God’s Providence Amidst Hatred

We see two incidents where hatred leads to a murder plot and God’s providence in the midst of these cases of hatred and plots. Though the term providence is not found in the Bible, like the term trinity, it is nevertheless Biblical. God’s providence is His governing of all things for His glory and for your good. We are more comfortable in saying that ‘God is in control’ than stating precisely and confidently to those in the midst of suffering that ‘this has come from God’s fatherly hand’ as the Bible teaches us and this confession reminds us.
Esther 2:19-23: Mordecai being brought to the king’s gate, the eunuchs plotting to kill the king, and Mordecai coming to know of the plot are a chain of events that have come through the freedom and the sins of man but are linked together by God’s providence. Take away one event and the chain is broken. Therefore, no event should be deemed as insignificant, for no one knows how God may choose to use any event to secure his aims and to ensure the welfare of his people.
Esther 3:1 Esther had been queen for five years when Haman the Agagite was exalted to a position—second only to the king though it is not mentioned why he deserved this honour. The author introduces the promotion of Haman at that point where one expects news about Mordecai’s reward. Mordecai’s name was recorded in the official books of Persia in the presence of the king. However, Mordecai was not rewarded for his role in saving the king which is unusual. This lapse is shocking. While Mordecai suffers the humiliation of being deprived of his rightful reward, Haman who would eventually turn against Mordecai and his people, is being rewarded. Time is crucial. Mordecai not being rewarded immediately becomes a very critical factor. Later King Ahasueras will remember that Mordecai had not been rewarded. That moment in time when the king remembered was precisely the moment when Haman was moving towards the palace door to ask for permission to kill Mordecai. Haman’s plan was foiled. If the king had rewarded Mordecai earlier, Haman’s plan to kill Mordecai would have gone ahead, and the situation would have become hopeless for the Jewish people in the country.
Esther 3:1 The king had commanded that that people were to bow down to Haman. But Mordecai stubbornly refused to bow down before Haman. Due to our actions, we get caught in circumstances beyond our control and we cannot know how one event will lead to another. Only God knows the end of a matter before it has even begun. The good news is God’s providence includes our choices, and none of our actions or mistakes can thwart His plan. The clash between Mordecai the Jew of the tribe of Benjamin and Haman the Agagite is significant in the light of the disobedience of Saul in sparing the life of King Agag the Amalekite. Bowing to Haman would have been to honour a hated enemy whom God had cursed. He could not have foreseen that by his refusal to bow before this enemy of the Jews, he was paving the way for God to bring to completion the warfare that Saul had failed to complete.
Esther 3:7-15 Having decided to exterminate the Jews, Haman cast lots to choose the lucky day to carry this out. The lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month. Haman would have to wait more than eleven months to execute his murderous plan. Haman did not know that it was the God of the Jews who determined how the lot fell and not chance or his gods. The decree of death was sent out on the thirteenth day of the first month, which was the very eve of the Passover, when the Jews celebrated their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. “Would God deliver His people now in Persia, even though they had violated the very covenant which promised them protection?” Ahasuerus was wrong when he said to Haman, Do with this people as you please (Vs 11). He had no reason to bring them in harms way. God, on the other hand, can legitimately sign an edict for our destruction. Instead, He allowed His Son to be mocked and executed as punishment for us. Would we not gladly bow down before such a King?
God’s providence can be seen not only in the hatred of the eunuchs against King Ahasuerus but also in the hatred of Haman against Mordecai and his kinsmen. The great paradox is that God concurrently works through the hatred and murderous plots to bring about His perfect good. The King of kings and the Lord of lords will have the ultimate victory.