DELIVERANCE IS NEEDED

DECEMBER 7, 2014

FIRST THOUGHTS 

·       The writer of Esther is unknown.

·        Throughout the book are indications of firsthand knowledge of the details of Persian Court life. The name Esther is Persian meaning “star”.

·        Through all the events that occurred in Esther, the theme is clear--God faithfully preserved His people.

·        The book is in the form of a story, but it is not just a story; it is inspired Scripture. 

UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT 

·        The first two chapters of Esther provided the setting for the story.

·        In the third year of Xerxes kingship he removed Queen Vashti.

·        It took four years before he installed Esther as his queen.

·        By this time he had already gone to war against Greece and lost.

·        The war with Greece occurred between these two events.

·        Esther found herself caught up in a situation that was none of her own creation.

·        Esther went through a full year of instruction in beauty and cosmetic preparation before being presented to the king.

·        Every member of the king’s harem went through the same process.

·        Perhaps because of the devastating war with Greece, two servants plotted to kill the king.

·        Mordecai overhear do the plot and reported it to the king.

·        A notation indicating Mordecai's assistance in saving the Kings life was recorded in the official court records of the king.

·        It is after all of these events that Hamon is introduced at the beginning of chapter 3. 

 EXPLORE THE TEXT 

ESTHER 3:1-9   NASB 

VERSE 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. 

·        Agag was the name of an Amalekite king that sought the destruction of the Jews during the time of King Saul.

·        It is suggested that Haman was a descendant of Agag; but it is just possible that he is identified as an Agagite in the same way we refer to people who hate the Jews as anti-Semitic.

·        It is not known what Haman’s office was, but it is known that there was one who stood in the king’s presence holding his weapon and there was another who was the head of the king’s spies.

·        This is suggestive of the report that was given Haman about Mordecai. 

VERSE 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. 

“Herodotus reports that the Persians of equal rank greeted one another with a kiss on the mouth. Someone of slightly lower status would greet a superior with a kiss on the cheeks. If there was a great difference in their status, prostration was the required protocol. Mordecai's refusal is unlikely to concern inhibitions about worship, for there is no suggestion that Mordecai had trouble prostrating himself before the king. The Israelites were known to show deference through this sort of obeisance. Though obeisance could be an act of worship, that was because it was a way of showing reverence and respect. There was no inferred deification here. More likely is that Mordecai was not willing to acknowledge the wide difference in status between himself and Haman that the act would have implied.”

IVP Bible Background 

·        Since Mordecai was at the king’s gate, he must have been an official of the king.

·        Mordecai very likely bowed down to other officials of higher rank than him many times, and certainly before the king.

·        The root word “shachah” can sometimes refer to worship; but, it is often translated as a show of respect, as it seems to mean that here.

·         Rather than religious reasons, it is possible that Mordecai knew about Haman’s anti-semitism and could not bring himself to show any homage or respect for such a man. 

VERSE 3:

Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, "Why are you transgressing the king's command?" 

·        The king was a man of quick anger, fear of arousing it would be pervasive among the officials.

·        The other officials did not understand why Mordecai was not obeying the king,s command. 

VERSE 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.  

“As a Jew, Mordecai may have not been able to bring himself to show this sign of respect to one who was an ancestral enemy.”

Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary 

·        If Mordecai was descended from Amalekites, then he was an ancestral enemy of the Jews.

·        If it was well known that Haman was anti-Semitic then Mordecai’s answer that he was a Jew was sufficient for them to understand.

·        They then began to distance themselves from Mordecai, and to back that up they then informed Haman. 

VERSE 5:

When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 

·        Haman’s rage was probably compounded when he realized that this had been going on for some time and other officials could have been laughing at him behind his back.

·        This was made all the more offensive to him because it was done by a Jew. 

VERSE 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. 

·        The strong influence of demons in Haman’s life would also cause his anger to increase to the level that the great enemy of God would attempt to wipe out God’s plan. 

VERSE 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. 

·        Because of the time involved for Haman’s plan for revenge for Mordecai’s insult, he did not seem concerned that other officials would follow Mordecai’s example.

·        Haman attempt d to discern the right time to carry out his plan by casting lots in the belief that his god would be pleased that he is consulting him and reveal when the best time to carry out his plan.

·        Since the lot had to be cast many times, it is obvious that no god was directing its result except God in order to accomplishing God’s purpose. 

VERSE 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. 

·        The great enemy of God is the father of lies, and he is most effective when he includes enough truth to make the lie seem true too.

·        Yes the Jews were dispersed among the provinces of the kingdom; yes the laws of the Jews were different; but, they do not disobey the king’s laws. 

VERSE 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." 

·        An appeal to the king’s vanity and fear of revolt along with a bribe that is offered in a way as not to appear to be a bribe completes Haman’s presentation to the king.

·        Just a few years earlier the king led a disastrous war against Greece when they revolted.

·        The memory of this war would still linger in everyone’s mind.