ESTHER LESSON 6


     We will begin this lesson in Esther 6:1 "On that night could not
the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the
chronicles; and they were read before the king."

     The prayers of those who had been fasting have been heard of God.
This was the only explanation for the king to suddenly want to look at
the book of records, because he could not sleep. The king had the
historical record read to him.

     Esther 6:2 "And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of
Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of
the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus."

     Mordecai had saved the life of the king, when his two
chamberlains, who kept his bedroom door, had plotted to kill him.

     Esther 6:3 "And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been
done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that
ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him."

     The king would certainly want to reward the man, Mordecai, who
had saved his life. He found no record where that had been done and
after asking the reader of the record about it, he said nothing had
been done to reward him.

     Esther 6:4  "And the king said, Who [is] in the court? Now Haman
was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the
king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him."

     God has a sense of humor, as we will see in these next few
verses. The intentions of Haman were to hang Mordecai, not to honor
him. Haman was a friend of the king, and was in the palace at the
time.

     Esther 6:5 "And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman
standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in."

     The king brought Haman in for an entirely different reason than
what Haman supposed.

     Esther 6:6 "So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What
shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now
Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do
honour more than to myself?"

     Haman was so self-centered that he never once thought that the
man the king wanted to honor could be anyone, except himself.

     Esther 6:7 "And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the
king delighteth to honour," Esther 6:8 "Let the royal apparel be
brought which the king [useth] to wear, and the horse that the king
rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:"

     Haman really went to the extreme in the blessings he told the
king to bestow upon this man, because he believed he was the man,
himself. He told the king to dress him as a king and put the king's
crown upon his head, as if he were king. You can see, from this, that
Haman really wanted to be king, himself.

     Esther 6:9 "And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the
hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the
man [withal] whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on
horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him,
Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour."

     Haman was so conceited, that he could see himself as king. For
him to be led around town by a high official of the government, was
the height of pride. He was about to fall to the lowest ebb of
disgrace.  The very man he wanted to hang was to be honored the way he
wanted to be honored himself.

     Esther 6:10 "Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, [and] take
the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to
Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of
all that thou hast spoken."

     Haman hated Mordecai. The king had waited too long already to
honor Mordecai, so he told Haman to hurry. This proud Haman would have
to lead the horse carrying his worst enemy.

     Esther 6:11 "Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and
arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of
the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the
man whom the king delighteth to honour."

     Haman had no choice in this. He had to do it because the king had
commanded him to. This was the most humiliating thing that could
possibly happen to him. He gave no reply to the king for fear of being
demoted.

     Esther 6:12  "And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But
Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered."

     He had no sympathy, when Mordecai had been mourning, now it was
his turn. He hung his head in shame, and went home.

     Esther 6:13 "And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends
every [thing] that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh
his wife unto him, If Mordecai [be] of the seed of the Jews, before
whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but
shalt surely fall before him."

     His wife and his friends could see the hand of God in this. The
wise men, here, are Magicians, or star gazers. They realized that
Haman would not win this battle against the Jews. Mordecai was the
friend of the king.  If he was a Jew, the king would turn this edict
back against Haman. He was doomed. Everyone, who he thought would say
something good to him, have said he would surely fall.

     Esther 6:14 "And while they [were] yet talking with him, came the
king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that
Esther had prepared."

     This was the second banquet that Haman and the king had been
invited to attend by the queen. These chamberlains were working for
Esther, and they came for Haman. Esther, or the king, were not aware
of the embarrassment that had befallen Haman.










































                          Esther 6 Questions


1.  When the king could not sleep, what did he command to be done?
2.  What does the author believe the reason for him not being able to
    sleep was?
3.  What did he find in the records?
4.  Mordecai had saved the life of the ________.
5.  What question did the king ask his servants?
6.  What was the answer to the question?
7.  What makes the author believe that God has a sense of humor?
8.  Who did the king ask about what honor should be paid to Mordecai?
9.  Who did Haman think the king was trying to honor?
10. What was Haman's suggestion for the king to do, to honor the man?
11. What was Haman having the king to do, to this man that would make
    it appear that he was king?
12. Who had to lead Mordecai around town and honor him?
13. After Haman had led Mordecai through town what did he do?
14. Who did Haman tell of his embarrassing situation?
15. What was a Magician?
16. What did Haman's family and friends and the Magicians tell Haman
    would happen to him?
17. Who came to get Haman?
18. Why did they come?
19. ________ or the _________ are not aware of Haman's embarrassment.