A Study of the Book of Esther
“An Evil Plan”
Esther 3:1-15
The history of mankind is filled with various attempts to destroy the people of Israel. For 4,000 years the Jewish people have faced relentless per-secution, opposition, and attempts to annihilate and destroy them; and in the future, the struggle against Israel continues. Some of the attempts are well known and some not so well know. Fernand and Isabelle of Spain, you perhaps remember as supporters of Columbus voyages to the New World but not so well known is that the same year as Columbus discovery they issued a decree calling for the expulsion of the Jews from Spain (31 March 1492, the Alhambra decree). The Russian progrom (Russia word for destruction) these harsh laws against the Jews in the late 1880’s and early 1900’s propelled mass Jewish emigration. Of course one of most destructive plots against the Jews is now referred to as “The Holocast” - which was carried out by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party as they set out to destroy the Jewish race in the 1930’s and 40’s and in just a few years had killed six million Jews, but the Jews survived as a people. And at the end of World War II the dream of establishing a state in their biblical home-land came true when the “Belfour Declaration” allowed the formation of the modern state of Israel in 1948. Almost immediately (the end of 1948), Israel's Arab neighbors invaded and tried to destroy the new state, and failed. In the 1967 war, (Egypt, Syria, Jordan) again tried to destroy Israel but failed again.
According to Bible prophecy there will be no let up of the persecution of God’s people and there will be no let-up in Satan’s campaign to destroy Israel. The following scenarios indicate Satan’s continued efforts when: the Anti-Christ confirms a 7-year treaty with Israel, making them think he is the Messiah (Dan. 9:24) Satan is cast out of Heaven and attempts to destroy Israel in the wilderness (Rev.12:13–17) the Anti-Christ demands Israel and the world worship him, the Abomination of Desolation (Matt. 24:15, 2 Thess. 2:3–4) the Anti-Christ brings the armies of the world against Jerusalem and Israel in Battle of Armageddon (Zech. 12:1–3) And finally Satan attempts to destroy the Holy City after the Millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 20:7-11).
Today’s text chronicles one such attempt to destroy all the Jews residing in the kingdom of Persia.
First, The Promotion of Haman. (3:1-6)
“After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, …the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
2 And all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.”
These events occur four years after Esther becomes queen. We have thus far been introduced to the King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) and to the new Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai and now we are introduced to a new character named Haman who could be called “Haman the Hateful.” The designation that Haman was a “Agagite” (v. 1) was that he was a native of that country (an Amalekite) rather than that he was direct descendant of Agag the king. These are descendants of Esau (Edom) principally make up the Arabs of our day. Interest-ingly the descendants of Edom don’t appear again in the Bible until Herod (who was an Idumean- Edom) is mentioned as the king who tried to kill baby Jesus by having all the children around Bethlehem killed.
The king promoted Haman to a position, per-haps that of vizier, which was the second highest official in land, second only to the king. Now wait a minute! What is going on? Mordecai was the one who discovered the plot and saved the king’s life. So why is Mordecai passed over and Haman is getting the promotion. Because life is not always fair.
And to rub salt in the wound part of the pro-motion was that everyone was to bow and pay homage to him. That is everyone did except Mordecai, who refused to bow. The question is, Why? The king had commanded, everyone was doing it- but not Mordecai.
It is true that Mordecai had made compro-mises. He allowed for his cousin to become involved in the harem of a pagan king (how much he could do is not known). He told Esther to conceal her Jewishness (Esther 2:10). He apparently was a good servant of the king. But he had come as far as he could and he will go no further.
Some scholars maintain that it was because he did not want to bow before any man (human being). But that is offset by the fact that Mordecai had no qualms about bowing before Ahaseuras. Other scholars have argued that Mordecai was just being arrogant in his refusal or that he was jealous that Haman had been promoted and not himself. But there is no hint of those attitudes in the text.
Perhaps we see the answer if we look at what is revealed in the text. In verse three, “Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the
king’s command?” 4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mord-ecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.”
We are not certain that the cause of the servants questioning Mordecai was a concern for his well-being or whether they merely curious or resentful of what they thought it was a superior attitude on the part of Mordecai.
If we look closely we will see that Haman was a Agagite that is he was a descendent of Agag the Amalakite. The Amalekites were the perpetual enemies of the Jews. Because the Amalekites had attacked Israel as they came out of Egypt God had cursed them, declared a perpetual enmity between the two people and condemned them to extinction (Ex. 17:8-16) King Saul was sent to complete this conquest (1 Sam. 15) but he spared the best of the animals and the life of king Agag. Mordecai could not force himself to bow to a man that God had cursed. Bow to King Ahasuerus was one thing because he had been set over the nation of Israel because of their sin, but bowing to Haman was completely different.
