The Queen Is In Charge (Esther 5)

One of the concerns expressed by Ahasuerus at the beginning of the book of Esther was that the refusal of Vashti to do his bidding would result in men losing control of events whether in public or in private. His decision to remove Vashti was linked to a policy to ensure that men remained in control. Can we depend on people in prominent roles being able to maintain what they are arguing for? 

In this chapter, we see two situations in which the powerful are manoeuvred by women. First, Esther arranges events for the king, even although he still is in charge; second, the wife of Haman suggests that he build a gallows for Mordecai, and Haman follows on with her suggestion. While all this going on, we must keep asking, Where is God in all of this?

Esther keeps her personal vow

The author of the book points out that Esther did not do anything until the period of three days, which she had suggested to Mordecai as a suitable length for the Jews to fast, had passed. While we cannot be certain about this, it looks as if the period of three days was connected to a personal vow that she had made. She was specific about the length of time and while she had no power to cause the Jews to pray for that period, she could ensure that she did so. So I would suggest that her commitment was a kind of vow she made to the Lord. This leads us to consider briefly the appropriateness of making personal vows and the necessity of keeping them. 

We can perhaps ask a simple question: ‘would God have answered her prayer if she had not prayed for the stated time? This is not to suggest that answers to prayer are given according to our works; rather, it is to show that answers are not given to those guilty of hypocrisy. If she had not prayed for the agreed period, her involvement would have been hypocritical.

Sometimes it is better to say nothing than to promise something that we cannot keep. Perhaps we have agreed to pray for someone and asked for that person to send prayer items to us. Then we do not pray about them because we have not the time. Yet that person believes we are praying about his or her situation. We have not kept our word in something to do with God.

The words of the wise man in Ecclesiastes are there for our learning: ‘When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.’ Esther had said that she would pray for three days, and the chapter indicates that she had done so.

What would Esther have prayed for during that time? Going by the context, I suspect she prayed for three things. First, she would have prayed that the king would not be annoyed when she appeared before him. Second, she would have prayed that the Lord would give her the wisdom to know what to say. Third, if the king was annoyed, she would have prayed for divine help to bear his decision regarding her.

How long would it have taken her to pray? If all that she did was to repeat those petitions, she could say them within a minute. I doubt if all that she did was repeat them like a mantra for three days. Instead she would have used arguments with God as she asked for him to be with her. She could have used arguments from the history of Israel when the Lord had helped his people. She could have used arguments based on his promises made in his Word.

Esther Acts in Faith

After her period of prayer, Esther knew that she had to approach the king’s presence. So she dressed appropriately in the royal garments he had given here and went to his location. She may have dressed like this many times before. The big difference is that now she is doing everything by faith. We can see that doing something by faith may not change the outward behaviour. No one looking at Esther that day would have observed any unexpected actions. She was coming to the king looking her best. Yet in her heart, she was looking to another king, God himself. 

It all depended now on whether or not Ahasuerus would lift his sceptre as a sign that she could approach him. No doubt, her mouth was dry, but because God was at work in the situation the king lifted his sceptre towards her, a sign that she could approach him.  

Not only did the king allow her to have access, he also gave to her an assurance that whatever she asked for would be given. His words, ‘even to the half of my kingdom,’ indicate this. Her God had made things very easy for her. Still she had to say something. Therefore, she asked the king and Haman to come to a special meal in her palace.

How did she know to ask them for a meal? Here are two possible answers. One is similar to what Jesus promised when he informed his disciples that when they would be brought before authorities the words to speak would be given to them (Matt. 10:19-20). Maybe this is what happened with Esther. 

A second possibility is that she decided to do what her position gave her the opportunity to do, which was to feed such dignitaries. Often people don’t do something for God because they don’t have the power or authority to do what they imagine. It would have been much better to do what they could. Either option would have been an answer to her prayer for wisdom to know what to do in the situation.

The question then arises as to why she asked the king and Haman to come for another meal the day following the first meal. It is not obvious why she delayed telling him of her problem with his unchanging decree about the genocide of the Jews. Maybe she was afraid to do so, but that does not seem likely because she had already said that she was ready to die. Probably she had what is a common response in such situations, which is that we can know that a certain method is right but that now is not the moment to do it. So she asked for them to come to another meal.

