Esther Ch. 7: God’s Justice
Big themes developing:
Pride leads to sin & evil, but it does not stop God from fulfilling His purposes.
Sacrificial, communal prayer by God’s people allows them to join HIS will & work
God’s people trust in God AND His timing
God alone knows how & when HE will enact HIS Judgement & Justice [unknowable]
Be ready to act when God calls upon you
Where we are in the story:
Esther and the entire jewish population of Suza fast & pray for three days after Haman [Hating on Mordecai] tricks the king into ordering all jews in Persia destroyed. After the fast, Esther gets the kings ear, gets him & Haman to a banquet only to say: ‘wait a day, let’s do this again tomorrow’…
What a difference a day can make… Haman was riding high [on his pride] bragging to his sycophants, he builds a 75 ft pole and goes to the king at dawn. King up all night, learns Mordecai needs to be honored, so instead of killing Mordecai, Haman is forced by the king to honor him! No sooner does Haman finish parading Mordecai through the whole city when he is summoned to the 2nd banquet…
Easter Ch. 7 NIV
1 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, 2 and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
- Yesterday Esther had demurred…Was she afraid? Trying to get him drunk?
- I believe God told her, wait one more day
- Before long Xerxes repeats his offer from yesterday [It was not a fluke offer]
3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request.
- She has waited for God to move, now it is time for her to act
- She uses the language he used: petition & request
- She starts with her life and then asks for her people
- I imagine the king is confused [poor memory / attention deficit]
4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”
- She explains because the king is perhaps not tracking
- Already in exile they don’t have much of an expectation of freedom
- She wouldn’t t bother the king if it was loss of rights [very respectful of authority]
- BUT THIS.. is not loss of rights…it loss of LIFE!
5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
- He quickly gets that there is an person who has sold the queen & her people
- Another example of Xerxes not remembering events [drinking problem???]
- You can sense his anger building
6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen.
- Esther identifies Haman as adversary & enemy of who?
- Esther is fierce and direct… and the king is totally on her side
- Haman is astute enough to realize he is in serious trouble
7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden.
- He is so mad he doesn’t know what to do! [He is wise to take a beat]
But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. 8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”
- Haman realizes Esther has the kings ear & favor so he begs her [soft target]
- Haman is probably having some major anxiety and is out of control
- He trips or slips or loses his balance in his panic…ends up on the couch
- Brutal timing! What a coincidence!! [God is sovereign over massive & minute]
- Xerxes was already so mad he didn’t know what to do…and then THIS!
- The king speaks a question, and it is directed at his guards & attendants
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
- Immediately the guards took custody of Haman: bound him & hooded him
- Then the quick thinking and well informed Harbona says: ‘I have an idea…’
- Perhaps Haman bragged to him on the way in that morning about his plans
The king said, “Impale him on it!” 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.
- No hesitation by the king
- They seem to have done it immediately
- Once it was done the king finally calmed down
So Haman is no more, Justice, God’s Justice, not man’s justice, has been enacted. But what is going to happen next… Tune in next week…
Principles and Application
When you give God time & obedience, He will use you to enact His will
- Practice waiting on God and listening when you pray [Holy Spirit Connection]
- In all of your requests of God, gladly submit to HIS way and time to answer
Evil will be exposed. What is planned in the dark, God will ultimately bring to light.
- Expose what evil you can and trust God will use others to do the same
- God will enact justice as HE wills, HIS people trust HIM to define justice
The end of your pride is the destruction of your pride, one way or another.
- In a Spirit Indwelled Christian it is Your Pride vs God’s Spirit. What side r u on?
- As God destroys your pride you can either cling to it or surrender it
The enemies of God ultimately find out God is GOD [All Everything]
- Underestimating God [blasphemy of The Holy Spirit] puts U on the wrong team
- One day everyone will know God’s absolute sovereignty. You can today!
Whatever protection you think you have [status, connections, money] they can’t protect you from God’s Justice.
- What do you trust to protect your eternal soul?
- How you live displays what you put your trust in. Place yourself in God’s hands
Living based on your pride results in you building the means of your death.
- Become aware of your pride and don’t build your life on it
- We are all building something eternal, are you building your things or God’s?