Apparently Mordecai explained this to the men who tried to convince him to bow to Haman. This would explain why now “… Mordecai…told them that he was a Jew.” (v. 5) Mordecai pre-sumably told them the history of his people and why he could not in good conscience bow to Haman.
The report only served to enraged Haman, verse five says, “When Haman saw that Mord-ecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.”
Haman was not satisfied to just get even with Mordecai but attempted to destroy all the Jews throughout the Persian Empire. What and how can this justify a genocide of a entire people? Haman had been raised among a people who hated the Jews and he was taught that from childhood. We see the same thing in the Arab world today when children are taught to hate the Jews and to seek the destruction of Israel.
Second, The Plan of Haman. (3:7-11)
“In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth mon-th, which is the month of Adar.8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.” 10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman...the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”
The lot was cast on the first month (v.7) and landed on upon a date exactly eleven months later (v.13) allowing plenty of time for Haman’s plot to be overcome and a counter measures ordered. This has to be seen as confirmation of God’s assurance that He will preserve His people. The book of Pro-verbs states “the lot is cast into the lap….it’s every decision is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:33)
David had proclaimed a 1,000 years earlier, “my times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who persecute me.” (Psalm 31:15)
Haman’s plan to destroy all the Jews has to be seen as a part of Satan’s on going cosmic battle with God’s plan and purposes. Haman determined that he would ask the king to exterminate all the Jews in the kingdom, but because he was super-stitious he kept throwing the lot to determine the best day to ask the king for permission for the determination to happen. When the day finally arrived the edict was approved and signed with the king’s signet ring. God’s hand of providence is seen in that the lot did not fall on an immediate day but gave Mordecai and Esther time to act to avert this destruction.
Haman’s justification for the law was: (v.8) their laws are different than our laws, (not true); they do not observe the king’s commands, (also not true); it is not in the king’s best interest for them to remain, and the clincher was Haman’s vow to pay “ten thousand talents” (that is 375 tons of silver – silver was the monetary standard of Persia) into the king’s treasury (v.9) but because of the king’s great wealth he really did not need it, but as we know needing and wanting are to different things.
The real problem is that the Jews are
“scattered yet not assimilated” the Jews committed the ultimate sin against the empire the failure to be assimilated. “The uniqueness of Israel’s moral, civil and religious laws has always caused offense to certain elements of the Gentile world.” [John C. Whitcomb. “Esther: Triumph of God’s Sovereignty.” (Chicago: Moody Press. 1979) p. 68]
“It’s possible that Haman did not actually name the subculture he was maligning for fear that Xerxes would remember the decrees favoring the Jews which had been issued by Cyrus and Darius (Ezra 1:1-4, 6:3-5, 8-12)…. The charge that the Jews did not obey the king’s laws “was a diabolical perversion of the truth for personal gain.” [Whitcomb p.69]
When the king gives Haman his signet ring it was the equivalent of the king’s signature (v. 10) and thus his approval the plan. So why did Xerxes allow this decree to be enacted? He did not even care enough to ask what group was to be destroyed which speaks loudly of his character. Not only did the king pass over Mordecai and promote Haman, he careless passed a law that is designed not only to result in his death but also of the queen that he professes to love so much.
Haman’s offer of ten thousand talents to the king (v.9) which according to the Greek historian (Herodotus) was a fabulous amount equal to 2/3 of the annual income of the entire kingdom. Verse 13 implies that the income would be generated by the confiscation of displaced Jews by their Gentile neighbors, but can be sure that Haman had a plan whereby he would end up with the bulk of their wealth. The king’s statement to Haman that “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.” is the equivalent of “you can keep the money” – and sounds like the initial stages of a Near Eastern bargaining. Mordecai later states that the money was to go into the king’s treasury (4:7)
Third, The Proclamation Of Haman. (3:12-15)
“Then the king’s scribes were called on the thir-teenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were
over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahas-uerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions. 14 A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.”
Verse thirteen tells us just how evil Haman’s plan was, “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women.” And a motive is given for the carrying out this plan is a financial windfall the ability to, “plunder their possessions” (v. 13).
Even though Haman is trapped by the work-ing of his pagan dependence on Astrology one can see the working of God’s providential protection of His people.
C. F. Keil suggests the eleven month interval could have “caused many Jews to leave their property and escape to other lands, for the sake of preserving their lives. Thus Haman would achieve his object. He would be relieved of the presence of the Jews and be able to enrich himself by the appropriation of their possessions.” [C.F. Keil. “The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.” Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1950.) p.348]
The same mail delivery system that delivered the king’s decree that all wives must respect their husbands (2:20, 22), now carries a far darker decree (v. 15). The city of Susa was thrown into confusion about this decree concerning the Jews. The lot had been cast, the decree had been signed, it seemed that there was nothing that could be done. But they reckoned without God!
