Esther 6

6 During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 It was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 The king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. 5 The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6 So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” 7 Then Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, 8 let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; 9 and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

Again, it becomes clear how God is sovereign over the affairs of men and honors whom He wills to honor and brings low those whom He wishes to destroy.  The Lord moved the king during that very night, perhaps even as Haman was having the gallows built, to have trouble sleeping.  He asked for the book of the chronicles, the records of the kings of Persia.  He read about his own life and saw that Mordecai had been instrumental in saving his life.  He asked his servants if Mordecai had received any honor yet from the king on account of his life-saving act.  They said that he had not, and the king wanted this done immediately.  So he asked if anybody was in the king’s outer court who could be summoned to bring honor upon a man that the king favored.  Haman was in the court because he was waiting for a chance to ask the king for permission to kill Mordecai, the very person the king was intending to honor.  Haman was summoned in.  He assumed that he was the one whom the king was intending to honor, and thus he stated that the one whom the king desired to honor should get the royal treatment, even being paraded through the city square on horseback and robed in royal splendor.  This was to be a horse that the king himself had actually ridden and a robe that he himself had actually worn.  The one the king wanted to honor would even get to wear the royal crown and be led through the city by one of the king’s noble princes.  It was to be declared that that is how the king honors those whom he desires to honor.  Haman wanted to make sure that he would be showered with praise and honor by as many people as possible and be given new honors that he could go home and brag about.  He had no idea that the king wasn’t planning to honor him but his archenemy Mordecai.  Not only would he not get to hang him, but he would have to exalt him.  God has a way of turning the tables and honoring those who honor Him.

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said.” 11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.”

The king told Haman to do all that he just described and do it for Mordecai the Jew, making sure to give him precisely every honor that he had just gone on and on about.  Haman put the robe on Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square proclaiming his honor.  This had to be the ultimate humiliation for him.  He, being so proud, had to be the one leading another through the city like a servant while treating Mordecai like he was royalty. 

12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered. 13 Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.”

Mordecai didn’t let the experience inflate his ego, for there was still an impending annihilation to be concerned about.  He stayed focused and went back to his normal place and activities.  Haman, however, was distraught and ran home with his head covered, mourning and feeling humiliated.  He told his wife and his friends what had happened.  His wise men and his wife said that, if Mordecai was indeed a Jew, then Haman would not be able to overcome him.  In other words, the king had just given an extremely high honor to a Jew, the very people he was plotting to annihilate.  It wouldn’t go over so well when the honored Mordecai was killed by Haman on the planned date of destruction.  Thus, Haman had a major problem on his hands which pitted him against the king and against Mordecai.   He would soon find that he was up against Esther and her God as well. 

14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hastily brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

Before Haman and his associates could hatch a backup plan, the king’s servants came and brought him to the banquet which Esther had prepared for him and for the king.