"Coincidences"

Esther 6:1-14

We are continuing in our series “Days to Be Remembered,” which is a study of the book of Esther.  Last week’s message brought us up through the midpoint of the series, and also the point of maximum suspense and tension in the story.

Let’s just briefly recap.  Esther has become the queen of Persia, an enormous empire which reaches from present day Turkey and Egypt to western portions of India.  She was chosen to be queen through a kind of beauty pageant.  Esther is Jewish, but this is not generally known.  In fact, the king, her husband, does not know this.  Like Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Esther is known not by her Hebrew name but rather a name given to her out of the language of the culture she lives in.

Esther is also an orphan.  She was raised by her older cousin Mordecai.  Mordecai’s name is also taken from the Persian culture.  In fact, the book of Esther does not ever tell us Mordecai’s Hebrew name.  Mordecai appears to have an administrative position in the Persian government though we do not have those details.  Mordecai also has an adversary in the government: Haman, who is not Jewish or Persian, but is an Agagite.

Haman harbors animosity toward Mordecai for a couple of reasons.  One, there is a racial or cultural animosity between the Agagites and the Israelites.  Additionally, Mordecai has not shown Haman the honor and respect that Haman thinks that he deserves.  And in fact, Mordecai is disobeying a command of the king by not bowing down and paying honor to Haman.

Haman formulates a devious plan of revenge against not only Mordecai but all Jews in the entire Persian Empire.  Without revealing the people group directly, Haman secures the king’s agreement to destroy the Jews on a certain date about a year away.  The edict is written, sealed with the king’s own signet ring, and sent out to every province of the empire.

Once the edict is posted, the city of Susa, capital of Persia, is thrown into confusion.  I could not find an estimate of the population of the city at this time, but I think it is reasonable to believe there were more than 100,000 inhabitants when considering other capitals of ancient times like Nineveh.  Of that approximate 100,000, there was a Jewish community of several thousand.  It seems obvious then that there would be confusion regarding a decree allowing the destruction of an integral part of the community including families and businesses and government officials.  What is going on?!

Mordecai responds by covering himself in ashes and dressing himself in sackcloth.  Such behavior happens at different times in Scripture as a response to loss.  There was fasting, weeping, and wearing sackcloth and ashes among the Jews throughout the empire in response to this decree.  (Esther 4:3) Still, Mordecai continues to appear at the king’s gate, even in his troubled and troubling appearance.

When Esther hears that Mordecai has been coming to the king’s gate in this way, she sends clothes to him.  He refuses to change and sends a copy of the edict to her, subsequently asking her to use her position as queen to go to the king and beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

It is difficult for us to consider the harshness of the Persian court, but no one, not even the queen herself, was allowed to appear before the king without an invitation.  If the king did not respond by raising his golden scepter to an uninvited guest, that individual would be carried away and executed.

So here is Esther who must go before the king at the risk of her own life to save the lives of all her people.  Mordecai’s appeal to Esther to take this action is probably the most well-known passage from the book.  “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

Esther agrees to do it, asks for all the Jews to fast and pray, and she and her maids likewise fast and pray.  Tim shared last week how Esther did appear to the king and he responded favorably offering her any wish up to half the kingdom.  She invites the king and Haman to a banquet.  At the end of the banquet, the king repeats his offer to do whatever she wishes up to half the kingdom.  Rather than making the immediate request, Esther invites the king and Haman again to a banquet the next day.

Haman departs the banquet feeling even more puffed up and arrogant than usual after the high honor of a personal invitation to dine with the king and queen.  He passes through the king’s gate on the way home only to see Mordecai.  Mordecai does not rise, nor does he pay Haman honor.  This infuriates Haman and he, after boasting to his family and friends of his special treatment that day, has a gallows set up, a gallows on which he plans to have Mordecai hung the very next day.

The stage has been set.  The tension is thick.  What will happen to Esther, to Mordecai, to Haman?  Let’s pray and then we can get into today’s passage …

Lord God, we are captured by the story, the narrative here.  We love a story which sweeps us along with adventure and suspense.  We are also looking for a resolution, deliverance, a happy ending.  Help us to see how You are there working in the details bringing us to places where we are a part of your plan to deliver people from bondage to sin and death.  Teach us from today’s passage we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

There is no gap in the action between chapters 5 and 6.  Haman’s workers are banging away building the gallows or tower on which Mordecai is to be hung in disgrace.

