June 30, 2024

King Artaxerxes was restless the night before Esther's banquet and had the book of records brought to him to be read. When his servant read about Mordecai warning him of the eunuch's plan to kill him, he asked if the reward was given to him for saving the king. Nothing had been done. It was still early in the morning, so he had them go to see who was in the court. Haman was there because he was coming to petition the king to allow him to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had built. The king had Haman come into his chambers and ask him what would be the best way to honor someone. Haman, thinking it was him that the king wanted to honor, told him that he should dress him in his royal garments, put him on a horse, and have someone walk him through the streets proclaiming his esteem. The king agreed and had Haman do that for Mordecai. It must have been humiliating for Haman, who had let it be known even to the point of building gallows for him. Mordecai thought he was mocking him and said, "O thou wretch, the vilest of all mankind, dost thou thus laugh at our calamities?" However, he realized that it had come from the king and accepted the honor. It was humbling for both men. Haman's wife and friends told him that he would not prevail against him. They knew his downfall was coming. 

When God wants to honor someone, no evil plan will claim victory. Because Mordecai bucked the system and put God before Haman by not bowing to him, who was just a man, God showed Mordecai his appreciation, even though it came through a request from King Artaxerxes. Stand firm in your convictions, put God first, and He will show you his love through others. We can see from this story that God works His plan with precision; you can be sure that He is also working out the details of His plan for you. Don't you love it? God is so good.

Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. Esther 6:10