When What Was Concealed Is Revealed

When I worked in the chancellor’s office at LSU as a student, I saw firsthand how one man’s actions could lead to the downfall of another. David “Sonny” DeVillier was an assistant to William “Bud” Davis, who was chancellor when I started at LSU. Through an audit it was brought to light that DeVillier had given white students 49 of 54 scholarships intended to help minority students. Chancellor Davis was never accused of wrongdoing in the matter, but he still resigned because of the scandal. As a student majoring in management, I learned a lot from that experience about leadership, responsibility, trust, and consequences. Ahasuerus was apparently learning as well.

Why did the king storm out of the room and head toward the garden? Perhaps he was processing everything he’d learned at Esther’s second feast. When he offered to grant her request, he had no idea her life was in danger and that his closest counselor was to blame. Maybe there was no mistake with Hebrew homophones, and he had known that Haman wanted to annihilate an entire people group. If so, how could he punish Haman for something he’d signed off on? And how would he save face when the palace press crew caught wind of such a scandal? Ordinarily, at just this point he would ask Haman or another advisor what he should do.

We do not know why he went outside—about that we can only speculate—but what is clear is what happened when he reentered the room. When the king saw Haman falling on Esther’s couch, he knew just what to do. If he thought Haman was begging for his life, then he did not reveal it. Perhaps Ahasuerus really believed Haman had decided to enact his plans against Esther, even in the palace. Regardless, the king saw what he wanted (or needed) to see when Haman was on the couch with Esther, and it provided just the excuse he needed to have Haman killed.

Esther 7:6-10

If Esther’s use of the words “destruction, death, and extermination” were the dawn of concern for Haman, then Esther’s naming him specifically would have been high noon. As surprised as Ahasuerus was about everything, Haman was certainly no less surprised. He had no idea Esther was a Jew. Sin often has surprising and unintended consequences. Would he have pursued the edict had he known of the queen’s ethnicity? He was so self-absorbed that perhaps he would have, and conceivably he would have devised an assassination attempt on her life. Regardless, his pursuit of self-honor would be his undoing in the end. Like good ol’ Wile E. Coyote, he was undone by his own fanaticism.

Sin never lets you know that it is leading you into a life-ending trap. Scripture, however, never ceases to sound the alarm. The father in Proverbs 5 informs his son, “A wicked man’s iniquities will trap him; he will become tangled in the ropes of his own sin. He will die because there is no discipline, and be lost because of his great stupidity” (Prov 5:22-23). Haman was definitely tangled in the ropes of his own sin and was lost because of his stupidity! In Proverbs 6 the father asks, “Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? Can a man walk on burning coals without scorching his feet?” (Prov 6:27-28). The obvious answer to both questions is no.

Sin compels us to think only of ourselves and what we want, while sanctification compels us to think of others and what they need. As I have mentioned, we know it is “my sin but our consequences,” but sometimes we have no idea how far reaching the “our” is in consequences. With my sin, for example, it is not just my family and immediate faith family that are impacted. Repercussions for it spill onto countless others who hear of my sin, both Christians and non-Christians alike. And the reality is that I may never know the full extent of what burdens others have borne because I chose sin. I may never know of the tears they shed, the questions they fielded, or other sacrifices made because I chose disobedience. Let us always remember that sin never leads anywhere good, beneficial, or holy. If we are to be surprised, let it be from the multiplied blessings of obedience rather than the multiplied burdens of disobedience. Haman was definitely experiencing the multiplied burdens of sin.

I am not sure what I did to initiate the scene, but I can remember my mother dragging me out of one morning service at the church we attended when I was a child. As loudly as I could, I pleaded for my life and begged everyone near us to help me! Fortunately for my mother, we only sat four pews away from the back door. That’s usually prime real estate for most Sunday morning gatherings, but as packed as the pews were that day, no help for me arose. I am sure the people who sat above us in the balcony wondered what in the world was going on below since they could hear the chaos but not see it. To his credit our pastor kept preaching.

