Sovereignty within Mayhem
Esther 6:1-9
Although their hearts are not filled with joy, Mordecai and Esther must have been encouraged somewhat by her meeting with Ahasuerus. He had extended her favor, while granting her request. The banquet with the king and Haman was scheduled, and Esther would now have the opportunity to present her concern in front of Ahasuerus with Haman present.
This was just the first hurdle Esther would have to overcome. It appears she has delayed the banquet until the next day in order to have a bit more time to prepare her case. She had been chosen to replace Vashti as queen, but as of yet she had no way of knowing how the king would respond to her request. Little did Esther, or Mordecai, know that God was already at work in their situation. Prior to making her petition before the king, the Lord would set in motion a chain of events that would alter the decree in favor of Esther and the Jews. Men can make their plans, but those well laid plans never trump the sovereignty of God.
This passage deals with events that happened thousands of years ago and yet they offer hope and assurance to the church today. We too face unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances, but we serve One who is sovereign in every aspect of our lives. As we examine the lessons revealed in the text, I want to consider: Sovereignty within Mayhem.
I. The Discovery of the King (1-2) – Prior to his meeting with Esther and Haman, Ahasuerus makes a discovery that will have a profound impact on the situation the Jews faced. Consider:
A. His Insomnia (1) – On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. Following his meeting with Esther and Haman, Ahasuerus endured a sleepless night. Being unable to sleep, he called for the book of the chronicles, which recorded the history of the kingdom, to be read unto him. Likely he thought this would calm his mind and bring about a desire to sleep. We don’t know if this was a regular occurrence with the king, but it was no accident this happened on that particular night. God has many ways of getting our attention and working in our lives.
B. The Inscription (2) – And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. As the servant read to the king, he came across the record of Mordecai’s faithfulness to the king in revealing the devious plot of the chamberlains to kill Ahasuerus. The king may have forgotten this good deed, but God hadn’t. Mordecai may have wondered why there was nothing done for his faithfulness at the time it happened, but God had a greater plan.
C. The Intervention (1-2) – Ahasuerus may not have given any thought to his insomnia on that particular night, but it was certainly no accident. Haman had already planned to stand before the king the day following this sleepless night. He was going to request that Mordecai be hanged on the gallows. While men couldn’t see the hand of God at this time, He was clearly at work preserving Mordecai and the entire Jewish race within the kingdom.
There will be seasons of uncertainty and doubt in all our lives. We may wonder why we are forced to deal with situations that come our way. You may be doing your best to live for God and yet it seems that life is spiraling out of control. In those moments when we can’t see the hand of God at work, we must trust Him, knowing He is at work on our behalf. Our lives are not lived by chance; we serve a sovereign God who holds our lives in His hands. He is at always at work, orchestrating the events in our lives. There is peace and comfort in the hand of God.
II. The Deliberation of the King (3-6) – Here we discover the conversation Ahasuerus has with his servants in regard to Mordecai’s faithfulness. Notice:
A. The Inquiry (3a) – And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Upon being reminded of what Mordecai had done, the king questioned if he had been rewarded for his good deed. Had anyone officially honored Mordecai by publicly recognizing his deed?
This trend seems to appear in every culture. Mordecai was a man who sought to serve the Lord and even his fellow man, but his good deeds were initially overlooked. Our modern culture tries to demonize the godly and upright while honoring the wicked. This is not always the case, but the world in which we live offers little respect to those who strive to live for the Lord. Matthew Henry said, "The greatest merits and the best services are often overlooked and go unrewarded among men. Little honor is done to those who best deserve it, are the fittest for it, and would do most good with it."
B. The Indebtedness (3b) – Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. Upon hearing the king’s question, the servants revealed that nothing had been done for Mordecai. His faithfulness to the king had been overlooked and left unrewarded. It appears the servants felt as if something needed to be done for Mordecai. His information had saved the king.
This serves as a challenge for us to be gracious and thankful for the kindness of others. No good deed should go without gratitude. We should be quick to offer our gratitude and slow to express our anger. This should also challenge us to offer thanksgiving and praise unto the Lord. His sacrifice on Calvary saved us from an eternity of torment. Our salvation isn’t based on our works, but we should desire to live in a way that honors the Lord for all He has done for us!
C. The Injustice (4-5) – And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. [5] And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. It appears the king was still speaking with his servants as morning came. Haman had made his way to speak with the king about killing Mordecai for his refusal to bow in his presence. When Ahasuerus heard Haman was within the court, he called for him to come in.
We must keep in mind that God is sovereign. Had Ahasuerus not been unable to sleep, and been reminded of Mordecai’s good deed, he likely would’ve immediately granted Haman’s request and Mordecai would have been killed. This also reminds us of the determination of the enemy. He always seeks to counter God’s blessing in our lives. While we may be in good standing with most, Satan always seeks to tarnish our reputation and defeat believers. The claims of Haman were without merit, but that didn’t prevent his evil desires. He was willing to execute an innocent man in order to have the honor he demanded.
D. The Influence (6) – So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? Can you imagine how Haman must have felt at this particular moment? Likely he noticed the king was discussing the chronicles with his servants. He had been promoted to second in rank within the kingdom. Esther had invited him to a private banquet with her and the king the day before. Haman immediately assumed the king wanted to honor him. Such an assumption influenced his response to the king. He had no way of knowing the king desired to honor Mordecai instead.
Greed and pride have influenced many to make bad decisions. Their lives are often dictated by their lustful pride and indulgence. Their only goal in life appears to be the advancement of their agenda.
III. The Desire of Haman (7-9) – In our closing verses, we discover the prideful desire of Haman. His response would’ve been much different if he had known the honor was for Mordecai. Notice:
A. The Appearance (8) – Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head. Haman suggested the king’s garments be put on the man he chose to honor, and the royal crown be placed upon his head, while seated on the king’s horse. Assuming he would be the recipient of such honor, he wanted the royal city to see him wearing the garments of royalty. Haman was already imagining how he would look robed in the king’s apparel and crown, while riding the king’s horse.
Many today desire the appearance of influence, power, and prestige. They want the finest of clothes, homes, travel, and accommodations. Sadly, they never stop to think those things are temporal at best and can never provide acceptance to God or eternal life. I may never wear the garments of royalty physically, but I have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ. I will never own an automobile suitable for royalty, but I have a one-way ticket to heaven marked “paid in full.” I may be lacking by this world’s standard of wealth and status, but I am a joint-heir with Christ!
B. The Approval (9) – And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. Still thinking this honor would be bestowed upon him, Haman urges the king to have the man whom he desires to honor be paraded through the streets of the city and proclaimed as honored by the king. Just knowing he had the king’s favor wasn’t enough; he wanted to display his status and position for all to see. He wanted the city to recognize him.
Chances are we will never have such an honor, and honestly, that is fine with me. I know I don’t have the favor of this world and those of earthly influence, but I do have the approval of the Sovereign of the Ages. I have been bought with a price. I am part of the body of Christ, accepted in the beloved. The world may never know who I am, but the Lord surely does. My name is recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I will gain entrance into heaven based on my relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords. One day I will have the privilege of bowing at His feet and praising Him throughout eternity!
Conclusion: We will have to consider the remaining verses to discover the conclusion, but it is apparent that God is in control of this situation. He had given Mordecai a position of favor with Ahasuerus. This was secured because of his position with the Lord. While it appeared they may have been forgotten, God was mightily at work on their behalf.
Life is difficult at times, but even then, God is in control. The saved are secure in His hand, and we will make it home. If you are struggling today, seek the Lord. If you are unsaved, I urge you to come unto the Lord with a repentant heart of faith and be saved.
