The Christian Girl Chat

Esther 5 (NLT)

¹ On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance. ² When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter. ³ Then the king asked her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!” ⁴ And Esther replied, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king.” ⁵ The king turned to his attendants and said, “Tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet, as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet. ⁶ And while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Now tell me what you really want. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!” ⁷ Esther replied, “This is my request and deepest wish. ⁸ If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about.” ⁹ Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious. ¹⁰ However, he restrained himself and went on home. Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, ¹¹ and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials. ¹² Then Haman added, “And that’s not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!” ¹³ Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.” ¹⁴ So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.” This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up.

Haman’s Lesson for Us

The story of Esther is one of courage, divine timing, and purpose. Verses like Esther 4:14 resonate deeply with us, reminding us that we were born “for such a time as this,” encouraging us to seize the purpose that God has designed for us. But today, let’s take a different approach and shift the focus to someone often portrayed as the villain in this story: Haman.

Haman, elevated to the position of second-in-command beneath King Xerxes (also known as King Ahasuerus) during the Persian Empire, was a man of immense wealth and power. Yet, despite his high-ranking position, Haman’s character is marred by pride, selfishness, and a dangerous thirst for control. Rather than using his influence for good, he allowed his insecurities, bitterness, and pride to guide his decisions.

Before Esther became queen, she was raised by her cousin Mordecai, who also served in the king’s court. When Haman was promoted to his powerful position, Mordecai, following Jewish law (as prescribed in Exodus), refused to bow to him. This act of defiance enraged Haman, who then manipulated the king into issuing a decree for the annihilation of all Jews in the Persian Empire (Esther 3). Haman’s plan was driven by pride and a sense of entitlement, but it was also deeply personal. His obsession with Mordecai would ultimately reveal the depths of his character and who truly was on the throne of his heart.

As we move into Esther 5, we begin to see where Haman’s true heart lies. Despite his wealth and power, Haman’s obsession with one person—Mordecai—blinds him to the greater authority in his life, the king himself. King Xerxes had made Haman second in command and could have been Haman’s greatest source of contentment. After all, having the approval of the most powerful man in the world at that time should have been enough for anyone. Yet, Haman’s pride could not rest until he had the approval of someone who, in the grand scheme of things, held no power over him at all—Mordecai.

In Esther 5:13 (NLT), Haman says, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.”

This verse makes it clear that Haman was consumed by something far smaller than the respect he had earned from the king. He was not satisfied with the honor bestowed upon him by King Xerxes. Instead, Haman’s focus had shifted entirely to Mordecai, a man who had no real authority over him. Despite his lavish position and an invitation to a banquet with the king and queen, Haman’s heart was still filled with resentment because one man refused to bow. Haman had allowed Mordecai’s refusal to hold great weight in his decisions, giving this single individual power over his emotions and actions. Ultimately, Haman had put a metaphorical crown on Mordecai’s head and so much more importance had been placed on the approval of someone with no authority over him than on the favor of the king.

Haman’s obsession illustrates a dangerous mindset that we must guard against: the desire to gain the approval of those who have no real power over us. For Haman, the king’s approval wasn’t enough. He craved validation and control over those who did not recognize his authority. Fueled by pride and a need for dominance, this mindset ultimately led to Haman’s tragic downfall, as we see in Esther 7.

The Question We Must Ask Ourselves

This raises a critical question: how often do we, like Haman, give power to people who have no true authority over us? Who truly owns your heart—people, or the King who holds ultimate authority over your life? When we allow others—especially those with no real power over us—to dictate our emotions, thoughts, or actions, we lose sight of the One who gave us authority in the first place. The Bible teaches us that our life, power, and authority come from Jesus Christ, the true King. When we place our focus on anything or anyone other than Him, we risk walking down a destructive path.

I confess, it’s not always easy to remember this, and I’m not perfect at it myself. But I urge you to keep your eyes fixed on the One who truly has authority over your life—King Jesus—and not on the people of this world who hold no real power over you.

How to Stay Focused on Jesus in a Distracting World

In a world full of distractions, how can we remain focused on Jesus and the authority He holds in our lives? Here are a few practices to help:

1.  Pray – Make a habit of talking to God daily, allowing Him to guide and comfort you.
2. Read the Word – Immerse yourself in the Scriptures to understand God’s will for your life.
3. Worship – Turn your heart toward God in adoration and reverence.
4. Be Consistent – Make these practices a regular part of your routine, cultivating a deeper relationship with God.

When we earnestly seek God, we become less swayed by the world’s distractions. The more we focus on Jesus—the One who has all power and authority—the less we’ll be influenced by external pressures, and we will find our identity, our worth, and our purpose in Him.

The Call to Live with True Allegiance

So, let’s ask ourselves: Are we living like Haman, giving power to those who don’t have real authority over us? Or are we living like Esther and Mordecai, remembering that our ultimate allegiance belongs to the One who has given us true authority and purpose?

Choose today to keep your focus on Jesus, the King who has the final say in your life. Don’t give the world a crown it never deserved—keep the crown on Jesus’ head where it rightfully belongs. In doing so, we will walk in the confidence that comes from knowing our identity is rooted in the One who truly matters, and our purpose is secure in Him.