Good morning! We are experiencing a hot dry October here in Indiana. We need rain, farmers are concerned about fields catching fire because it is so dry out. Their hot machinery could cause fires to start. I wouldn't mind some cooler weather myself :-).
Lets continue on with our story of Esther. At the end of our reading yesterday Esther had requested that her maids and the Jewish community in Susa fast for 3 days to prepare for her going in and speaking to the King on behalf of saving their people, without his permission. She could be killed for talking to him. Lets see what happens today.
Chapter 5
Verses 1-5 Esther dresses in her robes and stands in the inner court of the King's palace. Xerxes sees her and finds favor on her, and invites her in. She touches the Golden scepter that was in his hand. He asks her what she wants up to half his kingdom. Esther is wise and doesn't tell him what she wants. She tells him she wants to throw a banquet and Haman and Xerxes are invited.
Verses 6-8 Esther puts on the first banquet and the king asks her again what her petition is. She says if he will come to another banquet tomorrow she will tell him. One wonders if she is scared to tell the King, or maybe God has told her it is not yet time to speak.
Verses 9-13 Now the story's focus is on Haman. Haman is very pleased that he is invited to the banquet, in fact he boasts about it to his friends and family. He boasts about all that he has. BUT he sees Mordecai sitting at the gate - again - and Mordecai will not stand when he sees Haman. This angers Haman greatly and he tells his friends and family that until Mordecai pays him respect none of his fame and fortune mean nothing to him. We all do this - we can have everything but there is one thing that just really angers us - it just festers and becomes our focus. WAY OUT of focus. I have a few hot buttons of my own, I just can't seem to overcome them. I have prayed for a change of attitude and I just can't seem to overcome them. Maybe admitting I have this sin is a good first step, but it sure is tough to overcome. I sadly know that until I truly release these "hot buttons" I will never fully be free to worship God. Gosh that's tough to see in writing.
Verse 14 So Hamans friends tell Haman to kill Mordecai and he takes their advice and decides that Mordecai should be hung after going to the second banquet. There are several steps to sin. First is the initial thought, then planning the sin, and finally acting upon it. Haman hates Mordecai so much he plans on killing him!
Chapter 6
Verses 1-3 King Xerxes has a sleepless night - so he decides to read. He reads a record of the chronicles, which means remembrance, so maybe it was some kind of journal. And he reads about Mordecai's story of the two men who plotted to kill him, Bigthana and Teresh. And Mordecai wonders why Mordecai wasn't given any recognition for saving his life. Don't you just love these coincidences God puts into place. Of course they aren't coincidences they are all a part of God's plan.
Verses 4-5 Xerxes hears someone in his court, and asks who it is. He finds out it is Haman and says let him in.
Verse 6 Xerxes asks Haman what would he like and he asks this question in a favorable light and of course it goes to Haman's head. Oh wow the king is in a good mood today and he knows I'm just this great guy. What great honor would the king like to bestow upon me?
Verses 7-9 So Haman responds by saying that the king should give the man he honors a robe and horse and parade around the town. Haman doesn't have an ego problem does he?
Verses 10-11 The king tells Haman to lead this procession for Mordecai for the king wants to honor Mordecai. Haman went to see the king to ask to have Mordecai killed and the king wants to honor Mordecai. We can only imagine what was going through Haman's mind.
Verses 12-14 Haman goes home and covers his head in mourning for having to show honor to Mordecai. Haman's family could see that Mordecai was more important than Haman. Then Haman is requested to go to the banquet Esther put on. We leave today with this cliff hanger.
Father God, we read today about how anger/pride can take control over our mind, and be so wrong be we think it should be so right. When we are angry we prayerfully ask to come before you and ask for discernment as to what is the truth, what is right, and what is just. We also thank you God for putting events into place that brings glory to you. You can make the impossible possible. We can never thank you enough for doing this for advancing your kingdom and protecting us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
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