Throughout our study of Ruth and Esther, a phrase has been mentioned multiple times. God’s providence.
We discussed a couple of weeks ago the meaning of providence. It’s defined as “timely preparation for future eventualities”.[i] To rephrase, providence would be things that happen at a certain time that will have a profound effect on unknown events in the future.
Let’s consider the events that have gotten us to this point.
It just so happened that the Jews had been taken captive by the Babylonians who in turn were captured by the Persians.
It just so happened that Mordecai had been one of those captured. It also just so happened that Mordecai’s cousin, Esther became an orphan and Mordecai became her guardian.
It just so happened that these events landed both Mordecai and Esther in Susa, the capital city of Persia.
King Xerxes is king. Queen Vashti is queen.
It just so happened that Queen Vashti is abruptly removed as queen because she embarrassed King Xerxes when he became inebriated at a party he was hosting. This opened the position for a new queen.
It just so happened that a campaign is begun to find a young, beautiful, and virgin woman to become queen.
It just so happened that Esther met the criteria.
It also just happened that Esther and Mordecai, although they were Jews, did not live their lives abiding by Jewish customs; therefore, it just so happened that Esther was mistakenly assumed to be a Gentile.
Throughout the process of choosing a new queen, it just so happened that favor is constantly shown towards Esther.
It just so happened that Esther is selected out of hundreds to be the queen.
Meanwhile, it just so happened that her cousin/guardian Mordecai takes up a position at the king’s gate.
Also, quite coincidentally, Mordecai, in his new position, happens to overhear a plot to kill the king. He passes along this information to the queen who tells the king and it just so happens that the plan was not carried out, the king’s life was spared, and a notation was made in the king’s records.
Sometime later, it just so happened that Haman was appointed as prime minister.
It just so happens that Haman is an Amalekite who just happens to be a natural-born enemy of Jews.
Haman takes the position of prime minister quite seriously and demands that he be bowed down to by the other officials.
It just so happened that Mordecai refuses. Haman gets angry. Instead of taking it out on Mordecai alone, Haman wants all Jews killed.
Lots were cast and a particular date was “randomly” chosen for all Jews to be annihilated. The date just so happened to be approximately 11 months in the future.
Haman takes his plan to the king who just so happens to hand his signet ring over to Haman giving him the authority to carry out this genocide.
It just so happens that once a Persian decree or order is put into place, it cannot be reversed or repealed by any means.
Mordecai, along with the other Jews in all the provinces, is notified of this impending doom. Mordecai begins to show his grief by covering himself in ashes and sackcloth.
It just so happens that word gets to Esther of Mordecai’s state of mind and through second-hand correspondence, Mordecai informs Esther of the threat that has been issued against their people.
Mordecai requests that Esther go before the king, her husband, and let him know what’s taking place and how it affects her people. “No can do” Esther replies. “I could be killed for doing such a thing.” Because it just so happens the king hasn’t summoned her to spend time with him in over a month.
Now Mordecai sums up all these events and says to Esther, “Maybe all of these ‘just so happened’ coincidences” were for you to be where you are, who you are, and why you are so that you can fulfill God’s purpose in saving His people.”
That’s a lot of “just so happens” to consider and Esther comes to be at peace with taking a chance with her life.
But God’s not finished setting up the dominoes just yet.
After three days of fasting and praying, which just so happens to fall during the time of Passover, Queen Esther approaches the king. It just so happens that he is pleased to see her.
And, in fact, he’s so pleased to see her, it just so happens he offers her whatever she desires, including up to half of his kingdom.
It just so happens that Queen Esther doesn’t take advantage of this open door and, instead, invites the king and Haman to her quarters for dinner.
Last week, in chapter 5, Esther plays hostess to the king and Haman. Again, she’s asked. What is it you desire? It just so happens that she doesn’t reveal what’s on her mind. And she asks for a repeat dinner party the very next night.
Haman, as we know, went home, gathered his wife and some friends, and spent the evening bragging about himself and his accomplishments. But verse 13 of chapter 5 peels back the layers and lets us know how Haman is really feeling. “13 But none of this means a thing to me as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the entrance of the palace.” (Esther 5:13 GNT)
Haman’s friends and wife flippantly suggest that Haman have a 75-foot gallows built for the sole purpose of Mordecai’s death. They recommend that Haman have this monstrosity built overnight, go to the king the next morning and request Mordecai’s execution, and then go and enjoy a second evening hanging out with the king and queen. Haman doesn’t even blink at the suggestion. He liked it and put it into motion.