Once confronted about his actions, Haman was terrified and in full-on survival mode (and I know all about that). He should have followed the king out of the room, but he already knew that would be useless. While he shouldn’t have gotten so close to the queen (no one was allowed to be within a few steps of her), he was out of control and taking a risk—a risk that ultimately cost him his life.

Here’s some wisdom for you: (1) We experience the consequences of sin because we get caught in sin. (2) We get caught in sin because we do not confess our sin. (3) We do not confess our sin because we think we can conceal our sin. (4) We conceal our sin because we do not want to confess our struggle to someone who cares for us. For some reason we always want people to think we are better than we really are, but in fact we are worse than they could ever think. Amazingly, God knows our absolute worst and still loves us and has atoned for our sins. So we are free to confess our struggles because our identity is not found in what anyone thinks of us but in what God says about us in Christ. So confess your struggles to someone who loves Jesus and you so you will not try to conceal something you will eventually get caught in anyway. Then you would end up having to confess and deal with the escalating consequences. Haman was caught and deeply concerned about the consequences speeding his way.

I see several ironies in what happened in the room after Ahasuerus stormed out. First, Haman was pleading for mercy, though he had been unwilling to extend any. Apparently he agreed that lives matter when his own was on the line. In all of his revealed thoughts and conversations about Mordecai, not a single syllable was shaded with mercy. Second, Haman was requesting help, but there was no evidence he was repenting. Regret for being caught is not the same as repenting from sin. You can know that you only regret sin (or maybe just getting caught in it) when you often repeat that sin. Repenting from a sin means doing all you can in the Lord’s power not to return to it, and it means removing from your life anything that pushes you toward that sin rather than toward obedience. Third, he ultimately fell on one Jew (Esther) because another Jew (Mordecai) would not fall before him. His counselors’ words to him thus proved to be prophetic. (6:13). If only they’d had such helpful foresight a little sooner!

Haman was hanged on the gallows he had constructed for Mordecai. This could have been a large stake that he was impaled by or a device he was suspended on. Either way, what he devised led to his own demise. Duguid notes,

Haman’s life was built around the pursuit of power and achievement, and he achieved both to the full extent that this was possible within the bounds of the empire. He had reached the top of his career path. No one apart from the emperor himself matched Haman’s glory and status. Yet all that he had gained disappeared completely in the space of a few minutes, along with his life itself. At the end of his life, what did he have to show for all his striving after wealth and recognition? (Esther and Ruth, 95)

When the queen of England passes away, her nation will see that everything that happens thereafter has been planned down to the minutest detail. The communication provided to those in her circle will be that “London Bridge has fallen” (Wallace, “This Is the Plan”). The mourning process has already been prescribed, covering everything from colors to candles. I am not hoping this occurs anytime soon, but it will be something to see. Just a short time ago, at former First Lady Barbara Bush’s funeral, hundreds of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University lined the road. They stood at attention and saluted as the vehicle carrying her casket passed in front of them on its way to her final resting place near her husband’s presidential library. There was, however, no fanfare for Haman at the end of his life in spite of his craving for it. There was no hero’s send-off, no national mourning. When he’d boasted about being the only guest with the king and queen at the feasts, he certainly hadn’t seen his own demise coming.

As we have noted, Esther courageously put her life on the line twice. Esther 6 is evidence that God can accomplish his plans without us, but chapters 5 and 7 are evidence that he chooses not to. God has placed us where we are for his purposes and not just for our worldly progress. Not a single risk of sin is worth what sin costs, but responding to and sharing the gospel are worth risking our all.

As you consider your life right now, what risks are you taking for the sake of the gospel? What actions are you taking because Jesus is your greatest treasure? Is there anything about your life that causes others to ask questions to which the only answer is Jesus?

What about gospel goals? Do you have any? Is there something you are praying God allows you to accomplish before coming to the end of your journey? Paul was always willing to endure and risk much for the sake of the gospel. He told the elders from Ephesus, “I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24). And ever planning, praying, and hoping, he told the church at Rome, “So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds to them, I will visit you on the way to Spain” (Rom 15:28). Esther too risked her life for the sake of others. Jesus is worthy of whatever following him costs.

