Esther 6
v. 1—The king’s insomnia. “Although the name of God is not mentioned in this book, the hand of God is plainly to be seen throughout.” “God is behind all the scenes, but praise His name He moves all the scenes that He is behind.”
To all appearances Satan was having his own way. The day was fixed for the destruction of the Jews. The day was fixed for the hanging of Mordecai.
See verse 4 here. Haman also could not sleep, so he comes to the king early for permission to slay or hang Mordecai.
For a king not to sleep was nothing unusual. When sleep had left him he asked for the book of chronicles to be brought and read to him. As his servants read, they came to the record where Mordecai had saved the king’s life.
v. 3—Ahaseurus asks what reward had been given Mordecai. His servants informed him that no reward or honor had been given him.
v. 4—At this point Haman arose to speak to the king about Mordecai’s death.
v. 5—Haman is invited into the king’s presence.
v. 6—When Haman was in the king’s presence, the king asked the question. Haman thought that he was the man concerned and his wicked scheming heart went to work quickly.
v. 7—Is the beginning of Haman’s answer.
v. 8—Haman fell to the same sin that caused the fall of Satan. PRIDE. Ezekiel 28:17. Haman is the very incarnation of this one.
Verses 8 and 9 contain what Haman suggests should be done to the man the king delights to honor. He reckoned he was fixing his own destiny, he was even aiming to be as prominent and powerful as the king himself.
v. 10—Think of how Haman must have felt. “Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.”
v. 11—Then Haman took the house, etc.
v. 12—Mordecai came to the king’s gate, and all men were bowing before him. Haman ran to his house mourning and covered his head and mourned in the deepest sense. He saw the gallows.
v. 13-14—What happened when Haman reached home.
1. He told his wife and friends all about the turn of events.
2. They told him that this was serious, that he could not possibly stand against Mordecai the obnoxious Jew.
3. As they were talking the king’s servants came to escort him to Esther’s banquet. Had things been right he would nt have required to be reminded or escorted to this banquet. Haman’s pride was gone and he was a very humble man. Little did he realize what would befall him ere the day was over.
Esther 7
The queen’s second banquet.
v. 1—The honored guests are mentioned. There is no lack of confidence, because in presenting her case Esther had probably heard of the morning’s proceedings.
v. 2—“What is your request Queen Esther?”
v. 3-4—Esther’s request.
1. She pleads for her own life.
2. She pleads for her people’s lives.
3. For she says that she has been sold and her people had been sold to be slain.
4. She said if we had been sold as bond-servants, I would have never made this request.
v. 5—This whole thing came as a surprise to Ahaseurus. Who would seek to kill his beloved queen? Who would seek to destroy her people? Esther’s nationality was not yet known. He did not know she was a Jew. Who is the man who would dare to do this?
v. 6—The adversary, the enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid.
v. 7—Ahaseurus is charged for a moment as he begins to realize how Haman has used him. He gets up and goes out into the garden to think this over. Then Haman stood before the queen to plead for his life.
v. 8—In desperation Haman oversteps the bounds of court etiquette and ordinary decency by throwing himself on the couch where the queen was reclining. At this point the king returned and saw Haman on the couch. He took the wrong meaning out of it. Then the servants covered Haman’s face, a token of the death sentence.
v. 9—Harbonah, one of the king’s servants, was quick to discern the king’s mind. He informed him of the gallows that Haman had made to hang Mordecai on. The king said, “Hang him on it.”
v. 10—Haman was hanged immediately. The king’s anger died down.
Applications
The king’s sleeplessness.
His calling for the book of records. It was noted that Mordecai had never been rewarded, but had also never complained.
Note God’s hand in all that.
As God worked for Mordecai in the past, He still works for His people today. 1 Peter 3:12, 5:7; Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 17:5-8; Luke 11:9-10.
The actions of Haman depicts the wickedness of the human heart. Jeremiah 17:9-10; Psalm 37:35-36; Psalm 73.
The prosperity of the wicked. Asaph could not understand how the wicked could prosper. When he thought of this it was too painful for him. In the presence of God his problems were settled, he understood their end.