Esther 5:9–14
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. However, he restrained himself and went on home. [Haman has to restrain himself because he is so angry at Mordecai’s lack of attention.]
Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. [Haman begins to unravel. His demand for affirmation from others around him will be his greatest weakness.] He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials. [His ego and pride fueled both his rage and his joy.]
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!” Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.” [Haman is a slave to his emotions—nothing is ever enough. This self-obsession is idolatry, and we will see that you can never be satisfied within yourself alone.]
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. [Look at the type of people Haman surrounds himself with. The people we choose to be closest to are important.]
Let’s contrast Esther and Haman:
ESTHER
- Risks her life to save many
- Thoughtful & wise
- Willing to die for the sake of others
Haman
- Sacrifices many to exalt self
- Irrational & impulsive
- Willing to kill for the sake of self
RESPONSE
- Although God is not mentioned, he is still working and present. What do these two characters reveal about putting our trust in the Lord instead of ourselves?
- In what ways do your emotions expose your idols?
- When your idols are threatened, how do you respond? (anger, frustration, fear, etc.)
3. People who are chronically prideful often find themselves in constant conflict with others. Below are three symptoms of someone who struggles with pride—which do you struggle with the most?
- You get your feelings hurt often/you do not receive criticism well
- You are always looking for affirmation, to be noticed
- Being wrong is not an option for you
4. The people we choose to spend our time around are either going to speak truth to us or they are going to encourage our idols.
- What kind of community do you surround yourself with?
- List the people in your life who are willing to speak truth and challenge you when you are doing wrong.