Then the
king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this? And
the king’s servants who attended him said,
“Nothing
has been done for him.” (v.3)
Here in
chapter 6 we find that king Ahasuerus could not sleep, so he commanded the book
of records be read to him (v.1). As he listened, he heard the record of Mordecai
saving his life (v.2) and wondered, “What honor had been bestowed on Mordecai?”
(v.3)
As only
God’s timing would have it, Haman was in the outer court of the king’s house at
the time. He was on his way to speak to the king about hanging Mordeicai in the
morning from the gallows he had built. But before Haman could bring his request
to hang Mordecai, the king asked him, “What shall be done to the man the king
delights to honor?”
Haman
selfishly thinking the king was referring to him answered and said, “Let a
royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king
has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and
horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he
may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback
through the city square, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the
man whom the king delights to honor!”’
To which
the king replied, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested,
and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing
undone of all that you have spoken.” (v.10)
We can take
comfort from this story in that God will always be working behind the scenes in
our behalf. For He has nothing but good thoughts towards us, not evil, to give
us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11-13), and can take the plans of men and
turn them to suit His own.
The Truth
“The king’s
heart is in the hand of the
Lord, like the rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.” (Proverbs 21:1)
