Sleep was removed from the eyes of Ahasuerus, whom the Seventy call Artaxerxes, that he might turn over the memoirs of his faithful ministers and come on Mordecai, by whose evidence he was delivered from a conspiracy; and that thus Esther might be more acceptable and the whole people of the Jews escape imminent death. There is no doubt that the mighty sovereign to whom belonged the whole East, from India to the north and to Ethiopia, after feasting sumptuously on delicacies gathered from every part of the world would have desired to sleep, and to take his rest and to gratify his free choice of sleep, had not the Lord, the provider of all good things, hindered the course of nature, so that in defiance of nature the tyrant’s cruelty might be overcome. If I were to attempt to produce all the instance of the holy Scripture, I should be tedious. All that the saints say is a prayer to God; their whole prayer and supplication is a strong wrestling for the pity of God, so that we, who by our own strength and zeal cannot be saved, may be preserved by his mercy. But when we are concerned with grace and mercy, free will is in part void; in part, I say, for so much as this depends on it, that we wish and desire and give assent to the course we choose. But it depends on God whether we have the power in his strength and with his help to perform what we desire and to bring to effect our toil and effort.

Above all we should at least know that there are three origins of our thoughts, that is, from God, from the devil and from ourselves. They come from God when he deigns to visit us with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, lifting us up to a higher state of progress; or when we have made but little progress or through sloth have been overcome, he chastens us with most salutary compunction; or when he discloses to us heavenly mysteries or turns our purpose and will to better actions. This was the case of king Ahasuerus when, chastened by the Lord, he was prompted to ask for the books of the annals, by which he was reminded of the good deeds of Mordecai and promoted him to a position of the highest honor and at once recalled his most cruel sentence concerning the slaughter of the Jews.

Mordecai was also persecuted as Jesus was persecuted. Mordecai was persecuted by the wicked Haman; and Jesus was persecuted by the rebellious people. Mordecai by his prayer delivered his people from the hands of Haman; and Jesus by his prayer delivered his people from the hands of Satan. Mordecai was delivered from the hands of his persecutor; and Jesus was rescued from the hands of his persecutors. Because Mordecai sat and clothed himself with sackcloth, he saved Esther and his people from the sword; and because Jesus clothed himself with a body and was illuminated, he saved the church and its children from death. Because of Mordecai, Esther was well pleasing to the king and went in and sat instead of Vashti, who did not do his will; and because of Jesus, the church is well pleasing to God and has gone in to the king, instead of the congregation that did not his will. Mordecai admonished Esther that she should fast with her maidens, that she and her people might be delivered from the hands of Haman; and Jesus admonished the church and its children [to fast], that it and its children might be delivered from the wrath. Mordecai received the honor of Haman, his persecutor; and Jesus received great glory from his Father, instead of his persecutors who were of the foolish people. Mordecai trod on the neck of Haman, his persecutor; and as for Jesus, his enemies shall be put under his feet. Before Mordecai, Haman proclaimed, Thus shall it be done to the man, in honoring whom the king is pleased; as for Jesus, his preachers came out of the people who persecuted him, and they said, This is Jesus the Son of God.^[1] The blood of Mordecai was required at the hand of Haman and his sons;^[2] and the blood of Jesus, his persecutors took on themselves and on their children.^[3]

This is the change caused by the right hand of the Highest: the one who had just boasted about his power and was arrogant towards everyone else becomes viler and weaker than anyone else. When Mary the mother of our Lord considered the greatness of this divine ordering, she sang in her song of praise, He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.^[1] And through Isaiah it is said about this same power, Shall not Lebanon be transformed into Carmel, and Carmel be regarded as a forest?^[2]

The second day of the banquet arrives to which Haman is invited like before. However, after Esther reveals her petition, he is condemned and brought to his place of execution. The gospel mentions this as a noonday meal in one passage and as an evening meal in another. For it designates the noonday meal of the present church but also the eternal supper and final banquet where only the righteous will rejoice before their creator after sinners have been separated out. Therefore Haman, the spiritual enemy of the people of God, realized that the king was angry because he did not have the robe of charity that would make him worthy of the royal banquet. And while he was hurrying to the palace gardens, that is, while he invited his elect to the delights of paradise, he tried to entreat the queen for his salvation. It was to no avail, however, because he was not able to find the right time for this. It is already too late to ask for the remedies of salvation when revenge and punishment are near. In the parable of the gospel concerning the coming bridegroom, the foolish virgins also ask the wise for oil to fill their lamps, but do not receive any. And after the bridegroom has entered the wedding banquet with the wise virgins, the door is closed. And because they are left outside, they ask to be admitted. They are no longer able to incur this favor, however, because the time for mercy which they neglected to ask for previously with their good works is now past.^[1]

One who has no desire to hear what the Lord has commanded cannot receive from him what he asks for. And one who has neglected the time for appropriate repentance comes in vain to the door of the kingdom with his prayers. And indeed the Lord says through Solomon, I called you and you refused. I stretched out my arms and no one heeded. And because you ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.^[2]

Haman’s appeal to Queen Esther was considered by King Ahasuerus to be an act of deceit. Indeed, when the day of judgment is about to come, the petition of the wicked is no longer a prayer but a source of irritation. This is what is written in the psalm: When he is tried, let him be found guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin.^[1] Therefore the request is made for the oppression of those who previously oppressed the humble because the time of retribution has come. Then, after they are condemned, they are covered with the shame of their sins, as is written, The confusion of their face will cover them,^[2] when they are dragged to the darkness of hell to be rewarded with retribution suitable to their works.

It is written in the book of Proverbs: Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.^[1] So also Haman was forced to support the cross^[2] that he had prepared for Mordecai.