Est 6:14 | KingComments | STEP | The ways of Mordecai and Haman now separate forever ( ). The quiet Mordecai returns to the place he has always taken. He resumes his usual place because Esther is dear to him, as well as the welfare of his people. That is where his heart goes, and that is more important to him than his own honor and fame. Not a word comes out of his mouth. Things happen to him. He is as faithful after his being honored as he was before. He is not proud of what has happened to him, but takes his normal place in the gate again. He is humble in spirit and therefore holds on to the honor granted to him. He is a great contrast to Haman, who is filled with megalomania after his promotion. The honor granted to him has made him drunk with power, so that he is now in the process of falling from his height and undergoing even greater and deeper humiliation ( ). Haman, who wanted so much to see himself honored, has been humiliated by this state of affairs. Only God can humiliate a man, a powerful one, just as He humiliated Nebuchadnezzar ( ). Nebuchadnezzar has acknowledged this ( ), Haman has not. He hurries home. His joy has turned to grief. As a sign of this, he covers his head. When he comes home, he tells his wife and all his friends what has happened to him ( ). The reaction of his friends, here called “his wise men”, and his wife is not very encouraging to him. His friends are now the first to react. His wife was the first to respond to the proposal of the gallows ( ). In the opinion that there is honor to be gained, she wants to appropriate it through her husband. But in the prospect of dishonor she withdraws. Their ‘counsel’ sounds different from the foolish counsel they gave him to have a gallows and let Mordecai hang on it ( ). They acknowledge Mordecai’s victory and draw the right consequences for the future. As a result, their previous counsel is unmasked as foolishness, for that very counsel contributed to Haman’s defeat and humiliation. They add that Haman has begun to fall and that that fall will be unstoppable, because the man he is dealing with is “of Jewish origin”. Their comment means that they are convinced that the Jews will not perish. How they know that is not explained, but they are right. Not the Jews, but Haman will certainly fall, “before him”, that is for Mordecai. In this way they accentuate Mordecai’s greatness and exaltation. That is the opposite of the fall they spoke to Haman about. In their words to him sounds how this man has changed from a megalomania to a disillusioned one with no other perspective than total disillusionment. At first the fate of Mordecai seemed hopeless, now it is the part of Haman. Satan knows he is the loser, but will never admit his loss. He continues to act according to his own evil nature. He knew that Christ would come from the people of the Jews. However much he tried to prevent that, Christ was born. At the death of Christ, satan seemed to have gained the victory, but Christ has risen from the dead. Satan now seems to be the ruler of the world and to succeed in his persecution of those who belong to Christ, but he faces his downfall, as does Haman here. The roles will be visibly reversed at the coming of Christ. Satan will eventually have to acknowledge his loss when he is in hell. The triumph is to Christ and in it all may share who are of Christ. Haman will not have the chance to say anything more. While his friends and his wife talk to him, the king’s eunuchs come to bring him to Esther’s banquet ( ). They can no longer provide him with any good advice or even encourage him. His friends fall silent in this hour of truth for Haman. When things go well, there are plenty of friends, but when things go badly, they disappear ( ).

‏ Esther 6:14

Haman Begins to Fall

The ways of Mordecai and Haman now separate forever (Est 6:12). The quiet Mordecai returns to the place he has always taken. He resumes his usual place because Esther is dear to him, as well as the welfare of his people. That is where his heart goes, and that is more important to him than his own honor and fame.

Not a word comes out of his mouth. Things happen to him. He is as faithful after his being honored as he was before. He is not proud of what has happened to him, but takes his normal place in the gate again. He is humble in spirit and therefore holds on to the honor granted to him. He is a great contrast to Haman, who is filled with megalomania after his promotion. The honor granted to him has made him drunk with power, so that he is now in the process of falling from his height and undergoing even greater and deeper humiliation (Pro 29:23).

Haman, who wanted so much to see himself honored, has been humiliated by this state of affairs. Only God can humiliate a man, a powerful one, just as He humiliated Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:29-33). Nebuchadnezzar has acknowledged this (Dan 4:34-36), Haman has not. He hurries home. His joy has turned to grief. As a sign of this, he covers his head.

When he comes home, he tells his wife and all his friends what has happened to him (Est 6:13). The reaction of his friends, here called “his wise men”, and his wife is not very encouraging to him. His friends are now the first to react. His wife was the first to respond to the proposal of the gallows (Est 5:14). In the opinion that there is honor to be gained, she wants to appropriate it through her husband. But in the prospect of dishonor she withdraws.

Their ‘counsel’ sounds different from the foolish counsel they gave him to have a gallows and let Mordecai hang on it (Est 5:14). They acknowledge Mordecai’s victory and draw the right consequences for the future. As a result, their previous counsel is unmasked as foolishness, for that very counsel contributed to Haman’s defeat and humiliation.

They add that Haman has begun to fall and that that fall will be unstoppable, because the man he is dealing with is “of Jewish origin”. Their comment means that they are convinced that the Jews will not perish. How they know that is not explained, but they are right. Not the Jews, but Haman will certainly fall, “before him”, that is for Mordecai. In this way they accentuate Mordecai’s greatness and exaltation. That is the opposite of the fall they spoke to Haman about.

In their words to him sounds how this man has changed from a megalomania to a disillusioned one with no other perspective than total disillusionment. At first the fate of Mordecai seemed hopeless, now it is the part of Haman.

Satan knows he is the loser, but will never admit his loss. He continues to act according to his own evil nature. He knew that Christ would come from the people of the Jews. However much he tried to prevent that, Christ was born. At the death of Christ, satan seemed to have gained the victory, but Christ has risen from the dead.

Satan now seems to be the ruler of the world and to succeed in his persecution of those who belong to Christ, but he faces his downfall, as does Haman here. The roles will be visibly reversed at the coming of Christ. Satan will eventually have to acknowledge his loss when he is in hell. The triumph is to Christ and in it all may share who are of Christ.

Haman will not have the chance to say anything more. While his friends and his wife talk to him, the king’s eunuchs come to bring him to Esther’s banquet (Est 6:14). They can no longer provide him with any good advice or even encourage him. His friends fall silent in this hour of truth for Haman. When things go well, there are plenty of friends, but when things go badly, they disappear (Pro 14:20).