Summary of Esther 5
The king accepted Esther’s appearance and held out the gold scepter. He asks Esther what she wants, even up to half the kingdom. Esther invites Haman and the king to a banquet, where the king still asks what she wants. She invites him to another banquet the following night.
Haman was happy but still upset at Mordecai who showed no fear when Haman was in his presence. He was angry. His wife tells him to ask the king to impale Mordecai on a pole the next day.
BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 4: Esther 5
9a) The queen approached the king, who accepted her. She gave him a banquet before asking him what she wanted. She also invited Haman whom she intended to expose.
b) She knew the culture and knew that feasting was important before making a request. She showed restraint rather than blurt out what she wanted. Esther showed wisdom by using private banquets to isolate Haman. She demonstrated great restraint by not rushing her plea, even when offered half the kingdom. This patient delay, following her fast, allowed time for God’s providence to work, perfectly setting the stage for Haman’s downfall.
10) Haman is still making decisions based on his hurt pride. Not a good idea at all. Haman’s foolishness is his fragile, all-consuming pride. Despite his wealth and exclusive invitation, he is sent into a rage by Mordecai’s disrespect. This one offense robs him of all joy, leading him to boast arrogantly and then impulsively build a 75-foot gallows, blinded by his own obsession.
11) The Holy Spirit is our guide when we are faced with challenges by human sin (pride, anger, etc). We can always pray when we need God and His ways and not ours. To discern God’s guidance, test your thoughts against Scripture; His leading never contradicts it. God’s ways align with His character (love, holiness), while our thoughts often stem from fear or selfishness. Finally, seek confirmation from a wise, spiritual community, as God rarely leads in total isolation.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 4: Esther 5
How often do we allow one offense to ruin our day or cause us to make poor decisions? Pride is so harmful in so many ways.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 4: Esther 5
Esther wanted to win the king’s confidence before asking.
Haman is a great example of the lives of those without Christ. He is never happy. He is honored by the king and queen of his country, but he lets one man disrupt his happiness. How many of us do this in ways, too?
Haman was empty, and so was his heart. Only God can fill our hearts.
This kind of hatred for one man is what leads to murders and other sins; it’s also what led to Jesus’s death. It should never be underestimated.
END NOTES SUMMARIZED
Esther 5 details the beginning of Esther’s courageous plan and the peak of Haman’s arrogance.
Interpretation
After her fast, Esther approaches King Ahasuerus, who extends the golden scepter, sparing her life and offering her anything she wants.
Instead of making her plea for her people, she strategically invites the king and Haman to a banquet. At that feast, she delays her true request again, inviting them both to a second banquet the next day.
A euphoric Haman leaves the banquet, overjoyed at this exclusive honor. However, his joy instantly turns to blind rage when he sees Mordecai at the king’s gate, who still refuses to bow. He goes home and, on the advice of his wife and friends, builds a 75-foot-tall gallows, eagerly planning to ask the king to hang Mordecai on it the very next morning.
Conclusion
This chapter masterfully builds suspense. It contrasts Esther’s calculated, patient strategy with Haman’s explosive, pride-driven rage. The building of the gallows is a crucial act of dramatic irony, as Haman, at the height of his power, unknowingly prepares the instrument of his own execution, setting the stage for the story’s dramatic reversal.
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