BOOK
STUDY SERIES 3
TEXT:
ESTHER 1-10
FOCUS:
HAMAN
Haman the Agagite who is
also popularly called Haman the evil was the highest opposition to the Jews
during the reign of King Xerxes in Susan although there is no agreement on what
his name really means, some said the root of the name means illustrious others
magnificent some said good thought but what is clear is that he played a major
role in the book of Esther hence the need to study the character. This will be studied with the
following sub-headings
Highly placed/most
powerful official in the empire
Esther 3:1 says after
these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite
and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. Haman
occupies a very special positioning in the Land, his seat and post was even higher
than those of the heir to the throne- the princes (that was a whole lot) and
since the empire was the most highest empire in the known world then Esther 1:1
this must come with lots of benefits even with the civilization that was
available in those ages.
Angry with a gateman
transferred it to a race
With all that is recorded
that God blessed Haman with (wealth, vantage position in the biggest empire in
the world, Large family(ten sons),he is supposed to be at least happy and
fulfilled not minding other trivial issues/persons but alas he was very bitter
,filled with a dangerous dimension of rage with a gate man Esther 3:5. (Mordecai)
To be angry with another person is human Eph. 4:26a say be ye angry and sin
not, but to want to destroy not the person only (which is a severe sin in
itself) neither his family, nor his relatives but his entire race as a whole
can be best captioned as being demonically wicked and lends credence to the
evil usually placed besides his name at some quarters. Haman was blessed but
dangerously/deeply unhappy little wonder the scripture in proverbs 10:22 says
the blessing of God enriches and adds no sorrow. Have you got Jesus? He is the
only prevention and cure for sorrow.
A deadly accuser, offered
huge funds to facilitate His plot
Rev 12:10 says then I
heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, it has come at last, salvation
and power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ, for the
accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth the one that
accuses them before God day and night. This scripture clearly states a major
duty of Satan accuser of the brethren this is another thing that Haman did, it
was Mordecai who offended him and he accused the whole Jews Esther 3:8 tell his
accusations as:
They kept themselves
separate from everyone else
Their laws are different
from any other people
They refused to obey the
laws of the king
These accusations can’t be substantiated but
were maliciously crafted to get the kings’ consent for His plot ( total
annihilation of the Jews) ,He offered Ten thousand talent of Silver( a whopping
750,000 pounds in today’s value
according to biblestudytool.com approximated N350M gauging by the exchange rate
of 14/05/19) to the kings coffers ,one need not wonder why the king didn’t
investigate the matter at all but gave the requisite consent may we never use
whatever he has placed in our care to accuse/oppress/destroy anyone in Jesus
mighty name. Amen.
Wrongly advised, went too
far, couldn’t retrace his step
One of the major undoing
was the advice from his wife and his friends the wife to erect a gallows where
he schemed to hang Mordecai Esther 5:14 which says so Haman’s wife Zeresh and
all his friends suggested, set up a sharpened pole that stands twenty five
meters tall and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it, when this
is done you can go on merry way to the banquet with the king, this pleased
Haman and he ordered the pole set up. It is only the juice in the orange that
external pressures exerted on it brings out ( an adage says it is what is in a
drunkard that that the drunkenness will bring forth) what is your though
towards that person beside you, that colleague in the office ,that neighbor and
so on, we will give accounts soon. Haman
could have died in a better way or as his wickedness permits but for the pole
he set up for Mordecai. When Haman fell and was begging Esther the big question
is for which of his wickedness was he doing that: is it for the pole already in
place for Mordecai, or the already concluded scheme to destroy all the Jews in
one day, or that Esther was a Jew. Or was he bewildered that he was caught in a
way that is beyond remedy or lies/fabrication or truly repentant of all the
evil/wickedness? As the two are different from each other. Whichever the case
is there is reward for both good and evil, let’s choose our thought, plans and
acts carefully. We will reap its rewards.
Hanged on his pole, ten
sons killed and impaled and his properties given to the Queen
Isaiah 3:11 says but the
wicked are doomed for they will get exactly what they deserve, Ecss. 8:13 says
the wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God, their days will never
grow long like the evening shadows. Haman was hanged on the pole he made for
Mordecai Esther 7:9&10.If Haman had reaped his wickedness alone it would
have been better but the rewards of his wickedness affected his ten sons as
they were all killed Esther 9:6-10.Unlike Mephiboseth who reaped the from the
good deeds of His father Jonathan to David 2 Sam 9:1 ff the sons of Haman were
unlucky to have a wicked father they died untimely, prematurely and in horror
,they were also impaled Esther 9;25.only God knows what he (Haman) would have
got as properties and how long it took him to gather such, it is however likely
to be massive for him to have offered to pay such huge amount to have all Jews
killed. God surely rules in the affairs of men. Dan 4:17 says for this has been
decreed by the messengers, it is commanded by the holy ones so that everyone
may know that the most high rules over the kingdom of the world, he gives them
to anyone he chooses, even to the lowliest of people.
Refrences
Biblestydytool.com
