Esther 3-4
At the beginning of chapter 3, Haman appears, and, almost immediately, we don’t like him. Xerxes promoted him above all the others in his court. Whenever he went about, everybody bowed to him, everybody, that is, except for Mordecai, who—as a Jew—could not bow to a human being as though he was God.
But this single act of non-compliance infuriated Haman, who had heard that Mordecai would not bow because he was a Jew. And so, he hatched a plot to destroy all the Jews—not just Mordecai. He did not reveal his personal vendetta to the king. He simply told him of these upstart willful people, who ought to be destroyed, and that he—personally—would contribute 10,000 talents of silver to the effort. Ahasuerus agreed and decreed a set date for the annihilation of all Jews
Trouble!
When the proclamation became known, Mordecai (and Jews everywhere) mourned. Mordecai sent word to Esther through one of the king’s Eunuchs, Hathach, to find out what was going on. Through Hathach, Mordecai encourages a reluctant Esther to intercede on the Jews’ behalf before the king. He says, “Don’t think that you will be exempt from the king’s decree. If you remain silent, deliverance will rise from somewhere else. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14) Esther relents and asks Mordecai to gather all the Jews to fast and pray.
Tomorrow, I have both my knees replaced, which is a whole lot better than what will happen to Haman!
Your Bible brother,
Pastor Gary
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