On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to
bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the
king. 2 And it was found written,
that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains,
the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done
to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him,
There is nothing done for him. Esther 6:1-3
Have you ever had a sleepless
night? What do you do? Read? Clean the house? Just lay in bed?
After the first banquet King
Ahasuerus had just that kind of night. He could not sleep no matter what he
did. He finally got up and read. Well, he was the king so he didn’t do the
actual reading but had someone read to him.
The book that was read was not
the latest novel or the current biography but “the book of records of the
chronicles”. It does not sound interesting to me, but then again, I’m not a
king.
Jamieson, Fausett and Brown commentary: “In Eastern
courts, there are scribes or officers whose duty it is to keep a journal of
every occurrence worthy of notice. A book of this kind, abounding with
anecdotes, is full of interest. It has been a custom with Eastern kings, in all
ages, frequently to cause the annals of the kingdom to be read to them. It is
resorted to, not merely as a pastime to while away the tedium of an hour, but
as a source of instruction to the monarch, by reviewing the important incidents
of his own life, as well as those of his ancestors. There was, therefore,
nothing uncommon in this Persian monarch calling for the court journal. But, in
his being unable to sleep at that particular juncture, in his ordering the book
then to be read to him, and in his attention having been specially directed to
the important and as yet unrewarded services of Mordecai, the immediate
interposition of Providence is distinctly visible.”
As the chronicles were being
read Ahasuerus hears something he did not know. Mordecai had reported a plot to
kill the king. The king could not believe what he heard; this account was never
brought to his attention. What honor was Mordecai given for his quick action in
saving the life of the king?
The answer to the question was
another shock to the king; nothing had been done to honor Mordecai.
Join me the next time to find
out Mordecai’s “reward”.
Donna
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