Queen Esther intercedes

The Book of Esther Chapter 5

Three days after she told Mordecai she would go to the king, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace. The king was sitting on his throne facing the entrance and when he saw her standing there, he welcomed her, holding out the gold scepter to her. So she approached and touched its tip.

The king asked what she wanted and that he would give her anything even if it was half his kingdom. She replied with an invitation to him and Haman to come to a banquet she had prepared for the king. The king summoned Haman to come to the banquet. While they were there drinking wine, the king asked Esther what she really wanted. She replied that if the king was pleased with her and wanted to grant her a request, to come with Haman the next day to the banquet she had prepared and she would explain then.

Haman was a happy man when he left the banquet, but then he saw Mordecai at the gate, not standing up or trembling before him, and he was furious. He restrained himself and went home and told his friends and his wife and boasted about his great wealth and bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all other officials. Then he bragged about Queen Esther inviting him to the banquet she was preparing. But he added that all this was meaningless when he saw Mordecai the Jew sitting at the palace gate.

So Haman's wife, Zeresh and his friends suggested setting up a gallows that stood seventy-five feet tall and in the morning he could ask the king to hang Mordecai on it. Then he could proceed to the banquet. So Haman ordered the gallows to be built.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Because of his hatred for Mordecai, Haman couldn't even enjoy the thought of the coming banquet. His friends and family suggested a 75 foot gallows but it was probably built on he city wall or some prominent building so everyone in the city could see the death and be reminded of the consequences of disobeying Haman.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Hebrews 12:15 warns us to "watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison". We must not let hatred and bitterness build in your heart or you may find it backfiring against you. Bitterness must be completely removed or it may grow back and make things worse. If you find yourself with feelings of bitterness, confess your feelings to God and pray that he will take away these terrible thing you feel and replace them with forgiveness.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is healing but her leg was crushed and will take many months of doctoring. She is in a nursing home for rehab care. Pray for her healing. Also Gabe, Wanda, Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother whose cancer has returned and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who made it six years with cancer but may now go home with hospice in her final days.
Pray for my cousin Diane who had total mastectomy surgery for breast cancer.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.