Esther 7:1-10.  Yesterday we saw the tide turn in the story.  Wishy-washy Xerxes had a very bad night.  It turned in to a good day for Mordecai but was a nightmare for Haman.  After a humiliating morning Haman found no comfort at home where his wife told him that if Mordecai was a Jew he was screwed.  Just then he was summoned to the second banquet with Esther (Remember that she had a first banquet where Xerxes offered her up to half the kingdom.  Her request was a second banquet with him and Haman).  At the second banquet, again Xerxes offers Esther up to half the kingdom.  Her request must have surprised him.  She wanted the life of her and her people spared.  Her people had been sold into destruction. Esther, showing great respect for a loser king, explains that she would not bother him if she and her people had only been made slaves but extermination was too much and she had to bother him. “WHAT!  Who would do such a thing?” Xerxes asks.  Maybe he should think back a few days as to who he gave the authority to, the dude was clueless or a weasel. Then Esther points the finger at Haman.

Xerxes, drunk and angry, storms off into the garden and Haman stays with Esther to beg for his life.  Unfortunately for him he was a little too emotional and grabbed Esther as he begged.  In another stroke of amazing timing Xerxes walks back in to see Haman all over the queen.  In another stupid impulsive act Xerxes assumes that Haman is being romantic with the queen (really, what a dope) at which point the servant came in and carried Haman out.  Then one of the servants told the king about the gallows that Haman had built to have Mordecai executed on.  Instead Xerxes had Haman executed on it.  And the king was no longer angry.

This is an amazing story both for the stupidity of men and the power of God to fix things.  Many of the characters were controlled by greed, selfishness, hatred, and envy.  On the other hand both Mordecai and Esther show a lot of control and a lot of trust in God.  After being honored Mordecai returned to his job and Esther only asked for the life of her people because of the death sentence given them.  It had been less than a week since the first edict to destroy the Jews and now Haman himself has been destroyed, by the very king who honored him and gave him the authority to write the decree.  Men are unstable and untrustworthy.  Jeremiah warned the Israelites not to trust in mankind.  He told them the person who trusts in Yahweh is the one who will have a good outcome in their lives (Jeremiah 17:5-9).  On the other hand Esther was careful in how she dealt with the problem.  She showed respect for the king.  She was careful to set the stage for her request.  She played the game because the others were game players but put her real trust in God.  In Matthew 10:16-42 Jesus is talking to his followers encouraging them to live for God in their lives.  To help others understand the reality of heaven and Hell and eternity.  In verse 16 he tells his followers that they are going out into an evil world and they need to be a “shrewd as a serpent and as gentle as a dove.”  That sounds a lot like the actions of Esther.  If you have time you might want to read that part of Matthew.  It’s quite a check on reality for anyone who wants to live for God.

God give me wisdom.  Help me live wisely.  Let my actions bring healing to the world.  Let my hope be in you and from you.  Let me keep eternity in focus.  Life is short anyway let me not waste it on my own desires.  Let my life be a pleasing life of service.