Esther
chapter 6 reminds me how many of our problems come from our inability
to admit we were wrong. As the chapter begins,
Haman had just built a large gallows to hang and make an example out
of Mordecai the Jew because Mordecai had refused to show him any
respect. We read, “That night the
king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the
record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him“.
While reading he discovered that Mordecai had exposed a conspiracy
to murder the king. The king asked, “What
honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?“.
And he was told, “Nothing has
been done for him“. This is where
the story gets fun! “Now Haman
had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king
about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had erected for him“.
When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What
should be done for the man the king delights to honor?“.
Now Haman thought to himself, “Who
is there that the king would rather honor than me?“.
His self-centered pride does not even allow him to consider anyone
else. As a result he goes over the top.
Haman
answered the king, “For the man
the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe… and a
horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head…
and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming
before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to
honor!’ “. Haman,
believing he had just written himself a blank check is told, “Go
at once. Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have
suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not
neglect anything you have recommended“.
Haman must have been in shock. He had come to the king to ask for
permission to hang his enemy, and instead is forced to honor him.
“So Haman got the robe and the
horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city
streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the
man the king delights to honor!“.
Proverbs 16:18 warns, “Pride goes
before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall“.
Have you considered that the blessings of God are not due to your
worth, but the goodness of God?
As
the chapter ends, notice the attitude of each man’s heart permeates
his whole life. “Mordecai returned
to the king’s gate… But
Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief“.
Bitterness will poison every part of our life. It is interesting
because the Bible often refers to the “root
of bitterness“, that is, we can’t
usually see the root of a plant, only what grows from it. Hebrews
12:14-15 reminds us, “Pursue peace
with all people,
and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking
carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root
of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become
defiled“. I am convinced; the
only way to dig up that root is to forgive the one that has offended
you. Sadly, our own pride is the only thing that prevents that. The
chapter ends with an ominous tone, “the
king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther
had prepared“. This banquet of
honor now was something to dread. Some of us know this feeling as we
head to a family gathering or celebration that SHOULD be joyful. The
greatest marital advice I have ever been given also applies to every
relationship we have. “Do not let
the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil”
(Ephesians 4:26). Forgiveness changes everything.