Haman: Another Victim of Victory Disease (4)

Refusal to Come Up With a New Plan of Attack, Failure to See Intelligence in the Enemy, His Fall

He goes to his wife and friends who tell him that considering everything that has transpired there is no possible way that he can win this battle over Mordecai. He should give it up for a time and try again later. Before the matter can be discussed further the king’s chamberlains hurry Haman to the banquet. It is there Xerxes repeats his statement to Esther. “What is it you would petition from me? I will give you anything, even up to half the kingdom!”

“Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage. Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen” (Est. 7:3-6).

There are two things which should be noticed. Haman never took the time to come up with a backup plan just in case his original one did not work. He also failed to see the true intelligence of his so called enemy. He apparently did not know that his queen was a Jewess. Instead, he grovels knowing that his life is in danger. He begs that Esther would spare his life. He begged so hard that he threw himself at the foot of Esther’s couch. Xerxes, having calmed a bit from what had earlier occurred walks in to see Haman at the foot of her couch and asks, “Do you wish to damage the honor of my wife?” He has Haman’s head covered which is a sure sign of death.

“And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified” (Est. 7:9-10).

Victory Disease claims another victim.

In Haman, we see pride going up before destruction. We see a haughty spirit take its ultimate fall. Pride will take a person so far until that person meets an unceremonious ending. Pride will keep one from helping other, will keep one from listening to good advice, will even keep one from obeying God…ultimately keeping that one out of Heaven.

Haman: Another Victim of Victory Disease (3)

Overconfidence, Stereotyping the Enemy, Complacency

The next time we see Haman is in chapter 5. In between that time, Esther and Mordecai discuss the possible destruction of the Jews and the plan to save them. Esther planned on coming before the king unannounced which could have been punished by death. She did as such and obtained favor in the sight of her husband. She was even offered half the kingdom if she so asked. She asked the king and Haman to attend a banquet that she would prepare.

Esther wishes to throw another banquet and it seems that Haman is to considered the guest of honor (Esther 5:5-8). How does Haman respond? “Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king. Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made” (Est. 5:9-14)

He is as happy as can be. “The queen is holding a banquet and the king and I are the only ones invited!” He then sees Mordecai and allows it to ruin his day. He controls himself because he has the opportunity to tell all of his friends about the wonderful life he has. He speaks of the glory of his riches. He tells of the multitude of children he has (it is thought that Haman was Persian and one of the ultimate signs of manliness was to be the father of many sons). Haman had ten sons. He recounts the story of how Xerxes promoted him and how he advanced higher than ANY of the princes of the kingdom. “Oh by the way, who has two thumbs and was the only person invited to a banquet with the king and queen? THIS GUY!”

He seems to have a good life but all of that is waste due to one person. “Mordecai, the Jew.” All of this was worthless as he was still alive. Notice that Haman is stereotyping him enemy. It was not Mordecai but Mordecai THE JEW. Oftentimes in the Bible, individuals are mentioned by their lineage as Haman’s father was referred to as “…the Agagite” (Est. 3:1). While Haman was referring to some extent to the fact that Mordecai was a Jew it was likely not a reference to his lineage. He was stereotyping his enemy. Stereotyping could also be referred to another name although it is not often thought of as such – racism. Think back to some of the old Disney and Warner Bros. cartoons during World War II. There were many stereotypes concerning the Germans, Italians, and Japanese in them.

His friend who, truth be told, are some of the saddest individuals who walked the face of the earth have some advice for Haman. They and his wife tell him to build a hangman gallows where Mordecai may be hanged. This would make him happy and he could go to the banquet with no worries. He follows their advice. Chalk this one up to overconfidence. He never spoke to Xerxes as to whether or not this would be okay but decides to commission the gallows regardless.

One could even notice complacency in the next chapter. Complacency is defined as, “the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself.” There is nothing else that can be done to improve upon Haman. He is perfection in his own eyes.

On a night that Xerxes could not sleep he had the book of records read to him. As it is read, he is told of how Mordecai stopped an assassination attempt. He asks what has been done to reward Mordecai and finds nothing has been done. Guess who comes strolling in around this time. Haman wants to speak to Xerxes about having Mordecai hanged. “So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?” (Est. 6:6).

