Esther 6:1-14.  In past posts I have mentioned that Jewish authors love structure in their writings.  There poetry is more about structure than things like rhyming.  One form that shows up in Hebrew writing is called a chiasmus.  The name comes from the Greek letter “chi” which looks like our letter “x”.  It is the first letter of the word “christos” from which we get the word “Christ”.  The form is called a chiasmus because it has matching pieces of information that are arranged like a reflection.  If the different ideas or points are represented by capital letters (Nooooo!  Not algebra) the form would look like this: A-B-C-D-E-D’-C’-B’-A’.  The A and the A’ ideas relate to each other As do the B and B’  and so on.  In our example here there is an idea represented by “E” that is unbalanced.  In that case it is usually the central idea.  Some times the parallel idea are the same and sometimes they are opposites.

Some scholars see a chiastic structure in Esther that looks like this:

A-Introduction (Esther 1)

B-The kings first decree (Esther 2-3)

C-The trouble between Haman & Mordecai (Esther 4-5)

D-The king’s sleepless night (Esther 6:1)

C’-Mordecai wins and Haman loses (Esther 6-7)

B’-The kings second decree (Esther 8-9)

A’-Conclusion (Esther 10)

Today’s reading includes the central point (D-Esther 6:1) which is the turning point of the story.

The very night between Esther’s request and the party Xerxes couldn’t sleep.  He must have really wanted sleep because he asks for his servants to bring in the history books and read them to him.  If history won’t put you to sleep nothing will.  Fortunately he did not fall asleep and the servants came to the part of the story about Mordecai saving his bacon.  The king stops the readers and asks them what was ever done for Mordecai to whch they reply, “Nothing”.  It must have been morning by now because Xerxes heres someone near his private chambers.  It’s Haman!  Xerxes has Haman come in and he asks him how he can honor someone in the kingdom.  Haman, of course, assumes it him that the king wants to honor.  Haman tells Xerxes that he should put one of his royal robes on the person (It is interesting that Esther wore a royal robe to see the king the day before, they must have been pretty impressive).  Then the person should be put on one of the kings personal horses and paraded through the streets of the capital with people crying out, “This is what happens to the person the king swants to honor.”

Xerxes must have liked Haman’s idea because he immediately ordered Haman to do just that, for Mordecai, and he got to be the one leading him through the streets.  Arghhhhhhhh! (I’m pretty sure that’s what Haman thought)  Afterwards Mordecai went back to work, waiting to be a servant at the gate of the palace and Haman ran home to whine to his family and friends.  When they heard about what had happened his wife told him he better hope that Mordecai isn’t a Jew or you’ve had it.  At just that moment the kings servants arrived to take Haman to the banquet.  Uh Oh!

Although the story doesn’t talk about God directly an Israelite leader would certainly see the perfect timing of the events as God’s control.  Even though the individuals were not directly acknowledging God he was still there and in control.  The king was fickle (unstable), Haman was self-absorbed, and those advising both of them seemed to say what they wanted to hear.  Until it was obvious that Haman was on his way out, then his wife and advisors started to back away from him.  Throughout the story so far Mordecai was faithful as was Esther.  Neither of them seems completely connected to God.  Mordecai seems more connected but Esther has been obedient.  The whole thing has been pretty complicated, like most of real life.  Esther 6:1 though really gives us the big picture though, God is in control, even of our sleep.  God chose the Jewish people to be his people.  They would give birth to the forever king and the suffering servant (See Isaiah 53).  They had to survive, so God kicked Xerxes out of bed at just the right time for that to happen.

We need to realize God has a purpose for each of our lives.  According to Peter, God is not willing for any to perish, he wants everyone to return to him (2 Peter 3:9).  Some will perish but that is not God’s best plan.  God’s plan involves his will and his rules.  One of his rules is allowing us to make choices.  We can be on his team or not.  Just like Esther we have a purpose, but if we do not respond to God, his plan will still happen but we will lose out (Esther 5:13-14). So God’s plan will come to pass but you have a choice as to whether or not you will be on the winning side.  Listen to God, even if his voice is faint in your world.  Be a Mordecai or Ester not a Haman.

God help me listen carefully for your voice.  Help me not be like Haman who listened to those who told him what he wanted to hear.  Help me not be like Xerxes, influenced by others.  Give me wisdom.  Give me courage.  Give me strength.  Help me live each day for you.

Esther 5:1-14.  Well this is it, after 33 days without being called in by the king Esther is going to approach him on her own.  If he doesn’t like it she will be executed.  And in case you have forgotten, the last queen was banished for not coming and dancing for the king at a party.

Esther put on her best clothes and went to the throne room.  When the king saw here he accepted her approach and had her come in.  You might think, “Whew! How fortunate.”  But remember God is behind all of this, even though he is not mentioned he is hinted at.  The “for such a time as this” comment and the prayer and fasting, show that Mordecai and Esther at least have some concept of some god.  The cool thing is that even if they were not fully in tune with Yahweh, He was fully in tune with their existence.

As Esther enters the king asks here what she wants and before she has a chance to answer he offers her up to half of the kingdom.  Clearly Xerxes was an impulsive guy, who was easily influenced.  But as we have seen he had very little disregard for the lives of others.  So Esther takes half the kingdom and runs. Not!  She immediately tells Xerxes that she is a Jew and asks for the lives of her people.  Not!  She asks Xerxes if he and Haman will come to a party in their honor the next day.  What?  No, please, please, please, save my people?

And what’s up with inviting Haman too?  And look at Haman’s response.  He gets all proud and puffed up, he has an order in place to destroy the Jew, the long time enemy of his people.  He has been given extreme power in the kingdom, and now even the queen has recognized him.  He  goes home and is all bragging to his family but there is this one dark spot in his life, Mordecai.  Mordecai still sits at the gate and refuses to honor him.  Certainly Mordecai should be begging and pleading for himself and his people, doesn’t he know how powerful Haman is?  So his friends and family have a plan.  Get rid of Mordecai now.  Build a 75 foot high tower and have the king execute Mordecai on it, then he can have fun at the banquet.  He liked that advise.

I think that Mordecai had more that a small interest in God because his actions really show a trust in God.  Maybe 150 years in a foreign land had taken it’s toll on the Jewish people. There is an old saying, “those who forget history are destined to repeat it.”  I think we all have short memories.  And without a physical presence it is easy to forget God.  But Mordecai and Esther seem to have some memory.  God on the other hand remembers everything perfectly, or more correctly he knows (everything; past, present and future, all the time, all at the same time).  Our story today has been a rollercoaster ride.  The threat to Ester’s life, then she was accepted into the throne room.  She is offered half the kingdom, but then only asks the king and Haman to a banquet.  Then we see powerful Haman plotting the immediate death of Mordecai.  But by now in the story we must realize, God is there.  It will be interesting to see how the story works out.  For us we must remember that life will have ups and downs but God is always there.  Job certainly had an up and down life (check out Job 1-2).  But God was working behind the scenes for the best possible outcome.  We should be confident that God will do that in Esther and in our lives too.  Remember, though, life will have troubles.  In the Old Testament many of God’s servants suffered (check out Hebrews 11) and check out Jesus words in John 15:20 to his followers.  So as life takes you on a rollercoaster ride remember God loves you.  Trust him and step out in faith.  Do what he wants you to do, knowing your eternity is in his hands.

God help me remember.  Remember that you loved me enough to save me from my sins.  Loved me enough to give me your Spirit as a guide.  Help me remember that you have my best interest at heart.  You will take my life where it needs to be for the best possible outcome for me and others for now and eternity.  Help me remember.  Thank you for loving me.