That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.

Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.

“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”

King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”

At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.

The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.

When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them. (New International Version)

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Jesus (Matthew 20:16)

Knowing that someone is not who they present themselves as can be maddening. They’re selfish and enamored with having authority, yet everyone thinks they are okay.

Haman was a bad man who camouflaged himself as important. As the right hand man to King Xerxes of the vast Persian Empire, Haman valued position, power, and attention above all else. But his arrogance proved to be his downfall.

People who are concerned to be seen as important can never get enough. Haman was not satisfied to be the prime minister in the empire, even though millions of people bowed down to him.

Mordecai, a Jew, Queen Esther’s cousin, refused to bow down. He saw the pride and arrogance within Haman to have what only belongs to God.

Haman could not stomach this one Jew dismissing his power and authority. As a person who wanted only “yes men” around him, Haman was determined to eradicate Mordecai. And even that was not enough for him. So, Haman proposed the destruction of all Jews.

He was supposedly an imperial expert on “the Jewish problem.” So, King Xerxes listened to him when he hatched a devious strategy to rid the empire of all Jews. A decree was made that on a particular day the Jews could be destroyed and plundered.

But the real plan that resets all other plans is the plan of God. And God’s plans are for good, not evil; and for Jewish life, not death.

Pride and arrogance never ends well for the proud and arrogant person. They may have their way for a while, but ultimately such people find that their evil plans come back on themselves.

So, one night when the king was unable to sleep, he had the annals of the kingdom read to him. He heard of Mordecai’s successful effort at saving the king’s life from an assassination plot. The king also learned that Mordecai had never been properly recognized and rewarded.

One of the main differences between the proud and the humble is that arrogant people are obsessed with recognition and rewards; whereas the humble person cares about what is right and just, viewing good deeds as their own reward.

As the king’s trusted right hand man, Haman was consulted as to what ought to be done for someone the king wants to honor. The proud person always believes the honored person is themselves.

So, Haman, believing Xerxes wanted to honor him, suggested an elaborate recognition ritual involving a parade and plenty of accolades.

The king, however, had this in mind for Mordecai. He ordered Haman to be the one who made sure the recognition happened. And that’s not all. Haman would also get retribution for his evil heart.

Behind the scenes of royal power and scuttlebutt, Esther and her people were praying and fasting. Esther had her own plans for good, and not for evil.

Of course, Haman believed that a banquet was being given in his honor by the queen. In reality, not at all.

Esther revealed to the king the true plot and hate against her own people. Enraged, King Xerxes demanded who would dare presume to do such a thing against his beloved queen and her people.

With Haman directly in front of them, Esther pointed out the adversary. And then, the gallows which Haman had made to hang Mordecai were used for his own execution. Thus ended the story of the villain Haman.

There was still, however, the problem of the royal decree to destroy the Jewish people on an appointed day. Haman had been dealt with, but there were still wide-ranging consequences of his actions that remained in effect, and that could only be dealt with at the political level.  

Queen Esther interceded to the king on behalf of her people. Although a decree from the king cannot be revoked, yet another decree could be written in another’s name that would counteract the first. And this is precisely what Mordecai and Esther did, with the king’s full knowledge and blessing to it.

Today’s Old Testament lesson is a great reversal of fortunes if there ever was one. The high position of Haman and his extreme hatred and arrogance are gone. The Jewish people, on the precipice of annihilation, are not only alive, but had the opportunity to pushback on their enemies. Mordecai was not hanged on a gallows, but became in charge of Haman’s entire estate.

This was a restoration beyond what anyone could have thought or imagined. And that is the sort of reversal which God specializes in.

You cannot fool God, so don’t make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life. Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don’t give up. (Galatians 6:7-9, CEV)

God, I am far too often influenced by what others think of me. May I not pretend to be either richer or smarter or nicer than I really am. Please hinder me from trying to attract attention. Don’t let me gloat over praise on one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other. Nor let me waste time weaving imaginary situations in which the most heroic, charming, witty person present is myself. Show me how to be humble of heart, like you. Amen.