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.