Haman's evil plot
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Stomp your feet
Stomp your feet
Peace in Shushan (Susa) for four years, Esther as queen.
Mordecai is handling the king’s business at the king’s gate
In a quick change of events, an order is given to kill all the Jews due to one man’s pride, arrogance, anger.
Interesting fact: Book of Esther is one of 5 books the Jews called “the writings,” or “the scrolls. Esther was read each year on the feast of Purim in the Synagogue. In case you are wondering what the other writings were they are Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon and Lamentations.
Interesting fact: when the scroll of Esther is read, and the name of Haman comes up, everyone there would stomp their feet and exclaim “May his name be blotted out.” Haman personifies everybody who has tried to exterminate the people of Israel.
(Transition) - “This chapter explains why Haman was such a dangerous man.” (Wiersbe)
A reading of the scroll
A reading of the scroll
1 After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage.
3 Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” 4 Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain.
9 “If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
11 The king said to Haman, “The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.” 12 Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
12 Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being 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 to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder.
14 A copy of the edict to be issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. 15 The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.
Anything stand out to you in this passage?
It starts with some facts we should glean from (vv.1-2)?
This happens “after these events” - what events, the seating of Esther as queen, the saving the king’s life by Mordecai.
That Haman was promoted and that men at the king’s gate paid homage to him, but Mordecai would not.
Who told Haman about Mordecai (vv.3-4)?
The king’s servants because he would not listen to them.
Why did Haman want to destroy all the Jews (vv.5-6)?
Because he was filled with rage against Mordecai so he wanted to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom.
We have two time markers found in (v.7), what are they?
First month, month of Nisan, 12th year of King Ahasuerus reign
Twelfth month, month of Adar, of the same year.
What is Haman’s claim to the king (v.8)?
Claims they have different laws ad do not keep the king’s law.
Not in the king’s interest to let the remain.
What is Haman’s evil plot, and the king’s response (vv.9-10)?
That they be destroyed
I will pay ten thousand talents to the men who carry it out, to put into the kings treasury
The king gave signet ring to Haman
We have another time marker (v.12), what is it?
First month, thirteenth day.
King told him keep the silver, the people are yours to do with, do it. And the decree went out to all the districts
Yes another time marker given (v.13), what is that?
Twelfth month, thirteenth day, month of Adan
To annihilate, to seize possessions as plunder.
After the decree was sent out, what did the king and Haman do? (v.15)?
Sat down to drink
(Transition) I started this evening using a quote by Wiersbe “Why Haman was such a dangerous man.” Let’s look at this now.
Dangerous due to ancestry and authority
Dangerous due to ancestry and authority
Haman was a Agagite, a descendant from Agag, king of Amalekites, a descendant of Esau.
(1Sam15:8; Gen36:12) that were enemies of the Jews, that Saul was told to wipe them out, destroy them and did not. The problem dated back to (Exo17:8-15) when the Amalekites came after Israel (can also see in Deut25:18). Saul did not carry out the command of the Lord.
Everything Haman did, God hated (see Pro6:16-19)
16 There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.
Ahasuerus promoted Haman sometime between seventh and twelfth year. Why, we do not know. He gave him authority.
Was it that he sweet talked, flattered the king as a yes man to get his promotion. Haman was a proud man now with authority that makes him dangerous.
Now, truth be told that Ahasuerus was a weak man, he always wanted to please the people and it made him gullible so this was not hard task for Haman.
God permitted Haman to be appointed for He had purpose to be fulfilled through him (see Rom9:17; for example) God takes His promises serious and will accomplish His good will to keep covenant with His people.
“What people do with authority is a test of Character. do they use their authority to promote themselves or to Help others? Do they glorify themselves or glorify God.” (Wiersbe)
To contrast the use of authority you can see Daniel and how he used similar authority for glory to God and Haman for glory to self.
Dangerous: Because of his vanity.
Dangerous: Because of his vanity.
It is common for man to pay homage to someone in authority, but Haman demanded it because of his vanity.
Pride blinds people and makes man get a wrong concept of self, and demand their own concept of self of others.
Haman was recognized, not because of his character, but because of his position. Hence why went to the king for an edict.
While the promotion brought out the worst in Haman, Anger, Pride, self-promotion, demand for recognition. It brought out the best in Mordecai who refused to pay homage to Haman.
In case you are wondering if this is a sin to pay homage, not it is acknowledging authority. You can see other examples too in Abraham, Joseph’s brother, David to name a few.
Why didn’t Mordecai bow down? We can only make assumptions, that it was he was an Amalekite a sworn enemy of the Jews. It is that Mordecai is standing on God’s side in this. He would have known what happened to Saul when he compromised with the Amalekites, it cost him his crown.
Civil disobedience, that is what you see, and there are other examples in scripture too of it, and in all of them you do not see it painted in a negative way but a wonderful declaration of faith. In instances like Daniel, Peter/John they did have direct word from God.
Civil disobedience is staying in line with God when it is contrary to the word of man.
Take careful consideration on these things for there is differences between personal prejudices and biblical convictions.
Haman’s hatred for Mordecai like cancer grew to be hatred against the whole Jewish race.
Do not let anger turn to sin, sin lead to separation from God. God allowed this to happen for us to learn from. Do not let our enemy the devil get a foothold in us because of anger.
Dangerous because of His subtlety
Dangerous because of His subtlety
We are starting to run out of time for this evening yet still a little to cover. May we follow the subtle steps Haman took in his evil plot.
Haman selected the day (Est3:7)
After using his ungodly ways to arrive at it he went to the king.
He requested the king’s permission (Est3:8-11)
I do not know if you noticed his request of the king, about who this was about was vague. The king did not have a true picture.
anger at one man, was painted as disobedience of all the people and they must be dealt with.
It was so subtle that the king without any questions gave Haman the signet ring to put the edict into place.
He immediately spread the word (Est3:12-14)
Word went out after being translated to the languages of the districts.
In reading from Courson he sums up that the word was put together and sent out quickly, while we under no pressure have a hard time disseminating the good news that can save lives not take lives.
Dangerous because of him apathy
Dangerous because of him apathy
Plot made, plot presented, plot accepted, plot distributed, yet now it is time to sit, drink and be merry.
The edict called for the destruction of an entire race and he is sitting with the king drinking, that is pretty calloused heart would you say?
In reality we know that it is really his own death warrant he is putting the seal on, just does not know it yet. Remember God uses all things for the good (Rom8:28).
A quote to consider from Wiersbe before we close.
“Before we condemn wicked Haman, let’s examine our own hearts, Billions of lost sinners in today’s world are under a sentence of eternal death, and most Christians do very little about it.”
Be sure not to end on negative note here, give a positive application before prayer.
(Prayer) (Exit)