Just When It Looks Like Evil Is Winning

In Esther 7, we read an account of Haman’s downfall.

Haman’s pride backfired, and his evil intentions led to his own humiliation. Ultimately Haman, the one who had been scheming to kill others, became the one begging for his own life. The very gallows he built to kill Esther’s beloved relative and guardian, Mordecai, became the place his own death took place (see Esther 7:10).

No human could have possibly arranged for all this to happen… but God could. Esther certainly did her part, as did others. But they didn’t do the wrong things to try and bring about the right things. Doing things God’s way and in God’s timing is the right way and the right timing.

Furthermore, in the life of Jesus, his enemies all believed they had created a foolproof plan to get rid of the Messiah and to overthrow His reign.

But the men who came against Jesus weren’t the only villains in the story. The ultimate villain was Satan. Yet, the irony is that the very plan of the enemy led to the redemptive story of Jesus’ resurrection. Evil forces set Jesus on the journey to the cross, but with every step Jesus takes, evil is closer to defeat.

In a similar reversal, the agenda and strategy of Haman brought about his own demise. In both Esther and Jesus’ story:

●There was an evil plan and an enemy.

●Innocent people were going to be destroyed if someone didn’t save them.

●A hero looked nothing like what the people expected.

●The heroes remained humble and honored God in their approach to handling the dire situation.

●The heroes were uniquely positioned by God to fulfill the plan of God.

●The heroes set aside what was best for them for a greater purpose.

In the case of Haman’s death, it was the guilty dying in place of the innocent. In the case of Jesus, the innocent died in the place of the guilty.

Friend, darkness and sin have been overcome. Jesus loves you. Jesus sees you. The battle you’re facing isn’t hopeless. We may not be able to see victory right now, but because of Jesus, evil is in the process of being ultimately defeated. The world as we know it is not our forever home. For now, our assignment is to keep following God and keep trusting Him.

I know that’s not easy, especially when so much of what we are facing feels incredibly unfair. But even in the silence, the unknown, and the places where it looks like evil is winning, God is working. We may experience evil in this world, but please remember that even still, God reigns over evil.

RESPOND: Where are you desperate to see God make things right? How does knowing God is working, whether it’s visible or invisible, help you trust Him as you walk through these difficult circumstances?