After three days and nights of fasting, Esther goes before the king without an invitation. He spares her life by extending his scepter to her, and he tells Esther to present her request. Using her God-given wisdom, Esther simply invites both the king and Haman to her feast that night. There, she promises that she will present her request when they come to her second feast the following evening. Haman’s joy at the honor of being invited by the Queen in this manner is dashed when he sees Mordecai refuse to bow down yet again. His family and advisors encourage him to prepare for Mordecai to be executed the very next day.
Rev. David Boisclair, pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Overland, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Esther 5:1-14.
“For Such a Time As This” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Esther. Although God is never explicitly named in the book of Esther, He remains the One who directs all the events of the book. Happenings that seem coincidence, chance, or luck are truly God at work. He puts Mordecai and Esther in the right places and moments to work through them to deliver His people.
Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.
Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.
Esther 5:1-14
Esther Prepares a Banquet
5 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. 3 And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” 4 And Esther said, “If it please the king,[a] let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” 5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. 6 And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”[b] 7 Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: 8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king[c] to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”
Haman Plans to Hang Mordecai
9 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. 12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows[d] fifty cubits[e] high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.
Footnotes
- Esther 5:4 Hebrew If it is good to the king
- Esther 5:6 Or done
- Esther 5:8 Hebrew if it is good to the king
- Esther 5:14 Or wooden beam; twice in this verse (see note on 2:23)
- Esther 5:14 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org