Meanwhile, the king just so happens to be suffering from insomnia.
Esther 6:1 GNT “That same night the king could not get to sleep, so he had the official records of the empire brought and read to him. 2 [a]The part they read included the account of how Mordecai had uncovered a plot to assassinate the king—the plot made by Bigthana and Teresh, the two palace eunuchs who had guarded the king’s rooms. 3 The king asked, “How have we honored and rewarded Mordecai for this?”
His servants answered, “Nothing has been done for him.”
4 “Are any of my officials in the palace?” the king asked.
Now Haman had just entered the courtyard; he had come to ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on the gallows that was now ready. 5 So the servants answered, “Haman is here, waiting to see you.”
“Show him in,” said the king.”
How many “just so happens” can you identify in those 5 verses?
The king can’t sleep.
He could have asked for a concubine to spend time with him. He could have asked for music to be played or a story to be read. But he asked for official records to be read aloud to him.
King Xerxes had been king for more than 12 years at this point. There’s no telling how many volumes of official records existed. His servant, it appears, randomly chose a ledger, went to a particular section of that ledger, and read the portion about Mordecai saving the king’s life.
The king wanted his memory refreshed and asked how Mordecai was recognized years earlier. “Rewards and punishments were basic to the Persian system of maintaining loyalty, and it was unusual for meritorious service not to be rewarded.”[ii]
And yet, nothing had been done to recognize Mordecai. Talk about an ON-TIME GOD!!! Robert H. Schuller said, “God’s delays are not God’s denials.” When we are expectant of God, we can sometimes forget that. We grow impatient or feel ignored.
God’s delays are not God’s denials.
robert h schuller
King Xerxes wants to know if any of his officials are in the palace. After all, it’s the middle of the night. And wouldn’t you know it? Haman is so anxious to put those gallows to use, he had just shown up and was waiting to see the king.
Esther 6:6 GNT “6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “There is someone I wish very much to honor. What should I do for this man?”
Haman thought to himself, “Now who could the king want to honor so much? Me, of course.”
This ego-driven thought sends this whole day into a downward spiral. He never stopped to consider there could be anyone else that the king would want to honor. And scripture indicates that Haman had a quickdraw response. I’m not saying that he had daydreams of being the star of his own parade, but it sure sounds like he had entertained the notion of what he would like to occur so that he would be glorified.
Esther 6:7 GNT “7-8 So he answered the king, “Have royal robes brought for this man—robes that you yourself wear. Have a royal ornament put on your own horse. 9 Then have one of your highest noblemen dress the man in these robes and lead him, mounted on the horse, through the city square. Have the nobleman announce as they go: ‘See how the king rewards someone he wishes to honor!’”
“Some scholars wonder whether Haman not only desired to be like the king but also to be king.”[iii]
You must consider that this may be true. Haman’s “suggestions” were quite elaborate and very public. So, what do you think is going through Haman’s mind at this moment?
This was a double whammy kind of a day for him! I can only imagine that he’s thinking he’s going to bring up the “small matter” of having Mordecai killed and get that approved with no hesitation. And while Mordecai’s lifeless body is on display for all to see and the reason for his death is announced (that is, failing to show sufficient respect for Haman), Haman himself will be paraded throughout the city square on the back of the king’s horse, while wearing the king’s royal robes and having some high-ranking official shout out accolades. And then his marvelous day would end in the private chambers of the queen enjoying an intimate dinner with just the king, queen, and himself. He’d be like a kid surprised with a trip to Disney World!
But it just so happens that although God’s name is never mentioned in this book, God is entirely and thoroughly involved in even the small details. All of these “just so happens” have been placed strategically so that when one gets knocked over, the rest of them fall as well.
Haman is about to experience a “reversal of fortune” – An event resulting in great loss; Something that impedes, or stands in the way of, progress[iv] Haman’s life is about to take a serious U-turn. He’s about to backtrack his manipulations, his selfish motives, and his egotistical, boastful, and self-promoting way of life until he finds himself back at the starting line. And much to his chagrin, Mordecai is about to experience a different kind of reversal of fortune.
If you ever wanted to witness The Beatitudes played out in real life, this is it.
