Haman Plots Murder

Haman plots murder

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Esther 3:1-4:1

There's always more to the story than you realize.

On the surface Mordecai, a well-respected Jew, simply refused to bow down to the king's right-hand man, Haman. But there was a long history at play behind this simple act of defi-ance. Haman was identified as "the son of... the Agagite" (Esth. 3:1). The Agagites were descendants of King Agag of the Amalekites, one of the oldest enemies of Israel.

They were the first to attack Moses and the Israelites after they escaped slavery in Egypt (Ex. 17:8-15). Later Agag was captured by Saul and killed by Samuel (1 Sam. 15).

Both Haman and Mordecai knew the history between their peoples. When Haman realized Mordecai was a Jew, he contrived a plan to kill not just Mordecai but every living Jew.

Haman was sly. He presented the problem to the king as though the Jews were a bunch of rabble-rousers who refused to be good citizens. The king had no problem with quashing an insurgence and gave Haman permission to choose one particular day to annihilate the Jews.

The day was written out officially, made into a law, and passed around throughout the Persian kingdom where the Jews were scattered.

The end of God's people loomed. They had survived Pharaoh's slavery in Egypt.

They had survived entry to the Promised Land. They had survived attacks by their enemies when they were a nation. They had survived captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians when the nation was divided.

But now only a remnant remained scattered in Persia. All hope seemed lost. Mordecai and the people mourned, fasted, and wept, wearing sackcloth and ashes.

What else could they do?

MORE INSIGHT

Sackcloth and ashes were as a visible sign of mourning. Sackcloth was worn, and the mourner either sat in ashes or sprinkled them on his or her head. This custom was typically used after a death (Gen. 37:34; 2 Sam. 3:3t) or life-changing event (2 Kin. 19:1; 1 Chr. 21:16).

Here sackcloth and ashes were used in anticipation of deeply felt grief.

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