The Plot Comes Full Circle

Esther 6-7.

There is a moment in the story of Esther and Mordecai where everything shifts.

The tension that has been building for years, the injustice that has gone unanswered, the arrogance that has gone unchecked — it all begins to unravel in a single night.

And it does so not through the force of human cleverness, but through the quiet, unmistakable movement of God.

Esther 6 and 7 give us one of the most dramatic reversals in all of Scripture.

It is a story about divine justice, the danger of pride, and the patience of a God who is never late, even when He seems slow.

The reminder for us is that in our human nature we can easily become impatient with God.

Our Text, today, shows us that God’s justice may seem delayed, but it is never absent;

He humbles the proud, protects His people, and brings evil schemes back upon the heads of the wicked

James 3:16 tells us that where bitter jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Haman exemplified this when he allowed his jealousy towards Mordecai to consume him, leading to his own execution.

His desire to eradicate Mordecai only paved the way for his own destruction.

This teaches us that when we harbor hate and jealousy, we are digging our own graves.

A heart filled with malice can never find peace, only ruin.

So we left the story with Mordecai and Esther setting a plan in motion

And Haman building a grossly oversized gallows

Erected to not just eliminate Mordecai, but to publicly humiliate him in his death, as well

And so we pick up the narrative that same night-

1- A Sleepless Night and a Restless King

Esther 6:1–3 NLT

That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes. “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked. His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”

This is not the first time a king has spent a sleepless night, with God working behind the scenes.

King Saul had many such nights and could find solace only in the playing a harp by David.

David wrote about it in-

Psalm 4:8 NLT

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

King Darius spent a restless night, having been out-witted by his own advisors to have Daniel put to death in a den of lions.

Darius could not get to the lions den fast enough the next morning

The phrase, “That night” ties the timeline directly to the events of the previous chapter.

In a story that has had years pass between major events

The listener then and present day readers can feel the crescendo begin to build

As the narrative shifts to the day-by-day, almost blow-for-blow pace.

It says something about personality of king Xerxes that-

On a night where he cannot find rest-

With an entire harem of women at his command-

He chooses the official Royal Court records of his own reign on the Persian throne.

It is a fact that in all conquest’s the spoils of war go to the victor’s of the war.

What is considered as much, history and conquests of war are always written by the victors of those conflicts-

And usually as soon as possible after the conflicts end to insure the conquest is dictated properly

While also, putting the victors in the best position possible.

This must have been some write up by the Persian historians, putting Xerxes in the best possible light-

Given how some of his tactical decision’s were not always the best options.

Yet on this night even the king’s choice of reading material becomes part of God’s providence

The text included the account of Mordecai exposing Bigthana and Teresh and their plot to assassinate the king.

In the grand scheme of things the event itself was a minor happening.

However it did seem to bring some comfort to Xerxes.

Without even realizing it, Xerxes had now joined a long list of Pharaoh’s and pagan emperors being used by God for the preservation of His Chosen people.

As small an event as it was, the reading of the account revealed a glaring mistake made by Xerxes-

He had never compensated Mordecai, at all, for what he had done for the king.

This was a serious breach of royal protocol-

The Persian Kings were renown for rewarding those that had served the empire well.

Yet here, in exacting detail, years had passed and Mordecai had not been compensated.

The flip side of this breach of protocol is to realize that Mordecai never went looking for a reward.

He did as his own moral code directed him to do in revealing the assassination plot.

A reward was never sought or asked for.

Mordecai was always motivated by a higher calling to serve his God more than to seek pagan wealth, power or position.

And so we continue-

2- Honor Delayed, Justice Served

Esther 6:4–14 NLT

“Who is that in the outer court?” the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared. So the attendants replied to the king, “Haman is out in the court.” “Bring him in,” the king ordered. So Haman came in, and the king said, “What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?” Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” So he replied, “If the king wishes to honor someone, he should bring out one of the king’s own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden—one with a royal emblem on its head. Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king’s robes and led through the city square on the king’s horse. Have the official shout as they go, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’ ” “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!” So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated. When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.” While they were still talking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.

Wow, and they say timing is everything.

God’s timing being impeccable, we finally see how Haman’s plot has suddenly shifted focus.

While both Haman and Xerxes had spent the night sleepless in Susa,

It was for dramatically different reasons.

The narrative read’s almost in comedic style,

As the line-

“Haman thought of himself...”

Brings to the forefront what motivated Haman the most-

That being whatever favored Haman the most.

Yet, After the Royal honor is bestowed on Mordecai,

He returned to the Palace Gate.

Haman so desired power and position, that he threw caution to the wind in answering the Kings question.

Not being aware of situations, “Not reading the room” has always been the downfall of short-sighted people.

Haman’s over-riding impulse to satisfy himself-

His own pride and lust for power drives him into the trap he never sees coming.

