The Story of Esther - Chapters 5-6

The Book of Esther 

Chapter 5 

"On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.  When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”

“If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

“Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared.  As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this:  If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai.  Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife,  Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials.  “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow.  But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”

His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up."

Discussion......After three days, Queen Esther approached the king and the king put out his scepter but only because she had found favor in the king’s eyes (Esther 5:1-2). When the king asked what Esther wanted and could have up to half the kingdom if that’s what she wanted, she used tact and said that she wanted to have a banquet or feast for the king and for Haman (Esther 5:7-8). Esther clearly showed great skill!  The king, by coming to her banquet and acknowledging his favor of her, has already almost agreed to her request. She is outmaneuvering everybody.   When the deceitful Haman heard this, he was sure that this was all meant for him and he was partially right but not  (Esther 5:7-8). in the way that he thought (Esther 5:9-13) and his friends were so excited that they suggested he build some gallows which he did and which were intended for Mordecai     (Esther 5:14).

 NOTE:  God demands obedience!

Esther’s obedience saved God’s people from genocide. The reality is that Esther didn’t know what would happen when she approached the king. She acted in obedience and by doing so she saved a nation and received the best.  

 Obedience is better than sacrifice!

1 Samuel 15:22

Chapter 6 

"That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.  It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

“What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.

“Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.

The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.

His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”

“Bring him in,” the king ordered.

 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”

Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?”  So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, 8 have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head.  Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’”

“Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe

and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”

So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, 13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.

His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!”  While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared."

Discussion......By God’s providence, the king couldn’t sleep and so just to occupy himself he went to the chronicles and read about the plot to take his life and discovered that it was Mordecai that had saved his life (Esther 6:1-3) He asked what had been done to reward Mordecai. His servants replied that nothing had been done.

Who should be outside waiting to see the king that morning but evil Haman, who was plotting to kill Mordecai! So when the king called Haman to come in, the two men had totally opposite plans in mind.

The king asked Haman what should be done to someone the king wanted to honor. Of course, in his pride, Haman thought the king was talking about him. So he said that such a person should be treated like royalty and honored by a high official announcing, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!” (verse 9).

Imagine Haman’s surprise when the king assigned him to honor his archenemy Mordecai (verse 10-12)!

Let’s take just a quick moment and learn/discuss the literary term, “irony.”                       It is beautifully exemplied in Chapter 6.                                                                   The word “irony” is derived from the Latin word ironia,                                        meaning “feigned ignorance.”    

                     The key to understanding irony is that it is a discrepancy between:

•   what is expected or intended and what happens, or 


•   what is said and what others understand, or 


•   what is said and what is done, or 


•   what is said and what is meant.


However, this discrepancy must also be in some way absurd or laughable.                 If there is no humor to be found in it, it is not ironic. 

(It might be tragic, but it is not ironic.) 


Irony is:

                        incongruous 


                        subtly funny or absurd

                         
Irony is not: 


                        bad luck 


                        just an unrelated coincidence 


                        random 


                        sarcasm (although many confuse the two!) 


                                                                                 

                                                                                     

More about irony......Do you remember reading in Chapter 2:21–23 about a plot against the king that was exposed by Mordecai? Well, in Chapter 6, this plot was revisited. As mentioned above, one night when the king cannot sleep he has his book of records read to him. Imagine the king hearing that his loyal subject Mordecai had not been royally thanked for helping to save his life. Just as he is pondering how he should honor Mordecai, in comes Haman, anxious to get the king’s approval for setting Mordecai on the gallows he just had built! But before he can ask permission, the king asks him what he should do for a man he wishes to honor?

Can’t you just picture Haman?       He thinks the king is desiring to honor him?      Haman quickly lists all the things he would like as one so honored and then—          to his utter horror—                                                                                                     the king tells him to go and do all these things . . . to none other than Mordecai!

Now THAT is irony!

After Haman does all that he had suggested to the king, Mordecai quietly returns to his job at the palace gates while Haman rushes home absolutely beside himself with this completely unexpected turn of events. He fusses and fumes about this indignity to his wife and friends for a short while before being summoned by the king to attend Queen Esther’s second banquet.

                                                                  

Until next time.......

        God's justice gives you miraculous favor in high places or wherever you need it and in the sight of those in power.    (Esther 5:1-2).