Commentary | 7 Sermon Study Notes

Text: Esther 7

Context of the book / letter / Gospel: The climax of the narrative where Esther reveals the evil plot of ​ and he is executed without hesitation by the king.

Main Idea of The Text: God’s enemies will always be judged for their sins against Him and His people. ​

Exegetical Outline of The Text (Wiersbe, 137-144)

The Mask Comes Off

I. The Queen’s Request -- vv. 1-4. II. The King’s Rage -- vv. 5-8. III. Haman’s Reward -- vv. 9-10.

Verse by verse commentary:

The king and Haman came to feast[a] with Esther the queen. 2 Once again, on the second day ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ while drinking wine, the king asked Esther, “Queen Esther, whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek, even to half the kingdom, will be done.”

3 Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in your eyes, Your Majesty, and if the king is ​ pleased, spare my life; this is my request. And spare my people; this is my desire. 4 For my ​ ​ people and I have been sold to destruction, death, and extermination. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.” -- vv. 1-4.

The reference to “half the kingdom” should not be taken literally (cf. 5;3; Dan. 6:23). It simply meant the king would be generous. By this, he was encouraging her to be up front and ask him what she really wanted. No doubt she had been thinking about this since the banquet the day before, and was sincerely trying to make a request of the king using the right words (Wiersbe, 138).

1 Her request was made not to please herself, but to ultimately, please the king. She chose her words carefully, and emphasized that the fate of her people had been sealed by a financial transaction (Walvoord and Zuck, 710). She even expressed to the king that she wouldn’t care if her people had been sold into slavery, but she could not stand by and watch her people murdered. Scholars assume the king genuinely loved the queen, and did not want her or her people murdered. He truly had been deceived (Wiersbe, 138). Of course then again, so was he! He begins to realize. “Wait a minute! I married a Jew?!?” This could definitely placed Esther in danger, and put her in a place where she would now face a similar fate to that of (Walvoord and Zuck, 710). But that doesn’t seem to bother him. He figured out that the plot to kill the Jews was inevitably a plot to kill the queen. Therefore, he had unknowingly consented to the murder of his own wife (Wiersbe, 138)!

King spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who ​ would devise such a scheme?”[b]6 Esther answered, “The adversary and enemy is this evil ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Haman.”Haman stood terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king arose in anger and went ​ ​ from where they were drinking wine to the palace garden.[c] Haman remained to beg Queen ​ ​ ​ ​ Esther for his life because he realized the king was planning something terrible for him. 8 Just ​ ​ as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall,[d] Haman was falling on the ​ ​ ​ ​ couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually violate the queen while I am in the house?” As soon as the statement left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. -- vv. 5-8.

The king who lashed out in anger at his first wife was now lashing out at whoever would try to kill his second one. And that perpetrator was right there in the room! No doubt, Haman was terrified for his life, and was now seeing his world crashing down around him. The suggestion of his wife and advisors that “fate” was against him was becoming reality. Esther had revealed that he was indeed behind the plot to destroy her and her people (Walvoord and Zuck, 710-11).

In the ancient world, the king was considered divine, and his faults could never be revealed. He had obviously made a mistake, but someone else had to be punished for his crime.

2 Esther wasted no time in revealing that Haman was truly to blame for the plot against the Jews (Wiersbe, 139-40). Obviously, Ahasuerus had forgotten the particulars of the deal he struck with Haman, because he had to be reminded what had been done. As soon as Esther pointed the finger at him, the king flew into a rage. He had to go into the garden to cool off a bit (Wiersbe 140).

The king could have supposed that Haman had other motives than his original intent. He had no idea that Haman hated . He could have supposed that he actually wanted to kill the queen or even the king himself. In any case, Haman had made him a fool and had tricked him into killing his own wife (Wiersbe, 140)!

The only hope Haman had now was the mercy of the queen. He threw himself at her, begging for it! But of course, he had no idea that the man he hated so much was her cousin/legal guardian whom she loved like a father. She was not going to turn her back on the man who loved her and cared for her like a daughter (Wiersbe, 141).

When the king returned from the garden, he found Haman cowered before the queen, and he immediately reacted, accusing Haman of attempting to molest the queen. Wiersbe tells us this alone was a capital offense in Persia, and now, no matter what Haman did, his doom was sealed (Wiersbe, 141), He actually simply fell on the couch where Esther was reclining, begging for his life. It is highly unlikely the two were alone in the palace at that time, with guards and others all around. However, the king in his angry state easily assumed the worst. The timing of his return was indeed a “happenstance” in sovereign plan of God, because it became the final nail in the coffin for Haman’s doom (Walvoord and Zuck, 711).