Esther could have remained silent, but the problem for her people would not go away. Sin that is not confronted usually escalates rather than dissipates. The multiplication of sin, in fact, was one of Paul’s concerns in 1 Corinthians 5. First of all, he could not believe that a brother was involved in blatant sin—the kind that not even the pagans put up with—and no one in the church was confronting him. He thus asked the congregation, “Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?” (1 Cor 5:6). In the strongest of terms, Paul then advocated for the church to be the church and exercise care for the sinning brother’s soul.

Are you currently ignoring sin in someone’s life? Are you ignoring sin in your life? We do not want to be better at dealing with the sins of others than we are at dealing with our own.

Are there injustices in your town about which you remain silent? Prime suggests, “Perhaps today may be a day for action. There may be key initiatives or actions we are to take today for the good of others, and for God’s praise” (Unspoken Lessons, 115). We tend not to confront that with which we are comfortable. We also tend not to confront others if we lack courage or conviction. May the Lord grant us both.

In my senior year of college, I was the president of the Rotaract club, which is the college version of Rotary International. When I initially joined the club, I was interviewed by a former governor of Louisiana (not all of them are in prison). He asked where I saw myself in five years. I responded, “Hopefully, living in the center of God’s will.” Somehow, they still let me in, and I eventually was elected president.

At the beginning of each meeting, offering a prayer was customary. Often I would be the only one willing to do so. Without fail I would close each prayer in the name of Christ. After one meeting some of the members said they did not mind the prayers, but I should not mention Jesus because not everyone believed the same as I did. I responded by telling them that I saw everything the Lord entrusted to me as a stewardship and that one day I would give an account for my time as president of that organization. I then told them they were welcome to impeach me, but as long as I was president, we would be praying in Christ’s name. If there were any lingering issues about the topic, I never heard of them.

Who in our spheres of influence have no clue that we are Christ followers? Is there anyone from whom we are hiding aspects of our Christianity intentionally? How long had Esther and Mordecai concealed their ethnicity? If it were not for the decree, would Mordecai have encouraged Esther to keep her identity as one of God’s chosen people hidden the rest of her days?

If we deny Christ in front of others, he will deny us in front of his Father (Matt 10:33). Let us, then, stand and be counted among those who name Jesus as Lord. I hope if someone is taking a bold stand for Christ, we will never shrink back from and be embarrassed by them. May we instead strive to see how we can support them. Who knows how God may use your boldness to encourage other brothers and sisters in Christ?

Three weeks ago I received a text on a Saturday night from a friend in ministry who said his lead pastor had just been removed for sexual sin and their church would find out the next morning. He asked me to pray for him as a pastoral staff member and for their church. Two weeks ago on a Sunday morning, the largest congregation in my denomination found out its pastor had been removed from his position because of alcohol abuse. Last week I learned through social media that one of my pastor friends had been removed from his church because of confessing to some sexual sin he had hidden for many years, throughout the length of his marriage.

Hiding sin is exhausting physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Let David tell you about it: “When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat” (Ps 32:3-4). But if we like to keep our flaws hidden from one another, how much more do we desire to cover our failings?

One day we will be exposed for who we really are. The author of Ecclesiastes warns, “God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil” (Eccl 12:14). That is why Paul warns,

So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. (1 Cor 4:5)

Prime warns, “There may be evil schemes that God is going to bring out into the open today. Let us so live that we may have nothing secret of which to be ashamed” (Unspoken Lessons, 115). I hope we are living so that we will receive the Lord’s commendation rather than his correction.

Haman would have never gotten so close to Esther had the king been in the room. He would have never acted the way he did if the king were present. Let us always remember our King is in the room. Let us also remember that our King not only expects our obedience but empowers it by his grace! The days God grants us will never be repeated. Let us waste none of them. Let us live each day for God’s glory.

In almost every prayer time our elders have at Trace Crossing and in almost every service, we pray for the good of our sister churches in our city. We often specifically mention their pastors and congregations by name. No matter how they may treat us, we want to work, speak, pray, and serve for their good. I am thankful to share that the cooperative spirit for the sake of the gospel among many churches in our city has never been as evident as it is now. I believe the Lord has answered and continues answering the prayers we have been praying for these faith families and their prayers for us.

