By James Riley Strange, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of New Testament, Samford University
Stand with Humility
Esther 5:1–14
Review chapters 3 and 4. Today we begin to see the culmination of Haman’s plot to kill Mordecai by convincing the Persian king to issue a decree to execute all Jews in the Empire and Esther’s counter plan to undo Haman.
Take a look at your Bible map of the Persian Empire. The Empire was vast, stretching from the Indus River in the East (modern-day Pakistan) to European Macedonia in the West, as far north as the old southern Soviet republics, and south into Egypt and Libya in North Africa. It included, of course, Judea and Jerusalem. The size of the massacre being planned is immense.
Take the initiative and act with humility. (1–8)
“On the third day” refers to the three-day fast for which Esther has called. In a religious system dominated by males, Esther’s inauguration of a community fast stands out. Her presence “in the inner court of the king’s palace” (v. 1) means she is fulfilling her promise to try to save her people at the risk of her own life.
She has said the king will kill anyone who enters this part of the palace without being called unless he holds out his golden scepter to the perpetrator (4:9–11). We have seen King Ahasuerus’s favor toward Esther but we also have seen him agree, apparently with no moral qualms, to slaughter all Jews. So at verse 1 we do not know what will happen to Esther. Verse 2 resolves the mystery; she will survive. For now.
We still do not know whether she will succeed in convincing the king not to carry through with the decree. If she fails, she will die because she is a Jew.
As clever as Haman is, Esther is cleverer. Often people with little overt power must use subversive power and intelligence when dealing with the dominant elite. Esther plays on the king’s pliability and on Haman’s ego by inviting them to a banquet one night and then to another banquet the next night. Remember, the word for “banquet” really means something like a cocktail party. No food is mentioned, only wine.
Three times the king will promise to give Esther “half of his kingdom.” Like Herod Antipas in Matthew 14, Ahasuerus is a drunk, rash buffoon.
Pride brings no satisfaction. (9–14)
Esther is setting up Haman for his fall by using his pride against him. Pride is the source of his rage at Mordecai, who refuses to bow prostrate before him, and it blinds him to Esther’s true motives.
He is convinced that the beautiful queen has invited him to two nights of drinking with her and the king because of his wealth and position. Pride also keeps him from enjoying the honor Esther supposedly is showing him. The sight of Mordecai, standing in defiance of the law while others prostrate themselves, sours his stomach.
Like Haman, pride can convince us that our status reflects our true importance, that we are entitled to accolades.
When we don’t receive what we think is our due, at best we sulk and at worst we work to harm those who have offended us. Yes, Christians do this too, not just Amalekites. This is why Jesus had to preach humility to His disciples (Matt. 5:3, 5), and why Paul had to do the same to his churches (Gal. 5:6–6:4; Phil. 2:3).
Let us shun the Haman in us and follow the example of Esther. Let us risk much in order to do God’s justice in the world, and if no one recognizes us for it, let justice be its own reward.
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