5

On the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace across from his house. The king sat facing the house entrance and saw Queen Esther standing there. She found favour and he held out his golden sceptre (v1-5). This was the invitation to her, and she went and touched the sceptre. He realised that she had a problem and asked her what it was, and he promised to give what she requested up to half the kingdom. This seemed to be a common statement offering up to half the kingdom. Herod did the same when Herodias’ daughter danced before him (Mark 6), and she pleased him. He offered to give her up to half the kingdom. Sadly, she asked for the head of John the Baptist, who had displeased her mother by pointing out her sin.

Esther was cautious in her request and invited him together with Haman to her banquet that day. The king was pleased and sent messengers to Haman and they both attended Esther’s banquet.

At the banquet the king repeated his answer to her request (v6-8). Maybe he realised that that was not the sum of her petition just to attend her banquet. I assume that Haman was very pleased to be invited to a banquet with just the king and queen. He probably thought that this was further promotion. I could imagine him saying something like, “Only me and the king, invited, what an honour!” (I know that might be poor grammar, but I am sure that he put himself first, even before the king.)

Queen Esther had shown great courage going before the king, and the invitation to a banquet, may have been a secondary request. However, she either cannot pluck up enough courage to make her real request, or she is being crafty in setting the scene for this proud man Haman. She delays and invites them to another banquet the following day and said that she would make her petition then.

Haman was overjoyed to be invited again (v9-13) and on his way out he saw Mordecai and was filled with indignation against him. Mordecai showed no fear before him, and Haman had to restrain himself from reacting. He shows his true nature when he arrived home and told his friends and his wife, how great he was, riches, children and now, his promotion and even more, he, and no-one else being invited, not once, but twice to a banquet with the king and queen. But and there is a ‘but’, ‘that measly man Mordecai is still sat in the king’s gate.’

Worldly accolades never satisfy fully. They may for a time, but much always wants more. His evil scheme to get rid of the Jews was still to be fulfilled, and then he would be happy, or would he?

His wife, Zeresh, tried to calm him down, and she and his friends suggested that he build gallows 75 feet high, and suggest to the king tomorrow that Mordecai be hanged on it, and then ‘you will be happy’! (v14)

Haman was pleased with that idea, what a spectacle that would be – that measly man Mordecai impaled on those gallows (probably a pointed stake) 75 feet in the air for everyone to see and the man dying an excruciating death. What a great man that would make Haman. His pride was stoked, and he could go to the banquet a happy man, but his hatred knew no bounds. The gallows were made overnight and set up.

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About this site

I am not a qualified theologian; I am an ordinary guy who just loves reading and studying the Bible. I recognise the importance of preaching and teaching what the Bible says because it is God’s inspired message to our world. In my lifetime of around seven decades, I have listened to the some of the finest Bible teachers and preachers and learned a lot from them. I have used the New King James Version of the Bible. Please pray that God will help you to understand it. Make your own notes if that helps you. This is not meant to be a commentary or a paraphrase. I simply want to share a few thoughts which I hope will be a help to you. Make sure that you have a bible open alongside. You may not agree with my comments. If you don’t, please read the Bible and study it for yourself and ask The LORD to guide you into all truth.

One thing has come home to me that the more I read the Bible is how it all fits together. There may be up to forty different writers/speakers but there is only ONE AUTHOR, God Himself.

A bit about me –

I was born into a Christian home but my father had a mining accident and died three months before I was born. I was brought up by a godly mother and grandparents with a largely wider Christian family around us.

I have been a member of only two churches in my lifetime, both of which faithfully teach the Bible, the Word of God. I was raised at Cave Browne Evangelical Church, Ashton-in-Makerfield near Wigan (Now Hope Church, Ashton). I realised at a young age that I was a sinner and received Jesus Christ as my Saviour at the age of eight.

I was a member there until 1970 by which time I had married Dorothy, my wonderful wife, and we had two sons. We moved to Warrington, Lancashire (now Cheshire since 1974) and quickly became members of Bethesda Evangelical Church, Stockton Heath, where we remain. (See below for our Statement of Faith)

I held leadership positions in both churches and was an elder for twenty-eight years at my present church, as well as musical director, organist, pianist at each church for over fifty years in total.

Over the last sixty years I have served the Lord in one way or another. I started work at the age of sixteen and was employed in the Magistrates’ Courts for the next forty-three years, taking early retirement in 2005. After meeting a former alcoholic who had become a Christian, and whose life had been changed by The Lord Jesus Christ beyond recognition, we wrote a book, published in 2007, which we entitled Alcohol Thriller or Killer. Having gathered sponsorship we supplied copies to every prison in the UK and some elsewhere.

As a result, we were invited to tell our story at around twenty prisons throughout the UK. We completed this ministry in 2010 after which I became involved with Christian Prison Resourcing going to prisons leading Bible Studies, which I continue to do. Our passion is to see prisoners’ lives transformed, their relationships restored and their communities rebuilt as they understand the good news of Jesus Christ. I have seen many prisoners find a personal faith in Jesus Christ and witnessed the change this brings in their lives.

During all this I have had the ever-present support of my wife, Dorothy. Our sons are both married, and we have six grandchildren.

JOHN HAYES

Bethesda’s Statement of Faith

We Believe:

 In the Divine inspiration, authority and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures. 

 That God exists eternally in three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit to whom equal honour is due.

 That Jesus Christ, unique Son of God, became man, being begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 

 That He died for our sins, was buried and rose again for our justification. 

 That He ascended to the right hand of God and is now the all-sufficient High Priest of His people.

 That He will return personally to receive His people and judge the world in righteousness.

 That humanity has fallen and needs the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration and sanctification.

 That fellowship with God may be restored by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 That at death a person’s soul does not cease to exist or become unconscious.

 That the dead will be raised either to life or condemnation and that the blessedness of the forgiven and the    punishment of the unforgiven will be alike eternal.  

Our practices:

We baptise believers by immersion on their personal confession of faith, and we commemorate the Lord’s death in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Communion) every Sunday.  

Our Goal – Is to honour and worship the Lord Jesus Christ by: 

  • Proclaiming God’s good news of forgiveness and new life through the Lord Jesus.
  • Promoting faithful Christian living.
  • Preserving pure Christian truth through the teaching of the Bible.
  • Providing for God’s people.

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