While the king was sitting on his royal throne…the king saw Queen Esther…and he held out to Esther the golden scepter…Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
Esther 5
Esther has made her plans to help the Jews who are under a death sentence from a decree of Ahasuerus by the pen of Haman. Esther begins to work her plan by dressing regally and standing where the king can see her from his throne room, the place where no one enters unless the king approves of the entry. Esther and Ahasuerus have not been together in more than a month. She must have been radiantly beautiful to Ahasuerus, causing him to invite her into the throne room. He shows his love for the queen by asking her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you…” Esther replies to Ahasuerus, “If it please the king…” This is respecting the authority of the king over all subjects in his kingdom. Esther invites Ahasuerus and Haman to attend a feast she is having prepared that day in her quarters. Ahasuerus quickly orders Haman to come to him and they attend the feast together with Esther. After the festivities, dining and, drinking, Ahasuerus, again, asks Esther what she wants. He is eager to give her any request. But, Esther delays her request to him by inviting him and Haman to another feast the next day, adding that she will make her request of the king at that time. Haman left the feast with a glad heart, happy that he had been included by the king in Esther’s feast. But, when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, he was filled with wrath at Mordecai’s insolence in not bowing down to him. Haman arrived at his home and announced what a great feast he had attended with only the king and his queen. He was bragging that he was part of the king’s inner circle. Then, Haman’s wife encouraged Haman to go, in the morning, before the feast, to the king to have Mordecai hanged on the high gallows Haman had ordered to be built. Haman was “pumped up” by this encouragement and he went to oversee the building of the gallows. God does not often give us a view of events that lead up to a climax but, He is showing us here how evil men are as they think they are about to strike at God’s people. Esther is working her plan, no doubt with God’s unseen help; Haman is working his evil plot as he is headed into a trap that will cost him his life as well as his family’s lives; and, Ahasuerus is performing his kingly duties and adoring his queen Esther. Christians, remember that when events seem to be going one way, God is working to make them go another to fulfill His plan!
Source: S C Ball September 14, 2023
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