‏ Esther 5

* Esther's application received. (1-8) Haman prepares to hang

Mordecai. (9-14)1-8 Esther having had power with God, and prevailing, like

Jacob, had power with men too. He that will lose his life for

God, shall save it, or find it in a better life. The king

encouraged her. Let us from this be encouraged to pray always to

our God, and not to faint. Esther came to a proud, imperious

man; but we come to the God of love and grace. She was not

called, but we are; the Spirit says, Come, and the Bride says,

Come. She had a law against her, we have a promise, many a

promise, in favour of us; Ask, and it shall be given you. She

had no friend to go with her, or to plead for her; on the

contrary, he that was then the king's favourite, was her enemy;

but we have an Advocate with the Father, in whom he is well

pleased. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace.

God put it into Esther's heart to delay her petition a day

longer; she knew not, but God did, what was to happen in that

very night. 9-14 This account of Haman is a comment upon #Pr 21:24|.

Self-admirers and self-flatterers are really self-deceivers.

Haman, the higher he is lifted up, the more impatient he is of

contempt, and the more enraged at it. The affront from Mordecai

spoiled all. A slight affront, which a humble man would scarcely

notice, will torment a proud man, even to madness, and will mar

all his comforts. Those disposed to be uneasy, will never want

something to be uneasy at. Such are proud men; though they have

much to their mind, if they have not all to their mind, it is as

nothing to them. Many call the proud happy, who display pomp and

make a show; but this is a mistaken thought. Many poor cottagers

feel far less uneasiness than the rich, with all their fancied

advantages around them. The man who knows not Christ, is poor

though he be rich, because he is utterly destitute of that which

alone is true riches