I thought of the cross, the tree of curse.

When King Ahasuerus returned from the garden to the banquet area,

he found Haman collapsed on the couch where Queen Esther was reclining.

The king exclaimed, "Will he even assault the queen with me in the palace?"

As soon as the words left the king's mouth,

the attendants rushed in and covered Haman's face.

At that moment, Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king,

"Haman has set up a gallows about 23 meters high at his house to execute Mordecai,

who spoke up to help the king." The king then ordered, "Hang him on it!"

So, they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai,

and the king's anger subsided

(Esther 7:8-10).

When I meditate on this passage,

I find the words of Harbonah to King Ahasuerus particularly interesting.

How did it happen that, at that moment,

Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to King Ahasuerus,

"Haman has set up a gallows about 23 meters high at his house

to execute Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king"?

How did Harbonah know that Haman had prepared

a gallows about 23 meters high in his yard to execute Mordecai?

Perhaps after Haman gave the order to build the gallows (5:14),

and "that night" (6:1), when Haman entered the king's palace

to seek permission from King Ahasuerus and entered the outer court of the palace (6:4),

he had already mentioned this to Harbonah.

This might explain how the eunuch knew that Haman had prepared a gallows

about 23 meters high in his yard to execute Mordecai (7:9).

The important point is that Haman himself was ultimately hanged

on the gallows (tree) that he had prepared for Mordecai (v. 10).

The wicked enemy who deserved to die (v. 6), Haman, was executed on that tree (gallows).

When I meditate on this passage,

I am reminded of the cross, the tree of curse

(Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13).

The reason is that I, a sinner who was an enemy of God

(Romans 5:8, 10),

should have rightfully died on that cursed tree, the cross.

However, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God,

who was without sin, was crucified on the cross in my place.

Then the anger of the Holy God, the King of kings, was appeased

(Esther 7:10).

And by the total grace of God and the merits of Jesus Christ's cross,

I have received forgiveness for all my sins and salvation.

Hallelujah!