Esther Study: Week 6

Reading: Esther Chapter 6; Genesis 41:37-44

Haman's in for a really bad day. From here on out, start paying attention to role reversals which becomes a repeated theme in the second half of the book.
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Commentaries: (Optional)

v1: We rarely see God's hand in something so mundane as insomnia, yet He works all things to His purpose. Psalm 121:4 is rather ironic given this context.

v2: God is never directly mentioned, yet He is clearly orchestrating events. Xerxes just happens to be reminded of Mordecai's service (5 long years ago) at the exact same time Haman is plotting his death. Coincidence? I think not.

v3-4: God's timing is always perfect. This conversation probably took place the following morning. Haman arrives on cue at the precise moment Xerxes sought advice on how to reward the man Haman wants executed.

v5: This is the protocol Esther disregarded. Haman waited in the outer court (v4) and did not enter the inner court, which Esther entered uninvited (5:1), until he was summoned.

v6: See a man who's full of himself.

v7-9: Came up with that answer kinda quick there, Hammy. Sounds like somebody's daydreamed this fantasy before. This is an extremely audacious request and, some scholars believe, hints at secret ambitions for the royal crown. Genesis 41:42-44 has an interesting parallel.

v10: The king seemed oddly eager to assign his "favoured official" to this demeaning task. Once again, I wonder if one of the intended repercussions of Hammy's invitation to dinner was a wedge of distrust and jealousy between Xerxes and his adviser. Also note the king never made the connection between Mordecai's Jewishness with the decree of destruction that bears his signature.

v11: The ironies of this divine comedy gives us the first of many reversals in the latter half of this book. Haman sought to honour himself but ends up honouring his enemy and dishonoured himself. Curiously, no mention is made of the interaction between him and Mordecai in the longest day of Hammy's life. (ok ok, i'll stop)

v12: I LOVE this image! The man gets paraded around town by his enemy and then goes right back to work afterwards, probably punched back in for lunch too. No bragging, no sneering, no fist pumping. Contrast this with Haman who bragged all night about a dinner invitation. I also note that the slacker did NOT go back to work.

v13: His friends are singing a different tune, in a matter of hours they go from whole-hearted support to heartless negativity. Perhaps they sensed that his humiliation at the king's behest signaled a shift in power and are quick to desert him in his decline.

v14: I wonder what Haman thought as he was summoned. What started out as a point of pride, to be the ONLY person to dine with the king and queen, must now seem a lonely and frightening prospect as his friends desert him.
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Reflection:

* God is purposeful in his timing and actions - even in our sleepless nights. What you do to occupy the small hours of the night, your thoughts, your online conversations - it all serves His purpose. Describe an instance where you realized (perhaps after the fact) that God strategically timed something you read, thought, experienced, or heard. Why do you think we are so rarely aware of God's hand on our lives?

* Can you relate to Haman's presumptuousness in v6? Continuous belief that we are the object of other people's conversations/thoughts/moods (whether positive or negative) is an unhealthy and prideful preoccupation. The world does not revolve around us and assumptions to the contrary often lead to baseless conclusions. Our minds can turn misunderstandings into insults, platonic compliments into flirtation, and a general bad mood into bitterness specifically directed at our persons. Name a negative assumption you've held against someone that was eventually proved false. How did the incorrect assumption affect how you viewed or acted towards the person? Did realizing you were wrong change your attitude towards them? If not (and it often doesn't for me), why do you think this is?

What are some of the details left out between v11-13 that you wish were included?

* What does Mordecai returning to work and Haman hurrying home in v12 each say about their character? How do you typically handle success/praise and failure/rejection?

Ever experience a difficult time during which friends appear to distance themselves from you? If so, why do you suppose it happened? Be fair to those friends! You could've been unpleasant to be around during those periods.

* Haman's friends effectively said "you're screwed..." in v13 when they were the ones who advised Mordecai's execution. Have you ever given bad advice? What do you usually do once you find out that your suggestions has led to unexpected consequences?