What a wonderful scene from God's redemptive turnaround drama this is!

What a wonderful scene from God's redemptive

turnaround drama this is!

 

 

After attending the first banquet

hosted by Queen Esther with King Ahasuerus,

Haman left feeling very pleased.

However, his mood quickly turned to rage

when he saw Mordecai sitting at the king's gate,

not rising or showing any fear.

That day, Haman's wife, Zeresh, and all his friends advised him

to build a gallows about 23 meters high

and to ask King Ahasuerus the next morning

to have Mordecai hanged on it.

Then, they suggested, he could go to the second banquet

hosted by Queen Esther with a joyful heart.

Haman liked the idea and ordered the gallows to be built

(Esther 5:9-14).

But why, on that very night, could King Ahasuerus not sleep? (6:1)

Why did he command his servants

to bring the royal chronicles and read them to him? (v. 1)

And why, while reading the royal chronicles,

did the servants happen to read to the king the account of

how Mordecai had reported the conspiracy of Bigthana and Teresh,

 the two eunuchs who guarded the king's entrance

and had plotted to assassinate him? (v. 2)

Was this all a coincidence?  Absolutely not!

In God's redemptive turnaround drama,

although Haman intended to annihilate all the Jewish people,

God overturned his plans.

God kept King Ahasuerus awake "that night" and made him aware of the record

in the royal chronicles where Mordecai had exposed the assassination plot.

This prompted the king to want to reward Mordecai.

Even more intriguing is that "that night" (v.1), "at that moment,"

"just as" Haman entered the outer court of the palace,

it was undoubtedly God's doing (v. 4).

So, King Ahasuerus ordered his servants to bring Haman in and asked him,

"What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"

(Naturally, the king had Mordecai in mind) (vv. 5-6).

The funny thing is, at that moment, Haman thought to himself

that there was no one else the king would want to honor more than him (v. 6).

From Haman's perspective,

it's understandable that he would make this mistake.

The reason is that King Ahasuerus had elevated him to a high position,

appointing him as the prime minister (3:1).

Additionally, Haman had been the only one invited to Queen Esther's banquet,

along with the king, and he was invited again to her second banquet (5:5, 8).

So, under this misconception, Haman answered King Ahasuerus,

"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!'" (6:7-9).

Then the king commanded Haman,

"Go at once, get the robe and the horse,

and do just as you have suggested for the Jew Mordecai,

who sits at the king’s gate.  Do not neglect anything you have recommended" (v. 10).

How shocked must Haman have been to hear those words?

He was surely expecting that the king would honor him,

but instead, he found out that it was Mordecai—

the very man he was planning to ask

the king for permission to hang on the gallows.

How great must his shock have been at that moment!

What a wonderful scene from God's redemptive turnaround drama this is!

Haha.