Esther Chapter 7. Calm Down Everybody.
The day Queen Esther tells the king her request, she has to be so nervous, scared and filled with anxiety. She has no idea if he'll find favor in her request. She's very careful how she articulates. Rather than start with saying Haman is evil, which could cause the king to put up a wall of defense because Haman is his number one man, she responds in a manner that builds her case with the King and prevents his wall of defense going up. She says:
1. “If I have found favor with you?” obviously the king's answer is yes you have found favor with me.
2. “If it pleases you”, obviously the king's answer is yes it pleases me.
3. Therefore “my petition is to save my life.” Okay the Kings defense wall is not put up because he values the queen greatly. So she's captured his attention. Now she adds to her petition Save also the lives of my people. Now the king is totally brought into her world with no defense wall up. He now is not even at all thinking about defending Haman but is totally ready to stop and destroy a person who derived such an evil plan. When she points a finger at Haman, she throw some added adjectives to reinforce the evilness of Haman in hopes of reinforcing in the head of the king the value of getting rid of such a plan and person. She calls Haman an adversary, the enemy and a vile man. Now the king is so brought into her life and emotions that even when Haman's name is mentioned even that is not enough to stop the king and his anger and fury against the accused one. So the King has Haman killed on the very pole that Haman set for Mordecai. I love how one of the eunuchs ratted on Haman saying here's the pole Haman put up to take the life of, not just Mordecai, but he says for Mordecai who saved your life. Which reinforced why such a man should be destroyed. So Haman was impalled upon the pole setup for Mordecai.
Queen Esther was very careful how she presented herself and her request to the king. I would say the key to her success in presenting the request and finding great favor with the king is:
1. It was done so with humility. For example, when she said, “If only some of my people were asked to be slaves, I wouldn't have disturbed you king.” She exalts the king with this statement.
2. Her request was prepared with much prayer and fasting by her and the Jews and supporters. This was the way to say to God we want you in charge and this allowed the Holy Spirit to be in control.
3. She relied on God. When we humbly come before the Lord, praying and giving of ourselves completely to him, we give God full reign to work how he wants to. When God has the freedom and openness into our hearts and lives, then expect to see things happen. Expect the Holy Spirit to give the wisdom for the right words to be spoken and how they should be spoken. Expect results. Expect things to turn around. Expect coincidences. Expect the name of the Lord to be glorified.
Have we built any poles in our lives that we are intending to use on someone else?
Look at how that turned out for Haman!
There are three passages with three thoughts that came to my mind while reading this chapter today.
1. Haman reaped what he sowed. We also reap what we sow.
2. Esther humbly presented her desperate problem to the king. We shouldn’t try to take matters into our own hands, but pray to God and seek His help as Esther did. We can leave our burdens with the Lord and let Him make the decision for what to do in our situations as He is the King.
3. We are to forgive others. That might not always be easy, but the alternative is frightening! God can help us with this to get better instead of bitter. We can look to Jesus as our perfect example of forgiveness.
Galatians 6:7-10
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Romans 12:14-19
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.