Good morning! Today is Esther 7!
In this chapter, King Xerxes and Haman went to dine with Esther for a second time, in hopes of Esther revealing her requests to them. Back-tracking a bit, I think Esther had waited till the second dinner for a reason. i think the Holy Spirit lead her to wait another day, so that everything could fall into place. The king would honor Mordecai, and the gallows had been built. Finally, it was the right time to tell the King.
Esther 7:3-4
"Queen Esther replied, 'If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared. For my people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king.'" (NLT)
Esther 7:5-8
"'Who would do such a thing?' King Xerxes demanded. 'Who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?' Esther replied, 'This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy.' Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen.7 Then the king jumped to his feet in a rage and went out into the palace garden. Haman, however, stayed behind to plead for his life with Queen Esther, for he knew that the king intended to kill him. In despair he fell on the couch where Queen Esther was reclining, just as the king was returning from the palace garden. The king exclaimed, 'Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace, before my very eyes?' And as soon as the king spoke, his attendants covered Haman's face, signaling his doom." (NLT)
This is finally when the King realizes what is going on. He remembered the decree he had given permission to Haman to post about the killing of the Jews. He obviously was unaware at the time that his Queen was a Jew! He thought, from what Haman said, that the Jews were just faceless enemies. He certainly didn't expect his beloved wife and the man (Mordecai) that had saved his life were Jews or else he decree would not have been made.
Esther 7:9-10
"Then Harbona, one of the king's eunuchs, said, 'Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.' 'Then impale Haman on it!' the king ordered. So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king's anger subsided." (NLT)
I really like these verses cause it basically shows that Haman got what he deserved. It's very coincidental though, considering that the gallows Haman built for Mordecai's death, were actually used for Haman's death.
"Fate is full of irony. What you dish out will come back for you."
-Some random guy's fortune cookie
That's it for Chapter 7! Chapter 8 will be up tomorrow morning! BYE :) :) :)
3 comments:
Great post Catherine! I thought the source for the quote was funny!
Catherine, thank you for doing this study! I was discussing Esther this morning with someone and had some thoughts I'll share here.
The examples of the different facets of mentoring are endless in this story. Not only does Mirdecai act as Esther's accountability partner, he is her protector as she starts out an orphan, mentor when he discerns that she at first shouldn't reveal her position as a Jew, her fasting and praying partner, and her agent, doing what Esther needed done outside the palace. In the end, Mordecai becomes the example the the king raises above others.
I also like the coaching relationship the eunuch Hegai plays in helping Esther have an advantage.
I love the story of Esther as an example for women because it clearly defines the power of God women can assert for the glory of His kingdom, not thru personal might but thru the channels God gives to women.
I use this book to remind women that God gives us everything we need to influence the world for Him even as the weaker of the genders who is commanded to submit to husbands and accept the lesser of physical strength.
We need only to discern whom God has placed around us as protectors, coaches, mentors, accountability partners, prayer partners, and agents to carry out what God intends.
It's in her submission and obedience that Esther wields such influence.
Catherine you are doing a great job!! I know its hard but keep up the great work:)
I like how in this chapter Haman gets what he deserves. I find it cool how in the Bible there is still the whole bad guy vs. good guy thing. Haman was jealous of Mordecai and look where that got him. Proverbs 6:34 says, For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. Haman wanted Mordecai dead but instead of getting Mordecai hung he was hung instead. Jealousy is a hard thing and I struggle with it daily. Thoughts like i wish i had that or i wish i looked like that are sinful. Instead of wanted what others have we should be thankful for what God has blessed us with. Also i love how brave Esther is. I would be scared to tell the king about Haman. God gave her strength and encouragement through the Holy Spirit and Mordecai. The Holy Spirit is always with us but sometimes it is helpful to have someone else to help you make good decisions. I love Mordecai and Esther's faithfulness to one another. It is great to have someone in your life who will help you and teach you the right path:) loved the quote Catherine.~ abby<3
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