Esther: Overcoming an adversary and an enemy

The height of the story of Esther begins on the second banquet. Esther, the queen of Persia had invited the King and Haman to a banquet she had prepared for them. On the first banquet, the king asked Esther for her request and the queen replied that  “My petition and my request is this: If the king regards me with favour and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question” (Esther 5:7‭-‬8). Between the first and second banquet was just a night and a day. But, a lot happened to change the lives of the different people in the book of Esther. The king honoured Mordecai and Haman built a pole to hang Mordecai on it. The king’s honour was urgent that Haman’s pole was not used that day. Instead, Haman shamefully paraded Mordecai through the city proclaiming: “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honour!” (Esther 6:11b). Haman attended the second banquet as a broken man. Before he left for the banquet, his wife and friends told him this: “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” (Esther 6:13b). On the contrary, the king attended the banquet with a good cheer. King Xerxes looked forward to hearing Esther’s request. 

Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. (Esther 7:6)

The second evening would have been quite intense for Esther. It was time to tell the king to save her life and that of her people. Haman thought that he was just so lucky to be the only guest the queen invited together with the king. As they were drinking wine, the king asked again, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted” (Esther 7:2). Esther replied to the king: “If I have found favour with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” (Esther 7:3‭-‬4). Imagine the look on the face of the king to know this terrifying truth. Who in his right wisdom will sell the queen and her people to be destroyed, massacred and eliminated? Haman didn’t know the queen was Jewish and in his zeal to destroy Mordecai had issued a death sentence for even the queen of the king. King Xerxes was furious. “King Xerxes exploded, “Who? Where is he? This is monstrous!” (Esther 7:5 MSG). Esther replied, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen (Esther 7:6). Haman would have been shaking and panicking. He didn’t know that Queen Esther was a Jew. Haman knew that his life was hanging on a hook. Xerxes got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life (Esther 7:7).

Haman, the vile man who wanted to eliminate a whole people group was scared for his only life. He begged for his life while he had cunningly condemned thousands if not millions of people to death. When the king returned, he saw Haman falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?” As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face (Esther 7:8). Haman had been condemned already. Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king” (Esther 7:9a). When the king heard this, he said, “Impale him on it!” (Esther 7:9b). Haman raised a pole for Mordecai but he ended up being hung on the same pole. Proverbs 26:27 reiterates this, “whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.” Haman’s evil schemes backfired and he became the victim of his own imagination. That same evening, they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided (Esther 7:10).

This story teaches valuable life lessons. First, you do unto others what you want them to do to you. Second, when you plot evil for others, you might end up as a victim of your own wickedness.  Again, don’t look down on people. Even if they do not have big titles, they have a big God! Haman saw Mordecai as a rebellious Jew but he didn’t know the higher powers behind Mordecai. 

Haman entered the banquet as the king’s favourite noble, he left as the king’s worst noble. Haman saw it an honour to be the guest of the Queen. But, in reality, it was to expose his vile intentions. When you wish the downfall of others, remember that you are likely to go down before them. Love people genuinely, don’t raise emotional poles for people. You can’t please everyone and neither will all be pleased with you.