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.  It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. –Esther 6:1-2 NIV

Later that same night, the king could not sleep.  So he ordered his servants to read from the royal chronicles.  By coincidence, they read the story about Mordecai saving the king from assassination.—Esther 6:1-2 HSP

Maybe Xerxes was kept up by the sounds of Haman’s construction?  I don’t know, but the king apparently had a solution for insomnia: to hear a bedtime story.  His favorite bedtime stories were stories about himself.

Perhaps you remember this story from chapter 2?  Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.  He overheard angry conversation, conspiracy by two of the king’s officers.  They were plotting, plotting assassination no less.  Mordecai told their plan to Queen Esther who reported it to the king and gave credit to Mordecai.  Once the story was investigated, it was found to be true, and the two guards were executed as traitors.  This event was then recorded in the king’s chronicles.

The title of today’s message is “Coincidences.”  Here is a combination of “coincidences” critical to the deliverance of the Jewish people which happened five years before the events in today’s passage! Mordecai has to over hear the plans of the officials first.  Then, his warning has to be relayed through Esther while Mordecai receives due credit.  The event must be recorded in the chronicles of the king’s reign, and finally, this exact night the king can’t sleep, his attendants pick this very passage to read to him.  Coincidences abound beginning with the simple statement, “That night the king could not sleep …”

"What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" the king asked. "Nothing has been done for him," his attendants answered.  The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.  His attendants answered, "Haman is standing in the court." "Bring him in," the king ordered.  When Haman entered, the king asked him, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?" –Esther 6:3-6a NIV

The king asked, “How has Mordecai been honored for this loyal action?  He should be esteemed! For the sake of my name, I must repay his loyalty, so people applaud my magnificence as king.” The servant noted that nothing had been done for Mordecai.  So the king looked around his court for an official who could bestow honors upon Mordecai.  Haman was standing at the door waiting to ask the king about hanging Mordecai.  The king asked him, “How shall I honor a great man in my kingdom?”—Esther 6:3-6a HSP

The absence of Mordecai’s past recognition is yet another of the coincidences.  There is a particular irony here that one of the Bible commentaries pointed out.  Haman had asked for the eradication of the Jews without actually telling the king which people group he was going to destroy.  Here the king asks Haman about honoring a person without telling Haman that it is in fact Mordecai who he is seeking to honor.

The king honoring a person who has done a great service (and in this case potentially saved his life) is both a polite and a wise action.  It is wise because as the king, you need people to look out for you and help to protect you.  And when it does happen, you want to promote it so that others are inspired to do the same.  When you praise or express gratitude for something, you often get more of it.

Coincidentally, Haman’s timing could not have been worse.  He’s stepping from asking for permission to kill Mordecai to unknowingly telling the king how to honor Mordecai.

Now Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?"   So he answered the king, "For the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head.  Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king's most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, 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!' " –Esther 6:6b-9

Haman assumed the king was talking about him, and he was eager to promote himself with more honors. So Haman advised the king, “Here is how you can honor that man:  give him your royal robes to wear, your horse to ride, and your crown to place on his head – cover him with royal majesty.  Then have your top officials parade him through the streets and proclaim to everyone, ‘Look, the man whom the king esteems worthy of honor!”—Esther 6:6b-9 HSP

Haman is so selfish and proud that I wonder he could fit his head through the doorway into the king’s presence.  What the king sees in him is hard to imagine.  Is Haman a king of flattery?  Does he have some other social abilities which allow him to be captivating?  The king seems to like him plenty, but this day the king has someone else in mind than Haman.

It is interesting to consider that Haman does make his honor suggestion, one which simultaneously honors the king and the one whom the king seeks to honor.  Haman could have said money or property or position.  Instead, he says the highest honor that he can imagine is to be identified with the king.

We even feel a little bit of pity for Haman in thinking of himself first.  If we’re honest, we can easily slip into the mode of thinking more highly of ourselves than we should.  I’ve got one that makes me smile if something brings it to mind.  Years ago, there was a television show called JAG.  It was about the Navy’s office of the Judge Advocate General.  It was a military law show.  The hero was named Captain Harmon Rabb, and he was played by the actor David James Elliot.  Sometime late in the show’s run, I was traveling and a flight attendant asked if I knew the show.  I said I did, and she then said that I looked like one of the characters.  You have to understand, this flight attendant was not flirting with me, she was probably old enough to be my mom.  Instantly though, I thought, “Why yes I suppose I do look like the tall handsome star of that show.”  She then paused and said, “Oh what’s his name?  Oh yes, you look like Bud.”  Lieutenant Bud Roberts was the sidekick to the two stars of the show.  So no, she didn’t think I looked like the tall handsome star, but rather his chubby cheeked assistant.  Oh how the mighty fall.  I tried not to look too crestfallen, and thanked her for her compliment.  I still have to laugh when I think of it.

