The first twelve verses of Esther 6 are some of the funniest in the Bible, in my opinion. Perhaps we have not thought this way before, but there is nothing like reading about a man who is as arrogant as Haman getting his “comeuppance”! Solomon said, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). While this is not the “fall” we will read about later in the book; this is definitely a “plot twist”!

When Haman was approached by the king to get some advice on how to honor someone (Est. 6:6), it was the height of arrogance for Haman to think that the king must have been planning to honor him! His thought process was, “Who else could it be?” Ironically, the king intended to honor Haman’s sworn enemy, Mordecai, for his work in stopping an attempt on his life (Est. 2:21-23, 6:1-3). How embarrassed Haman was when his recommendations were followed, and he was given the order to honor Mordecai and parade him through town!

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame” (Prov. 11:2). Haman would experience the truth of this verse first-hand. Haman’s pride would bring suffering to him just as Nebuchadnezzar’s pride brought suffering to him (Dan. 4:30-37). The Edomites were noted as asking, “Who will bring me down?” only to have God respond, “I will bring thee down” (Obad. 3-4).

God has ways to turn man’s pride into a humbling experience! This is because “whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matt. 23:12). Haman learned this lesson the hard way! Let us learn from Haman and humble ourselves now (I Pet. 5:5-6).

- Jarrod M. Jacobs