Life-changing requests

The story of Queen Esther in the Bible is a reminder that favour can open doors that are closed. Esther, also known as Hadassah, arose to the position of a queen spearheaded by favour from multiple directions. As a Queen, she was faced with a life-threatening demand that put her life and that of her people in jeopardy. This desire of Haman to kill all the Jews caused fear and panic among the Jews all over the provinces of King Xerxes. Esther, being a queen and a Jew was called upon to save her people. However, Esther was in a delima; “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”‭‭ (Esther‬ ‭4:11‬). Esther needed access to the king to present her petition. How did Esther navigate this and what lessons can we learn from this story?

Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”
(Esther‬ ‭5:3‬)

Trust in God: Although the book of Esther does not explicitly mention the name of God, we see the hand of God at work in different ways to bring deliverance. Esther’s approach to going before the king without a summons was to declare a fast; “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” ‭‭(Esther‬ ‭4:16‬). This spiritual exercise declared their faith in the Supreme God to help Esther receive positive feedback from the king. Esther and the Jews understood that “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.‭‭” (Proverbs‬ ‭21:1‬). By trusting in God, Esther and the Jews declared God as their ultimate source of help.

Present yourself appropriately before the king: After Esther and the Jews had spent three days interceding for Esther to have favour before the king, she went to the king to present her case. ‭‭Esther‬ 5:1‬ states that “On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.” Remember, Esther did not change the dress code because they had fasted. She was in her royal robes and was dressed for the occasion. She wasn’t in sack clothes demonstrating her sadness. She was ready to catch the attention of the king. When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. (‭‭Esther‬ ‭5:2‬). Irrespective of the challenges we face in life, our self presentation should not be affected. One of the things I learnt from Jesus’ teaching on fasting is our physical outlook when we are waiting upon the Lord. In ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:16‭-‬18‬ Jesus said, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” God is not interested in seeing us look decrepit. We should not look like our painful circumstance, we should present ourselves to confuse the situation.

Present your case in the most appropriate manner: How we present our petition can make or unmake our needs. Esther was approved by the king. In ‭‭Esther‬ ‭5:2‬, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. Right after, the king asked Esther for her request. It was obvious that Esther risked her life for something important. You would have expected Esther to tell the king her request but no. She did something different.
“Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.” ‭‭(Esther‬ ‭5:3‭-‬4‬).
A banquet with the king was Esther’s request. Even after the first banquet, Esther still knew the time was not yet ready so she invited the king and Haman to another banquet the next day. What happened between the first and second banquet was that Mordecai was delivered and exonerated from a wicked death plot. On the night of the second day of the banquet when the king was drinking wine, he 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 knew that it was time and she carefully presented her petition;
Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor 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).

Boldness: Esther had built up her petition from a lowly non-presumptive manner. First, she went to the king in all her glory. Second she invited the king and the man who had plotted the death of the Jews for a 2-day feast. Third she mentioned her request that her life and that of her people were in danger. At this point, after being treated to these amazing dinners and drinks, the king was furious that anybody could even think of hurting his beautiful queen. King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?” (‭‭Esther‬ ‭7:5‬). Esther did not mince words. She came out boldly and declared: “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” (Esther 7:6). At this, Haman was terrified before the king and queen. Esther was not given to fear, she knew that if she misses the opportunity to make things right, her people will be in trouble and she might likely not be spared. She knew that per the message of Mordecai to her, if she remained silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but she and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that God favoured Esther above all other maidens to this royal position for such a time as this to rescue the Jews (‭‭Esther‬ ‭4:14‬).

At that moment, the petition was overturned and the Jews were empowered to defend themselves against their enemies. Haman and his entire family faced a bitter judgement: they perished in place of the Jews. Esther was favoured by the king but the deliverance of the Jews demanded that Esther and the Jews work together to overthrow the wicked plans of Haman. Favour took Esther to the palace but to succeed, she needed great grace and the wisdom of God.

