Slices
Prepare
Think of an occasion when events turned out completely differently from how you expected. Was it better, or worse? How did you respond?
Bible passage
Mordecai honoured
6 That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
3 ‘What honour and recognition has Mordecai received for this?’ the king asked.
‘Nothing has been done for him,’ his attendants answered.
4 The king said, ‘Who is in the court?’ Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
5 His attendants answered, ‘Haman is standing in the court.’
‘Bring him in,’ the king ordered.
6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, ‘What should be done for the man the king delights to honour?’
Now Haman thought to himself, ‘Who is there that the king would rather honour than me?’ 7 So he answered the king, ‘For the man the king delights to honour, 8 let them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honour, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honour!”’
10 ‘Go at once,’ the king commanded Haman. ‘Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.’
11 So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honour!’
12 Afterwards Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, 13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisors and his wife Zeresh said to him, ‘Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him – you will surely come to ruin!’ 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.
Explore
The tables are properly turned in this episode, and the way events are related is almost deliciously farcical. It’s full of complete chagrin for Haman – he has failed in his ambition and been dreadfully humiliated, not least in his own eyes. The personal adulation he expects, as he details what the king should do for someone he wishes to honour, is awarded not to him – but to his enemy. He thinks up the greatest accolade he can, thinking it’s for himself, and he has to deliver it – for his enemy
(v 10).
For Mordecai, the episode in chapter 2 where he uncovered the assassination plot (2:21–23), described almost as an aside, now pays dividends. Then, he did the right thing – presumably without any expectation of reward. Now, his past service gains him great honour (v 11); and I wonder what the city made of it, given the king’s edict to destroy the Jews and the apparent knowledge that Mordecai, at least, is a Jew. What Haman’s friends make of it is clear; a positive outcome is not what they expect (v 13)!
Respond
We believe that God works for the good of all who love him and are seeking to follow his call on their lives (Romans 8:28). Pray that as you trust God with your life, you will see his hand directing all your circumstances.
Deeper Bible study
‘Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.’1
Again, God is not mentioned, but I think many believers would suspect that the circumstances described here were what is sometimes called ‘God-incidences’! The king couldn’t sleep – maybe the rich food at the party was to be blamed for that! The book brought to him happened to contain the section describing Mordecai saving the king’s life.2 He discovers that Mordecai had not been rewarded for this. Haman happened to be in the court – there to gain approval for his unusual method of executing Mordecai. The king asks him what the best way is to ‘honour’ someone (v 6). Haman’s pride makes him think this person must be him, and his vision is of being paraded round the city dressed as royalty and ‘honoured’ by all. Then the axe falls! It is not Haman – it is, of all people, Mordecai that the king wants to honour. What was worse, Haman was instructed to be the one doing the honouring of the man he hated! He goes home in despair. His friends and family are this time no comfort at all! Verse 13 shows an ongoing understanding (perhaps stemming from the Daniel stories) that Jews were especially protected; that was why Haman would ‘come to ruin’! It might have been helpful if they had brought this warning up a little earlier!
One wonders what Haman was feeling as he got himself together to attend Queen Esther’s second banquet! He had no idea of Esther’s Jewish origin and was probably thinking that this was at least a last time of honour before he was inevitably demoted. But that was not to be. Questions this chapter raises for us might be about actions and consequences, about the meaning of ‘honour’ or how good friends should really act!
Ask God to help you to be the kind of friend who will not just support without question, but challenge when challenge is needed and support when support is needed.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Jeremiah 23,24; John 9
Pray for Scripture Union
Tonight, the south west team take the 95 Tour to Swanage. Pray that many will come and find fresh vision and new confidence and discover more about how they can partner with us to reach ‘the 95’.
