After the banquet Xerxes was unable to sleep.  We could speculate that perhaps he was wondering what his bride would request of him because obviously this was not going to be a small thing.  However, Scripture does not tell us why he could not sleep, but it does give us the result of that insomnia.  Xerxes has the chronicles of his reign brought in to be read.  Perhaps he was hoping he would find it easier to sleep after listening a while or perhaps he thought he might as well get some work done.  Either way it was read that Mordecai had saved his life.

Notice that Xerxes is the one who asks if Mordecai had been honored for saving his life.  When the answer of “no” comes back to him he genuinely  desires to honor Mordecai.  He also wants to make sure he does just the right thing to honor him.  He wants some input and ideas from others.  So he asks if there is someone in the court and, of course, Haman had just entered to ask if he could hang Mordecai.  However, unbeknown to Haman he will indeed be discussing Mordecai, but in terms of honoring him not executing him.

Xerxes wants an honest opinion to his question of how to honor someone that the king delights to honor; so he does not give Haman the name of the man.  Haman being an egotist thinks that naturally the king is meaning him and so gives the king a very elaborate plan for honoring someone.

Xerxes knew he could count on Haman for this and likes his idea.  Here’s the kicker to Haman’s gut, the man the king delights to honor was not him, but his enemy Mordecai.  Not only did Haman come up with the idea of how to honor Mordecai, but he would be the one to carry it out and parade Mordecai through the streets.

I love the sense of humor of our God.  Remember, that Haman is the antagonist in our story.  Haman had intended to make an example of Mordecai with an execution.  Instead, he would make an example of him as someone honored by the king.  God is very capable of turning the enemy’s plans upside down  and making His people shine as the stars instead of being extinguished by the enemy.

The enemy here is humiliated by having to parade Mordecai on the king’s horse while wearing the king’s robe.  But that was not all.  Haman himself would robe Mordecai.  In other words, he would serve Mordecai.  What a humiliation.

As we study this we must understand the theological truth within this passage.  For the hearer it seems like all is lost.  Haman is about to get his way and kill Mordecai.  It is at that moment that the king steps in to honor him.  Our King wants to see His people robed for His glory.  He wants us to shine and be the light of the world, because the light we reflect is His.

Let’s break this down.  We are to put on our new selves or the Lord Jesus Christ.  Just as Mordecai was clothed in the king’s robe so when we put on our new selves we are putting on Yeshua our King.  We are made into His image in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4 & Colossians 3).  We are then lead  by God Himself “in triumphal procession in Christ” (II Corinthians 2:14).

Mordecai is led through the streets in the name of the king.  Granted, Haman leading Mordecai is not the same as God leading us, but then again even though we see truths in this account it is not a perfect parallel.  I believe for Haman this was part of God making him His footstool (Psalm 110).  For Haman set a trap that he himself was falling into and he would fall hard (Psalm 57:6 & Proverbs 28:10).  The one who set out to destroy the Jews, God’s people, was indeed to be made the servant of God’s people, a sign of cursing.

This was a sure sign that God was working and about to deliver His people. But notice that Mordecai does not proudly declare victory yet among his people.  Instead he returns to the city gate where he had gone to fast, pray and mourn.  He did not stop appealing to God, but persevered in his appeal.  Allow me to give an example.  Let’s say you are in a strange town with your family and having car trouble.  Your husband must go into a potentially dangerous situation to get the car to the place that can help, so you begin to pray.  Once you hear from him and know that God is answering your prayer for his safety do you stop praying or continue until you see him walk in the door?  You continue to pray for God’s protection until he walks in the door.  That is what Mordecai is doing.  He does see God working, but still continues to pray and watch.

Meanwhile, Haman and those connected to him definitely see the writing on the wall.  They know the reputation of the God of the Jews and know His hand is against Haman.  Here we see the enemy experiencing the fear of the Jews and knowing he is in real trouble and will come to ruin.  When something happens in the book of Esther through God’s people, the Jews, it is clear that it is God doing the work.  Again, God’s people are a reflection of the One True God.  Their actions, the actions of God’s people, are not seen as their own, but as those of their King. 

And the king’s eunuchs come and quickly take Haman into the presence of the king.

May We Truly Reflect His Glory,

Vicky

Related articles

• Enter Hamen (estherslegacy.com)

• Mordecai’s Declaration (estherslegacy.com)