祸福逆转
以斯帖记六章1至14节
1那夜，王睡不着觉，就吩咐人取历史来，念给他听。
2正遇见书上写着说，王的太监中有两个守门的辟探和提列，想要下手害亚哈随鲁王，末底改将这事告诉王后。
3王说：“末底改行了这事，赐他甚么尊荣爵位没有？”伺候王的臣仆回答说：“没有赐他甚么。”
4王说：“谁在院子里？”（那时哈曼正进王宫的外院，要求王将末底改挂在他所预备的木架上。）
5臣仆说：“哈曼站在院内。”王说：“叫他进来。”
6哈曼就进去。王问他说：“王所喜悦尊荣的人，当如何待他呢？”哈曼心里说：“王所喜悦尊荣的，不是我是谁呢？”
7哈曼就回答说：“王所喜悦尊荣的人，
8当将王常穿的朝服和戴冠的御马，
9都交给王极尊贵的一个大臣，命他将衣服给王所喜悦尊荣的人穿上，使他骑上马，走遍城里的街市，在他面前宣告说：‘王所喜悦尊荣的人，就如此待他。’”
10王对哈曼说：“你速速将这衣服和马，照你所说的，向坐在朝门的犹大人末底改去行。凡你所说的，一样不可缺。”
11于是哈曼将朝服给末底改穿上，使他骑上马走遍城里的街市，在他面前宣告说：“王所喜悦尊荣的人，就如此待他。”
12末底改仍回到朝门；哈曼却忧忧闷闷地蒙着头，急忙回家去了，
13将所遇的一切事，详细说给他的妻细利斯和他的众朋友听。他的智慧人和他的妻细利斯对他说：“你在末底改面前始而败落，他如果是犹大人，你必不能胜他，终必在他面前败落。”
14他们还与哈曼说话的时候，王的太监来催哈曼快去赴以斯帖所预备的筵席。
信息分享
王在查问之下，才发现他还没有赏赐末底改。他立即问哈曼说：「对这样的人应该怎么做？我要如何尊荣他，因为他救了我命？」哈曼绝对想不到王要赏赐的人，竟是他所痛恨的犹大人，末底改。便列举了所有自己想要得的赏赐回答王，才发现王马上要赏赐他的死敌末底改。
对哈曼来说，这是何等大的耻辱！末底改不用再穿麻衣、蒙灰，哈曼却要为他穿上朝服；原先人人要跪拜哈曼，如今他却要叫他们去跪拜另一个人。命运似乎完全逆转了。
哈曼怒气冲冲地回家，心情极其沮丧。早上他和妻子还密谋奏请王命，把末底改挂在木架上，如今却落得几乎自取其辱。他现在知道这个犹大人似乎得着神的护祐，他不能加害于他。
他的妻子和谋士真是一语中的（13节）。那些密谋攻击神百姓的人，往往会发现他们对抗的是神自己。今天也是如此，神一直看顾祂的百姓，祂仅容让他们经历一些祂允许并最终带给他们益处的试炼。约伯和彼得都曾谈及被火试炼的痛苦，但两人都同样指出，当火炼过后，得出的结果比精金更可贵。不论现在或是将来遇见任何试验，都必须紧记这点，自始至终，神都掌管一切，在任何环境祂的恩典足够。
THE TABLES ARE TURNED
Esther 6: 1-14
1 That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
3 Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?”
And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”
4 So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 The king’s servants said to him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.”
And the king said, “Let him come in.”
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!”
12 Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.
13 When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.”
14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
Message
Upon inquiry, the king discovered that Mordecai had never been rewarded. He asked Haman immediately, “What should be done for such a man? How can I honour him for saving my life?” Never for one moment did Haman think the king was referring to that hated Jew, Mordecai. Haman answered by naming all the things he would like to happen to himself, only to discover he would soon be honouring his hated enemy.
What a humiliating experience for Haman. Instead of wearing sackcloth and ashes, Haman had to dress Mordecai in a royal robe. Instead of everyone bowing to Haman, he had to call to everyone to honour this other man. The tables were turned completely.
Haman went home in a towering rage, absolutely frustrated. What had started that morning as a plot to hang Mordecai, had finished with Haman almost disgraced. Now he knew he could never touch this Jew who seemed to be divinely protected.
His wife and his advisers spoke better than they knew (v.13). Those, who have plotted against God’s people, have often found they were fighting against God Himself. It is still the same today. God is watching over His people and will only let them go through those experiences which He has allowed for their ultimate good. Both Job and Peter spoke of being tested by fire, but both of them said that when the test was over, the end product would be more valuable than ever. Remember this when facing any trial now or in the future. God is in control and always will be and His grace can prove sufficient in every situation.