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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Est. 6-7
While reading this part of Esther’s story this morning, I thought of Jesus’ parable to the Pharisees in Luke 14. He told them not to take the seat of honor at a wedding banquet for themselves, lest the banquet host remove them from that seat for a more distinguished guest, sending them in humiliation to the lowest place. Jesus wasn’t teaching anything new. The Proverbs are full of wisdom regarding pride and humility. And Haman left us with a beautiful demonstration of the truth.
Another thing Haman beautifully demonstrated for us is what we commonly call, “The Golden Rule”. Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 7:12). Haman unwittingly – and begrudgingly – followed this rule.
Est. 8-10
“A document written in the king’s name and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.” (Est. 8:8b). The king’s name and ring held the power to do, but not to undo. That should have been a very sobering thought. You would think someone who held such irrevocable power would use the utmost care with it. Yet Ahasuerus made rash decrees in the heat of the moment, such as with Queen Vashti, and trusted Haman, whose heart was full of evil, to yield that power unchecked. Both cases led to regret.
We are not entirely unlike King Ahasuerus. To some degree, we have the power to do and say whatever we wish. Once we take those actions or say those words, however, we have little to no control over the consequences. Wouldn’t it be nice if, unlike King Ahasuerus, we stopped to think about those consequences first. Thankfully we have a redeeming God who is able and willing to turn our mistakes into victories. He is able to take the fear, bitterness, and lament that result from our carelessness and turn it into gladness, joy, and honor.