Whistle Blowing

An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing. Proverbs 13:17

You are working away, and you realize someone is undermining the boss. What do you do? Queen Esther ran into this scenario: “One day as Mordecai was on duty at the palace; two of the king’s eunuchs . . . became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai heard about the plot and passed the information on to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report” (Esther 2:21-22).

Esther was laying a foundation of looking out for the king. So when a more twisted, complicated, and manipulative plot came along, formed by someone much closer to the king, he already trusted her.

Haman was a prideful man and thought Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, should bow and worship him. When Mordecai wouldn’t bow, Haman, knowing Mordecai was a Jew, went to the king with an evil plot: “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire. Their laws are different from those of any other nation, and they refuse to obey even the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. If it please Your Majesty, issue a decree that they be destroyed” (3:8-9).

When Esther heard about the plot, she went into action. She invited the king and Haman to a set of dinner parties. She carefully prepared the parties to soften the king’s heart. After the first dinner the king couldn’t sleep (God can help with these details!), and he read the book of records and found Mordecai had never been honored for saving his life. So the king made Haman honor Mordecai!

Then at dinner the next night the king granted a request to Esther, and she explained Mordecai’s evil plot to kill all the people the king loved and trusted.

Whistle blown.