Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Esther 7 and Psalm 32

Despite the personal humiliation of being commanded to honour Mordecai in public (ch. 6), Haman still had his personal invitation to dine with the king and queen, and he had the decree for the annihilation of the Jews (Mordecai included) up his sleeve. All was not yet lost.

But imagine the chill that ran through him when Queen Esther pleaded with the king at dinner: “Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life – this is my petition. And spare my people – this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. (v.3-4)” Until that very moment, he had not realised that Queen Esther was one of the Jews – the target of his evil plot. No doubt, his blood ran cold.

But abject terror seized him when Esther answered the king’s question, “Where is he – the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

‘An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!’ she replied.

In Psalm 7:15-16 the psalmist wrote: “Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made. The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.” For Haman this proved true and the king had him put to death on the very same gallows Haman had prepared for Mordecai. Justice had been served on the scheming and murderous Haman.

On the one hand we learn from Esther the vitally important role of seeking God’s wisdom and guidance when formulating our course of action in a very difficult situation. But we also learn, from Haman, that pridefully plotting to bring others down so that we can be exalted is not only wrong, but also potentially destructive to ourselves. Rather than puffing ourselves up and breaking others down, we are called to humble ourselves and to build others up – the complete opposite of Haman’s approach.

LORD, I humble myself before You today and ask that You will strengthen me for the righteous task of humbling myself and building others up in love. Amen.