不过，如同以前一样，「只是我一见到犹太人末底改，对我不跪不拜，这一切都与我无益。他完全败坏我的兴致！」他的妻子听完他的抱怨，就向他提出一个激烈的建议：「不如立一个高木架，约20米，求王准许将末底改挂在其上？」木架为何要造那么高，好像没甚么道理，除非她希望所有人都一目了然。似乎他们在自己官邸旁边一个显眼的地方，竖起这个木架。

古语有云：「人计划谋算，神将其处置。」神仍然在掌管一切，祂不会让祂的忠心仆人如此惨死。有时我们会看不见出路，神却早已看见。圣经说神甚至能让「人的愤怒成就神的荣美」。倘若你正面对困境，只管告诉神，相信神成就祂的计划；而不是你去告诉祂应该怎么做。箴言三章5至6节是人自古至今的金石良言。现在就翻到那里，按照经文所说的去行。试试看，神仍掌管一切。

Day 26

ESTHER’S ACTION AND INVITATION

Esther 5:1-14

1 Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house.

2 So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.

3 And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”

4 So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

6 At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”

7 Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and request is this:

8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

9 So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.

10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh.

11 Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king.

12 Moreover Haman said, “Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king.

13 Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.”
And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made.

Message

The scene is easily imagined. The king in his royal robes is seated on his throne, surrounded by his officials in the elaborate palace hall. Queen Esther, also in royal robes, hesitates as she quietly enters the room. She does not know whether death or life awaits her. She remembers what happened to Queen Vashti. She waits. The king sees her and acknowledges her in a kindly way. “Why have you come, Queen Esther? You must have some request? Tell me.”

Esther speaks out, “Would you and Haman be willing to come and have lunch with me today?” Both men readily agree. Then at the banquet table, the king asks Esther again what she really wants. It seems a little strange that Esther simply repeats her invitation, this time for a banquet the next day. Again both men readily agree, especially Haman. He goes home and spends the rest of the day bragging to his family about his wealth, his position in the royal court, and his invitation to a royal banquet with the king and queen.

But then it comes out once more. “All this means nothing to me. So long as that Jew, Mordecai, will not bow down before me, it spoils everything.” His wife listens to his complaint, and then makes a drastic suggestion. “Why not build a set of gallows about 20 meters high, and then ask the king for permission to hang Mordecai on them?” There seems no reason for the extreme height of the gallows; only that she wanted everyone to see it all. It seems it was erected in a prominent position next to Haman’s house. .

There is an old saying, “Man proposes, God disposes.” God was still in control and would not allow His faithful servant to die in this way. Sometimes we cannot see the way out of a situation but God can.

The Bible says that God can make even “the wrath of man to praise Him”. If you are facing a difficult situation just now, tell the Lord about it and then trust Him to bring about His plan, rather than telling Him what to do. Proverbs 3:5-6 was written for us today as well as for men and women in the past. Turn to them now and do exactly what those verses say for you to do. Try it. Your God is still in control.