3 9 Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said: “There is a gallows seventy-five feet[e] tall at ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Haman’s house that he made for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved[f] the king.”The ​ ​ ​ ​ king said, “Hang him on it.”10 They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for ​ ​ Mordecai.Then the king’s anger subsided. -- vv. 9-10.

Scholars believe that perhaps Haman’s arrogance had made him many enemies at court besides obviously, Mordecai. The king’s , Harbona, knew that Haman had constructed the gallows on which to hang Mordecai. Haman had obviously bragged that he was going to have Mordecai hung, and now, he would be hung on the same gallows (Walvoord and Zuck, 711).

The king ordered to have Haman hung on the same gallows. Haman reaped what he had sown. He was rewarded for his evil, but by no means was it a good reward. He was punished for his sins against God’s enemies. Dr. Wiersbe reminds us that anyone who attacks God’s chosen people is punished. Throughout history, we see those who attack the Jews face the judgment of God. He may not be pleased with every action of the nation of Israel, but He always protects His chosen people (Wiersbe, 144).

Theological Application:

Teaching Aim and Objectives

In our text, we see the providence of God as Esther uncovers the plot against her people and Haman faces and receives judgment for his sins against God’s people. As believers, we can learn much from the courage of Esther and the bad example of Haman:

1. We must pray for the right time to approach an important matter and seek God’s wisdom and direction in making life-changing decisions. 2. God will reward the righteous with blessing and the sinner with judgment. 3. The enemies of Israel will always be judged for their sins against God’s chosen people.

4 Walking Points

1. We must pray for the right time to approach an important matter and seek God’s wisdom and direction in making life-changing decisions.

Esther prayed and sought God’s wisdom before she revealed the plan of Haman. Earlier in the book, she spent time fasting as she prepared to see the king. As we seek God’s wisdom for important decisions, it is important to spend time in prayer. As Esther patiently waited for the right time to reveal the truth to her husband, an earthly king, how much more should we, pray and seek the Lord, our Heavenly King? We should not rush into important decisions, but seek the counsel of others and pray, asking the Lord for wisdom (cf. James 1:5).

Think About It: Do you have the tendency to rush into things? Has there been a time when you should ​ have waited before jumping into something? Can you think of a time when you didn’t pray about a matter and it didn’t turn out so well? Can you give an example of a time when prayer and seeking the wisdom of God resulted in something good?

2. God will reward the righteous with blessing and the sinner with judgment.

God gave Haman plenty of warning signs, but he refused to heed them. He imparted wisdom to his wife and advisors, yet his pride blinded him. He was determined to destroy Mordecai and the Jews. He reaped what he sowed (cf. Gal. 6:7). This is true of believers and unbelievers. The is filled of examples where believers were meted suffering in the same way they brought suffering to others. But, when we reap what is good, we will sow what is good, and even a cold cup of water given in the name of the Lord will bring blessing (cf. Gal. 6:8; Matt. 10:42; 25:31-46)

Think About It: How have you “reaped” what you have “sown?” How have you seen the principle of ​ sowing and reaping played out in the lives of others around you? . What were the results for bad? What were the results for good? How would you advise others regarding this principle?

3. The enemies of Israel will always be judged for their sins against God’s chosen people.

Haman is one of many examples in history of a person/group of people who stood against God’s chosen people, and was punished for their sins against them. The Bible clearly tells us that those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed (cf. Gen. 12:3). Throughout history, we have seen judgment fall upon the nation of Egypt, the nation of Babylon and World War II-era Germany. The Bible commands us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Ps. 122:6). God’s plan for Israel is sure. However, they must trust Christ for salvation, and believe that Yeshua is their Promised One. The Gospel is for “the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (cf. Rom. 1:16).

Think About It: As believers in Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to pray for the safety of ​ the nation of Israel and the salvation of the Jewish people. The nation of Israel will be celebrating their

5 70th anniversary as a nation this week. Take the time to pray for the Jewish people that they might know Jesus (Yeshua) as their Messiah.

Resources / Articles / Sources:

John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: . ​ Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, a division of Scripture Press, 1985.

Warren Wiersbe, Be Committed: Ruth and Esther. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, a division of ​ ​ Scripture Press; Reprint, Cook Communcations Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 2005.

6