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Esther 5 Chapters 5-7 mark the climax of the book of Esther. Here the tables are turned and evil is overcome by good. God's people are preserved through an unlikely set of circumstances. It is obvious that it is the sovereignty of the Lord working to save the Jewish people from annihilation. Last week we ended with Esther asking Mordecai to gather the Jews as she would gather her maidservants to fast and pray for three days and three nights asking for God's wisdom, guidance and protection as she prepared for this dangerous mission. This week, as we studied chapter five, we see Esther after fasting and praying courageously being used by God as she begins to put her plan in motion. Let's turn to Esther 5:1

Esther 5:1 "Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, across from the king's house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house." (NKJV)

Can you imagine how Esther felt at this moment as she prepares to go before king Ahasuerus? She has just spent three days and three nights fasting and praying for God's help.

You know she was crying out to the Lord as the Psalmist did in Psalm 27:11 "Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies." (NKJV)

She was asking the Lord to protect her as Psalm 33:20 "Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.

And then as she prepares to approach king Ahasuerus she is comforted as Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Esther knew that God had covenanted with the Jews to deal with their enemies Gen 12:1-3 "Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of our country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your

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name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

So with the God of Israel at her side she prepares to go before the king. She puts on her royal robes. It was not only natural, but, on such occasions, highly proper that the queen should decorate herself in a style becoming her exalted position. Remember she had not seen the king in 30 days; she wanted to gain his approval to hear her request so she presented herself fully robed in her royal garments. How many times in life do we rush into a situation just to find out that if we had just waited and prepared our hearts things might have worked out differently.

We can learn from Esther here. She did not rush in and demand the king to reverse the decree, instead she sought direction from the Lord.

Not only did she seek God's direction but she also had those closest around her praying also. It helps to know in those times of crisis that there are a lot of prayers going up for you. So here we have Queen Esther now standing fully dressed in her royal garments in the Inner Court waiting for king Ahasuerus to extend the golden scepter to her. Isn't it wonderful that we don't have to fear coming to the King of Kings that he accepts us as we are. All we have to do is call upon His name.

Esther 5:2 "So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. (NKJV)

What an answer to prayer, Esther finds favor in the king and he extends the golden scepter. You can clearly see the providence of God working here. I am reminded of the verse in Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes." This is so true here, God is definitely in control. So Esther in the usual custom responds back expressing reverence and submission she touches the top of the scepter. King Ahasuerus knew that if Queen Esther broke one of the major laws of Persia by approaching him without having been summoned she must have a matter of

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urgency that needed his attention. So we see in verse three after extending the golden scepter he now asks her "What do you wish, what is your request?" Then notice he says "It shall be given to you, up to half the kingdom". Now, you would think at this point by reading this that Queen Esther would feel confident and state what she wanted immediately because the king is stating he will give her what she wants up to half the kingdom. This sounds pretty generous doesn't it? But Esther knows better. You cannot take this offer literally. It was apparently an oriental custom for kings of that day to show their pleasure in someone by making this statement, which simply meant that the person would be granted what they requested if the request was within reason. So Esther still had to use discretion and follow through accordingly. Warren Wiersbe shows four possible reasons why Queen Esther didn't tell the king immediately:

1. It wasn't the right time. Timing is everything. It was not something you just blurt out that your right hand man has decreed to kill you. 2. It wasn't the right place. It would be a breach of palace etiquette for the queen to make her plea publicly. 3. Esther wanted Haman, and only Haman, present when she told the king about his prime minister's evil plot. She needed to confront the king and Haman alone, without anyone else present. By Esther’s standing alone with them, the king was far more likely to accept her charge against the prime minister for plotting evil against her and her people. 4. One more event had to intervene before she could share her burden with the king. This would happen that very night which we will study in the next chapter.

Regardless of the many reasons we can come up with as to why Esther didn't tell the king immediately, Esther obviously sensed the leadership of the Lord. It was definitely not God's timing yet. So let's look at Esther's response to the king:

Esther 5:4-5 "So Esther answered, "If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him." 5 Then

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the king said, "Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said." So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared." (NKJV)

Not only did the king accept Esther's invitation but he immediately ordered Haman to be summoned. Persian officials were protective of their wives, so for the king to accept the invitation of Queen Esther to have Haman join them for their banquet was definitely the providence of God working in the heart of the king. What a special honor for Haman to attend a special banquet with the king and queen alone in the queen's private apartment at that! You can just see the ego being stroked of Haman. At some point the king asks Esther again what her petition was. See verse 6:

Esther 5:6 "At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!" (NKJV)

Haman's head must be really getting big at this point. Here he is at a personal banquet with the king and queen and now they are discussing a personal manner. Little does he know what is actually happening! Verses 7-8 we see Esther's suspense-filled request.

Esther 5:7-8 ”Then Esther answered and said, "My petition and request is this: 8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said." (NKJV)

Here Queen Esther is delaying her petition again. We see the Lord at work again, because it is that very night that an event will happen which leads to Mordecai being honored. This we will study in chapter six.

Proverbs 19:21 "There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the Lord's counsel - that will stand." NKJV

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The plans that Haman has made will soon be thwarted. But for now Haman is feeling like he is on cloud nine. Verse 9 says he left the banquet joyful and with a glad heart. But notice how quickly his mood changes. The last part of verse 9 reveals why.

Esther 5:9b "...but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai." (NKJV)

Here is Haman feeling highly honored to have been invited to a private banquet with the king and queen and then as he walks out to go home, there is Mordecai at the king's gate. A raging fury arises in Haman's heart as Mordecai refuses to stand in reverence to him and on top of that he wasn't even trembling in his presence over the decree. But somehow Haman manages to restrain himself from saying anything to Mordecai. After reaching his house, verses 10-12 tells us how Haman summoned his friends to a social gathering so he could share the day’s joyful events with them. In his sharing, Scripture exposes the shameful depth of his prideful, arrogant heart. Sitting with his wife and friends and looking forward to the second banquet the next evening, Haman began to focus attention solely upon himself. Let's look at the verses:

Esther 5:10-12 "Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king. 12 Moreover Haman said, "Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king." (NKJV)

Notice how he boasts:

about his vast wealth

about his ten sons (9:7-10)

about the honors the king had bestowed upon him

about his promotion to be prime minister—the position, authority, and power the king had granted him

about the distinctive recognition and honor given him by the queen, clearly seen in her invitation to join her and the king at the two banquets

He is so full of himself, his ego growing every moment. But, despite his position, wealth, and power Haman could not get past his hatred for Mordecai.

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Look at verse 13: Esther 5:13 "Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." (NKJV)

Seeing how this has affected Haman, his wife and friends give him advice. Let's look at verse 14 to see what they had to say:

Esther 5:14 "Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet." And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made." (NKJV)

Haman's wife and friends were no better than himself. They were just as wicked. Feeling so confident that Haman had a direct line to the king that he would do anything he wanted, they set out to kill Mordecai once and for all. Not only did they want to kill him but they wanted to make him an example for all the Jews to make sure that they show Haman respect and fear what he may do to them. This would be an example of what was to come. So Haman was pleased by the advice and ordered the fifty cubit high gallows to be made. That is 75 feet high.

Proverbs 27:1 says "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." (NKJV)

A person should not praise himself about what he will do the next day because he really has no way of knowing for sure what will happen. Praising oneself is evidence of pride and therefore is wrong. Not only should a person refrain from boasting about what he will do, he should also refrain from boasting about what he has done. Join us next week as we study chapter six and find out what happens to Mordecai. God bless