” 20 Looking at his disciples, he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.” (Luke 6:20-26 NIV)
You can imagine Mordecai may have gotten frustrated or irritated at Haman from time to time. He may have thought, “I’m the closest relative to the Queen! Why am I being treated with such hatred?” Perhaps he had thought that life just wasn’t fair. Haman kept getting more powerful and Mordecai kept getting more threatened simply because he was loyal to God. We know he grieved. We know he mourned. We don’t know if he held onto any resentment towards Haman, but if he did feel that way, we can certainly identify with that, can’t we?
I think we can agree that Haman was a toxic person. Our lives are littered with toxic people. Those who are always the taker in a relationship and never the giver. Those who control and manipulate you and your emotions. Those who leave you drained and depleted. WebMd addresses this issue. “If you know someone who’s difficult and causes a lot of conflict in your life, you may be dealing with a toxic person. These people can create lots of stress and unpleasantness for you and others, not to mention emotional or even physical pain.
A toxic person is anyone whose behavior adds negativity and upset to your life.”[v]
Does anybody come to mind? If you don’t currently have a toxic person in your life, chances are you have had them or will have them in the future. Paul describes them to a T in this scripture.
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV)
Many of those descriptions apply to Haman as well as probably someone you know. Does it help to know that God is aware of the toxic people in your life? I can imagine Mordecai committing himself to prayer when he encountered Haman. He may have prayed for patience and self-control. Little did Mordecai know what God had in store for him!
After hearing Haman’s suggestion for honoring this unnamed man whom Haman assumed to be himself, the king sets things in motion.
Esther 6:10 CEV “10 The king replied, “Hurry and do just what you have said! Don’t forget a thing. Get the robe and the horse for Mordecai the Jew, who serves as one of the king’s officials!”
11 Haman got the king’s robe and put it on Mordecai. He led him through the city on the horse and shouted as he went, “This is how the king honors a man!”
A couple of tidbits from these two verses. King Xerxes refers to Mordecai as “the Jew”. There’s no mistaking that the king knows Mordecai is a Jew. But there’s this little thing of genocide that’s supposed to take place and it includes all the Jews. So, did Xerxes make the connection? Did he stop to consider the irony of this? He’s about to give the highest of honors to someone that is scheduled to be annihilated at a future date. The second thing I must question is this. Surely something took place between verses 10 and 11. It’s hard to picture Haman immediately springing into action to carry out this honorable act for his archenemy. His bubble of euphoria has just been popped and he is likely struggling to keep a poker face. The disappointment! The anger! The humiliation! Haman likely has a lazy Susan of emotions flinging throughout his mind. But for some reason, we aren’t told of any of that.
Esther 6:12 CEV “12 Afterwards, Mordecai returned to his duties in the king’s palace, and Haman hurried home, hiding his face in shame. 13 Haman told his wife and friends what had happened. Then his wife and his advisors said, “If Mordecai is a Jew, this is just the beginning of your troubles! You will end up a ruined man.” 14 They were still talking, when the king’s servants came and quickly took Haman to the dinner that Esther had prepared.”
Haman had arrived that morning expecting to be ordering and enjoying the execution of Mordecai. Instead, he spent his morning exalting and garnering praises for the one he despised the most! Talk about a twist of fate! Likewise, Mordecai had arrived at work expecting it to be just an ordinary day.
When the festivities were over, Haman rushed home with his face covered. “This means that Haman acted as if someone dear to him had died. In fact, his pride had been dealt a death-blow.”[vi] Haman’s wife and friends did not help matters much because they voiced their opinions that things were going to get worse.
Proverbs 16:18 GNT “Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.”
Let’s not forget Mordecai who stepped down from the king’s horse, removed the king’s robe, and returned to work.
1 Peter 5:6 GNT “Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time.”
I’ll close with a bit of wisdom from Beth Moore.
“We might glean several things from Mordecai’s example. If we get overlooked for affirmation or promotion, so be it. Let’s just do our jobs. If we get elevated and celebrated, so be it. Let’s just do our jobs. Let’s pursue a walk with God so close that the spotlights of this world – be they for us or against us – are eclipsed by His enormous shadow cast on our path.”[vii]
Because it just so happens that our value is found in God and God alone.
[i]https://www.bing.com/search?q=providence+definition&toWww=1&redig=A8693EA1C7444A018F773910DA26679F
[ii] Be Committed by Warren W. Wiersbe
[iii] Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore
[iv] What is another word for “reversal of fortune”? (wordhippo.com)
[v] Toxic Person: Signs to Look For (webmd.com)
[vi] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/esther-6/
[vii] Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore
Beacons of Light 
Great lesson Diane!
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