Sunday, June 8, 2014

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.

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