"You'll Get Yours"

You’ll Get Yours

Read Esther 6:10-14 (NLT): “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!” 11  So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!”  12  Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated. 13  When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.” 14  While they were still talking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.

I think you will agree that the sixth chapter of Esther is a very exciting text. In fact, the twists and turns within this biblical account would make a best-selling novel or movie script. However, they are not fiction; this is an actual account of the lives of real people. The outcome is certainly not what Haman expected. I can imagine his mouth watering in anticipation of what he perceived as the next great honor to be bestowed upon him. He came into the king’s palace on top of the world, but he would leave feeling very uncertain about his future.

As I teach this message, I want you to know that God holds absolute control over the lives of men. He is sovereign in every aspect of our lives. His divine plans will always be carried out according to His sovereign will. While Haman hoped to obtain the king’s approval to hang Mordecai, God determined to honor him in advance of bringing deliverance to the Jews.

The text reveals much that we could consider. It deals with the sinfulness of men and their desire for wealth, position, and power. It also reveals the hand of God in the lives of His people, bringing abundant blessing when utter destruction seems inevitable. There is also a beautiful picture of Christ our Lord in this passage. I hope to touch on each of these as we move through the text.

The Context

The king appoints a man named Haman to what appears to be a position of second in command. Haman is an Agagite. And when everyone else bows and honors Haman, Mordecai stands and refuses to honor him. Now just a brief background note is in order here. The family trees of Mordecai and Haman take us back to the days of Saul, king of Israel. Saul was a Benjamite and a son of Kish. Esther 2:5 traces Mordecai to Kish also. Saul had killed the Amalekites, sparing only the king, Agag who was put to death by Samuel. Haman is called an Agagite, possibly a descendant from this Amalekite king. This may be why Mordecai refuses to bow to him. This also may answer why, when Haman becomes angry towards Mordecai for not bowing down to him that he plots to destroy all the Jews, just as they had destroyed his people. Anyway, Mordecai’s refusal to honor Haman makes Haman so angry that he plots to kill not just Mordecai, but all the Jews. Haman may be thinking that he has risen to this position of power for just such a time as this! Haman then goes to the king and gets approval to kill all the Jews in the Persian empire on that day, promising to pay the king for the troops. The king agrees and Haman writes the death warrant for all the Jews.

Read Esther 6:10 – “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!”

Ahasuerus gives the order to honor Mordecai. Consider:

The Attendant – Then the king said to Haman…As we consider this great honor that is to be bestowed on Mordecai, think of the hatred and animosity Haman had for him. He had come that morning to seek the king’s approval to hang Mordecai on the gallows. While Haman thought the king sought to grant him more honor, he devised this elaborate plan to further elevate his status among the people. Now imagine how he felt as the king ordered him to honor Mordecai instead. Rather than the gallows, Mordecai would be honored by the king among the people. Sinful men can lay out their best-made plans, but they will never trump the will of God. Sin may bring pleasure, but it is only for a season. Eventually, one will be forced to face their sin and deal with the consequences it brings!

The Appropriation (10a) – “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace.

Ahasuerus instructed Haman to carry out his plan for the man the king sought to honor. He agreed with what Haman had proposed. Mordecai was to be dressed in the king’s apparel, placed on the king’s horse, and paraded through the city in order to honor him. This would be an event that would certainly gather the attention of the residents of the city. The king held nothing back in honoring Mordecai for his good deed. While we are not promised favor of the world, nor should we desire it, we are assured of God’s provision in our lives. If you are in Christ, you have access to all that heaven affords. We may find ourselves lacking materially at times, but there is no need for a believer to live below their means spiritually.

Read Philippians 4:19 – But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

The Assurance (10b) – Leave out nothing you have suggested! Ahasuerus commanded Haman to carry out this honor just as he had proposed it. He was to let nothing fail in regard to honoring Mordecai. The king wanted Mordecai to receive great honor for his faithfulness.

The promises of God for the believer are many, and we can rest assured knowing none of them will fail. Every believer is secure in Christ and promised eternal life in Him. Of all the promises we have received, none are greater than what our Lord spoke of in John 10.

Read John 10:28-29 (NLT) –   I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,  29  for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. [a]  No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

Next, we discover the details of this great honor and how Mordecai was presented to the residents of the city. Consider:

The Adornment (11a) – So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai. Although unhappy in his assignment, Haman knew he had no choice. He arrayed Mordecai in the king’s apparel and placed him upon the royal mount. The last time we had any record of Mordecai’s raiment, he was dressed in sackcloth, but now he is arrayed in royal garments. I am thankful for the day that I was able to trade the rags of sin and death for the garments of righteousness in Christ. I am no longer clothed in sin and condemnation but robed in garments made clean by the blood of the Lamb! I also am reminded of the last time we have an account of Christ riding on an animal. He rode in to Bethlehem on a donkey, robed in the garments of a servant, preparing to give His life as the atoning sacrifice for sin. He died on the cross, but He rose again triumphant. He ascended back to the Father, but He will come again in power and great glory!

Read Revelation 19:11-16 – Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.  12  His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself.  13  He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.  14  The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.  15  From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.  16  On his robe at his thigh [a]  was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. (NLT)

The Attention (11a) – So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square. Haman led Mordecai through the city, arrayed in the king’s garments, riding the king’s horse. Everyone present that day saw the honor bestowed on Mordecai. The first time our Lord came He was despised and rejected of His own. He was viewed as a blasphemer worthy of death. As men looked upon Him they mocked and sneered. His second coming will be much different!

Read Revelation 1:7 (NLT) – Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!

The Announcement (11b) – “Shouting, this is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” Although Haman desired this honor for himself, he was ordered to declare unto the residents: this is what is done for the man whom the king delights to honor. He had to declare Mordecai as a man of honor among his peers. I rejoice that I have bowed in submission to Christ, proclaiming Him Lord and Savior in this life. While multitudes have refused, and many continue to refuse, all will bow and proclaim Christ Lord of all.

Read Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT) – Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11  and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The concluding verses reveal the great perplexity Haman felt following the honor bestowed on Mordecai. Notice:

The Irony (12) – Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated. Haman had intended to secure a death sentence for Mordecai that morning, but instead, he was ordered to attend to his great honor from the king. Following this show of honor, Mordecai returned to the king’s gate and Haman fled home humiliated. One thought unworthy was honored, and the one who felt his desires were going according to plan went home ashamed.

The Prophecy (13) – When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.” How quickly situations can change. Just the evening before Haman had called his wife and friends to brag of his status within the kingdom, feeling very confident in his future. God in His sovereignty used the friends and wife of Haman to prophesy the events that would unfold. None of them could have known how it would all come to be, or how quickly Haman would die, but they spoke truth nonetheless. Many today live as if they will never give an account to anyone for their lives. They feel as if they are the master of their destiny. However, the Scriptures reveal that we all have an appointment with death and we will stand before God when this life is through.

The Demise (Esther 7:9-10 NLT) – Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.” “Then impale Haman on it!” the king ordered.  10  So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.

Illustration

Read Genesis 50:20 (NKJV) – But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.