Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Esther+003
CHAPTER 3 (ESV)
1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?” 4 And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
REFLECTION:
- Mordecai refused to bow down before Haman. We may think that Mordecai was not flexible as it was not a big mistake to bow down before senior government officials to show your respect. However, the King of Persia and his senior officials were regarded as sacred and inviolable in the country. Mordecai refused to bow down before Haman because it would be equivalent to worshipping him as god. Similarly Daniel and his three friends also refused to worship the golden image (cf. Dan. 3:1-30). We can only worship the one and only true God and no others.
- Why did Haman want to wipe out the whole Jewish race just because of the act of Mordecai? (1) Haman hated the Jews because he was an Agagite who was the descendants of the Amalek, the fatalistic enemy of the Israelites. (2) With the high position in the country and the lust for power, Haman desired for people’s respect. However, the Jews only respected God as their highest authority and were not afraid of other power. Haman knew that the only way for him to satisfy his conceit was to kill this race who respected God more than him and the king. The pursuit of power and racial hatred caused him to plan this racial genocide. God will punish all those who are proud and arrogant and will eventually destroy them under His judgment.
PRAYER:
Pray that God will help you learn from Mordecai’s example to insist on worshipping God under pressure rather than worshipping powerful persons or other idols. Ask God to help you take Haman as a warning and understand that hatred and pride will receive serious judgment by God. If you still have resentment for others and pride for yourself, lay them down before God, confess your sin and ask for God’s forgiveness.
HYMN:
At the Cross – www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ONVG8DaREA
