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March 12, 2017 |
| Haman and Mordecai | ||
Today is Purim on the Jewish calendar. The name "Purim" is the plural form of "lot". If you substitute "dice" for Purim, you'll have the right idea. The name comes from the book of Esther and refers to the way a day was chosen when all the Jews would be destroyed. More importantly it speaks about how God intervened to save his people from that.
In the book of Esther, two characters, Haman and Mordecai are in contrast. Haman despises Mordecai but Mordecai shows no ill will toward Haman. They have their differences but they also have similarities. In this lesson we will look at their relationship and the contrasts they present.
Why does Haman hate Mordecai so it much? We see Mordecai's very existence is a plague on Haman's life. Was it just that Mordecai was a Jew and Haman was an anti-Semite? It doesn't seem so. Haman doesn't like the Jews but he has a special hatred for Mordecai. Is Mordecai, in fact the cause, because he will not bow to Haman, as the king commanded?
It begins with a plot against the king. Mordecai hears about the plot and tells Esther who tells the king
But the plot became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name. (Esther 2:22)
When she tells the king she does so "in Mordecai's name", which means that she gave credit to Mordecai's character, that he was a loyal servant of the king and wanted the king to be aware of the plot.
The king checks into it and confirms there is a plot and executes the guilty. This results in a structuring within the palace.
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. (Esther 3:1)
Why are we being told that Haman is an Agagite … and what is that? An Agagite is a descendent of Agag. The Agag spoken of is the King Agag of King Saul's time. If you remember, Saul was instructed through Samuel to to destroy all the Amalekites, whose king was Agag. This instruction was given because the Amalekites interfered with Israel's attempt to get to the Promised Land after their time in the desert. The Amalekites were enemies of Israel ever after.
This verse is telling us that Haman is an Amalekite - a survivor of Saul's task to destroy them all. Saul had disobeyed God by improvising on God's plan. He did not kill all of them and now we have an Amalekite as the second most powerful person in the most powerful empire of it's time.
Five times in Esther it says Haman is a Agagite (Amalekite), so it has to be important to understanding what is going on with Haman.
The next verse sets up the situation is going to cause Haman and Mordecai to collide.
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. (Esther 3:2)
We miss an important detail here because the translators have tried to clarify the translation for us. In Hebrew it says "… for so the king had commanded him." The word "concerning" is not in the text. The "him" referred to is Haman. Thus, it says the king commanded Haman that the servants would bow down to Haman. But that's very odd. Why wouldn't the king command the servants?
This indicates that the king did not give this command but that Haman "said" that the king gave this command, but no one else had heard it. Would it be out of character for Haman to do this? Absolutely not. It also makes sense that this is true. When Haman finds out that Mordecai is not bowing down to him, he could have gotten back at Mordecai by going to the king and reporting that Mordecai was not obeying the kings order.
It seems Mordecai knows something of Haman's character and does not believe the king gave such an order.
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. (Esther 3:3-4)
The other people who were bowing down pestered Mordecai for an explanation why he does not bow down, but he does not give them one. Despite what Mordecai may have thought about Haman, he does not say anything that would undercut Haman. He respects Haman's authority over him.
There is another poor translation here. It says the servants wanted to see if "Mordecai's reason would stand." The verse before had just finished saying they pestered him but he would give them no reason. A better translation would have them seeing if Mordecai's action (not bowing down) would stand.
These servants tell Haman that Mordecai will not bow down and they believe it is because he is a Jew. They know the Jews are a different people from all the others, with different customs and beliefs. They don't give any more of a reason than that. It's like they are saying "it's a Jew thing; we don't understand."
Many people think the reason Mordecai will not bow down to Haman is because the Jews considered it idolatry. The Bible, however has many cases of Jews bowing down to kings or to Moses. The commandment says not to bow down to any idol or serve it. Therefore it's only wrong to bow down to something that represents itself as god. That would be:
Therefore, Mordecai would have bowed to the king, because that was the honor due him, but he did not believe the king had commanded this honor was to be paid to Haman. Yet he did honor Haman's authority over him by not speaking against Haman.
As mentioned before, if the king had commanded that the servants bow to Haman then Haman could have fixed this problem very quickly and satisfactorily. Refusing to obey the king's command would result in him hanging beside the people who plotted against the king. Instead …
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. (Esther 3:5-6)
Haman hates the idea of doing something to Mordecai alone and instead wants to destroy him and all his people. In other circumstances it wouldn't seem rational for Haman to suddenly go from "I hate Mordecai" to "kill all the Jews." Because Haman is an Agagite, though, it makes sense.
