David when he cried out in Psalms 56:3…
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
Devotional by Bill…
