After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. 2 And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. 3 Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king's command?” 4 And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. 9 If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries.” 10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.” 12 Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring.13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion. Meditation It is easy to get lost in culture wars, forgetting God is working. God’s sovereignty over both the dysfunction of leadership and the direct assault on God’s people is a stage for God’s sovereign grace, His redemptive restoration. The Persian king elevates Haman (1). Mordecai the Jew would not bow down to Haman as the others did (2). Haman was furious (5), devised a plan to kill every single Jew (6), and manipulated the king to gain authority and financial backing (7-11). The third feast in the book reveals the shallowness of the Persian king, easily manipulated and self-serving. Letters were sent announcing the day of slaughter (12-15). The chapter ends with a word our culture can identify with- Confusion. How can leaders be this fickle? How can the agenda be so deadly? Haman justified his case to kill God's people by stating that they followed different laws than those of the Persians (8). Sin hardens hearts. Pride comes before the fall. God specializes in demonstrating His sovereignty and revealing His redemption over and through dysfunctional and self-serving laws. God did it with Egypt, Persia, and most notably He did it with Rome. Jesus came face to face with insecure political power and did not cower (John 18:33-40). Jesus was delivered to death to give victory for His people. God’s sovereign grace is setting the stage for redemptive revelation. Lift your eyes off the confusion and put them on Christ the King. Jesus is making all things new. Richly Dwelling -Which portion of Esther 3 seems the most self-centered and shallow to you- The king’s fickle nature, Haman’s pride, or the national system ready to execute a plan of slaughter? -Can you identify with the “confusion” that the people of this narrative were feeling? What is your reaction? -What steps can you take to lift your eyes off the confusion and place them on Christ who is setting the stage for redemptive revelation? Do you trust His sovereign grace? Key Verse 13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. Comments are closed.
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AuthorPastor Mitchell celebrates twenty-four years of marriage with Lisa and together they have four adventurous children. Mitchell is a pastor at First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, TX. |