One of several fascinating chapters in the Word of God is Esther 6. While God’s name is not mentioned once in the Book of Esther, His presence is everywhere, and His sovereignty is seen in the details!
On the eve of Esther’s plan to ask the king to spare her and the Jewish people from genocide, King Xerxes finds he can’t sleep. So what’s a king to do when he can’t sleep? He orders a bedtime story to be read to him out of the history books! Of all the history that could have been read to him, he learns that Mordecai (a Jew) was not honored for having revealed an assassination plot against him some years earlier. While the king is discussing with his advisors how to honor Mordecai, Haman arrives to ask permission to execute Mordecai for not bowing to him. But before Haman can get his words out, the king asks Haman how an unnamed man should be honored by the king. Upon Haman’s suggestion (who thought he was the unnamed man), the king orders Haman to honor Mordecai. This mortified Haman!
As I thought about the Lord God ruling in men’s affairs, we know from the Bible that God does so at a high level. He sets up kings and takes those same kings down as He pleases. Yet, it is also clear that God is in the small details of life, too! The small moments of perfect timing. That unexplainable chain of events. This reminds me of a verse in Proverbs. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9, ESV) While we like to plan the milestones of life, where is God? He is in the steps of life. We serve an everyday God; He is with us every day and every step of the way. Let’s take each step knowing God is there!
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Esther 6-10.