Or, Letting the Wicked Man Dig His Pit
Scripture: Esther 5:1-14
Date: September 28, 2025
Speaker: Sean Higgins
Do you have enough nerve to let God let your enemy dig his own pit?
How many problems could you have with that question? I’d say it could easily be three. 1) “Nerve” isn’t a Bible word. 2) As a Christian, you don’t really have any enemies, do you? 3) Could this possibly be the point of Esther 5? There are no pits here, right?
This part of Esther’s story raises the tension 75 feet into the air. One critical problem is resolved, but that is just the door into a room full of problems. By the end we’ve still got to wait at least another day, and that leaves more time for things to get worse, which they do.
It’s enjoyable to the degree that we know what happens, and that we identify with the winning side. But is there edification? Is there example? Yes. It’s having enough nerve to let God let our enemies dig their pits deeper. Let’s see the plot in the chapter, make sure we’re clear on some definitions, and then press it into our own context.
Two significant scenes in chapter 5: Esther’s first feast (verses 1-8) and Haman’s fleshly fury (verses 9-14), but we’ll look at it in light of three observations about God’s providence and human nerve.
Mordecai made it clear to Esther: she was in an inescapable conflict. She could risk death by trying to get her king-husband’s attention without his invite or she would risk death by trying to hide her Jewish identity from her king-husband’s decree. She agreed that she had to act, and she prayed and had Mordecai muster the prayer warriors on her behalf.
Esther was a beautiful woman. She had won the king’s favor. She’s been the Queen of Persia for five years. Based on her previous behavior, we can assume that many in the palace esteemed her, but we can also assume that at least some others hated her because she was so esteemed. But Ahasuerus hasn’t called for her in thirty days. Vashti lost her throne when the king called for her and she didn’t come, what would happen to Esther if she came when the king didn’t call?
She put on royal robes. Was she making some last minute “arrow prayers” on her way to the throne room? Ahasuerus is in place, probably near the end of his workday. She stepped into the arena. Would he be glad to see her?
She won favor in his sight, and he held out the golden scepter. And if we were hearing this for the first time, we could let out the breath we’d been holding. But this is only the step one, maybe even the easiest one. She touched the tip of the scepter which was protocol before the king. Now we find out what sort of mood he’s in.
G.K. Chesterton on this kind of nerve: “Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die.” By God’s providence, Esther had nerve to take the first risk.
The king is in a good mood. He also knows that she’s there because she wants something. The Persian Times never nicknamed him Mr. Empathy, yet he appreciated her risk. Before she even says anything he offers even to the half of my kingdom, which probably wasn’t a formal contract, but an exaggerated expression of ready generosity.
It’s a bit surprising that Esther isn’t more urgent, right? This is life or death. Should she ask for Haman’s head on a platter? Instead she invites the king to dinner. And it’s more than surprising that Esther includes Haman for dinner. He’s the enemy, evil but in the uninteresting way; he’s not even any fun.
A couple more things to observe here. She had already prepared the feast (verse 5). Without the scepter, the meal was moot; with the scepter, she needed a set table. Though her husband asked what she wanted, she holds off. She’s about to entertain a man who hasn’t wanted to talk to her in a month, along with a man who has already set up the machinery to massacre her people. Even during the after dinner drinks when the king asks again, she postpones. Why? And how? And when did she plan for the second dinner?
The text doesn’t give her reasoning. It makes sense that she’d ask in private rather than in front of however many attendants were in the throne room. But another 24 hours? Did she think that Ahasuerus wasn’t ready to denounce Haman? Did she sneak in any stink eyes toward Haman when he wasn’t looking? How could she handle being in the same room? But her patience works out better than she could have planned. She had nerve. God’s providence gave her restraint and really lets Haman get his shovel out of the shed.
Haman never told a story he couldn’t be the hero of. Dinner, with only him and the king and queen, and doing it all again? He is IMPORTANT. But Mordecai, again, won’t acknowledge that he is IMPORTANT. Mordecai has nerve. Haman reacts, he was filled with wrath. For a minute he doesn’t lash out but his emotional reactivity is ready to boil over.
When he got home he collected an audience, his wife and some friends, and Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons (ten according to 9:10), all the promotions, and to top it off, his exclusive dining experience. Yet Haman was so proud it made him pouty. That one stinking Jew. All this is worth nothing to me so long as Mordecai is walking around.
Flattering/syncophantic chatbots aren’t new. Zeresh encourages Haman to run with his reactivity. Don’t wait for months for the Purim purge. Make up a charge and get Mordecai executed. She’s a new Jezebel, with ideas for 75 foot tall stake. Of course Haman was pleased; his reactivity was affirmed.
Nerve is a sort of courage with edge. It’s hard to find one definition that has it all. Let me offer this for now: nerve is a combination of God-fearing disagreeability and determination. This means nerve isn’t fearing man, nerve doesn’t fear being outside of consensus, nerve doesn’t fear the overwhelming odds. Nerve is the opposite of comfort at the cost of conviction.
Esther realized that she couldn’t just go-along, and she couldn’t just accept that she was useless. She also was not hysterical, not anxious; would Ahasuerus have acted so receptive if she’d come in shrieking?
Pit-digging is Bible talk for trying to hurt others, and God loves to let pit-diggers dig pits…to fall into. It’s poetic justice. God told Abram that those who cursed Abram’s offspring would be cursed. How? Haman is a great case. God elevated Haman for a bigger fall. There are a bunch of pit-digging verses (e.g., Psalm 9:15; 57:6; 119:85; Proverbs 26:27; 28:10; Ecclesiastes 10:8), including Psalm 7.
Behold, the wicked man conceives evil
and is pregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
He makes a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
His mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.
(Psalm 7:14–16 ESV)
As for enemies, yes, we Christ-following believers have them. Some of them are actually still Haman-ic, hating Jews just because they are Jews. Some of our enemies just hate the righteous (Psalm 34:21), they’re doing the devil’s work, lying and murdering.
The gospel does convert elect enemies into brothers. Jesus died for those who need saving. Enemies of the cross (a label used in Philippians 3:18) can become friends by the Spirit’s sovereign application of the Son’s atonement.
And yet, enemies may not be broken or humbled until after they’ve killed and seen our response. Think Jim Elliot and Nate Saint, think Charlie Kirk. And still other enemies are storing up more wrath for themselves in the day of wrath (Romans 2:5). We’re not fixing anything by refusing to recognize enemies. We can’t love our enemies (Matthew 5:43) if we can’t identity them. “Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless and seek the life of the upright” (Proverbs 29:10).
This is the point of Esther 5. Consecrated agents have nerve, for risk and with restraint, not auto-reactivity. They have nerve that lets God let enemies dig deeper pits.
Overcome evil with good. Good includes nerve in uncertain times. Good includes nerve while waiting for God’s time. Good includes praising God for His providence. Good includes thanking God for shovels.
Esther and agency: she did not take matters into her own hands, but she did consciously put her life in God’s hands.
Do you need to take a risk by faith this week, in a conversation, for a decision? Do you need to show restraint by faith this week, even as you see the pit meant for you getting deeper? You cannot just go-along with the wicked, and you should not freak out. Fear God, show nerve.
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Romans 16:20 ESV)