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Esther Chapter 3
Haman Plots Against the Jews
I found something concerning Haman. He
was an Agagite which was from the nation of the Amaleks. Also
Mordecai was from the same tribe as the first King Saul of Israel.
This is not to show any criticism of Mordecai but Saul was the one
that was supposed to wipe out the Amaleks and because he didn't, one
of their desendents was around to try to wipe out the Jews starting
with Mordecai. Amalek was the grandson of Esau.
Here is God's command to Moses:
- Exodus 17:14 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book,
and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put
out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
- 15 And Moses
built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
- 16 For he said,
Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with
Amalek from generation to generation.
When the children of Israel was
journeying from the wilderness to the land of Caanan, the Amalekites
came out against Israel and tried to keep them from going any
further fighting hard against them. Had they just let Israel pass by
unhindered the curse would not have come upon them and we would have
descendents of them living today.
-
Esther 3:2 And all the
king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and
reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him.
But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
Mordecai could not show Haman any
reverence. Perhaps he knew that this man was evil inside and out or
perhaps he didn't believe in bowing to a human being, sort of like
idolatry.
-
Esther 3:3 Then the king's
servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why
transgressest thou the king's commandment?
Mordecai's failure to honor Haman made
the king's servants curious and they questioned him about his lack
of obedience to the king's commandment.
- Esther 3:4 Now it
came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened
not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's
matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
- 5 And when Haman saw
that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman
full of wrath.
Instead of ignoring what Mordecai did,
they couldn't leave it alone but went to Haman and told him to
notice Mordecai's lack of respect. This type of thing always causes
trouble. Unless a person does something that endangers innocent
people, it's better to ignore minor things that really do not matter
for the good of all. We see from this story that all the Jews in
that region could have been killed just because of tattle tales.
Haman found out also that Mordecai was Jewish so he not only got
angry at Mordecai but hated all Jews.
- Esther 3:6 And he
thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had
shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to
destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of
Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
- 7 In the first
month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king
Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from
day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that
is, the month Adar.
Pur is another word for lot. Casting
lots was to see what time was best for planning a great slaughter
against the Jews. They chose the 13th day of what would be our April
for this evil deed. Some say it was around March. Today Jewish
people celebrate Purim as a remembrance of this time in history when
they were about to be destroyed but as we see later, they failed to
destroy them.
- Esther 3:8 And Haman
said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered
abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of
thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither
keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's
profit to suffer them.
- 9 If it please the
king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will
pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that
have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's
treasuries.
- 10 And the king took
his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of
Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
Haman was clever and knew just the
right words to the king to get the king on board with his evil
plans.
- Esther 3:11 And the
king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people
also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
- 12 Then were the
king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month,
and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded
unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over
every province, and to the rulers of every people of every
province according to the writing thereof, and to every people
after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it
written, and sealed with the king's ring.
The king trusted Haman and had no idea
what he was doing. He didn't realize the woman he loved and
cherished was Jewish and this could have caused her also to be
destroyed.
- Esther 3:13 And the
letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to
destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young
and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar,
and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
- 14 The copy of the
writing for a commandment to be given in every province was
published unto all people, that they should be ready against
that day.
- 15 The posts went
out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree
was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down
to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.
This crazy decree confused and troubled many
of the people that had nothing to do with this decree. They were
probably many mixed marriages within the people. During the
Holocaust this type of thing was done and it was so awful. Fear and
hate is the means by which many innocent people have been at war
with each other for no reason except hate and fear. God has better
things for us, that is why He sent Jesus. -DC
Esther Chapter
4
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