"So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai." (v. 10)

For Reading and Meditation:     Esther 7:1-10

We look now at the second highlight of the book of Esther - the downfall and defeat of the scheming Haman. This verse, and the one we looked at yesterday, form the two hinges on which the book turns. One shows us the sovereignty of God in placing Esther in the king's palace during a time of impending peril, and the other points to the ultimate end of evil. God is on the throne, and no matter how things appear, it is His purposes that eventually hold sway. Many years ago, I studied the book of Esther during a a time of great spiritual drought, and I caught such a vision of God's sovereignty and power that it turned my life around. I long that the same thing might happen to you. Let me be absolutely frank with you. We are in a storm. The people of God are being subjected to extreme pressure not only from Satan but also from an increasingly hostile world. If we are to keep our sanity in a world that is seemingly going mad then we must have some concrete convictions to guide us. Opinions are not enough. Just as a mariner has to be sure of the utter dependability of the points from which he takes his bearings, so we too must be sure of certain elemental dogmas as we make our way through the world. A conviction concerning God's sovereignty is one of them. The book of Esther is one of those fixed points from which we are able to take our spiritual bearings. An understanding of the book will enable us to avoid spiritual shipwreck.

My Father and my God, I am on a difficult journey through life but I am thankful that You have charted my course with care. I have fixed points from which to take my bearings - the book of Esther being one of them. I am so very grateful. Amen.