For Haman though, this is no laughing matter.  The situation is about to get serious, and even deadly serious.

"Go at once," the king commanded Haman. "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." –Esther 6:10 NIV

“Great idea!” said the king to Haman.  “Take my robes and horse to honor the Jew Mordecai.  You must do for him exactly what you proposed.”  Haman had to honor the very person whom he wanted to dishonor … and who dishonored him!”—Esther 6:10 HSP

We’re not really privy to what Haman felt at this moment, but it would be safe to imagine it was a great shock; it was simply unimaginable that the king would want to honor Mordecai.  How did the king even know who Mordecai was?

We may get some glimpse here of what endeared Haman to the king.  Haman does what the king has said, promptly and fully despite his personal feelings on the matter.

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!" –Esther 6:11 NIV

Mordecai was still prostrated in sackcloth and ashes, mourning the loss of status.  Then his sworn enemy Haman clothed him with royal majesty and paraded him through the city, proclaiming to everyone, “Look, the man whom the king esteems worthy of honor!” In a grand reversal, Mordecai sat high upon the king’s horse, and Haman covered his face in shame.—Esther 6:11 HSP

I think the Honor Shame Paraphrase is helpful to consider in this case that Mordecai was still in sackcloth and ashes.  It was an absolute reversal of great extremes.  Here is Haman, second only to the king, carrying the king’s robe and putting it on a man who is covered in dusty ashes and wearing the most humble of garments.  Then, he puts this man of contradictory appearance on the king’s horse.  He leads the horse then through the city making the proclamation.

Here we may also catch a glimpse of what it is like to live under a totalitarian regime.  The public aspect of the king’s command to Haman made it impossible to disobey.  If Haman hadn’t done what the king said, it would doubtlessly have been reported to him by numerous attendants to the king. 

Afterward Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, "Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him--you will surely come to ruin!"  While they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.—Esther 6:12-14 NIV

Mordecai started his day lamenting the prospect of a humiliating death but ended his day exalted by the king.  His status was reversed from shame to honor.  Meanwhile, Haman began his day anticipating the vindication of his honor and the special banquet with Esther, but he returned home humiliated.  His status was also reversed, but from honor to sham.  At home, Haman buried his face and mourned the loss of his social standing.  When he recounted his downfall to his wife, she said, “If Mordecai is Jewish, then you will definitely be humiliated before him.  Edomites always lose to Israelites.”  Then Haman went back to the royal court for Esther’s second banquet, where his day would become even worse.—Esther 6:12-14 HSP

It seems likely that Mordecai did not experience much joy in his ride on the king’s horse.  He returned to the king’s gate, the place of his mourning at the impending destruction of the people of Israel.  As far as he knew, this great disaster still loomed before him and his people.

Haman, though, has been covered not with ashes but with humiliation and grief.  He didn’t keep his embarrassment secret but disclosed everything to his wife Zeresh and all his friends.  Interestingly, they take note of the fact that this reversal started with a Jew.  It is not clear why they expect this to lead to Haman’s ruin, but as we will see next week, their prediction is eerily prophetic.

The last verse stands almost as an ominous lead-in to the next fall of Haman.  It was customary for servants to come and escort guests to events, but we may get a hint that Haman was a bit under duress as he was hurried to the banquet.

That ends our passage for today.  It has stopped in the middle of the action, so while we don’t have the same kind of tension like last week, the story is certainly not resolved.  We still have lots to find out about what happens with Esther, Mordecai, and Haman. But what can we learn from today’s passage in application to our lives right now?  Let’s look at a few of the themes we have seen played out here.

What is pride?  Some would say it is the original sin.  Pride is putting yourself above God, but it is also putting yourself above others.  Pride is overestimating your own merits and then despising others, treating those you regard as below you with disrespect and contempt.

