In our study of Esther chapter five, we look at the struggle between grace and pride. This is the same struggle that has been going on since the beginning when Satan rebelled against God.
** Note ** In this study, we will be using the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) translation which was translated directly from Hebrew into English. You can get your own hardback or paperback copy on Amazon where we will earn a small commission.
Now, if God speaks to you in this study, you can save your own personal notes on this page. Then, every time that you look at this study, your notes will automatically be added to the page. To add a note or to display your previous notes, click on the YOUR NOTES button.
For a deep dive discussion of this chapter, you can listen to The Olive Grove Podcast on Youtube.
On the third day, Ester put on her royal robes and stood in the inner courtyard of the king's palace, opposite the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the king's hall, across from the entrance to the hall.
We saw the preparation of Esther and the Jews of Susa in chapter 4. We see that on the third day Esther goes to the king. We see that she put on her royal robes and this is a picture of each of us clothing ourselves in the blood of Jesus Christ before we go to meet the King.
When the king saw Ester the queen standing in the courtyard, she won his favor; so the king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Ester. Ester approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
What a beautiful picture of grace that we see in this verse. By the law, Esther should have been taken out and killed for approaching the king without being requested. Instead, the king offered her a pardon by holding out his scepter. God does the same thing for each of us and all we have to do is to accept his gift of life. Just as there was nothing that Esther could do to save her life, there is nothing that we can do but accept the gift.
"What is it you want, Queen Ester?" the king asked her. "Whatever your request, up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you."
The king knew that something was bothering Esther and so he asked her about it. He offered her anything she wanted up to half of the kingdom. We have even more riches when we come to Christ as we are heirs with him of everything.
"If it is all right with the king,"answered Ester, "let the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for him."
Esther hesitated in that she did not boldly ask for the king to save her people. This is a picture of what we sometimes do as Christians. God has promised us that he will do for us whatever we ask as long as we ask in faith but we hesitate just like Esther did here.
The king said, "Bring Haman quickly, so that what Ester has asked for can be done." So the king and Haman came to the banquet Ester had prepared.
The king immediately sent for Haman and they attended the banquet that she had prepared. Once again, he knew that she had not told him her problem and so he asked her about it.
At the banquet of wine the king again said to Ester, "Whatever your request, you will be granted it; whatever you want, up to half the kingdom, it will be done." Then Ester answered, "My request, what I want, is this: if I have won the king's favor, if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I want, let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them; and tomorrow I will do as the king has said."
Esther still hesitates even though the king has repeatedly told her that he would give her up to half of the kingdom. Many times we do the same type of thing with God as He has promised us many things and instead of confidently asking him for what we need we hesitate and try to do it on our own.
That day Haman went out happy and in good spirits. But when Haman saw Mordekhai at the King's Gate, that he neither rose nor moved for him, Haman was infuriated with Mordekhai.
Haman left the banquet on top of the world but when he saw Mordecai his anger came out again. In spite of the death sentence hanging over him, Mordecai did not cower in fear or bend to Haman's will but still he trusted in God and his deliverance.
Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, where he summoned and brought his friends and Zeresh his wife. Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and everything connected with how the king had promoted him and given him precedence over the other officials and servants of the king.
Now we see the pride coming out as Haman went home and gathered everyone to hear how great he was. He boasted of his wealth, family, and his job and promotion by the king. We may easily see how he is bragging it up but we have to ask ourselves if we do the same thing at times. If we do, then we must repent and ask God for forgiveness as pride in ourselves is not of faith and does not come from God.
"Indeed," Haman added, "Ester the queen let nobody into the banquet with the king that she had prepared except myself; and tomorrow, too, I am invited by her, together with the king.
Haman not only brags about what he has and his position but he brags about who he knows. The same thing happens today as many will do anything to be associated with someone who is rich or famous as they think it makes them look better. Really, the only time that it matters who you know is whether you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Yet none of this does me any good at all, as long as I keep seeing Mordekhai the Jew remaining seated at the King's Gate."
Haman was not satisfied with all of the things that he boasted about because he was consumed by hate. Contentment is a gift from God while hatred is a curse of the devil. With God you can have peace and contentment but there will be no place for hatred in your life.
At this Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows seventy-five feet high constructed, and in the morning speak to the king about having Mordekhai hanged on it. Then go in, and enjoy yourself with the king at the banquet." Haman liked the idea, so he had a gallows made.
His wife and friends told him to have a huge gallows built and to hang Mordecai from it. They wanted it to be seventy-five feet tall which is much higher than needed so that everyone would be able to see what happens when you mess with Haman. Because of his pride and hatred for the Jews (anti-semitism), he gladly had it built.
Read about what we do with the data we gather and the rules you agree to by using this website in our privacy policy.