A Flipped Script

Esther  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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The story of Esther is hinged in these chapters, showing the dangers of pride and the providence and justice of God.

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INTRO: Just a few short years ago, LRBC was financially strapped. We were in debt and worked with a bare-bones budget. Building repairs were pushed off, missions giving was cut back, and it looked as though the church was heading for some tough times. When I came on board as the Associate Pastor, it was only possible because some generous folks donated the money for my salary for 2 years. That was 7 years ago. Today, God has blessed this church. We are debt-free and are experiencing growth and blessing even in the midst of difficult circumstances. God has flipped the script for LRBC.
I believe that the days to come will be even brighter as we follow God’s lead.
As we come to the 3rd message in the book of Esther this morning, we see that God has been in the business of flipping scripts for a long time. This section is a hinge point in the storyline.
We left off last week with a lot of tension. Indeed, last week we learned that a prominent leader in the Persian government had convinced the king to allow the extermination of an entire people group- the Jews. Amidst these Jews were our protagonists, Mordecai and Esther. Now, we left off last week with Esther’s determination to intervene- she would approach the king and speak up for the voiceless Jews.
The first 8 verses of chapter 5 show Esther having invited both the king and Haman to a dinner. No petition is made during this banquet other than the request for a second, similar banquet. We will come back to this next week as we deal with chapter 7.
Today, we want to begin our journey in Esther 5:9. Now, I know I told you that we would walk through the text and not belabor it by reading every verse. Well, this morning, because we are at such a crucial moment in the story and because it is only about 20 verses total, I think it will be helpful and appropriate to read that together in its entirety this morning. So, if you have found your spot, I want to invite you to stand and follow along as I read
Esther 5:9–6:14 NASB95
Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. “Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. It was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. The king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” Then Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’ ” Then the king said to Haman, “Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said.” So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.” Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered. Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.” While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hastily brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
This section of Scripture has 3 parts that we’re going to deal with. Ultimately, they point us to the goodness of God. So, if you picked up a sermon guide, grab that and follow along with me this morning as we see how God flipped the script in this story.
The first element that we see in chapter 5 is:

Poisonous Pride (9-14)

Last week, we saw how Haman’s pride led to the heinous scheme to eliminate the Jews. This morning, we see that this pride is not satisfied even with that.
Here in v. 9, Haman is feeling pretty good. After all, he’s the 2nd most powerful man in the whole kingdom and he has just come from a private banquet with the king and queen.
Haman is so arrogant and smug that he truly believes that somehow he has impressed the king and queen so much that they are just tripping over themselves just to be in Haman’s presence. Truly, Haman was singing praises to himself and believed that the banquets were evidence that the king and queen were doing the same.
But then, as he’s skipping happily along, he sees Mordecai. And Mordecai is not afraid of Haman, even with his plans to destroy him and all the Jews. Mordecai barely batted an eye when Haman passed by him.
And, of course, this made Haman seethe with anger. It was everything he could do not to just outright attack Mordecai right then and there.
And in his anger, he went home and pouted to his wife and friends.
He says, “Everybody loves me and respects me. I’ve been promoted above everyone in the whole empire. I have money, power, and fame. Even the queen likes me and wants to honor me with another private banquet. But this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai, the Jew.. (Esther 5:13).”
Don’t you feel bad for this guy?
So, his wife and friends encourage Haman to just go ahead and take out this Mordecai. After all, if the king agreed to annihilate a whole people group, surely he trusts you enough to allow the public execution of the one man who is robbing you of joy. And thus, Haman makes plans to do just that.
Now, before we move on, I want to point us to just how poisonous pride is.
Even if you take away what we know about Haman’s future, his pride was an all-consuming idol.
Let’s think about it:
Haman’s identity was wrapped up in his power and position… anything that would threaten his pride was unwelcome.
He sacrificed his true duties in order to attempt to satisfy his god of pride.
The pursuit of prestige and power consumed Haman like a fire, always craving more.
When you consider the benefits and life that Haman had, there should be no reason that he could not be happy, yet all that he had acquired was not enough.
You want to know something, the same dangers exist for you and I today. There will always be someone who does not think you are as great as you think you are. And pride causes us to run away from adversity and instead surround ourselves with yes-man and echo chambers.
Pride causes us to lose perspective and keeps us from pursuing the truth. Scripture tells us that God hates pride. Jesus warns against it. And as we will see, pride will always lead you down an unfulfilling path. This should serve as a warning to you and I this morning. When our identity is in Christ, then we boast in Him and His gospel, not ourselves.
Discuss: Where is pride evident in your life? Is it in your position? Your politics? Your social status?
Haman’s life is a vivid picture of poisonous pride. As we move in to chapter 6, we get to see the

Providential Irony (6:1-11)