As we have seen before- It bears repeating-

Proverbs 16:18 NLT

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.

And this is only the beginning of Haman’s fall from favor.

While Xerxes seemed to be ignorant of the dispute between Mordecai and Haman-

The people in the city certainly were not-

Neither man had done anything to hide their contempt for the other from the public eye.

And now Haman is forced to give Royal platitudes in the public square to the one he despises the most.

What a blow to the ego and prestige of Haman.

He responses by rushing home with his head covered in shame.

Mordecai’s simple returning to the palace gate show’s he had learned a valuable lesson long before-

Mordecai was unchanged by the praises and honors handed out by man.

There is no lasting value to them, and you certainly cannot take them with you into eternity.

It is also telling that those advisors that Haman surrounded himself with, AND HIS OWN WIFE,

Where all in with Haman’s plan’s- Until they began to unravel-

Zeresh’s statement, while true comes a bit late.

It also show’s her own awareness of the rise of the Jewish people since the time of King Cyrus.

It can be assumed that the divine providence that had kept the Israelites from ruin while in exile from the time of Nebuchadnezzar-

Was at work again in this scenario.

It is plain to see, though pagans, they knew full well the God of Israel was not to be trifled with.

With God in Mordecai’s corner it became obvious that any plot against him, not only come to ruin, but be a fatal mistake.

To solidify this point,

It was once asked of Martin Luther to provide an example of the Bible being true.

He simply stated, “The Jews”

And now it was time for dinner.

3- An Awkward Banquet

Esther 7:1–6 ESV

So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, “What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.” Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?” And Esther said, “A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.

While Queen Esther had this plan in motion, she has been absent from the action until now.

Viewed as stage play we can see the quiet hand of God moving the various players on and off the stage as appropriate for the story telling.

Each playing their part when required.

Now comes Esther’s moment- center stage.

As Esther responds to Xerxes question, she does so in two ways.

First she pleads for her own life

Not out of a sense of self preservation

But to drive how to Xerxes how personal, to him, this threat really is.

Then she pleads for her people

Identifying herself as a Jew for the first time.

Timing is vital in everything we do.

As mentioned in Eccl 3:7

Ecclesiastes 3:7 ESV

a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

It was time for Esther to take a stand.

Xerxes’s intrigue was at a peak

Haman no longer carried the narrative

God had all the pieces in place.

Haman is now terrified of the revelation that he faces.

I’m sure part of the fear was knowing that his plot had totally collapsed

But also, that he still served a king that was known for his outbursts of rage- As with Vashti, years before.

4- Betrayal Exposed- The Wrath of a King

Esther 7:7–10 ESV

And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king. And the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. And the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman’s face Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Moreover, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated.

Just as Esther had described Haman “A foe and an Enemy, this wicked Haman!”

It is fitting that there is a serious lack of decorum and dignity in Haman’s attempt to dissuade the Queen-

Finally appearing to Xerxes to even physically assault his wife-

In the Persian court, no man was to approach the queen so closely.

Haman’s desperate plea placed him in a compromising position,

And to the enraged king it looked like another act of violation

Xerxes gave no quarter and accepted no excuses-

Informed by the King’s eunuch, Harbona, of the gallows in place-

That Haman had planned for Mordecai-

Xerxes did not waste words in his directive-

“Hang him on that!”

One thing to point out-

Haman’s management style did not win him any friends outside of his own personal circle-

Crude and brutish behaviour, even in the most corrupt of environments tends to lead to isolation- not common ground.

Harbona makes it clear that Haman’s plot was well know throughout the Palace, as he tells Xerxes, the gallows were made by Haman for Mordecai, “Who’s word had saved the King...”

Whether by Esther’s ability to win and influence those around her or by God’s indirect influence-

Harbona was making a stand for Mordecai, when it became necessary to do so.

So Haman is hanged on his own gallows-

In the harshness of Persian Law-

Justice is both applied and observed being applied.

God’s justice often feels slow while we are waiting, but when His appointed time comes, no evil scheme can stand

Although the story doesn’t end there, we can take time to reflect on a key point-

In examining the scale of the intricate timeline, with all of it’s complexities-

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God is not slow to action

He is patient with all of us

He does not want anyone to perish eternally

He does desire for all to come to repentance.

It is a true statement that the road to destruction is littered with missed opportunities.

So we close with this-

Psalm 95:7–8 ESV

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts...

Haman died on the instrument he prepared for another man.

But Jesus willingly died on a cross prepared by wicked men, not for His own sin, but for ours.

Human justice is imperfect and often delayed, but God’s final justice is certain.

At the cross, God judged sin and provided deliverance through Christ.

In Esther, the guilty man dies and God’s people are spared.

At the cross, the innocent Christ dies so guilty sinners may be saved