Esther 6:3

Analysis & Commentary

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. Ahasuerus asked what reward Mordecai received, and the servants confirmed he received nothing. The question implies royal expectation that life-saving service should be rewarded. The servants' answer "There is nothing done for him" exposed the oversight. This unrewarded service becomes the mechanism of providential reversal. The king's determination to immediately honor Mordecai will collide with Haman's request to execute him, creating the dramatic confrontation that seals Haman's doom. The delayed gratitude transforms from oversight to opportunity—rewarding Mordecai now, when Haman plots against him, creates maximum impact and dramatic irony.

Historical Context

Ancient Near Eastern monarchs typically rewarded subjects who provided significant service, especially saving the king's life. Rewards included money, land, titles, and positions. That Mordecai went unrewarded for years suggests administrative oversight or perhaps insufficient royal attention at the time. The discovery of this unrewarded service came at the pivotal moment—the night before Haman planned to request Mordecai's execution. The timing demonstrates providence: had Mordecai been rewarded earlier, the later dramatic reversal wouldn't have occurred. God's timing, though sometimes delayed from human perspective, proves perfect for maximum redemptive impact.

Questions for Reflection

• How does the unrewarded service becoming the mechanism of deliverance demonstrate that God's timing, though sometimes delayed, proves ultimately perfect?
• What does this teach about trusting God's timing in recognizing and rewarding faithful service, even when immediate acknowledgment doesn't come?