NGH Bible Study – Esther – Session #8
Esther’s Second Banquet & Haman’s Fall
Esther 7:1-10
If chapter six provided the “pivot point” in the narrative of the book, then chapter 7 is the great reversal resulting from that pivot. Haman’s pride meets its ultimate consequence, the Queen’s true identity is revealed. It is a startlingly clear reminder of the end results of pride and humility – “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6) and “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time”
(1 Peter 5:6)
Outline
1. The Setting: The Second Banquet (Es 7:1,2)
• The culmination of Esther’s patient strategy and God’s providential plan
2. Esther’s Petition to the King – A Plea for Life (Es 7:3,4)
• Esther skillfully lays out her identity as Jew and the threatened annihilation of her and all her people – pleading for their preservation
3. The Exposure of Haman as the Adversary (Es 7:5,6)
• Esther identifies the villain – three descriptors – “adversary”, “enemy”, “wicked Haman”
4. The King’s Wrath (Es 7:7,8,9)
• In fury the King stalks out – and, in another example of perfect timing, walks in to see Haman on Esther’s couch – misinterprets this as an assault – and one of the king’s servants “just happens” to mention the 75‘ gallows Haman had built
5. The Great Reversal – Haman is hanged on his own gallows
(Es 7:10)
• Haman is hanged on the very gallows he had built to exterminate his enemy – a fitting demonstration of the dangers of pride, hatred, bigotry and arrogance.
Discussion Questions
1.The importance of humility and patience – What can we learn from Esther waiting until this second banquet to make her petition – and what it shows us about “the mighty hand of God, that will exalt us in due time”?
2.Sowing and Reaping – does Haman’s fate teach us a valuable lesson in “whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap”? He had an elaborate plan to vent his hatred against Mordecai – and fell right into his own trap. (“digged pit 2X – Ps 7:15; 57:6)
(“own head” 13X – 1 Sa 25:39; 1 Ki 2:32, 37, 44; 2 Ch 6:23;
Ne 4:4; Es 9:25; Ps 7:16; Eze 17:19; 33:4; Joe 3:4, 7; Ob 15)
3.God’s providential plan and his control of timing – continuing the same themes as the previous chapter – what further “coincidences” in this chapter show us that God is in control behind the scenes?
RETRIBUTION:
Examples, Ge 19:28; Ge 42:17; Ge 42:28; Ex 12:36; Nu 31:2; De 19:19; Jos 7:25; Jud 1:7; Jud 8:19; Jud 9:24; Jud 9:56; Jud 15:6; Jud 16:30; 1 S 15:33; 1 S 25:39; 2 S 1:15; 2 S 4:12; 2 S 17:14; 2 S 18:17; 2 S 21:6; 1 K 2:9; 1 K 2:25; 1 K 2:32; 1 K 2:44; 2 K 9:26; 2 K 11:16; 2 K 21:24; 2 Chr 22:7; 2 Chr 25:3; 2 Chr 33:25; Est 7:10; Est 9:25; Jb 4:8; Ps 9:16; Ps 35:8; Ps 109:18; Ps 141:10; Pr 11:17; Pr 11:27; Pr 26:27; Ec 10:8; Je 2:17; Je 13:22; Je 40:3; Eze 31:11; Eze 35:15; Da 6:24; Jonah 1:15; Ac 1:18.