The Tide Turns

The Tide Turns

We left Haman being rather smug when he hears the question of King Ahasuerus, in verse 6. Haman quickly thought of how he would like to be honored before the people, as he was sure that the king was speaking of him. It did not take him long to respond.

6 So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?”

Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” 7 And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8 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. 9 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!’”

10 Then the king said to Haman, “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.”

11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”

(Esther 6:6-11, New King James Version)

The Tide Turns

We left Haman being rather smug when he hears the question of King Ahasuerus, in verse 6. Haman quickly thought of how he would like to be honored before the people, as he was sure that the king was speaking of him. It did not take him long to respond.

And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, 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!’”

Ah yes, that certainly sounds like an answer that Haman would give, does it not? He could just visualize himself being paraded before the people on the king's horse, and in a royal robe, and a man crying out,‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!"

Suddenly the tide turns! The bottom fell out of his world at the king's next words. Then the king said to Haman, “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.”

To make matters worse, Haman was the one who had to run along side of the horse proclaiming, "Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!"

Things were at the point that it certainly did not look good for Mordecai, and yet how quickly the tide turns! Suddenly the very man that Haman wanted to hang on the gallows, was the very man that King Ahasuerus wanted to honor. How would the king respond now if Haman asked permission to hang Mordecai on the gallows? But things were going to go from bad to worse for Haman, as we shall see in the next few devotions.

Does your life seem hopeless? Do you feel like the troubles that surround you will never end, and that God does not hear your cries for help? I am sure that Mordecai felt the same way.

Our ways are not God's ways, and our timing is not the Lord's timing! Yes, God hears His children cry out to Him. You can be certain that God's response, in His time alone, will be the best response to cause you to grow to be more like Him, and to advance God's kingdom upon this earth.

What an amazing God we have! Watch as the tide turns in your life as well.