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Esther 6

Esther 6 focuses on a pivotal moment in the story when King Ahasuerus, unable to sleep, discovers that Mordecai had previously saved his life but had not been rewarded. This discovery leads to a dramatic reversal of fortune for Haman, who had been plotting to have Mordecai killed. Instead, Haman is forced to honor Mordecai publicly. This chapter highlights divine providence, as the timing of these events is crucial to the preservation of the Jewish people.

Esther 6:1-5 (NKJV)
1 That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
3 Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”
4 So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 The king’s servants said to him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.”

That night, the king’s inability to sleep leads to a providential event. The reading of the royal records reveals Mordecai’s loyalty in saving the king from an assassination plot. Shocked that Mordecai had not been honored, the king seeks to correct this oversight. Ironically, Haman, who comes to request Mordecai’s death, is now involved in his unexpected reward. This turn of events reveals the hand of God in orchestrating timing for His purposes.

Esther 6:6-9 (NKJV)
6 So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?”
7 And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor,
8 let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head.
9 Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’”

Haman, filled with pride, assumes the king’s inquiry is about him. He proposes an extravagant public display of honor, imagining himself receiving royal treatment. Haman’s detailed request, including wearing the king’s robe and riding his horse, reveals his arrogance and desire for glory. This setup perfectly prepares the reader for the surprising twist that follows, where Haman's pride leads to his humiliation.

Esther 6:10-12 (NKJV)
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken.”
11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”
12 Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.

In a dramatic reversal, Haman is commanded to honor Mordecai in the exact way he had described. The very man Haman intended to kill is now celebrated, with Haman leading the procession. Mordecai’s calm return to his duties contrasts with Haman’s humiliation and sorrow. This event marks the beginning of Haman’s downfall, as his plans are overturned in the most public and humiliating manner.

Esther 6:13-14 (NKJV)
13 When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.”
14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

Haman returns home humiliated after being forced to honor Mordecai, the very man he despises. He tells his wife Zeresh and his friends what has happened, and they respond with a dire warning: “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.” This response reflects an understanding of the historical pattern of God’s protection over the Jewish people. Throughout Israel’s history, those who sought to destroy them often faced divine judgment, as seen with Pharaoh in the Exodus. Zeresh and Haman’s wise men seem to recognize that Mordecai, as a Jew, may be under divine protection, making Haman’s efforts doomed to fail. This insight foreshadows Haman’s impending downfall, as they understand that opposing Mordecai might mean opposing the power of the Jewish God Himself. While they are still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrive to escort Haman to Esther’s banquet, setting the stage for the final revelation of his fate.

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