Esther: Silent but SovereignSmakprov

At the second banquet (v. 1) Esther was ready to reveal her request to the king. When asked by Xerxes what it was she wanted (v. 2), Esther replied graciously, showing respect for her husband and the important matters he was involved in (vv. 3–4). Xerxes was outraged that someone should plan to harm Esther and was ready to deal with the culprit (v. 5). Although Xerxes hadn’t seen Esther for a month, in two days she had secured his favor again, not with deceitful or manipulative behavior but with grace and dignity. 

Esther had prayed and fasted. She had chosen her moment carefully, prompted by God. She was truthful. She didn’t exaggerate the plight of the Jews. She didn’t withhold the fact that she herself was a Jew and in danger. She was gracious and respectful. She was wise and patient. She was God’s mouthpiece as she spoke up for His people. 

Xerxes knew that Esther was telling the truth because her character was evident to him. Even when Esther revealed that the man who had plotted such a great atrocity was his most trusted friend, Haman (v. 6), Xerxes knew that what Esther said was true. 

There is great humor in the next scene! King Xerxes stormed out of the room in a rage against Haman (v. 7). Haman, horrorstricken at the revelation that Queen Esther was one of the Jews he had planned to destroy, knew that his fate was decided and appealed to the queen to have mercy and intercede for him. In his desperate state, he inadvertently fell on to her just as Xerxes reentered the room (v. 8)! 

Of course, Haman did not intend to molest the queen. But as soon as the exclamation of outrage left Xerxes’ lips, the death sentence was pronounced and Haman’s head was covered (v. 8), symbolizing his demise. When Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, informed him of the twenty-three meters high pole that Haman had made at his house, ready to impale Mordecai on, the suggestion was obvious: ‘Impale him on it!’ (v. 9, my italics). So, in an ironic twist, Haman was impaled on the pole that he had prepared for Mordecai (v. 10)! 

But this isn’t just irony; it’s God’s surprising sovereignty! Although His name is not written in the pages of this book, His sovereign activity is stamped across it and it is God, not Esther, who is the focus of the story. His perfect, remarkable timing leaves us in no doubt that He is the one who is in charge. He is the one who controls all things, even the seemingly insignificant details of history. He is ‘silent but sovereign’.

Reflection

How does this chapter encourage you to believe that God is always working for your good, even when you can’t understand what He is doing?