Esther chapter 3 reminds me of those times when things just don’t seem fair in life. We have all experienced the disappointment of watching events play out wherein the good-guy loses. We tend to think that God must have been distracted and accidently let something slip by. Often those events seem to have a domino effect, triggering other consequences. The end of the previous chapter casually mentioned that Mordecai found out about a plot to kill the king and told Esther. She told the king and the two conspirators were caught and hanged. It also mentions that “All this was recorded in the book of annals“. Mordecai seemingly got no recognition for doing the right thing. Mordecai was not a man that did things in order to get a reward. On the other hand, we are introduced a man that seems to do everything with a political calculation. The chapter begins, “King Xerxes honored Haman… elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles“. And the contrast continues,”All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman… But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor“. Let me say that not going along with the crowd can be hard.
As the story continues, the royal officials warned Mordecai that he should honor Haman, “they spoke to him but he refused to comply“. Finally, “they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated“. We also lean, “he had told them he was a Jew“. Haman was “enraged” by this and planned his revenge. This power-hungry schemer decided he would make an even bigger example out of Mordecai. “Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews“. Now things do not look good for our hero or the entire Jewish nation. Haman approached the king with an incredibly evil plan carefully packaged so the king could not refuse. “There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king’s laws… let a decree be issued to destroy them“. Sadly, the king put full trust in Haman. “So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman… do with the people as you please“. We might think the king is insanely casual about this decision to allow so many to be killed, but how many of us allow rumors to spread unchecked? It is not enough to just remain silent.
The chapter ends with Haman’s orders being sent to the entire world that was controlled by the Persian Empire. “These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring. Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews young and old, women and little children on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month… and to plunder their goods“. Haman planned every detail of his revenge. “A copy of the edict was to be issued as law in every province… so they would be ready for that day“. God is fully in control no matter what it looks like from our limited perspective. The chapter ends with a tiny ember of hope. “The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered“. I am convinced that just one person standing up for righteousness gives others the confidence to stand up as well. Romans 14:19 reminds us “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another“. Edification is not a word we hear today. It has to do with putting others first. Will you go along with the crowd today, or look for ways to lift up those around you?