Divine Delays | Esther 5:1-14 | 8-5-26 | Wednesday

**Pastor Andrew Montoro** (0:00)
But all right, Esther 5 tonight, we're continuing in our series, The Providence Of The Unseen God. And up to this point, we have not seen God really move yet. But in tonight's text, and as we get into the coming weeks, we're going to begin to see the unseen hand of God at work in incredible ways. And so chapter number 5, verse number 1, you remember, let's actually, for context, let's go back to verse number 15 of chapter 4 So just go back a couple of verses, verse number 15 of chapter 4 The Bible says, Then Esther bade them return to Mordecai this answer, Go gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days night or day. I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law, and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. Now it came to pass on the third day. So that's why we read that. This is right in connection with that. That Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king's house over against the king's house. And the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house over against the gate of the house. Now we don't know exactly where this house was and where this gate was and this was, but we'll explain this as we get into the preaching. Basically it has this idea. Xerxes or Artic Xerxes is there on his throne in the inner room on the royal throne. He's looking out through the gate and Esther comes in the farthest gate, farthest away and begins making her approach into the king's room. That's kind of how it pictures in my mind. It's kind of hard to exactly, but Esther is not running into the door right behind the throne and stomping into the palace room. She's coming in from the furthest. She's coming in in a very humble way. The king is on his royal throne there, so he's in session, so to speak.
And it was so when the king, verse number two, and it was so when the king saw Esther, the queen, standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, Queen Esther? And what is thy request? I know you're here for something. Okay, that's what he's saying.
It shall be even given to thee to half the kingdom. And Esther answered, If it seemed good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared, and the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? And it shall be granted thee. And what is thy request? Even to half of the kingdom, it shall be performed. Then answered Esther and said, My petition. And my request is this, if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleased the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow, as the king hath said. Then Haman went forth that day, joyful and with a glad heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Mordecai just ruined his day, right? He goes from up here all the way to down here, seeing one person, his day was shattered. Nevertheless, Haman refrained himself. And when he came home, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh, his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches. He couldn't refrain himself for very long at all. Haman told them of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the things wherein the king had promoted him and how he had advanced him above all the princes and servants of the king. And Haman said, Moreover, yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself. I mean, can you just hear the pride oozing from Haman's words? And says, And tomorrow I am invited unto her also with the king. Yet, all this availeth me nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jews sitting in the king's gate. Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made, a fifty cubits high. And tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon. Then go thou merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made. Now if that passage of scripture doesn't just put some question marks and say, or just really red flag it and say something's really wrong with this guy, I don't, and really in this passage, God for us is contrasting Esther and Haman, right? There's two people that are in this text. Here is Esther that approaches the king in great humility, great carefulness, cautiousness. Then we see Haman over here, pride and arrogance where there's one person who stands in his way. I got to deal with this right now. Esther also displays a lot of patience. Haman doesn't have an ounce of patience. For anyone who looks at him wrong. But I want to focus more. We're going to deal with both. I want to focus more on Esther tonight. I believe that is the thrust of the text and where it connects. And so here's our title tonight. Divine delays, divine delays. Trusting God requires us to stay under control.