The wicked Haman had gotten angry because Mordecai wouldn't bow to him. When he found out that Mordecai was a Jew, he came up with a wicked plot to get the king to decree that ALL Jews should be destroyed.
The king listened to Haman's half-truth story and consented to his plan. Everywhere in the Persian Empire there was a letter written with the king's seal that stated that Jews would be killed on a certain day, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Mordecai got word to Queen Esther. Together, they were going to take three days and pray for Esther to have wisdom and courage, and for God to give her favor in the sight of the king.
Esther 5:1-2- Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
God allowed the king to be glad to see Esther. Instead of her having to be killed for coming before the king without his calling her, he was happy to see her! He extended his scepter which gave her permission to come before him.
But, now came the hard part. How would she tell him that his right hand man was going about trying to destroy her and her people? She needed to be delicate about this.
Esther 5:3- Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
Wow! The king had promised to give her anything, even if it meant giving her half of his kingdom. That was a lot of trust to put into someone. This was almost a sign to Esther that God was working in her favor.
Esther 5:4-5- And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
Esther wanted to get the king in a good mood before she told him the bad news. But, she also needed Haman there so that he couldn't escape. She invited both the king and Haman to a banquet feast.
Esther 5:6-8- And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.
The king again asked Esther what she wanted. Now, perhaps she got scared. Or maybe, she wanted more time to pray about the matter. All we know is that Esther asked the king and Haman to come back for a second dinner the next night.
Boy, was Haman soaring! He was so happy. Everything seemed to be going his way.
Esther 5:9- Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
But, once Haman saw Mordecai his good mood vanished. He was so angry! He didn't want to wait for this Jew to die.
Esther 5:10-13- Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king. Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.
Haman called his wife and friends and told them all about his day. Then, he told them that all the good things that happened were ruined by one man- Mordecai.
Esther 5:14- Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.
Haman's wife and friends plotted together to get Mordecai hanged. Who knows of what he was going to accuse Mordecai? But, they came up with a plan and set it in motion, building the gallows.
Why, you ask, did Haman hate the Jews so? Well, a long time ago when Saul was king of Israel, God told him to kill all the Amalekites. The Amalekites were wicked people and God had had enough! But, Saul disobeyed. He didn't kill the king of the Amalekites- Agag. He left other 400 alive also that attacked David's home in the land of the Philistines. And, somewhere, there was a descendant of that wicked king Agag that Saul didn't kill.
Haman probably grew up hearing the story of how his people were almost wiped out by the Jews. I'm certain that Haman's hatred of the Jews was a long-standing, deep-seeded hatred. If only Saul had obeyed God, Haman wouldn't be trying to kill off all the Jews now!
But, God has a way of making even the most hopeless situation come out for the best.
Esther 6:1-3- On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
The same night that Haman was conniving, King Ahasuerus couldn't sleep. He decided he needed a bedtime story. He called for his servant to bring in the book that contained past events. The servant read to him about the time some wicked men were planning his assassination. The king listened as the servant told him about Mordecai getting word to the king. But, when the king asked what reward had been given to the man who foiled the murderous plot, he found out that no reward had been given.
Esther 6:4-5- And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
Right at that moment, Haman came into the king's court to ask if he could hang the very man that the king had just read saved his life.
Esther 6:6-9- So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
When the king asked Haman how to reward a deserving person, Haman automatically thought that the king was talking about him. So, he gave an elaborate suggestion full of pomp and public display.
But, to his horror he was not the man the king intended to reward.
Esther 6:10-11- Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
I'm sure this was most bitter indeed for Haman to do. Haman had to parade around the capitol city the man he despised!
When it was over, Mordecai went back to sit in the king's gate, but Haman ran to his home to tell his wife and friends the dreadful news of that days occurances.
Esther 6:12-14- And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered. And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him. And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.
Haman's wife and friends knew that this was not good! It looked as though something bad was on the horizon for Haman. But, there wasn't any time to ponder these signs, for Haman was called to the Palace for his dinner date with certain doom.