By contrast, Haman wanted nothing more for Mordecai than humiliation and death.

What do we typically want for others? What do we want more than anything else for those who wound us? What are we actually doing to and for others? Are we praying for them? Are we speaking well of them? Are we finding ways to serve them? Are we extending kindnesses to them that they do not deserve as a reflection of the grace we receive from the Lord?

Having grown up in an abusive home, I did not want to forgive my father. But the Holy Spirit would empower me not only to forgive him but also to lead him to Christ. As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone because the gospel is fueling our concern for them.

Time after time we have seen Ahasuerus’s need for the counsel of others. God, however, needs no counselors. As he asks,

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or who gave him counsel? Who did he consult? Who gave him understanding and taught him the paths of justice? Who taught him knowledge and showed him the way of understanding? (Isa 40:13-14)

God is not only capable of making a decision, but he always makes the right one. As Duguid affirms, “Our King does what is right because he himself is righteous—he cannot do anything other than the right” (Esther and Ruth, 95).

God is not just aware that all of his enemies will be defeated, but through the work of Christ, he is accomplishing their defeat. Paul says that in Christ, God “disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him” (Col 2:15). The humiliating turn of events in Haman’s being hanged on his own gallows was just a foretaste of God’s publicly disgracing his enemies. Haman’s death is a reminder that one day all of God’s enemies will be fully vanquished. John writes, “The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev 20:10).

Importantly, death was no escape for Haman. In Revelation 6:15-17 John writes,

Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come! And who is able to stand?”

For Haman, Ahasuerus’s wrath was satisfied toward him when he was hanged, but there will never be a moment in which God’s wrath against Haman is satisfied. No, death is no escape for God’s enemies. It only begins what will never end. As Paul exhorts us, “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom 12:19).

When giving place to God’s wrath, we need to remember one more truth. John says, “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). Not all those who are still under God’s wrath are building gallows or plotting for total people groups to be destroyed. Some coach your children’s sports teams or teach them ballet or how to play musical instruments. Some who are still under God’s wrath say hello and wave to us when they see us checking our mailboxes. Though the evil inside them may not be as evident as Haman’s, it is just as wretched and just as deserving of wrath. And you have the only answer to that bleak outlook that will suffice to save them. Do for them what you would want done for you: tell them about Jesus.

As noted, Ahasuerus’s wrath toward Haman was satisfied when he was hanged. God’s wrath toward individuals is only satisfied when they place faith in Christ. Duguid notes, “Our King’s wrath was poured out in full upon his own Son on the cross. And if God’s fury has been poured out in full upon Christ, now there is none left for us (see Gal 3:13)” (Esther and Ruth, 96). Paul says, “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). At great cost to himself, God covered all of our sin. He will not forsake believers because he has forsaken Christ in our place. Commenting on David’s and Nathan’s interaction in 2 Samuel 12, Jon Bloom exhorts,

On this side of the cross we now know fully what David didn’t: God put away our sin by placing them on himself. Only at the cross will we hear, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” Ever. (“Success Can Be Perilous”)

Is there any greater news? Who needs to hear this news from you today?

Sometimes we just need to be reminded that God will ultimately defeat all his enemies. We also need to be sure we are not among them any longer. As we have seen in Esther 7, God works out his plans, but he uses us in the process. I hope that we, like Esther, will be those who confront sin and call for justice rather than being like Haman, who continued in sin and got caught in its consequences.

If you are having problems confessing that you are a believer to someone, will you pray for the Lord to strengthen you? If you are avoiding confronting sin in your life or in the lives of others, will you pray for courage today? If you are concealing sin, will you repent from it right now? If you are not speaking and striving for the good of all others, will you ask the Lord to help you do so starting now? If you do not consider on a daily basis that God’s wrath has been satisfied on your behalf in Christ, would you ask him to help you think on this often and move you to action with gospel gratitude and urgency?