Today

‘Haman is hoisted by his own petard’

Esther 7

‘Esther – a beauty that’s more than skin deep’

• Mordecai persuades Esther to go to the king and reveal her Jewish identity - Est 4:14

Recap of events

• 3 days of prayer & fasting

• ‘You can have want you want up to half the kingdom’ - Esther doesn’t reveal request

• Esther invites King & Haman to 2nd banquet

Recap of events

• Haman boasts of his vast wealth - 75ft high gallows built

• Xerxes can’t sleep – annals read – Mordecai unrewarded – Xerxes wants to honour a man

• Esther meets for 2nd time with Xerxes and Haman - king asks her again what she wants

Synopsis of Esther chapter 7

• Esther replies that the Jews have been threatened with annihilation and the perpetrator is Haman

• Haman is terrified - begs Esther for his life

• The king returns to find Haman pleading with Esther - thinks Esther is about to be molested

Synopsis of Esther chapter 7

• Harbona mentions the 75ft high gallows made for Mordecai - the king instructs his officials to hang Haman from these same gallows

A personal story

If I have found favour 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. For I and my

people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated

Est 7:3-4a

Don’t panic – keep listening for God’s voice

“How do we live in a fog without panic … especially

during the times when we don’t hear His reassuring voice”

Don’t panic – keep listening for God’s voice

O Lord, how long will you forget me?

Forever? How long will you look the

other way?

Psalm 13:1

Don’t panic – keep listening for God’s voice

But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice

because you have rescued me

Psalm 13:5

So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai.

Then the king’s fury subsided

Est 7:10

Don’t limit God – keep trusting in His sovereignty

Why do the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Our God is in heaven;

He does whatever pleases Him

Psalm 115:3

Don’t limit God – keep trusting in His sovereignty

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails

Prov 19:21

Don’t limit God – keep trusting in His sovereignty

When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous

but terror to evildoers

Prov 21:15

Don’t become bitter – keep relying on God’s justice

Do not fret because of those who are evil …

Trust in the Lord and do good …

Take delight in the Lord ...

Commit your way to the Lord …

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him

Refrain from anger

Psalm 37:1-9

Don’t become bitter – keep relying on God’s justice

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the

offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ

2 Cor 5:21 NLT

Don’t panic – keep listening for God’s voice

Don’t limit God – keep trusting in His Sovereignty

Don’t become bitter – keep relying on God’s justice