happened to be in the court. The thoughts of both the king and his favourite happened to be occupied and excited by the same man. The haste of Haman to get Mordecai hanged happened to meet the haste of the king to get him rewarded. F11ith can often discern the marks of a Divine providence in what men call accidents or coincidences. Belief in a living God is inconsistent with belief in any II fortuitous concourse." III. EnROR. The question put by the king to Haman at once led him astray. Whose honour would the king delight to promote if not that of the man on whom he had already bestowed such unusual distinction? His vain heart betrayed him. How greedy is vanity. How eel.fish are the slaves of sin. The answer of Haman was shaped by hie own desires. The honour he suggested would have been foolish and worthless as given to any other person than himself. But the only thing left for his ambition to aspire to was such a public and resplendent exhibition of the royal delight in him as that which he described. A man of evil does 11ot easily suspect good feeling or good purpose in any associate. He projects himself into his judgment of others. Thus he is very liable to make mistakes. His whole life is a mistake-an error from beginning to end. IV. DISAPPOINTMENT. When the king commanded Haman to do unto Mordecai every whit of what he had recommended, the blow that fell on the astonished favourite must have been heavy. That the man for whom he had made a gallows should receive the honour which he had proposed for himself I what a reversing of things. There are many disappointments and reverses which attract our entire sympathy, but we can only rejoice when the expectation of the wicked is cut short. It was a fit measure of justice that Haman should have proposed the honour which Mordecai was to wear. Judgment pursues the evil-doer. In the end all his hopes will be disappointed. V. HUMILIATION. Haman had not only to see done, but to do, what the king commanded. He was the II one of the king's most noble princes" who had to array Mordecai in royal apparel, and place him on a horse, and lead him through the city, and proclaim before him, 11 Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour." And all this he did to the man whom he most hated, and for whom he had erected a gallows. It was a bitter humiliation, but there was no escape from it. Those who climb to worldly greatness by wrong ways have to eat much dirt. They sharpen the knife that will sooner or later enter their soul. VI. EXALTATION. Mordecai yielded himself up to the king's mode of honouring him. He put himself in the hands of Haman, and went quietly through the whole process. It was a triumph that might be justly enjoyed, and one too that promised greater things. God was manifestly with his servant. Unseen influences were at work. The attempt to deliver Israel was prospering. This public honour would strengthen Esther, and have some effect on the king. The bad man who led the Jew's horse and proclaimed his favour with the king was declining in power, and the desired redemption of a devoted people was drawing near. Thus God encourages those who trust him. He makes their enemies serve them. Amidst much darkness and fear he causes his light to shine, and gives his servants bright indications of a ooming victory. VII. HUMILITY. A Haman would have been intoxicated by such an honour as was conferred on his enemy. To Mordecai t.he parade through the city was but an empty pageant, except in so far as it might contribute to his purpose of saving Israel. Hence we find him, after putting off the royal robes, returning to his post at the king's gate. The passing honours of the world make no change in those who are weighted with the pursuit of honours which the world cannot give. Their chief desire is to be at their post and do the work given them by a higher than an earthly master-" to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God" (Micah vi. 8). It required no effort for Mordecai to descend from his momentary exaltation to his humble position as a palace servitor. His duty was in the king's gate. How blessed to he able to subordinate all merely personal or earthly things to the service of God. VIII. OMENS. The result of that morning's proceedin~s was depressing- to Haman. Ho rctirocl to his homo ug11in to consult his wife am! friends. liow 124 THE BOOK OF ESTHER. [cH. VI. 1-14.
different his tale now from that which had inspired him and them the night before. The tall gallows in the courtyard was a gaunt mockery. The shame that had so unaccountably overtaken its lord laid a cold hand on the hearts of all his household. '.1'he fea~ of Israel, that strange people who trust~d in a God of gods, entered strongly mto their thoughts, and made their words ommous. The conviction was felt and expressed by them that if Mordecai were a Jew, Haman had already begun to foll and that a disastrous end was ine~table. History affords many inste.nces of th~ power of omens to destroy the happiness e.nd hope of bad men. The silent work- ings of Divine providence have their effect on the wicked as well as on the good. In the one they inspire a fear which saps energy and skill ; in the other they work a faith which gives strength e.nd light. King Saul is not the only one whose heart and hand have been paralysed by superstitious fears arising from a rebellion against Divine rule. In t!te path of the wicked spectres of a holy and avenging power are ever rising up to throw blight on their aims e.nd hopes. There is judgment even in this world. God reigns.-D.