In the same way that during World War II many people in occupied Europe felt helpless to avert the fate of their Jewish friends. Martin Niemöller (knee/mu/er) was a prominent Pro-testant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
[Holocaust Encyclopedia. “Martin Niemöller: "First They Came For The Socialists." https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007392]
Certainly the people of the empire had the good reason to wonder after the Jews who else might be consigned to destruction at the whim of the king!
An interesting contrast to the people’s con-fusion in verse 15 is when it says, “…So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.” Meanwhile the king and his trus-ted adviser think so little of the ramifications of the whole matter they went off to celebrate with a drink.”
Application
Charles Swindoll in book on Esther makes some compelling applications.
“From Mordecai – Never forget that there will always be someone who will resent your devotion to the Lord!
From Haman – Never underestimate the diabolical nature of revenge.
From Ahaseuras (Xerxes) – Never overestimate the value of your own importance!”
[Charles Swindoll. “A Woman of Strength and Character: Esther.” (Nashville: Word, 1997) p. 70]
“An Evil Plan”
Esther 3:1-15
Satan’s continued future efforts to destroy Israel:
The Anti-Christ confirms a 7-year treaty with Israel, making them think he is the Messiah. (Dan. 9:24)
Satan is cast out of Heaven and attempts to destroy Israel in the wilderness (Rev.12:13–17)
The Anti-Christ demands Israel and the world worship him,
“The Abomination of Desolation” (Matt. 24:15, 2 Thess. 2:3–4)
The Anti-Christ brings the armies of the world against Jerusalem and Israel in Battle of Armageddon (Zech. 12:1–3)
Satan attempts to destroy the Holy City after the Millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 20).
First, The Promotion of Haman. (3:1-6)
Haman is promoted to the second highest official in land. Part of the promotion was that everyone was to bow and pay homage to Haman. But Mordecai - why would he not bow?
• Was it he did not want to bow before any (man) human being.
• Others argue that Mordecai was just being arrogant in his refusal or that he was jealous –of the promotion.
More likely it was because Haman was an Amalekite the cursed enemies of Israel (Ex. 17:8-16)
Second, The Plan of Haman. (3:7-11)
Haman was not satisfied to just get even with Mordecai but attempted to destroy all the Jews throughout the Empire.
Third, The Proclamation Of Haman. (3:12-15)
“Kill…them all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women…and plunder their possessions” (v. 13).
Charles Swindoll makes some compelling applications.
“From Mordecai – Never forget that there will always be someone who will resent your devotion to the Lord!
From Haman – Never underestimate the diabolical nature of revenge.
From Ahaseuras (Xerxes) – Never overestimate the value of your own importance!”
“An Evil Plan”
Esther 3:1-15
Satan’s continued future efforts to destroy Israel:
• The Anti-Christ confirms a 7-year treaty with Israel, making them think he is the Messiah. (Dan. 9:24)
• Satan is cast out of Heaven and attempts to destroy Israel in the wilderness (Rev.12:13–17)
• The Anti-Christ demands Israel and the world worship him,
“The Abomination of Desolation” (Matt. 24:15, 2 Thess. 2:3–4)
• The Anti-Christ brings the armies of the world against Jerusalem and Israel in Battle of Armageddon (Zech. 12:1–3)
• Satan attempts to destroy the Holy City after the Millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 20).
First, The _______________ Haman. (3:1-6)
Haman is promoted to the _______ highest official in land. Part of the promotion was that everyone was to bow and pay homage to Haman.
But Mordecai - why would he not bow?
• Was it he did not want to bow before any ________.
• Others argue that Mordecai was just being _________ in his refusal or that he was ___________ –of the promotion.
More likely it was because Haman was an Amalekite the cursed enemies of Israel (Ex. 17:8-16)
Second, The ___________ of Haman. (3:7-11)
Haman was not satisfied to just get even with Mordecai but attempted to destroy all the Jews throughout the Empire.
Third, The ____________ Of Haman. (3:12-15)
“Kill…them _____, both young and old, little children and women…and __________ their possessions” (v. 13).
Charles Swindoll makes some compelling applications.
“From Mordecai – Never forget that there will always be someone who will resent your devotion to the Lord!
From Haman – Never underestimate the diabolical nature of revenge.
From Ahaseuras (Xerxes) – Never overestimate the value of your own importance!”