The fearlessness of a good man

Mordecai has resumed his normal attire and role in society. Previously he had been clothed in sackcloth because of the threat that awaited the Jews. What can be deduced from this brief description of him?

I think it is fair to say that the time of prayer has given to him a sense of peace about the destiny of his people. If he was a prophet, as can be deduced from the previous chapter, he could have received special assurance from God. Even if he had not, it is still the case that the response to prayer should be peace because the matter has been placed in God’s hand. Although he lived long before Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, Mordecai experienced the blessing that Paul connected to prayer: ‘do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 4:6-7).

Moreover, we can see that Mordecai maintains his principles even although he knows it can be dangerous for him not to bow to Haman. From Mordecai’s point of view, he knows that it is important and essential for him to maintain his life of obedience if he wants to please God. He did not mind if Haman scowled at him, but he did want God to smile on him. A psalmist tells us that peace and obedience go together when he writes in Psalm 119:165: ‘Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.’

The fortunes of a wicked man

Haman felt very happy at the favour he was experiencing as an important guest at the queen’s banquets. What could spoil his day, or who could do so? A sight of Mordecai spoiled it, but it was God who had arranged for Mordecai to be there when Haman passed. Although he did not realise it, God was working against him. But how could it be otherwise since he was working against God? The fact that a person is happy is not evidence that all is going well.

Haman chose to ignore Mordecai, although he was furious at the perceived disrespect he received. Yet the fact that one man refused to acknowledge him gnawed at his mind. As he said to his wife and friends, the actions of Mordecai spoiled everything in life for Haman. Despite all that he possessed, he was not satisfied. One would assume that a small slight did not matter that much. Haman is an example of the person who discovers that getting on well in life does not in itself bring satisfaction.

We can also see from Haman’s conversation with his wife and friends, although it seems to be mainly a monologue by himself, that he was full of pride about himself. The things he had achieved could have one of two responses. One is that he should be thankful that he has received them, the other is that he was proud of having done so much by himself. We are told that pride comes before a fall, and that will be true of Haman. 

Haman also took on board the advice of foolish people when he agreed that it would be a good idea to build a gallows for Mordecai. He is the opposite of the blessed man described in Psalm 1 who ‘walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.’ Those who take foolish advice will discover the sad consequences of doing so. It is salutary to observe a man whom God is working against.  

Lessons

One obvious lesson is that prayer prepares us for difficult duties. Prayer is an expression of the fact that we are creatures, that we are not self-sufficient. Moreover, prayer is evidence that the individual possesses the Spirit of adoption in his heart. Prayer must be offered in faith, which means that we have divine promises about prayer that encourage us to pray. Often, prayer is connected to ourselves becoming in some way the answer to our prayers. Esther has to do what she was praying about in connection to appearing before the king, and this is often the case with ourselves. At such times we can pray, ‘Lord, what will you have me to do?’

It is interesting how many times an incident in the book of Esther can illustrate a gospel theme and we have another example in this chapter. A common question we have is, ‘How can we appear before the King, that is Jesus?’ Esther had that question with regard to appearing before Ahasueras and the answer was that in his presence she had to wear the garments that he had provided for her. In a far higher sense, when we appear before Jesus the only safe way to do so is to wear the garment of righteousness that he has provided for us. His garment is his life of obedience which is reckoned to our account when we believe in him for the first time. When we have this garment on, we know that the sceptre will be raised in a manner that indicates we are always welcome. 

A third lesson from this incident is that God can work in the hearts of the powerful, whether or not they believe in him. In this set of incidents, he is at work in the hearts of Mordecai, Esther, the king and Haman. The Lord was at work in different ways, but each of those ways was effective as far as growth of the kingdom of God was concerned. Yet none of them would have known how God was going to fulfil his plans. The same is the case today. God is at work everywhere, but no one knows what he is doing. And he will not tell us.

Fourthly, when you have been in the presence of the real King, what does it mean to be in the presence of a lesser king? Esther has put herself into the care of the real King and she knows that her fate is safe in his hands, even although she does not know exactly what the earthly king will do.