Queen Esther: Purim

The rollercoaster of events leading to the condemnation of Haman shows the need for careful planning and the most important role of the hand of God. Haman was condemned and he took the place of Mordecai. That same day, the pole Haman made to hang Mordecai was reversed to Haman. As if that was not enough, that same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. That same day, Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. That same day, the king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. That same day, Esther appointed Mordecai over Haman’s estate (see Esther 8:1‭-‬2). God turned the tables around and that same day, the lives of people changed for good and the vile one, Haman, lost his life. As we round off our discussions on the book of Esther, we need to understand that the death of the enemy did not automatically nullify the decree to exterminate all Jews. Haman knew that any proclamation that has the king’s signet ring cannot be repealed. Thus, although Haman was impaled, the Jews still lived in danger. 

Understanding the systems of proclamations and decrees, Esther said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if he regards me with favour and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?” (Esther 8:5‭-‬6). The king replied, “Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.” (Esther 8:8). In the new edict, the king’s granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies (Esther 8:11). In other words, the Jews were given the power to protect themselves in any means possible. Mordecai left the king’s presence, wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen (Esther 8:15). He took off his garment of mourning. Other nationalities became Jews because of the fear of the Jews (Esther 8:17)

So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. (Esther 9:29)

On the set day for Haman’s evil schemes, on the same day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the tables turned and the Jews did unto their enemies the evil that was originally planned for the Jews (Esther 9:1). Haman’s ten sons were killed and impaled. What was meant for the evil of the Jews, turned for their good. Haman had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction (Esther 9:24) but the evil Haman had devised against the Jews fell on his own head, and that he and his sons were impaled on poles. Thus remembering these days that the Jews gained victory over their enemies,  initiated the Purim festival (from the word pur). Purim was established as a festival to be celebrated each generation. Confirming the celebration, Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim (Esther 9:29). The decree from Queen Esther confirmed the regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records (Esther 9:32). 

To the Jews, Purim is a reminder of their salvation from the evil death trap set by Haman the Agagite. But, we have a salvation greater than the rescue mission celebrated during Purim. We were not just saved from a human, we were saved from the power of sin, temptation and eternal death. Our sins were paid for by the sinless atonement of Jesus Christ. For the Jews, Haman, who was a vile sinner, had to die for the evil against them to be averted. But, for the Christian, Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of the Living God, had to die for our sins so we may have eternal life. John 3 :16-17 summarizes our salvation as this, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” We have a permanent enemy,  the devil who has been accusing the believers since the Garden of Eden. We need to understand that Jesus has paid the price for us and we should be gracious enough to share this with others. When Esther and Mordecai established Purim, they passed it down as a festival for the generations yet to come. Jesus saves and we should be bold enough to pass this great salvation to all around us. 

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. 

Zaresh: The wife of Haman

The study of the women in the book of Esther has revealed different lessons to learn. We have seen characters to avoid and characters to desire. We have seen the different ways favour and disfavour can lead to either elevation or demotion. When Vashti’s disobedience led to disfavour, she was deposed as queen of Persia. When Esther found favour, she was promoted as the queen of Persia. We also see that when King Xerxes favoured Haman, he honoured Haman through elevation and gave Haman a seat of honour higher than that of all the other nobles (Esther 3:1). Haman nurtured a grudge with Mordecai, the cousin of Queen Esther and ultimately decided that killing Mordecai wasn’t enough but he would wipe out the whole Jewish community to satisfy his wrath. As Mordecai, Esther and the entire Jewish people fasted for God’s intervention, Haman and his house rooted for the death of the Jews. Haman’s wife, Zaresh is the main focus of this post. Just as her husband, she seemed to be heartless and lacked compassion. 

His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up. (Esther 5:14)

Even after Esther had invited the King and Haman to the banquet, Haman still nurtured hatred for Mordecai. Although Haman was happy to have been invited by the queen, when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and realized that Mordecai would not bow down to him, Haman was filled with rage (Esther 5:9). When he got home, Haman boasted of his accomplishments to his wife and friends and he said, “But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 5:13). When he said this, his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself” (Esther 5:14a). The question I ask is this, “How would Mordecai enjoy himself right after killing someone?” Certainly Zaresh and the friends of Haman are brute and vile. Unfortunately this wicked suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up (Esther 5:14b). Zaresh saw that the death of another man would please her husband. She desired to see Mordecai killed rather than seeing her husband sad. One of the innate traits of femininity is compassion but Zaresh had none. She didn’t even advise her husband to ask Mordecai why he refused to bow before Haman. Zaresh wanted the fame, the pomp and the positional advantage of being the wife of the king’s right hand man. 

