The night before Queen Esther’s banquet for the King and the evil Prime Minister, Haman, the King couldn’t sleep. To cure his insomnia, King Xerxes had the record books read. As the King listened, the servant read the official record of the fateful day that Mordecai reported the plot to assassinate the King. He inquired, “ ‘What honor and special recognition have been given to Mordecai for this act?’ The king’s personal attendants replied, ‘Nothing has been done for him’ ” (Esther 6:3–4).
Nothing? That was unthinkable, unforgivable. But what should be done for one who had saved the life of the King? Humm? What should the King do to honor such a hero?
“ ‘Who is in the court?’ Now Haman was just entering the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him. The king’s attendants answered him, ‘Haman is there, standing in the court.’ ‘Have him enter,’ the king ordered. Haman entered, and the king asked him, ‘What should be done for the man the king wants to honor?’ ” (Esther 6:3).
I love this… It’s the best part of this great story.
“Haman thought to himself, ‘Who is it the king would want to honor more than me?’ ” (Esther 6:6). Haman couldn’t contain himself as he dreamed of the honor, the accolades, the rewards. “Haman told the king, ‘For the man the king wants to honor: Have them bring a royal garment that the king himself has worn and a horse the king himself has ridden, which has a royal crown on its head. Put the garment and the horse under the charge of one of the king’s most noble officials. Have them clothe the man the king wants to honor, parade him on the horse through the city square, and call out before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor” ’ ” (Esther 6:7–9).
Before we read further and discover that Mordecai received all the great honors that Haman dreamed of, let’s pause to consider a truth from Scripture.
The Bible says that Christians, those who have been saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone, will be the guests of honor at a great banquet in Heaven. We, the church, will be “given fine linen to wear, bright and pure”(Revelation 19:8). As we are eternally united with the Lord Jesus, the angels will announce, “blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9).
In eternity, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Christians who have served well with hear the Lord’s proclamation “Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things... Share your master’s joy” (Matthew 25:21).
Our Savior “rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6), not with an earthly robe and crown, not with a pony-ride through town, but with an eternity of grace, mercy, peace, and joy, in the presence of the Eternally Loving and Living God.
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