Sat.’s Devo - Haman’s Exposure

Read: Esther 4:1-7:10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-26; Psalm 36:1-12; Proverbs 21:21-22 The Jews reacted to the news of their demise with great mourning. Mordecai tore his clothes and put on burlap and ashes and went out into the streets crying with a loud and bitter wail. Esther’s maids and eunuchs told her about Mordecai’s actions and she sent Hathach to find out why he was so upset. Mordecai told him of the edict and asked him to have Esther go to the king and beg for mercy for their people. *** Esther sent back a message saying that it could cost her her life to go before the king uninvited, to which Mordecai answered that she was not safe either. Her position would not be able to save her. If she didn’t stand up for her people God would raise up someone else but it would be too late for them. Maybe she was made queen for this very moment in history. *** Esther asked Mordecai to have all the Jews in their province of Susa to fast for her for three days and then she would go before the king. If she died, then she died. *** On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and stood at the entrance of the inner court of the palace. Xerxes was sitting on his throne and when he saw her, he extended his royal sceptor to her and asked what she wanted. She invited him and Haman to a banquet she had set up. He called for Haman and they went immedeately. After they ate and drank, the king asked Esther what she really wanted and she asked for them to come to another banquet the next day; she would tell him then. *** Haman went home but passed Mordecai on his way. Mordecai gave him no honor and wasn’t afraid of him which made Haman very upset. He went home and bragged about the banquets he was invited to but complained about Mordecai. His wife and friends told him to have a pole set up and have Mordecai impaled on it. This pleased Haman so he had the pole erected in his own backyard. *** That night, the king couldn’t sleep so he asked that the books of the history of his rule be brought and read to him. The part where Mordecai exposed his assassins was read to him. He asked what had been done to thank Mordecai and they said nothing. Haman was just about to enter to ask to impale Mordecai when the king asked him what he should to for someone he wanted to honor. Haman thought was talking about him so he told him what he would like. He would let this person ride on the king’s donkey wearing the king’s robe with a high official crying out that this is what the king does to honor the man he wants to honor. Xerxes thought this was a great idea and told him to hurry and do it to Mordecai. What a change of events! One day the king is ordering his death and the next he is honoring him with great ceremony. The people had to wonder what was going on. *** Haman went home completely humiliated. When he told his wife and friends what had happened, they saw the writing on the wall. They said that since Mordecai was of Jewish birth it would be fatal to continue to oppose him. Haman was then picked up to attend Esther’s second banquet. *** Esther finally told the king her purpose for the banquets. There was an evil person who had sold her people to be killed, slaughtered and annihilated. When the king asked who would do such a thing, she pointed to Haman and said he was the one. The truth brought the king to his senses and he left to get his guard to arrest Haman. Haman fell on the couch Esther was laying on to beg for his life. The king walked in and accused him of now assaulting the queen. He was impaled on the pole he had made for Mordecai. *** This is the boomerang effect that we are now seeing played out in our nation. The plots they have set for our president, Trump are now being boomeranged back on them. It never pays to go against God’s anointed. *** Paul explained how to discern spirits and the purpose of spiritual gifts. There were many false teachers and doctrines but the way they could know if it was the Spirit of God was if it honored Jesus and called him Lord. If it didn’t it was not of God. *** Spiritual gifts were given so they could help each other. The gifts were wisdom, knowledge, faith, miracles, prophesy, discernment, speaking in tongues an interpreting tongues. God gives these gifts how and to whom he wants to. His Body is to work like the different parts of our bodies work. They all do something different but they all serve the body. How could we walk well without eyesight, etc. God distributed his gifts so we would need one another and help one another. Together we are to function as one complete man. *** Lord, thank you for your boomerang. Thank you that you do punish the wicked and reward the righteous. Thank you for the gifts you give to your Body. May we learn to function in our gifts and honor the gifts of others. May we function as a healthy body that gives glory and honor to You.