Esther 5-8There is a holy boldness about Esther that is amazing. Her style is to be vary submissive and careful, but what she says and does is wise and direct. I love the language of Hebrew story, especially it’s repeated phrases. Three times, the king offers Esther up to half his kingdom. It’s interesting to trace where power is in the story. Haman thinks he has it and revels in it, setting up the demise of Mordecai. The love chapter says that “love does not vaunteth itself up” (King James Version), what we would translate as “love does not get puffed up.” Haman is a self-vaunting leader, to the point of his own self-deception. In chapter 6, Haman does this comical soliloquy of how the king should treat the one he delights to honor (thinking it was himself, when it was really Mordecai). The king does for Mordecai exactly what Haman had designed for himself (and the king is totally unaware of the irony he has done). The reversal is complete as Mordecai is given Haman’s designed honor, and Haman hanged on the gallows that were to be Mordecai’s demise. Mordecai even wears the kings signet ring which had been returned to him when Haman was hanged. And most important of all, Mordecai signs the edict which reverses the extermination directive that Haman had set up.
While there is not a lot here about spiritual gifts, it has everything to do with God’s call and how He works with those who are faithful and open to Him. Will we choose to exercise our gifts from a point of self-exaltation (Haman) or choose to wait on God’s time when we lifts us up (Mordecai and Esther).
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