BOOK STUDY SERIES 3
TEXT: ESTHER 1-10
TOPIC: HAMAN
Haman the Agagite who is also popularly called Haman the evil was the highest opposition to the Jews during the reign of King Xerxes in Susan although there is no agreement on what his name really means, some said the root of the name means illustrious others magnificent some said good thought but what is clear is that he played a major role in the book of Esther hence the need to study the character. This will be studied with the following sub-headings
Highly placed/most powerful official in the empire
Esther 3:1 says 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. Haman occupies a very special positioning in the Land, his seat and post was even higher than those of the heir to the throne- the princes (that was a whole lot) and since the empire was the most highest empire in the known world then Esther 1:1 this must come with lots of benefits even with the civilization that was available in those ages.
Angry with a gateman transferred it to a race
With all that is recorded that God blessed Haman with (wealth, vantage position in the biggest empire in the world, Large family(ten sons),he is supposed to be at least happy and fulfilled not minding other trivial issues/persons but alas he was very bitter ,filled with a dangerous dimension of rage with a gate man Esther 3:5. (Mordecai) To be angry with another person is human Eph. 4:26a say be ye angry and sin not, but to want to destroy not the person only (which is a severe sin in itself) neither his family, nor his relatives but his entire race as a whole can be best captioned as being demonically wicked and lends credence to the evil usually placed besides his name at some quarters. Haman was blessed but dangerously/deeply unhappy little wonder the scripture in proverbs 10:22 says the blessing of God enriches and adds no sorrow. Have you got Jesus? He is the only prevention and cure for sorrow.
A deadly accuser, offered huge funds to facilitate His plot
Rev 12:10 says then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, it has come at last, salvation and power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth the one that accuses them before God day and night. This scripture clearly states a major duty of Satan accuser of the brethren this is another thing that Haman did, it was Mordecai who offended him and he accused the whole Jews Esther 3:8 tell his accusations as:
They kept themselves separate from everyone else
Their laws are different from any other people
They refused to obey the laws of the king
These accusations can’t be substantiated but were maliciously crafted to get the kings’ consent for His plot ( total annihilation of the Jews) ,He offered Ten thousand talent of Silver( a whopping 750,000 pounds in today’s value according to biblestudytool.com approximated N350M gauging by the exchange rate of 14/05/19) to the kings coffers ,one need not wonder why the king didn’t investigate the matter at all but gave the requisite consent may we never use whatever he has placed in our care to accuse/oppress/destroy anyone in Jesus mighty name. Amen.
Wrongly advised, went too far, couldn’t retrace his step
One of the major undoing was the advice from his wife and his friends the wife to erect a gallows where he schemed to hang Mordecai Esther 5:14 which says so Haman’s wife Zeresh and all his friends suggested, set up a sharpened pole that stands twenty five meters tall and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it, when this is done you can go on merry way to the banquet with the king, this pleased Haman and he ordered the pole set up. It is only the juice in the orange that external pressures exerted on it brings out ( an adage says it is what is in a drunkard that that the drunkenness will bring forth) what is your though towards that person beside you, that colleague in the office ,that neighbor and so on, we will give accounts soon. Haman could have died in a better way or as his wickedness permits but for the pole he set up for Mordecai. When Haman fell and was begging Esther the big question is for which of his wickedness was he doing that: is it for the pole already in place for Mordecai, or the already concluded scheme to destroy all the Jews in one day, or that Esther was a Jew. Or was he bewildered that he was caught in a way that is beyond remedy or lies/fabrication or truly repentant of all the evil/wickedness? As the two are different from each other. Whichever the case is there is reward for both good and evil, let’s choose our thought, plans and acts carefully. We will reap its rewards.
Hanged on his pole, ten sons killed and impaled and his properties given to the Queen
Isaiah 3:11 says but the wicked are doomed for they will get exactly what they deserve, Ecss. 8:13 says the wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God, their days will never grow long like the evening shadows. Haman was hanged on the pole he made for Mordecai Esther 7:9&10.If Haman had reaped his wickedness alone it would have been better but the rewards of his wickedness affected his ten sons as they were all killed Esther 9:6-10.Unlike Mephiboseth who reaped the from the good deeds of His father Jonathan to David 2 Sam 9:1 ff the sons of Haman were unlucky to have a wicked father they died untimely, prematurely and in horror ,they were also impaled Esther 9;25.only God knows what he (Haman) would have got as properties and how long it took him to gather such, it is however likely to be massive for him to have offered to pay such huge amount to have all Jews killed. God surely rules in the affairs of men. Dan 4:17 says for this has been decreed by the messengers, it is commanded by the holy ones so that everyone may know that the most high rules over the kingdom of the world, he gives them to anyone he chooses, even to the lowliest of people.
Tags
Features