By Phyllis Sirianni                                                                                                                             

In the land of Persia lived a king named King Ahasuerus. King Ahasuerus wanted a wife so he sent his servants out to search the land for the most beautiful women. They brought these women to the palace so the king could choose his bride. Esther was chosen to be the king’s wife. She was a very beautiful Jewish woman. Esther’s mother and father had died and Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, had adopted her as a child. Mordecai had always taught Esther not to tell anyone that she was a Jew.

When King Ahasuerus saw Esther, he was very happy because she was so beautiful. Esther found favor with the king. He loved her above all the women. He set the royal crown upon her head, and she became his wife, the queen. Of course, the king gave a big party or feast to celebrate his beautiful wife.

Some time later, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate. Mordecai is now sitting among the king’s officials. This particular time that he sat in the palace gates, he overheard men planning to kill the king. These men were the doorkeepers. Mordecai told Esther what he had overheard, and, of course, she told King Ahasuerus. The men that were planning to kill the king lost their lives. Mordecai’s good deed was written in a book called the Book of the Chronicles.

There was a man named Haman who was over all the princes in the king’s palace. Because of this position, all the king’s servants had to bow down to Haman. Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman which made Haman very mad. Haman knew that Mordecai was a Jew, so he made up a plan to have the Jews killed. He told the king that the Jews would not follow the laws of the king and that the Jews should be destroyed. Haman was able to convince the king to sign a decree to kill all the Jews.

When Mordecai heard the news, he got word to Esther. She knew this law meant that she too must die. Mordecai got word to Esther that she needed to go before the king. As the word spread throughout the land, the Jews began to fast and pray that God would save them from death. Queen Esther went before the king and invited him and Haman to dinner. So the king and Haman came and enjoyed a delicious meal served by Esther. The king asked Queen Esther what she wanted because whatever it was, it would be given to her. Queen Esther said that she would like the king and Haman to have dinner with her again the next night and she would tell him her request. 

Haman left the dinner feeling really good about himself. He saw Mordecai at the palace gates and, as before, Mordecai did not bow down to Haman. This made Haman very mad. He went home and told his wife how only he and the king sat with Queen Esther for dinner. He also told her that he was going to have dinner the next day with the King and Queen. He told his wife how Mordecai would not bow down to him. Haman’s wife and some friends got an idea to have a gallows built so Mordecai could be hung. Haman thought this was a great idea and would tell the king the next day at the dinner.

At the dinner the next day, King Ahasuerus asked the Queen what her request was. Queen Esther said to the king that if she had found favor in his sight, and if it seemed right before his sight, would he reverse the decree that he had signed to kill all of the Jews which plan was devised by Haman. She did not want to die nor did she want her people to die.

When the king learned that it was Haman who devised the plan to kill all of the Jews, the king ordered Haman to be hung that very same day on the gallow that he had made for  Mordecai. Esther and her people were now safe.  

Even when we may feel like we don’t understand why we are in a position that we don’t really like to be in, God is working something out for our good and maybe for the good of others. Because of Esther, the Jews were saved from destruction as well as herself. It took boldness for Esther to go before the king and then to ask him to reverse his decree. Esther found favor with the King. When we stand for what is right, we will find favor with God, the King of Kings.