Esther Chapter 3

Evil Influences

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Haman convinces Ahasuerus to destroy the Jews.

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Outline

1-5. Haman is elevated; Mordecai refuses to acknowledge Haman.
6-15. Haman prepares to exterminate all the Jews.

Reflection

Are you angry with God when He chastises you?

Lesson from the Text

Haman wielded extreme hatred towards the Jews, even to the point of wanting to kill every last man, woman, and child. His actions are a stark reminder that one person’s hatred and manipulation of a government can devastate an entire people, as we have unfortunately witnessed multiple times in human history.

Jesus commanded His people to be gentle as doves yet wise as snakes (Matthew 10:16). That is, Christians are to be wary of evil devices, not ignorant of them. If people turn a blind eye to evil by failing to ask questions and failing to recognize it as evil, they will be deceived into committing atrocities under the guise of good. As Hitler convinced those around him that it was imperative for Germany’s sake to eradicate all but the “supermen,” so Haman convinced Ahasuerus that it was in the best interest of his kingdom to destroy a peaceful people.

Every person, whether an ordinary citizen or a ruler, has the responsibility of discerning right from wrong. Whether Christian or not, we must weigh carefully each decision. We must not allow lies and manipulation to sway our judgments. We must stand firm in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13). Otherwise, the result may be genocide.

Verse by Verse Study

1. For the history of the Agagite (Amalekite), see I Samuel 15:1-33. If King Saul had performed the will of the Lord and killed all the Amalekites, the evil events of Esther would never have occurred.

2. Haman was second in command. The king required all the other officials to reverence him. However, given Haman’s character and future actions, he likely convinced Ahasuerus to issue the decree. Mordecai, knowing the history of the Agagites, refused to bow.

3-5. As evidenced in the following chapters, Haman was a selfish, bloodthirsty man. Mordecai was fully aware of Haman’s character and ethnicity. He refused to honor a wicked man who hated God.

Metaphorically, we see here the godly refusing to bow to the wicked, and the result is oppression. When God’s people make a stand, even a silent stand, against evil, those of the world take notice. The wicked in authority wish to crush those who refuse to acknowledge them, and the world is curious to see who will win.

The other members of the court told Haman not because they despised Mordecai but because they wanted to see if his matter would stand; they wanted to know if Mordecai was justified in his actions. This is perhaps the greatest witness the Christian has to the world: standing apart from the world by refusing to participate in wickedness. Although the Christian may be oppressed, the world will take note of the Christian’s uprightness and, ultimately, God will magnify those who are faithful to Him.

6. Enraged by Mordecai’s refusal to bow, Haman plotted to kill all the Jews. This reveals how much hatred he harbored for the Jews. Though the Bible does not specify the reason, here are two plausible explanations: like all sinners, Haman hated God and, therefore, was jealous of His people, and the Jews conquered his people in the time of King Saul. Recall that Haman’s people were destroyed because of their wickedness; they attacked Israel without provocation (Exodus 17:8-16, Deuteronomy 25:17-19).

Therefore, Haman was a wicked man infuriated at the judgment God passed on his people for their evil deeds. This is, regrettably, the attitude of many under conviction; they become angry with God for failing to bless them. Worse, some blame God for evil in their lives without acknowledging that their sins have separated them from God and His blessings (Isaiah 59:2).

7. Following the common practice of the time, Haman rolled dice to determine the date to execute the Jews. In his mind, the gods controlled the dice, so the date selected would be in accordance with divine will.

8-9. Haman used the Mosaic law against the Jews, claiming that their faithfulness to their God required them to rebel against Babylonian law. This was ungrounded, as the only laws that the Jews were required to disobey commanded them to worship another god or stop worshiping Jehovah (see Daniel 3, 6:5-10). In fact, God commanded the Jews to seek the peace of and pray for their conquerors (Jeremiah 29:7). Haman promised to pay the king a substantial sum to carry out the genocide.

10-11. These verses reveal Ahasuerus’ ineptitude. Just as with Vashti’s situation, he was once again persuaded by another’s counsel without considering the consequences (this time without the excuse of being drunk). He blindly trusted the men around him. For the Christian, this is a strong warning to weigh carefully the advice we receive from the world and to be cautious as to whose advice is counted as having merit. See Proverbs 18:13.

The fact that Ahasuerus said the silver was given to Haman suggested that instead of receiving payment from Haman, Ahasuerus paid Haman to secure his kingdom. However, Esther 4:7 clarifies. Ahasuerus funded the genocide because Haman promised to repay him with a profit by plundering the goods of the murdered Jews.

12-15. With the king’s ring, Haman possessed the full authority of the crown. Haman rejoiced that his vengeance was set in motion, Ahasuerus celebrated the removal of a perceived threat, and the people felt utterly confused by the decree. Deception may bring momentary joy, but those not deceived reveal the insanity of deception: it is unreasonable and without justification. The fact that the order perplexed the people demonstrates that the Jews were a peaceful, accepted ethnic group in Persian society.

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