The pole was made at Haman’s request. Haman couldn’t sleep that night in anticipation of morning to ask permission from the king to hang Mordecai on the pole. The king couldn’t sleep either because something had to be done urgently. The king requested the chronicles to be read and made note of Mordecai’s heroic act of exposing two evil men. The king asked, “What honour and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” and his attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him” (Esther 6:3). Zaresh proposed a pole to kill Mordecai (dishonour) and the king looked forward to giving Mordecai honour and recognition. Haman went to the palace early in the morning to facilitate his plans of killing Mordecai. He arrived at the same time the king was searching for the best way to honour Mordecai. The king asked his attendants, “Who is in the court?” 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 (Esther 6:4). The attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court” and the king ordered, “Bring him in” (Esther 6:5). The king asked Haman, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honour?” Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honour than me?” (Esther 6:6).

Haman, thinking that this honour was meant for him replied, “For the man the king delights to honour, 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 honour, 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 honour!’ ” (Esther 6:7‭-‬9). The king commanded Haman, “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” (Esther 6:10). Imagine the shame and the hurt. Haman foolishly listened to his wife to kill Mordecai, now here he was preparing to parade Mordecai through the city to honour him. The king’s command had to be carried to the later, 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). Imagine the anger and the disdain in Haman. His plan failed woefully. Instead of dishonour, he rather honoured Mordecai. 

Haman couldn’t hide his grief. He 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!” (Esther 6:13). The same people who advised Haman to get rid of Mordecai were the same people who prophesied his ruin. Zaresh wanted honour for her husband and dishonour for Mordecai. But she got the opposite. The story is not over. We learn that “the plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful” (Proverbs 12:5). We also learn that one should not be quick to condemn others by digging a pit for them. Remember that “whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them” (Proverbs 26:27). 

Before Haman could get over his grief, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared (Esther 6:14).

Esther: The requests of the Queen

As we continue our study on Esther also known as Hadassah, we have come to a critical point of Esther’s salvation of the Jews. From the previous posts, we have seen that Esther was an orphan who rose up to become the Queen of Persia. She replaced Vashti, because Queen Vashti dishonoured king Xerxes through her disobedience. In all her journey to the royal throne, Esther won the favour of Hegai, the keeper of the harem, she won the favour of those who saw her as she moved to the Palace for her one night with the king. Ultimately, Esther won the favour of the king. Esther seemed to have a blissful moment until one man,  Haman, was promoted as the second in command to the king. Haman was angry at Mordecai, Esther’s uncle for not bowing down to him. Instead of Haman to punish Mordecai for what he did, Haman decided to exterminate all the Jews in the Persian kingdom. Esther had a secret and the secret was that  her nationality was unknown to the king. Thus, Haman, the king’s second in command, declared death for the Queen. Esther had to do something about it but she was afraid that if the king did not extend his scepter, she would be killed. Esther requested that the Jewish people fast for her as she and her household also fast for three days. 

Thus, Esther and the Jews prepared for Esther’s meeting with the king. Esther had to let go of the luxuries of the palace for three days. She denied herself pleasure. She subdued her flesh in order to uplift her spirit. She humbled herself to God through fasting. She demonstrated her neediness for superior help. She understood that her position as queen was not enough to turn the verdict. She knew the systems and dynamics of authourity. In fasting and committing the situation to God,  Esther and the Jewish people brought King Xerxes under God’s superior authourity. Esther understood that in the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that He channels toward all who please him (Proverbs 21:1). Esther understood that to please the king, she must first please the Lord. After dealing with the spiritual side of the battle, this is what happened, “On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.” (Esther 5:1). Esther made a move, she went to the court of the palace even though she had not been summoned. Thus, the fasting did bring the king to Esther, but Esther had the courage to face the king. Thus defeating her greatest fear and uncertainty. The second victory was this, “When he (King Xerxes) saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.” (Esther 5:2). The king favoured Esther, the Lord directed the heart of the King towards Esther. Instead of condemnation, Esther received acceptance. 

Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” (Esther 5:3)

Finally, after Esther had gained courage to meet the king, received favour for acceptance before the king, something happened. Esther didn’t even say a word, but the king spoke and asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” (Esther 5:3). Imagine! The Queen wanted less than half of the kingdom, she went to plead for her life and that of her people but she was offered half of the kingdom. Indeed God turned the heart of Xerxes towards Esther. You would have expected Esther to quickly state her request that she wants the Jews spared. But, she knew better that the court was not the right place.  Esther’s request was this, “If it pleases the king, let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.” (Esther 5:4). Esther invited the King and Haman (the man who wants her and her people dead) for a banquet. It sounds ridiculous but Esther did just that! The king’s reply was this, “Bring Haman at once, so that we may do what Esther asks.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared (Esther 5:5). At the banquet, the king asked again, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” (Esther 5:6). Esther’s reply was this,  “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). Esther was not quick to answer. God was working behind the scene to honour Mordecai. If Esther had let the cat out of the bag on the first night, maybe Haman would have been killed but Mordecai’s honour would have been different.  The delay was for God to bring the perfect opportunity for Mordecai to be honoured and Haman to pay for his vile intentions. 

The night after the dinner was a long one for the king and Haman. While the king couldn’t sleep, Haman couldn’t sleep either. The king’s sleeplessness was because Mordecai had to be honoured. Haman’s sleeplessness was because he wanted Mordecai killed. In just one night, two forces competed for Mordecai (honour and dishonour). But, Mordecai, Esther and all Jews had fasted and brought the case before the Chief Judge of all (the Lord). The matter was settled in heaven and earth had to align to heaven’s verdict. Esther’s request was for a second banquet with the king and Haman. Between the night of the first banquet and the evening of the second banquet, the heavens declared the heart of God. The tables turned and Haman walked straight into the pitch he dug for Mordecai. We shall continue this…

Esther: For such a time as this!

The new Queen of Persia seemed to have an uninterrupted years of bliss until one man was promoted. Prior to the event that shook the whole Persian kingdom, “King Xerxes honoured Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honour higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honour to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honour” (Esther 3:1‭-‬2). Even after persuasion from the royal officials at the king’s gate, Mordecai still refused to kneel and pay honour to Haman. The matter was reported to Haman. Esther 3:5-6 states that, “When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honour, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.” Why would Mordecai’s impudence be punishable to all Jews? Haman was a vile man who hated the idea of being disrespected by a Jew. Some scholars believe that Haman might have been a descendant of King Agag, the Amalekite king (1 Samuel 15) and as such Haman was avenging for the way King Saul destroyed their nation. The Bible does not specifically state that so we shall consider Haman as a vile person with no compassion. How can Mordecai’s refusal to bow become a national sin?

Mordecai, being Jew knew that bowing to anything other than God was sinful (see Exodus 2: 4-5). All this while, Esther was enjoying life in the Palace without the slightest idea of what was happening. Haman went ahead and chose a day to destroy the Jews through lot casting (the pur). Thus, in the twelfth year of King Xerxes, Haman decided the fate of the Jews (Esther 3:7). After choosing the date, he told the king how the Jewish people are a threat to his kingdom and the king gave Haman the nod to do to the Jewish people what he pleases. The edict was sent throughout the kingdom with a set date for the destruction of the Jews. All the Jews in the whole kingdom were in shock and afraid for their lives. Mordecai after hearing all these tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly (Esther 4:1). Queen Esther had no idea of the plight of her people. Her eunuchs and female attendants told her about Mordecai and how he was dressed. Esther even sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther sent someone to find out why Mordecai was acting that way (Esther 4:4‭-‬5). After Esther heard the fate of her people and the evil plans of Haman, her response was that she cannot help because if she goes to the king uninvited, she would be killed unless the king extends her his golden scepter. Esther hadn’t been called in the last thirty days. 

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

Literally, Esther said, I CAN’T HELP OR ELSE I WILL DIE. The truth is, she had been condemned for death anyway. When Mordecai heard Esther’s reply, he sent this answer to her: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13‭-‬14). Mordecai revealed to Esther that her ascension as the Queen of Persia was for such a troubling time as this. Esther’s whole life was in preparation for this assignment, the salvation of the Jews. All the people God placed in Esther’s life, was to help her fulfill this task. From Mordecai, to Hagai, and King Xerxes himself, Esther was just preparing for her big day. Esther might have been overwhelmed with the idea of going to the king uninvited but after the words of Mordecai,  Esther gained strength. If God brought her up for a time such as this, then only God could help her. Esther understood the dynamics of authourity. God is the ruler of King Xerxes. Therefore, before she talks to Xerxes, she must talk to God, the ruler of Xerxes. Esther didn’t just take matters into her hands. Although the book of Esther doesn’t explicitly mention God, we see God working through different people for His glory.

