Esther 6:1-14: God's Humor

Esther 6:1-14: God’s Sense of Humor

Sermon in a sentence: God will humiliate His enemies while raising up His people.

A Powerless King (vs. 1-6)

Ahasuerus once again is the king that has no control over his life.

He couldn’t keep his wife.

He can’t even control his own sleep.

How many times do we see God using sleep (dreams or sleep) to accomplish his will?

Joseph with his fellow prisoners and Pharoah

Daniel with Nebuchadnezzar

Joseph’s dream to warn about Herod

We are physical and spiritual beings. We must realize how both are central to our health.

The king must once again ask someone what to do.

A Punny Man (vs. 7-13)

Haman has no humility. He thinks he is bigger than he really is.

He wants all the praise and honor.

He is controlled by his need for praise.

Even his wife and friends realize that Haman’s lifestyle is leading to his destruction.

Proverbs 11:2 “2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”

James 4:6 “6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””

1 Peter 5:5 “5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””

A Powerful God (vs. 1, 13)

God uses irony to humble Haman and raise up Mordecai.

God will bring justice!

Exodus 34:6-7 “6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.””

Numbers 14:18 “18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’”