Haman forms a plan to destroy all the Jews and casts lots (Purim) to pick a day for his plan to happen. Again here we see what's wrong with Haman. He takes upon himself authority he does not have. He still hasn't gone to the king. With the plan now formed and the date chosen, he goes to the king.
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." 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. (Esther 3:8-10)
Haman doesn't mention who these people are. He depicts them as a small minority that don't fit in. He says they don't obey the king therefore they are a danger to the king. Remember the king would still be remembering the plot against him. Haman doesn't mention that they won't obey the supposed law to bow down to Haman.
The king raised Haman up to the position of 2nd in the kingdom because he felt Haman would act as an advisor in the best interests of the kingdom. Yet, Haman is acting in his own interest. The king doesn't ask any questions and gives Haman the ring to issue the order that Haman writes.
We also see here the second time in Esther where it says Haman is an Agagite (Amalekite) but note what is added, "the enemy of the Jews." This doesn't mean Haman is the enemy of the Jews; it means all Agagites are enemies of the Jews.
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. (Esther 3:13)
Even with this order in place Haman is still not satisfied. Mordecai continues not to bow down to him.
Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, "Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. 13 Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." (Esther 5:11-13)
Here we get another look at what's wrong with Haman. Also, remember what Haman says when the king wants to reward Mordecai and Haman thinks the king is suggesting a reward for himself.
The king's servants said to him, "Behold, Haman is standing in the court." And the king said, "Let him come in." 6 So Haman came in and the king said to him, "What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?" And Haman said to himself, "Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?" 7 Then Haman said to the king, "For the man whom the king desires to honor, 8 let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; 9 and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, 'Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.'" (Esther 6:5-9)
Haman is describing the way he would like to be rewarded so that tells us something about him. Notice what he says. He doesn't want just any fancy robe; he wants one the king has worn. He doesn't want just any horse; he wants one the king has ridden while wearing his crown. Haman wants to be king. He isn't happy with everything he has as number 2 in the vast Medo-Persian Empire. He covets the king's position.
Haman has also built a huge device to execute Mordecai and thereby stepped out of line. That is the king's business. People who lust after the king's position are a danger to the king.
We skip ahead now to when the king finds out what Haman has been up to and how he has deceived and used the king. He finds Haman pleading with Esther for his life but misunderstands what is happening, but his words show us what he has figured out.
The king exclaimed, "Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?"
He means, is there anything this man will not do to take my place - will he even take my queen. The king executes Haman and his sons - you just can't be too careful with a cancer like insurrection.
Esther pleads for the king to cancel the order against her people. There is an interesting parallel here. He gives Mordecai his ring and says write whatever you want, just as he had given it to Haman and said write whatever you want. He adds however that the previous order cannot be cancelled. The best that Mordecai can do is this.
the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their spoil, 12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar). (Esther 8:11-12)
This order can only have limited effect. There are many fewer Jews than other peoples. It just means they will have to fight to get their plunder
Here comes another parallel. Mordecai now goes on parade as though he was king. Exactly what Haman had wanted.
Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. 16 For the Jews there was light and gladness and joy and honor. 17 In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king's commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them. (Esther 8:15-17)
Haman wanted to be dressed and honored like this for himself. Mordecai is doing it for his people, to cheer them up and give them hope. It also has the reverse effect on the other people. It shows that the Jews have a strong friend in the king and they need to respect that. In fact many decide to become Jews.
The result of the new law and the parade of Mordecai is that few people attack the Jews on the Purim day and the attackers are slaughtered.
1. Mordecai understood his place in authority and would not contradict Haman. Haman coveted the king's position. In the end, that coveting would cost him his life.
2. Haman wanted to be honored; Mordecai was honored. Haman wanted to wear the king's clothes; Mordecai did wear them. "Whoever will exalt himself will be humbled and whoever will humble himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12)
3. Haman worked only for himself; Mordecai worked for the greater good (the plot against the king, the plot against his people)
4. Mordecai was singled out as a Jew (It must be a Jewish thing)
5. Haman is an Agagite. Agag was the enemy of Israel and king of the Amalekites. Haman is also from a conquered people.