Esther told Mordecai to “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). Esther declared a national fast to intercede for her. Thus, Xerxes was so powerful that his own Queen could not just walk up to him as and when she wanted. Esther trusted that when the Jewish people fast for her, she will gain favour with the king.

This story teaches us valuable lessons. First, we need to understand that our communion with Christ is not just a Palace lifestyle,  it is an everyday, everywhere lifestyle. We don’t suddenly become obscured to the enemy because we are in Christ. In fact Paul reminded the Ephesians church to daily put on the Armour of Christ (Ephesians 6:11). We need to understand that we don’t fight the enemy with baseless words. We fight with powerful weapons. Esther understood that Haman, the king’s right man cannot easily be defeated. She knew that fighting the spiritual side of the battle before the physical one, guarantees victory. Fight on your knees in your secret place before you appear before the king in the public place. The assignment of your life cannot just be accomplished with degrees and qualifications. You need to be aligned with God and understand the spiritual needs of your call. Heaven is watching and the earth is waiting. Haman is plotting and you have to make a choice because God made you for a specific assignment. Don’t disappoint God and humanity. 

Queen Esther helps to save the king

Imagine reading The “Persian Herald” Newspaper a day after king Xerxes set the royal crown on the head of Esther! If such a newspaper had existed, the headline would probably be “A Beauty Queen from Susa has finally won the heart of the king” or “Persia’s newest Queen is a Beautiful Young woman from Susa.” On the side, the local newspapers would have catchy headlines such as, “Rude Vashti finally gets a replacement”, “A new STAR (Esther) has risen”, “Our king has a new Beauty Queen”, “The Palace has a Star!” among many others. Thankfully,  there were no printing presses and media stations to peddle these interesting headlines. King Xerxes, the real party man, gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials and he proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality (Esther 2:18). The joy among the Jewish people who knew Esther’s family background would have been massive. However, the new Queen had a big secret. Her family background and nationality was unknown to the king and the other members of the ruling team. Esther was told by Mordecai to keep her background and nationality a secret. Even as queen, Esther continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up (Esther 2:20).

But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. (Esther 2:22)

One day, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate when Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes (Esther 2:21). Mordecai found out about this evil plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai (Esther 2:22). The king’s life was in danger. Bigthana and Teresh were guards and could have easily assassinated the king if Mordecai had not found out. When Esther was told, she didn’t sit on the case. She quickly reported this to the king. The king did not sit on the case either. He quickly issued an investigation into the report and it was found to be true. Bigthana and Teresh were impaled on poles for that. This incident was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king (Esther 2:23). If Mordecai had not found out the plot, the case would have been different. All the people in the story contributed to averting the crime against the king. 

Although Mordecai was not honoured for this heroic act immediately, he was still honoured at the right time. What made his honouring unique was the fact that he was paraded through the town by the very man who wanted nothing else than the death of Mordecai (see Esther 5:13-14). Saving the king wasn’t the only big thing Esther did. In fact, Esther was destined to save a whole people group in the Persian kingdom. But, the king might have delighted in the fact that his new Queen had saved him from assassins. If Mordecai had no Esther in the Palace, it would have been difficult to get quick access to the king. Maybe the assassins would have tried to stop the king from investigating the issue. However, Esther trusted Mordecai enough to know that the report was urgent. 

The story of Esther and Mordecai’s help in saving the king is a reminder that we should know that within our bigger task or call in life, are minor tasks that must be done for us to be able to get to the big goal. If the death threat on the king had not been aborted, who knows what would have happened and the impact that would have had on everyone.  Be always on the lookout for ways you can help improve your family, church, community, work and the people around you. Be your neighbour’s keeper. Be on guard and don’t take the lives of others for granted. Don’t be quick to say that “it is their problem not mine” but rather say, “how best can I help you get out of this problem.” Sometimes our blessings are tied to particular people and as long as they have issues, we would be in queue for our breakthrough. However, when they overcome their own challenges, then they can attend to the needs of others.