Esther 6:12 (ESV)

[12] Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.

What a contrast between Mordecai and Haman! Chapter 5 ends with Haman making plans for the death of Mordecai. He has already put plans in place for the destruction of the Jews, but he can’t wait for Mordecai. Haman’s ego has blinded him. Mordecai, on the other hand, has remained at the king’s gate to keep an eye on Esther, and he has been fasting on behalf of his people. Every word and every action of Haman has been about the ego of Haman. Every word and every action of Mordecai has been on behalf of others. He even spared the king’s life by revealing a plot he had overheard. Two men are contrasted in this book. One is all about self. The other is all about others. We have come to the turning point of the story.

It just so happened that the king couldn’t sleep that night. Haman is making plans for Mordecai’s demise. The King can’t sleep. Only Mordecai appears to have a good night. Because of the king’s insomnia he has someone read to him. In the reading he is reminded of how Mordecai saved his life. He decides to honor Mordecai. Haman just so happens to have come to speak with the king at that moment. There is no such thing as “it just so happened” in the economy of God. Though the name of God is never mentioned in Esther, the hand of God is clearly seen even in the “it just so happened” moments of the story.

Just as the reader of Esther is beginning to wonder where the story is going, there is a twist. Chapter 5 is a bit like a TV series season finale. We are left hanging, wondering… Will Esther actually ask the king to spare her people? How will the king respond if she does ask? What will Haman say? If God does deliver the Jews, will Mordecai survive long enough to see the deliverance? Then comes chapter 6 and the tables turn. Haman is humiliated. Mordecai is exalted. The stage is set for Esther’s request to the king.

This is where the story begins to turn. The man who has been sitting in sackcloth is clothed with the king’s robes. The man who sought no attention for himself has been paraded through the streets in honor, riding the king’s horse. The man who was enamored with his own greatness has been humiliated and mortified by having to exalt the very one he wanted to execute. The tables have turned.

It is significant that after Mordecai’s exaltation he went right back to the king’s gate. He could have gone to tell his buddies all about it. He could have sent a message to Esther bragging about his glory. He didn’t let it go to his head. He returned to what he had been doing. Haman, on the other hand, was mortified by what transpired. Mordecai had eyes on the bigger story. Haman had eyes on himself. He had yet to learn that life is not about him. In the midst of events of either pain or glory we tend to act as though that moment is everything. The pain causes us to believe that pain is all life will ever hold for us. The glory causes us to believe that nothing can ever go wrong again. In both cases we have our eyes on our circumstances when we should be looking to God behind the scenes. We don’t know how long the pain or the glory will last. We do know that God is working his purpose in our life, and we can to look to him in faith. It reminds me again of Hebrews 12:2a “Looking to (or keeping our eyes fixed on) Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.” Where are your eyes fixed today?