THE GOD OF GREAT REVERSALS
The situation is not favorable, their enemies seems prospering, they were condemned to die and the time is running out as the clock is ticking to their end. Esther and Mordecai were about to discover the God of great reversals. It can happen to you. It can happen to everyone.
1Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. Esther 9:1
INTRODUCTION: THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
AFTER THE EXILE IN EGYPT, THE JEWISH PEOPLE EXPERIENCE ANOTHER FOUR MAJOR EXILES
1. Under Babylonian Empire 423 BC TO 372 BC
2. Under Medo-Persian Empire: 372 BC TO 348 BC
3. Under Grecian Empire 371 BC TO 140 BC
4. Under Roman Empire : 69 AD
During their captivity in Medo-Persian Empire, the history written in the book of Esther took place. It was the story about the invisible hand of God who is able to reverse the situations in favor of God’s people.
THE JEWISH PEOPLE DURING THE TIME OF ESTHER AND MODECAI ARE FACING FOUR DISCOURAGING REALITIES. FOUR BIG PROBLEMS.
1. Under captivity of the Medo-Persian Empire; discrimination, abuse and suffering are just part of their everyday life
The Persian King during this time is King Xerxes 1, Ahasuerus in Hebrew. Xerxes was born to Darius I and Atossa (daughter of Cyrus the Great), the conqueror of Babylon.
This King Ahasuerus will later choose Esther as the Queen of Persia instead of Queen Vasti after a beauty pageant
2. Haman, the arch-enemy of the Jewish people was just promoted as second in command under the King
1Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire. 2All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect. Esther 3:1-2
3. A law has been decreed for the total destruction and annihilation of the Jewish people
13Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them. Esther 3:13
4. A date has already been determined for the eradication of the whole Jewish people and the Medo-Persian Law cannot be voided.
7So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later. Esther 3:7
THE BOOK OF ESTHER DESCRIBED IN DETAILS THE DIFFERENT REACTIONS DURING THESE FRIGHTENING SITUATION
1.The Reaction of the enemy
15At the king’s command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa fell into confusion. Esther 3:15
2. The reaction of Mordecai
1When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail. 2He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning. Esther 4:1-2
3. The Reaction of the Jews
3And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes. ESTER 4:3
4. The instruction of Mordecai to Esther
8He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people. Esther 4:8
5. The Problem of Esther
11“All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” Esther 4: 11
6. The Challenge of Mordecai
13he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13-14
7. The Courage of Queen Esther
15Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:15-16
STEP BY STEP, THE LORD HAS PROVEN HIS DIVINE FAVOR TO QUEEN ESTHER AS SHE FORGET HER OWN SAFETY FOR THE SAKE OF HIS PEOPLE
1. Her life was spared
2When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. Esther 5:2
2. Her First Request granted
4“If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”
5“Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.” Esther 5:4-5
3. Her Second Request granted
6As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition?
7Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.” Esther 5:6-8
THE BOOK OF ESTHER DESCRIBED VIVIDLY THE CONDITION OF THE WICKED HEART
1. The wicked is celebrating when he should be mourning and repenting
9Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. Esther 5:9
2. The wicked can have it all but still not satisfied
3But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.” Esther 5:3
3. The delight of the wicked is the destruction of the righteous
14His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up. Esther 5:14
DURING THE 24 HOURS DELAY FOR THE REVELATION OF ESTHER’S REQUEST, THE HAND OF GOD IS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO REVERSE THE SITUATION IN FAVOR OF GOD’S PEOPLE
1. God is working while the righteous is sleeping
1That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. Esther 6:1-2
2. Timing is under God’s Control
4The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him. 5His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.” “Bring him in,” the king ordered. Esther 6:4-5
THE FOUR GREAT REVERSALS IN THE BOOK OF EASTER
I – THE REVERSAL OF SITUATION (Esth. 6:6-12 NLT)
6So Haman came in, and the king said, “What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?”
Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” 7So he replied, “If the king wishes to honor someone, 8he should bring out one of the king’s own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden—one with a royal emblem on its head. 9Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king’s robes and led through the city square on the king’s horse. Have the official shout as they go, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’”
10“Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!”
11So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” 12Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.
II – THE REVERSAL OF SENTENCE (Esth. 7:1-10 NIV)
1So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, 2and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
3Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”
5King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
6Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
8Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.
The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
The king said, “Impale him on it!” 10So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided
III – THE REVERSAL OF SUPREMACY (Esth. 8:1-2 NLT)
1On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related. 2The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman—and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property
IV – THE REVERSAL OF SUCCESS (Esth. 9:1-2 ESV)
1Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. 2The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples. 3All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful. 5The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them
God turns the tables against His enemies.
In the story of Esther, we see how Haman’s plans to strike God’s people backfired and ended with his own demise. Likewise, in the cross and resurrection of Jesus, we see how the evil done to Christ was the way in which evil was overcome and defeated
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthian 5:21
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
OTHER VERSES FOR DIVINE REVERSALS
Mark 10:31
"But many who are first will be last, and the last, first."
Luke 1:52
"He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.
Psalm 75:7
But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.
Psalm 147:6
The LORD supports the afflicted; He brings down the wicked to the ground.
