God, I don’t believe, manipulates people. I believe He offers options, and makes ways, and presents choices, with the consequences and repercussions for the individual as and what they are.
The Book of Esther
Her uncle Mordecai stepped up when Esther’s parents were killed, and she was left a young orphaned girl. He raised her as his own, and in time, she grew into a beautiful woman.
During a festive time, the king held a banquet. Things got a little rowdy, and the king demanded the queen come out and party with the group. She told him no; afterwards, the king’s friends started whispering in his ear about her disobedience, and how that would encourage the other royal wives to disregard their husbands as the queen had done the king, and how the queen needed to be punished.
So the king, puffed with pride, removed the crown from the queen and told her she was fired.
But now the king needed another queen.
He ordered his officials from all over the land to find the most beautiful young women, and present them to him. When it was time for Esther to go, her uncle Mordecai told her not to reveal her heritage, for her people were always in peril.
After a period of time, each young woman who had come from all over the land was presented before the king, yet he found his greatest pleasure in Esther. The king made Esther his queen, and held a royal banquet to celebrate his new love.
Uncle Mordecai stayed nearby to protect Esther, and to advise her. As he waited, he overheard two of the king’s officers planning to murder the king. Mordecai told Esther, and Esther told the king that Mordecai had warned of the planned attack. The attack was thwarted, the officials were punished, and a record of the event was made.
The king had a good friend named Haman, and he promoted Haman, and gave Haman a ring that signified royal esteem, and Haman exalted himself only less than the king. Haman expected all in the land to bow and revere him, as ordered by the king, but Mordecai refused to do so because his heritage demanded that he bow to no man, only God.
Haman was enraged by Mordecai’s refusal to bow to him, and convinced the king to pass a law to kill everyone like Mordecai. Therefore, at Haman’s urging, on the 13th day of the first month the king sent messengers on horseback throughout the land, and ordered everyone like Mordecai to be killed on the 13th day of the 12th month. After the king did so, no one could reverse the decree.
Mordecai told Esther that she needed to ask the king to stop the killing, but approaching the king without an invitation was risky. Esther could be killed at the king’s word but she said, “if I perish, I perish” and prepared to meet the king.
A few days later Esther stood in the king’s court. She waited patiently for him either to invite her closer, or order her death. The king took notice of Esther, and she found favor in his sight. He asked her to tell him her request; he so loved her, he would even have given her half of his kingdom.
In response, Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet. During the first celebration, she invited both the king and Haman to another banquet the following night.
Haman was thrilled! He was truly in the inner circle of royalty. Although he was overjoyed at the idea of being invited to the queen’s banquet, nevertheless Haman could not enjoy life until Mordecai was dead. In fact, Haman built gallows just for Mordecai, and planned to ask the king’s permission to destroy the man.
The night before the queen’s second banquet the king could not sleep, and began reading the records documenting official events. He found that Mordecai had not been rewarded for saving the king’s life, and the next day asked Haman for suggestions to confer great favor upon a man. Haman, believing that he was being further exalted by the king, gave a very explicit, detailed description of the gifts and benefits the king could bestow upon an honored man. The king agreed, and told Haman to do all of those things for Mordecai.
Afterwards, Haman was very nervous, and his wife and his friends told him he should be worried. These latest events with the king suggested to Haman that attacking Mordecai through his people might have been a bad idea, a really bad idea.
But Haman had the queen’s banquet to attend.
The king, Esther, and Haman came together at the second banquet, and the king asked his queen to tell him her request.
She asked the king to save her life.
The king, understandably outraged, wanted to know who threatened his queen.
Esther indicated the only other banquet guest and said, “Haman.”
The king, mind blown, left the banquet to be alone for a moment, and to consider the implications of his queen’s words, and Haman’s actions.
As the king stood outside, Haman appealed to Esther – asked her to save his life – and fell upon the bed where Esther was.
The king returned, saw that Haman was too close to the queen, and erupted. One of the king’s officials informed the king that Haman had built gallows for Mordecai, and the king said, “Hang him.”
After removing the ring from Haman, the king gave it to Mordecai, and Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
But the problem remained. Haman had manipulated the king into killing not only Mordecai but the king’s new queen in addition to all of their people, and once issued, no decree by the king could be reversed.
The solution: allow the people of Esther and Mordecai to defend themselves, with the assistance of the magistrates throughout the land.
On the 23th day of the third month, the king sent messengers on horseback with a second decree, and ordered the people of Esther and Mordecai to stand together and destroy those who would destroy them on the 13th day of the 12th month.
From the 13th to the 15th days of the 12th month, the people of Esther and Mordecai stood together to destroy those who would destroy them, and killed their enemies, and ordered the king to hang the 10 sons of Haman.
The Bible is Always Right
– and to this day, the people of Esther and Mordecai still celebrate the Feast of Purim … for 2021 – February 25/26, and 2022 – March 16/17
And how cool is that.