One Fateful Night

Last week, we saw that Esther had already settled the question of obedience. She was willing to risk her life for her people. But we also saw that faith is not measured by how quickly we act. Esther demonstrated strategic patience. Rather than immediately making her request, she wisely waited, trusting that God was already working through His providence in ways she could not yet see.

This is the night that changed everything.

After the first feast, the king retired to his chamber, and Haman went home filled with pride. Esther had not immediately asked the king for what she wanted. She waited. She trusted. She exercised strategic patience.

What Esther could not see was that while she was waiting, God was working.

What appeared to be an ordinary night became the turning point of the entire narrative.

Text: Esther 5:9–6:14

Esther 5:9–6:14 ESV

9 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. 12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made. 1 On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5 And the king’s young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” 7 And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8 let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set. 9 And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’ ” 10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” 11 So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.” 12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 13 And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him.” 14 While they were yet talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried to bring Haman to the feast that Esther had prepared.

God is Orchestrating

In this whole narrative we see that God is orchestrating events to a perfect and certain outcome.

Haman going out filled with Pride and carrying that pride home Esther 5:12 “Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king.”

But before that, Esther 5:9 “And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.”

The supposed unstoppable force of pride meets the unmoveable object of reverence for God alone.

Anger ensues. Bitterness that is soothed only by bragging on self to all who will hear.

Haman was filling a hole in him with this bravado and bragging to friends, servants, and family.

But the funny thing is that right in the middle of his speech of his glories, he says, Esther 5:13 “Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

It is interesting how this is at times. We have all, I am sure, felt this before.

We have much blessing in life but we can’t see what we have because there is one thing we don’t have.

That was the case for Haman. He had it all as far as the world’s standard is concerned, but happiness was gone because of one thing he did not have and that was the groveling of Mordecai.

Pride and arrogance does not allow us to see the good things we have only the things we don’t.

God orchestrated these events just so, so that Haman would fall into the trap and expose his vileness and hatred for the Jews.

This was done to show that those who despise God’s people will not make it but will fall.

God orchestrated this extreme narrative to show that His people will be protected regardless the power you have against them. Even when they are not focused on Him following Him rightly.

Church, there is a great comfort for us in this.

There are going to be times when it seems like evil is winning. There are going to be moments when wicked people appear to prosper while God's people seem to be forgotten.

But Esther reminds us that appearances are not reality.

While Haman thought he was writing his own story, God was writing it for him.

While Haman was building his kingdom, God was preparing his downfall.

Christian, never mistake God's silence for God's absence.

Just because you cannot see Him working does not mean He is not orchestrating every detail according to His perfect will.

And that brings us to the next scene.

God is orchestrating.

Haman is plotting.

But only one of them is actually in control.

Let's look at Haman's plan.

Haman Is Plotting

As we have seen, Haman leaves the first banquet filled with pride, but the sight of Mordecai destroys his satisfaction.

He then brags and boasts but complains. Then with the urging of his wife and friends, he constructs a towering gallows on which he intends to have Mordecai executed.

He just couldn’t wait until the set time to destroy, even though the text said Esther 5:9-10 “he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh.”

He had the abilities to set out to kill Mordecai but he didn’t until he was talked into it by his wife and friends.

This gives us a good point to consider, your people group will cause you to do some foolish things at times.

Consider carefully those whom you bring into your circle, they have more influence than you think.

But this idea was pleasing to Haman, and he was all set to go to the king to have Mordecai killed.

Haman thought he was going to get double satisfaction from the king and queen. He was going to get to kill his “thorn in the flesh” and get to eat the feast with the queen and king only.

Man he was riding high on the hog and all was going so great.

That is, until it wasn’t.

The King Can’t Sleep

On the night before Haman intends to request Mordecai’s execution, the king cannot sleep. He orders the royal chronicles to be read and discovers that Mordecai was never rewarded for exposing the assassination plot.

Mordecai Remembered

When Haman enters the court, the king asks how he should honor a man in whom he delights. Assuming the king is speaking about him, Haman proposes an elaborate public display involving royal clothing, the king’s horse, and a procession through the city.

Haman Humiliated

The king then commands Haman to bestow every honor upon Mordecai.

Haman is forced to lead the man he intended to kill through the streets while proclaiming his honor.

We see a couple things with this

Irony. The complete reversal of everything Haman expected. The man who came to ask for Mordecai’s execution is now leading Mordecai through the streets proclaiming his honor. The proud are humbled, the humble are exalted, and God’s providence is turning the whole story on its head. The irony is not accidental. It is providential.

Even when evil looks to be ahead, God is always ahead of it. Evil will not prevail against the Lord.

When Haman returns home humiliated, his advisers warn that if Mordecai is Jewish, Haman will not prevail against him.

Haman thought he would have a happier banquet this day if he could first destroy Mordecai. But now he must have gone to the banquet with fear; the words of his wife, “before whom your downfall has started,” must have been ringing in his ears. He would go to the banquet with high but reserved expectations. He had wrongly anticipated the events recorded in chap. 6, and to hope for Mordecai’s death seemed untimely at best.

Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, electronic ed., vol. 10, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 346.

Here we see a great truth that came to light for them when Mordecai was exalted and Haman had to do it. They realized that the Lord of the Jewish people will ultimately protect His own.

God is in control of all even when we don’t think that anyone is in control.

Conclusion

Conclusion

There is an illustration that beautifully captures what we see in Esther 6.

The Chinese bamboo tree spends years with almost nothing visible above the ground. During that time it must be watered, cared for, and cultivated, even though it appears that nothing is happening. Someone walking by might think all the work has been wasted.

But beneath the surface, an extensive root system is being established.

Then, when the time is right, the bamboo suddenly shoots upward with astonishing speed.

The growth didn’t begin the day it became visible.

It had been happening all along.

That is what Esther 6 teaches us.

Esther couldn’t see what God was doing.

Mordecai couldn’t see what God was doing.

Haman certainly couldn’t see what God was doing.

But while Esther was waiting…

God was working.

While Haman was plotting…

God was working.

While the king was lying awake…

God was working.

Every detail—the sleepless night, the forgotten record, Haman’s pride, Mordecai’s faithfulness—was being woven together by the providence of God to accomplish His perfect purpose.

Theological Truth

What looks like coincidence is really providence.

God can overturn the plans of the wicked through circumstances that appear entirely ordinary.

Application

Maybe today you feel like nothing is happening.

You have prayed.

You have waited.

You have trusted.

And you wonder if God is doing anything at all.

Esther reminds us that just because we cannot see God working does not mean He has stopped working.

God is working in the details you overlook.

While God’s people are waiting, God is always working.

Trust Him.

Wait on Him.

And when the time is right, you will discover that what appeared to be an ordinary season was actually God preparing an extraordinary work.

Just because you cannot see God working does not mean God has stopped working.