The counterpart to pride is envy: to desire what someone else has to the point of despising that person.  God desires us to be content without pride or envy as I Timothy 6:6 explains, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”  Contentment is the right path for us.

Please keep in mind that there are types of pride which are right and reasonable.  For example, there is a sort of justifiable self-respect like feeling a sense of pride at learning a new skill.  In Romans 11:3, Paul talks about taking pride in his ministry.  Galatians 4:4 also talks about testing our actions and taking pride in carrying our own load and maturing.  It’s not being proud that you’re better than someone, but a feeling of accomplishment which sometimes can be described with the word pride.  Another Biblical use of good pride is a delight or even elation that comes from others who do well.  Paul took pride in the Corinthians and encouraged them to take pride in his selfless ministry.

Proverbs is a good starting point for depictions of the effects of the wrong, selfish kind of pride:

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18

Haughty eyes and a proud heart--the unplowed field of the wicked--produce sin. – Proverbs 21:4

Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. – Proverbs 29:23  

That’s what selfish pride will do for you: disgrace, destruction, a fall, produces sin, humiliation.  That doesn’t sound good. Isaiah tells of the ultimate end of arrogance and pride:

The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted … —Isaiah 2:11

In Mark 10, Jesus set the perfect example for us.

Jesus called [the disciples] together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."—Mark 10:42-45

Jesus is the perfect example.  His example to us is that a leader is a servant most of all.  All this business about lording it over and holding yourself above others is not how we are to behave.

Arguably, love is not possible when our hearts are proud.

Love … is not proud.—I Corinthians 13:4 

Philippians 2:3-8 again looks at Jesus as our example: 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death--even death on a cross!—Philippians 2:3-8

Jesus humbled himself rather than exalted himself.  James exhorts us to humble ourselves.

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."  Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and he will come near to you. … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.—James 4:6-8, 10

Peter encourages us to act with humility in our relationships to others.

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.—I Peter 5:5-7

Finally, John writes about the end of selfish pride.  It will not last forever as we read in Isaiah 2 earlier.  The implication is that if we hold to selfish pride, we will not last forever either.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. –I John 2:15-17

Do not love pride, but embrace humility instead.  If you do, God will lift you up.

I want to close with perhaps the more significant topic of the understated or even unstated presence of God throughout the passage and even this book of Esther.

In Scripture, God is repeatedly described as being invisible. I Timothy 1:17 says God is, “the King eternal, immortal, invisible.”  Colossians 1:15 explains that Jesus “the Son is the image of the invisible God.”

John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. “

At the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” (John 16:16) because He was going to the Father.  He also said, “it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.  When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:  about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. ... But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:7-11, 13)

The Spirit of God is by its very nature invisible.  The word “spirit” in the Greek is pneuma or wind.  Jesus explained to Nicodemus this very thing—that we cannot see the Spirit or where it is going exactly.  But God has chosen to send His Spirit, that it would be better in this way at this time than Him being physically with us.

In Exodus 6:3, God speaks to Moses from the burning bush.  He says, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them.”

I think most of us desire to see more of God.  We want to see his hand moving directly.  We want to get crystal clear answers to a thousand questions.  And yet, the acts of God in our lives more closely resemble the series of “coincidences” that we see in the book of Esther.

This doesn’t mean that God has changed.  It doesn’t mean that He loves us differently than He loved the Israelites of the Exodus.  Rather, God knows exactly what every person needs to experience in order to draw near to him.  Acts 17:26-27 makes this clear.  “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.  God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

It seems incomprehensible to us, but God is able to correctly locate 20 billion people in space and time to bring them to the best place for them to seek Him.  His working “behind the scenes” through His Spirit working in individual believers is part of His plan, His way to give the maximum opportunity for repentance.

II Peter reminds us that God is not slow in keeping His promise to return.  He is patient, working in exactly the right way for each of you and each unbeliever.  We need to be receptive and responsive to His Spirit to take action sometimes dramatically as Esther did in going before the king.  Other times, we need to be humble as Mordecai was in response to the edict for the destruction of the Jews.  Even when we don’t understand things, we can remember II Peter 3:15, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.”  God knows what He is doing.  Praise Him.  Let’s pray.

God, I pray that You would help each of us to respond to Your Spirit.  Fill us, we pray.  Guide our steps and our words.  May You reach this generation and lead them to Yourself.  Show us ways that we can help to point people to You.  Glorify Your Name, we pray.  Amen.