“Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

–Parallel verses:
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭32‬:‭7‬-‭8‬
Scoundrels use wicked methods, they make up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just. But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.

If we take the standards in Isaiah 32 above, we can easily differentiate Haman’s plans from Esther’s plans. Evil people (or scoundrels) seek to destroy the poor with lies through evil schemes and wicked methods. If you have ever been caught up in such plans you will know they typically are ruthless and have no basis for truth in them. The contrast here is a noble person who makes noble plans and stands by their noble deeds.

The king clearly saw wisdom in Esther, because his offer of whatever she wanted was now more specific, up to half his kingdom. Haman was offered second in command, but not up to half of King Xerxes’ kingdom. It is said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. For this king, this was likely very true. Having a banquet thrown in his honor two days in a row, this was smart by Esther.

God is working in the background here too — we can see it. He advises Esther on the plan, no doubt, and then she is patient and waits for his timing. God clearly felt two banquets were required, because it would have been tempting for Esther to blurt out her needs after this kind response from the king.
But God has all the wheels in motion as we shall see.

When truth is challenged and the righteous are attacked, all they need to do is call on the name of the Lord.

The Apostle Paul, in quoting Joel 2:32, says this: “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬-‭13‬)

Esther called, God answered, and now she is working out his plan.

Is it always easy to serve the Lord? No! She had to eat with the scoundrel Haman not once but twice! The very man trying to kill her uncle and all her people. She had to be cordial to him. But God gave her supernatural strength for this task too.

Lord, thank you for the ways you love us and watch over us. You call us to trust you completely and you completely give us the victory over our enemies!