Remember that our subject is arrogant, overconfident, and complacent.  “Who is more perfect to be rewarded with such a thing than I, Haman?” He responds, “Give him the king’s royal garb to wear, let him ride the king’s horse, and wear a crown. Let one of the king’s noble’s deliver these things to him and have that noble lead this man through the streets speaking praises to all the people. Let that be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor.” You have to imagine that Haman is imagining himself on that horse wearing the king’s garments and the crown. He is soaking up the adoration of the people as they bow down before his presence. Where is Mordecai? Why he is forced to walk in front of Haman with a rope tied around his neck. That insolent Jew is singing the praises of Haman before he swings on the gallows! That would be where the procession would end. Mordecai’s death would be the cherry on top.

“Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour” (Est. 6:10-11).

You almost have to wonder how enthusiastic Haman is at this time. This would actually end up being a light thing compared to what is about to happen to Haman. A wounded ego is going to be the least of his worries.

Haman: Another Victim of Victory Disease (2)

Arrogance

“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. And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai” (Est. 3:1-6).

We read of king Ahasuerus and may wonder, “Who is this?” We better know him in history as King Xerxes. He set a man by the name of Haman (which means “magnificent”) in a seat of power higher than any of the princes in the kingdom. This would have made him similar to a prime minister with the affairs of the state under his control. Since he was in the position of power, Ahasuerus commanded that the servants of the land were to bow down before him. This was done by all but one individual. This one man went by the name of Mordecai. It was not because the people of the Old Testament did not bow down one to another. Genesis 23:7, 12 tells us that Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land of Heth after the death of Sarah. Abraham did it as a sign of respect to the children of Heth. Haman, on the other hand, was not asking for a sign of respect. History states that after receiving this power from Xerxes, Haman had a statue built in his honor with the command that as people passed by they were to bow down and worship it. It was common for those who were kings or of a high office to view themselves as “gods” worthy of man’s reverence and adoration. Haman wanted these people to worship him. This fact is driven home by the fact that after the king’s other servants constantly prodded Mordecai and eventually told Haman of Mordecai’s actions honing in on one particular thing.

“He is a Jew.” They are pointing out to Haman the reason why Mordecai would not bow down. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exo. 20:4-5 cf; Acts 5:29).

Notice the response of Haman. First, when he saw that Mordecai did not bow down before him Haman wanted to physically harm Mordecai. From there Haman’s mind goes from Mordecai to Mordecai’s people. “What better way for me to get revenge on the man who refused to bow down before my presence than destroying his people?” Can we claim overkill at this point? This is textbook definition of arrogance. Haman thought so much of himself and thought so poorly of those he deemed as “inferior” to him that he was willing to destroy an entire race of people. “And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries. And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring” (Est. 3:8-12).

The king sent letters throughout the provinces of his land. On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month the Jews were to be destroyed. This goes to show you what the arrogance of man can do to a group of people. He feels as if everyone should pay homage to him and when one does not then the world has to pay.

Haman: Another Victim of Victory Disease (1)

In the past, there was a disease that would afflict many armies. During World War 2, the Japanese succumbed to this disease. After the Pearl Harbor attack, American soldiers could not defeat the Japanese army in battles at the Pacific and Southeast Asia. It was at the Battle of Midway that this disease overcame the Japanese and allowed America the victory. Going further back in time we can look at Napoleon and his army. He was a great tactician and his army was unbeatable. It was unbeatable until his army tried to invade Russia. 500,000 soldiers entered Russia but only 20,000 left alive. United States victories in the Mexican–American War and the Indian Wars made Union forces over-confident going into the American Civil War, losing their first battle. They expected quick victory. The Confederates similarly stereotyped the Union, at times leading to military disaster.

These are just a few examples of Victory Disease. This is a disease that affects an army when they allow pride to get in the way. They suffer from arrogance, overconfidence, complacency, a refusal to come up with new attack plans, stereotyping the enemy, and refusing to see the true  intelligence that their army is up against. This causes their army to suffer a humiliating defeat. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18).

If one decides that he will be self dependant and forgets that he is dependant and in a lower position than God, he will fail. Pride is mentioned 46 times throughout the Bible. While it is not mentioned once in the book of Esther, there is one person, while he fought no battles to our knowledge, who came down with Victory Disease. His name was Haman, the son of Hammedatha. Haman was the type of man who, if they had phones during that time period, would have called his mother on her birthday just to remind him of how great of a son he was. He was the type of person, who literally thought that there should be a parade thrown in his honor.