I have a few enemies right now. They huff and puff, wanting to devour me. Some of these enemies are flesh and blood and want nothing but to see me fall. They are false witnesses who rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations (Psalm 27:12). What they don't know are the words Jesus spoke:
" ' The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right
hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'
Luke 20:43
Finding out that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman decided to kill ALL of the Jews, not just Mordecai. So, after going to King Xerxes and telling him he was better of without them, Haman's plan was in motion.
Mordecai learns of Haman's evil plan and goes to his (secretly) Jewish cousin, Esther, who happened to also be the Queen. Queen Esther decides to fast for three days and then three nights. After the fast, she would approach the King. That was something that was against the law. She was putting her life on the line.
On the third day, when the fast was over, Queen Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace. King Xerxes was very pleased with his queen and allowed her to speak. She requested that the king and Haman attend a banquet she had prepared. The king was glad to grant her request. At that banquet, she requested they attend a second banquet. Again, the king was glad to grant her request.
After hearing that Queen Esther had invited him to a banquet, Haman was feeling pretty good about himself (our enemies love to boast). He saw Mordecai at the king's gate and once again, Mordecai refused to rise or show fear in his presence. When Haman returned home, he gather his friends and his wife and boasted about his wealth and his family and all of the ways the king had show him favor and elevated him above everyone else. But, he wasn't satisfied with that. He was determined to kill Mordecai. So, his wife and friends told him to have a pole set up and ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on it. This made Haman so happy, and he had the pole put into place.
This is where it gets good.
That night, the king had trouble sleeping; so he ordered the book of chronicles to be brought in and read to him. He found recorded there that Mordecai had been the one to expose two of the king's guards, who had conspired to kill King Xerxes. The king was surprised that Mordecai hadn't been recognized for this and called Haman in. Haman had entered and was wanting to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had just set up, when the king asked this question: "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"
Boastful, prideful Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?" He answered as if King Xerxes was talking about honoring him. He wanted the royal robe the king had worn and a horse the king had ridden on. He wanted to be robed in the king's robes and ride on the king's horse all through the city streets with people before him proclaiming, "This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!"
And this is where Haman's plan backfires.
"Go at once," the king commanded Haman. "Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended." So Haman did as he was told and then ran home with his head covered in grief.
And it gets better...
The king and Haman went to Esther's banquet. She told of the plot against her people to have them sold to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated and she just could not keep quiet. The king was disgusted and Haman was terrified. King Xerxes asked who would do such a thing. Esther said, "An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!" A eunuch told of the pole standing beside Haman's house and the king ordered Haman to be impaled on it.
The enemy's plan backfired. The enemy's plan ALWAYS backfires.
The evil plan Haman had put into motion was ended. Esther was given his estate and the Jews were able to assemble and protect themselves against any armed men who may attack them and to plunder the property of their enemies. Mordecai became more and more powerful. He was promoted to second in rank to King Xerxes, foremost among the Jews, and held in high esteem by many of his fellow Jews.
Talk about making your enemies a footstool for your feet. The trap the enemy set backfired. He plotted to destroy, but was destroyed himself. Mordecai and Esther were obedient and there was great victory. Nothing God does can be revoked!
Though they plot evil against you and devise
wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
Psalm 21:11
**This week, I have been dwelling on this story in Esther. As I have fasted and approached the King, I have won some battles. There are still so many more to go, but I am confident that my enemies are nothing to me. They may plot and plan, but God has the final say.
Wow! This really fired me up! What a great example Esther was! She fasted and prayed then she was obedient, I love this!
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