Mordecai vs. Haman the Sequel

Introduction

Humility vs. Arrogance

Humility n. — the disposition of valuing or assessing oneself appropriately; especially in light of one’s sinfulness or creatureliness. (Biblical Sense)

Arrogance n. — overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward others. (Biblical Sense)

Proverbs 11:2 (ESV)

2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

1 Peter 5:5 (ESV)

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Micah 6:8 (ESV)

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Fearlessness of Esther

She appeared before the King as she promised to do. When the King saw Esther, He looked at her with favor and wanted to be generous to her request. Esther responds with an invitation to a feast she set up for him and Haman. Both the King and Haman were very pleased with Esther's feast. The King asks Esther what her request is.

Esther invites the King and Haman to another feat the next day.

God is going to accomplish the shift from Haman’s control to Mordecai.

Proverbs 18:12 (ESV)

12 Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

Haman (5:9-14)

Haman’s fury (5:9–13)

Interaction (9-10)

Esther 5:9–10 (ESV)

9 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh.

Haman left the feast really happy and walked by Mordecai at the King’s gate.

Mordecai does not rise or fear.

to stand up (arise) v., to rise to one’s feet. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.) Mordecai did not rise to his feet to show honor towards Haman as he walked by.

to tremble v., to move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways; often as a sign of fear or anguish in people. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.) Haman was expecting that his edict would cause Mordecai to fear him, but Mordecai showed no reaction to Haman.

Haman’s response

fury n., a feeling of intense anger (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)

Restrained - to curb v., to lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)

Went home and invited friends over to boast about himself.

Haman’s arrogance (11)

Esther 5:11 (ESV)

11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king.

Money - “the splendor of his riches...”

Vitality - “the number of his sons...”

Honor - “all the promotions with which the king had honored him...”

Position - “how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king."

Haman’s Anger (12-13)

Esther 5:12–13 (ESV)

12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

He was invited to a feast with the King prepared by Queen Esther and he was invited to another feast tomorrow.

Anger clouds everything.

Worth Nothing - non-existence; nothing; not, no; without. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)

All of the things he just mentioned is seen as nothing in comparison to his anger towards Mordecai. He will remain in His anger until Mordecai is dead.

Wife's fatal advice (5:14)

Esther 5:14 (ESV)

14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

Wife’s advice

Why wait for the edict to kill Mordecai, do it now and wait for the rest of the Jews for the edict.

Build Gallows 50 Cubits

stake n., a sharpened wooden stake set in the ground for impaling victims on. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)

Fifty cubits - seventy-five feet tall

After King agrees with you, Go, enjoy your time at the feast.

Haman is pleased with the idea and builds the gallows.

Mordecai (6:1-14)

The elevation of Mordecai and humiliation of Haman is accomplished without their influence. God used the sleeplessness of the King.

The King’s discovery (6:1–3)

Esther 6:1–3 (ESV)

1 On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

King can’t sleep (1-2)

You would think the king would sleep well after being with Queen Esther and Haman at the feast with another feast the next day.

Asks for his memoirs to be read. The account of the assassination attempt of Bigthana and Teresh that was thwarted by Mordecai.

Seemingly, the author is showing this event as God working in the background to accomplish His goal of elevating Mordecai and humbling Haman.

Coincidence, The night that Haman decides to kill Mordecai is the same night the King reads about the assassination attempt thwarted by Mordecai. Not all coincidences are God’s working, but could be His working.

King learns that Mordecai was not rewarded. (3)

The discussion with Haman (6:4–9)

Haman’s aspirations (6:4–5)

Esther 6:4–5 (ESV)

4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5 And the king’s young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.”

Haman shows up to talk to the King about having Mordecai killed on the gallows.

Haman’s arrogance (6:6)

Esther 6:6 (ESV)

6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?”

King’s question (6a)

what suggestion does Haman have for showing honor to someone who the King wants to honor.

The king does not indicate who or for what reason he wants to honor.

Haman’s arrogance (6b)

“Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” Haman is so full of himself that he can’t think of anyone but himself that the king would honor.

Esther 5:11 “And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king.”

He thinks quickly how he would want to be honored and seen by all in the capital city of Susa.

Haman’s answer (6:7–9)

Esther 6:7–9 (ESV)

7 And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor,(Personal Honor) 8 let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set. 9 (Public Honor) And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’ ”

Personal Honor (7-8)

Royal robes - Clothing worn by the King and seen and knows as royal garments. Clothing worn by the king was made of high quality material.

Royal Crown - royal headdress n., a kind of ornate turban worn by royalty. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)

Royal Horse - a horse ridden by the King.

Public Honor (9)

One of the king’s most noble officials lead that man on the horse through the city square. This is the main gathering location within the city.

‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’

Haman is expecting the king to say, “get someone to honor you in this way”.

The King’s decision (6:10–13)

Haman’s assignment (6:10–11)

Esther 6:10–11 (ESV)

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” 11 So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.”

King’s response (10)

Command Haman to do everything he said to Mordecai sitting at the King’s gate.

What a complete reversal to what Haman expected. He expected to be honored and ended up honoring Mordecai. Haman expected to talk to the king about killing Mordecai, but ends up honoring him. God honors Mordecai and humiliates Haman.

Haman obeys (11)

Haman humiliatingly does everything he said to Mordecai.

Haman’s demise foretold (6:12–13)

Esther 6:12–13 (ESV)

12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 13 And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him.”

Haman goes home humiliated. (12)

Mourning with head covered.

Seeks encouragement and counsel from his wife and friends.

Haman hears his fate. (13)

“Earlier Mordecai had publicly grieved over his people (4:1); now Haman privately grieved over his own humiliation. When Haman had left his wife in the morning he had been elated. Now the bottom had fallen out from under him. To make matters worse, his advisers and his wife all saw nothing but trouble for him in the future. They noted that Mordecai’s Jewish origin meant that Haman was doomed. Exactly what they meant by that statement is difficult to determine. It is known that in the Persian religions much was made of omens and signs. Fate, chance, and luck were considered important in everyday life.” (Martin, John A. “Esther.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 1. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 710. Print.)

Haman’s friends and wife see this event as a message from the gods as a sign of Haman’s demise.

Examples of Humility and Arrogance

Mordecai’s Humility

Mordecai continued to sit at the King’s gate. Esther 5:9 “And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.”

Mordecai is resting in the promises of God and did not react when Haman was present. Mordecai lives with an understanding of who he is as an Israelite, covenant people of God, and trusting in God’s deliverance and protection.

Proverbs 15:33 (ESV)

33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Haman’s Arrogance

Haman was so arrogant that he continues to brag about all his wealth, fame, and position. Esther 5:11 “And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king.”

Haman thought that he was superior to Mordecai and the Jews and that he would get whatever he wanted.

Proverbs 18:12 (ESV)

12 Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.