Esther Chapters 1-8 (KJV) Tell the story of King Ahasuerus who reigned from India unto Ethiopia which was over 127 provinces, of Esther and Mordecai who were both Jewish, and of Haman a Prince among the King's Princes.
King Ahasuerus made a feast for all his princes and servants, and took them on a tour of all his kingdom. He then decided he wanted to show off his wife, Queen Vashti, and so he summoned for her but she refused to come. This was of great embarrassment to the King, and his counsel said you must send her away and take a new queen because, when the women of the provinces hear of her behavior they will all begin to disrespect their husbands. King Ahasuerus did just that. He sent Queen Vashti away, and began searching for a new Queen.
A man named Mordecai had taken his cousin Esther to raise after both of her parents had died, and he brought Esther to go before the King in hopes he would select her to be his new Queen. Mordecai and Esther were both Jewish, but they didn't make that known right away. It happened that King Ahasuerus loved Esther and chose her to be his wife, so she became Queen instead of Vashti, and Mordecai remained in the Kings gate. One day Mordecai overheard two of the King's Chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, discussing a plot to kill the King. Mordecai told Queen Esther of the plot to kill the King, she then told the King about it, and thereby Mordecai had saved the King's life.
Now let's meet Haman. He was a man that King Ahasuerus had promoted above all the princes in his kingdom. With this promotion came the requirement that everyone except of course the King and Queen should bow before him. Haman would pass by Mordecai daily, and Mordecai continued to refuse to bow to him. This infuriated Haman, and he had his servants ask him why he refused to bow. Mordecai responded by telling them he was a Jew. Jews bowed to their Kings, but Persians bowed to pay homage as to a divine being which was something Mordecai would only do before God. Mordecai's response angered Haman further, so much so that he sought to have all Jews killed.
Haman went before King Ahasuerus and told him there were certain people scattered among the provinces who refused to abide by the King's laws. He told the King he would send 10,000 talents of silver for his treasury, if he would sign a decree to have them all killed. The King obliged Haman not realizing that Queen Esther herself was a Jew, and that the people Haman spoke of were her people. The letters ordering that all Jews be killed were written, and sent out to all the provinces. When the Jewish people learned of the content of the letters they began fasting and praying. Mordecai then tells Queen Esther that she must tell the King she is a Jew in order to save herself, and all of her people.
Queen Esther goes before the King, and tells him she wants to prepare a banquet for him and for Haman. The King accepts her offer, and she has the banquet prepared. Haman is notified of his invitation to the banquet, and he heads for home passing Mordecai who still does not bow. Haman was in a hurry to get home so he continues on his way excited to share the news of his invitation with his wife, and friends. He arrives home, brags about his promotion, and about his invitation to a banquet where the guests are to be the King, Queen, and him alone.
Haman then begins to complain to his family and friends about Mordecai, and goes so far as to tell them he can't be completely happy as long as Mordecai sits at the gate. He is so power hungry and proud that he is letting the fact that this one man refuses to bow to him consume his thoughts, steal his joy, and make him miserable. His wife and friends advise him to have a gallows built, and speak to the King about having Mordecai hung before the banquet, advising that he could then enjoy himself. Haman hungry for revenge orders the gallows built, and plans to request the King's permission to have Mordecai hung the next day prior to the banquet.
That night the King couldn't sleep so he had a servant read to him from records of the chronicles. It happened that the servant read the record of Mordecai forwarding the information regarding the plot to kill the King and thereby saving his life. The King asked what was done for Mordecai as a reward for saving his life, and the servant responded, nothing.
The next day Haman comes to the Kings court to ask permission to hang Mordecai, and before he could ask the King asked him a question. He asked what should be done to honor the man I delight to honor? Haman thought the King was talking about him, and so he said dress him in royal apparel, place him on the King's horse, crown him, and bring him on horseback throughout the city for all to see. The King agreed to Haman's suggestion and instructed him to go and do all that he suggested unto Mordecai. Haman obeyed the King, and then ran home to his wife and friends telling them all that had happened.
The King's chamberlains then came to Haman's house, and escorted him to the banquet. At the banquet the King told Queen Esther that whatever she requested to the half of the kingdom he would give her, and he asked her what she desired. She told the King that her desire was that her life, and the life of her people be spared. She told the King that they had been sold, and were to be destroyed. The King ask her who this enemy was that sought to do such a thing, and she responded Haman. The King went into the palace garden for a moment, and while he was gone Haman began pleading with Queen Esther to spare him. The King returned to find Haman sitting on the bed that Queen Esther was lying on and he asked him if he was trying to force his wife too. Another of the King's chamberlains then told the King that Haman had a gallows built to hang Mordecai on, and the King ordered that Haman be hung on those very gallows.
The order to hang Haman was carried out. The King gave Queen Esther the house of Haman. Mordecai advanced and was honored, and Queen Esther placed him over the house of Haman. The letters ordering the Jewish people destroyed were reversed, and Jews everywhere rejoiced.
Haman could not get enough power. He couldn't be happy with being top Prince, having people bow before him, and having access to the palace. He let one man who refused to bow before him, and who gave him a legitimate reason why he objected to doing so, completely destroy him. He was so power hungry and became so angry because of it, that he bribed the King with 10,000 pieces of silver in order to get permission not just to kill Mordecai but all Jewish people. He never went before the King out of loyalty to share news that people were disobeying the Kings laws, it was personal. It was about him. When he had the conversation with the King about honoring someone he was certain the King was talking about him. Haman was all about himself, and what he could gain, He obviously lacked humility, and yet he got a big dose of it when he found out it was Mordecai who was to be honored. Not only was Mordecai to be honored, but Haman would be in charge of making it happen, and don't you know he was filled with jealousy and anger over this turn of events. His final demise was allowing the rage he had for Mordecai to get so out of control that he sought revenge upon him. The very gallows he had built for Mordecai were used to hang him. He wove a web of deceit for worldly gain that he himself got caught up in losing everything in the end including his life.
This story is filled with so many lessons. It serves to show us that pride, anger, selfishness, the desire for power, jealousy, and revenge are in the end harmful only to those that harbor these emotions in their own heart.
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