Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Esther+005
CHAPTER 5 (ESV)
9 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. 12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.
REFLECTION:
Once bitterness and resentment is planted in our heart, it will gnaw into our life. Haman was full of excitement when he was invited to the feast by Esther, but his mood suddenly changed because of his hatred for Mordecai. Haman’s wife and friends were equally domineering and arrogant as Haman. They suggested making a gallows fifty cubits, which was almost 23 metres high. The gallows was to be placed at the city wall or on some conspicuous building so that all the people in the city would not disobey Haman after witnessing the death of Mordecai. What was ironic was that this tall gallows was later used to hang Haman with all the people looking. The Bible teaches us: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” (Heb. 12:15) Don’t let resentment and bitterness sprout in your heart or else you will reap what you have sown like Haman. Today, reflect if you still have bitterness in your heart. If there is hatred in your heart simply by hearing someone’s name, you should immediately confess your sin of bitterness. It is not enough to underestimate or cover up bitterness, or just change superficial behaviour. If you don’t thoroughly eliminate bitterness, it will cause you to suffer more.
PRAYER:
Quietly come before God. Tell God about the bitterness and resentment in your heart and ask for His enlightenment. If there is pain caused by others, ask God to give you strength to forgive those who hurt you. If you have pride and prejudice, confess and repent to God and ask Him to give you a broad-minded and inclusive heart to live out God’s love diligently.
HYMN:
O Come to the Altar – www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycWDFd0yCHA
