Plots and Plans

O. . T. #1089  "Plots and Plans"
Oct. 31, 2017
Esther 3
...Hamon sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people o Mordecai.  Esther 3:6

LET IT GLOW

Plans and plots to harm people, to make them slaves, to rob and injure, on whatever level, has evil behind it. Beware, believers, on this day when evil seeks to conquer good. They call evil good. It has been around since Eve met the serpent in the garden. It will continue until Jesus destroys Satan. Well, sadly, today he is working in our story.

Last time we talked about Mordecai warning the king, by way of Esther, that two of his men plotted an assassination attempt of King Xerxus. It was found to be true and those two were hung on a stake. This good dead by Mordecai was recorded in the king's records, b no reward came immediately.

After these things happened, the king promoted Haman? What about the guy who saved the king's life? Doesn't he get any honor or recognition? (It will come in due time, God's timing.) Besides, who was this Haman?

• He was an Agagite.
• He was promoted to prime minister.
• He was honored by all officials; the king ordered them to bow before Haman as he passed by them.

To better understand where this villain was coming from, let's look back in 1 Samuel chapter 15.  King Saul defeated the Amalekites with his army, only he did not kill Agag the king. Remember the bleating of the sheep and lowing of the oxen that Samuel heard? They spared the animals, too. This was all disobedience against the instructions of God to Israel. Prophet Samuel had to kill King Agag. (As I recall, those Amalekites were descendants of those who would not allow Israel passage through their country on their way to the Promised Land. Also, they killed those in back of the Israeli caravan, those sickly, elderly, and young.

Can we understand the hostility for each other, between the Agagites and the Jews? The trouble came when Mordecai would not bow down when Haman passed by him. such a thing would be considered idolatry for a Jew, bowing down and paying homage to anyone. (You shall have no other god before Jehovah.)

Such an act, or lack of an act in this case, resulted in Haman filled with rage. He had been nursing a grudge all his childhood. But Haman did not decide to lay hands on only Mordecai, but on his people, the Jews. He plotted to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Persia. Sounds like the same intent of Hitler during WWIII.

When God tells us to do something, or not do something, we had better obey.


LET IT GROW

What was Hamon's plan of extermination  the Jews?

• A day was chosen, by casting lots, to attack the Jews. (verse 7)
• Haman charged the Jews falsely with rebellion, breaking the king's  laws. (verse 8) 
• He persuaded the king to write an edict of the annihilation of Jews, promising to pay the king's treasury in silver plus the plunder. (verse 9)
• King Xerxus gave Hamon his signet ring to carry out the plot. (verse 10)
• Hamon dictated to the royal secretaries, in all he languages, that all the Jews would be killed on the 13th day the next year. He sealed it with the king's ring. It was law.
• Copies were sent to every district.
• Hamaon and the king sat down to drink, calloused, insensitive, uncaring to what would happen.(verse 15)

How did tis happen? Everything was going good. Esther was queen. Mordecai was an official at the king's gate. All seemed to be going well. Then the wheels turned a different direction for the Jews.
Evil can seek so deeply in a person's heart in a short time. Look what has happened in our world-Germans vs. Jews, Russians vs. Stalin, Kurds vs. Hussein, now ISSIS.

In Matthew 15, we read of the results of evil in the heart of men. Because of it, Jesus did an awful death on the cross.
Let us pray for repentance of hearts in our families, communities, nation.

Swindoll shows some lessons we can learn here:

1. Never forget there will always be someone who will resent your devotion to the Lord Jesus.
2. Never underestimate the diabolical nature of revenge.
3. Never overestimate the value of your own importance.

LET IT GO

Stay close to Jesus.
Put on the whole armor of God listed in Ephesians.
Stand against the evil trying to destroy good.