In our study last week, we talked of God’s providential placement of Esther as queen, reading and reflecting on Esther 4:14… for such a time as this.
The theme of God’s providence continues to shine in this section as well. Let me point to these this morning:
The king could not sleep… on this particular night. The literal reading here says that “Sleep fled from him”
He could have done anything to address this- have someone sing, have a concubine come in, got a massage, etc. You name it, he could have it- he was king after all. But he chose to have someone read the chronicles- basically the headline news over the course of his reign.
And it just so happens that when the servant read of Mordecai’s role in preventing the king’s assassination, he asked how they had honored Mordecai. The answer: they had done nothing.
And at that very time- evidently very early in the morning, Haman had come to see the king for permission to execute this very Mordecai
The king did not know this, but asked who was in the court, because whoever was available would be the one to carry out the honor that need be placed on Mordecai for his loyalty and rescue of the king.
So Haman is there to destroy Mordecai, and the King is desiring to honor him… now, watch this.
Haman thinks the king is excited to see him because, of course, his pride has led him to believe that he is in fact the “bees knees”.
The king asked Haman what should be done for someone that the king wished to honor.
Haman, in his arrogance, could not imagine that there would be anyone other than himself that the king was talking about. So, off to fantasy land he goes- and look at his suggestions (7-9). These are extravagant and far greater of an honor than had ever been done for any of the king’s servants. Only the king wears his robe and only the king rides his horse, and who deserves to be heralded praises upon through the city but one of great worth.
Now, even as Haman is making these suggestions, his ego is being puffed up because of his great arrogance.
Then, we read verse 10. “Sounds good Haman, do this for Mordecai the Jew and don’t leave anything you said out!” You can almost hear Haman’s jaw drop
The one guy who Haman hated so deeply was the guy the king was talking about. So not only would Mordecai not be executed, he would be honored. And to make matters worse for Haman (funnier for us as readers), Haman is the poor schmuck who will lead Mordecai through the city heralding praises for Mordecai!
Now, note this: Haman did not lose any prestige here. He was still the highest ranking official in the kingdom. But, because he is so prideful, no one else could be honored without it being an attack on his ego.
Can we take just a minute to appreciate this ironic turn of events?
In God’s providence, he humbles proud Haman and exalts the lowly Mordecai. God directed the events at the perfect TIME in the perfect WAY in order to accomplish this flipping of the script.
Discuss: Reflect upon and God’s providence in your life. Where has he “flipped the script” for you?
Friends, let us also consider how in God’s perfect timing, He pulled us from darkness to light. He rescued me from a nominal faith and worldly life and brought me into His will for His purposes. Mordecai was destined for death, but instead received the honor of the king. So it is with you and I who have placed our trust in Jesus Christ.
The poisonous pride of Haman intended evil upon Mordecai, but through God’s providence, He turned the whole scenario upside down. This leads us to the last few verses in chapter 6,

Fateful Preview (6:12-14)

Following the parading of Mordecai through the streets of Susa, Haman covers his head in shame and retreats to his home. The text says he was mourning. And rightly so.
You see, as Haman’s wife and friends pointed out wisely, this will not end well for Haman.
We have to understand that because of these events, Haman is seeing the cards begin to fall. The target of his plot was the one person to gain the king’s attention and was exalted before the entire city. Haman never told the king that he wanted to kill the Jews, he left out the details and just said a “certain people”.
What Haman’s family and friends are telling him is that when the king finds out that it is Mordecai’s people Haman is seeking to destroy, he will likely be unhappy about this.
But all of this is simply a foreshadowing of what is to come. There is still tension in the air. But this time, the tension has shifted from Mordecai and Esther to Haman.
In one day, Haman went from cloud 9 to the dung pile. He went from not being able to lose to not being able to win. How quickly things can change for someone who is caught up in their own pride.
Haman lacked a proper perspective on life. What he did not know was that the God of the Bible has a way of taking that which the enemy means for evil and turning it for the glory of God and the good of His people.
Discuss: How does God remind us of His justice amid evil?
So what is it that you and I need to learn from this today? Let me give you 3 quick takeaways:
Pride is a dangerous poison. We should pray that we would not be overtaken by our pride, for God hates pride.
If you have pride in your life, then you must repent of that. Scripture says to humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. I pray that you will do that this morning.
We should praise God for His providence. Friends, He is never late, and He is never wrong. When we seek His face, He will provide according to His will.
You and I should be reminded of His providence in our salvation and throughout our own lives- and praise Him!
While we see some wicked people prospering, we should be comforted in God’s justice. Vengeance is Mine says the Lord. Mordecai did not have to try and handle this his way. Instead, we see that God’s justice will prevail. If not on this earth, then at the judgment seat of Christ.
Don’t be consumed by hate, jealousy, or fear. God sees it and He will see to it that justice prevails.
Church, as we prepare to leave this place today, let’s place our hope and trust in the God who is above all things. As we sang earlier, There is nothing better than Jesus.
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