Esther is now in control-it’s her banquet this time and Haman’s hatched plot is quickly unraveling. As in the first banquet episode so now, Esther is referred to as "queen" and her status is clearly nuanced above Haman’s. As the wine is poured, the king utters his offer for the third time in identical language. Now is the moment for which Esther has waited to seize. The words form a powerfully contrasted parallelism: king: petition / queen: life; king: request / queen: people.

Esther’s indictment of Haman hits Ahasuerus like a bombshell-he is astonished! He seems clueless and ignorant of Haman’s covert op (vs. 3-5). But remember that the king never investigated the identity of the people he was condemning to death when he handed over his signet ring to Haman. Such ineptitude has led to disastrous consequences: his own wife has been consigned to extermination.

Naturally, the king is enraged with the accusation and steams out of the room for a moment. Not losing a beat, Haman throws himself at the queen’s mercy-perhaps a bit too hard for he lands on her couch just as the king returns! In a tragic comedy of errors, Haman’s plea of mercy is taken as an attempted rape! A snap decision by the king sends Haman to the gallows while offering a way out for Esther and her nation.

If you were Esther, how would you have handed this situation? Would you, for instance, appealed for mercy or leniency for your enemy, Haman?

When have you spoken a truthful, confronting word in a crisis? Where do you feel most uncomfortable speaking up? To parents? To in-laws? At home? At work? At a church meeting? Other scenario?

In what areas of your life do you desire more boldness?

What an intriguing and delightful story! You might consider retelling this intriguing and delightful story in its entirety-many will not be familiar with it and others would enjoy it told again. Focus the final moments of your time by freezing the frame of the story that forms this Sunday’s lesson and suggest some learning points from Esther’s actions.