Only God!

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, ‘Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?’ As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.”—Esther 7:8 (NIV)

There are a lot of “unknowns” in this life. The price for a gallon of gas next week, the way our resume to a prospective employer will be received, the pending results of a medical test. The list goes on and on. But in this sea of unknowns, there’s one thing we can be absolutely certain of ... God will fulfill His agenda!

It doesn’t matter how unlikely or unbelievable it may seem to our own understanding. If God has determined something should occur, it’s going to happen—and by means we won’t always anticipate. The Lord loves to work this way, because when His will is fulfilled in ways we could never conceive, it’s all the more testimony to His ability and creativity. We’re simply left with the words, “Only God!”

We get a great glimpse of this here as the Lord is fulfilling His agenda before our very eyes. As a reminder, Haman was just exposed by Esther for masterminding a plot to eradicate the Jewish race. This, of course, was not God’s will. Rather, it was His will that the enemy of His people would suffer the fate he had devised for them. This is exactly what the Lord does—and take careful note of how He does it.

Upon hearing the news of Haman’s plot, the king is so furious he exits the room, leaving Haman and Esther alone. Haman is now so overcome with emotion that he loses all sense of propriety and clings to Esther, begging for mercy. Just then, the king comes in and all he sees is Haman grabbing his wife ... not good! The king assumes Haman is assaulting his wife and his fate is sealed. But notice how a husband’s protective nature was utilized here.

“Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, ‘A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.’ The king said, ‘Impale him on it!’ So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.”—Esther 7:9–10 (NIV)

God not only used a husband’s heart, but He also called a servant named Harbona into the service. Harbona told the king Haman had previously built a pole to impale Esther’s cousin (Mordecai) on. The king hears this and decides there could be no better way to kill Haman than by using his own device against him. So in another, “only God” move, Haman is executed on the very instrument he created to execute Mordecai!

Know this: God will fulfill His agenda! And He’ll do so in the least likely of ways. He can use anything to get the job done—a husband’s zeal for his wife, a seemingly insignificant servant, even the very efforts of the enemy can be employed to perform His purposes.

Trust in this reality because there will be times when it seems like God’s will is a million miles away and that Haman is going to get away with murder. For the life of us, we just can’t see any way out of our dilemma. But God ... He will see to it that His will for our lives is realized and He’ll do it in such a way that will leave us with nothing to say except, “Only God!”

Pause: What did God use to accomplish His will in this case, and what does this reveal to us about His character?

Practice: Reflect on a time you have personally experienced an “only God” moment in your own life and how it changed you.

Pray: Lord, I’m reminded that You will perform all that You have promised. I never have to worry about Your faithfulness to fulfill Your own agenda. Your will be done! Please reinforce my faith to stand on and walk in this great truth. May it make a true difference in who I am and the way I live. Amen!