Hamas, Haman, and the Lesson of Esther

Note: This post is written very specifically for Christians. Very specifically. You were warned.

The book of Esther is a very odd book. It is in the Scriptures, but doesn’t contain the word ‘God’ or any reasonable alternative even one time. I have heard it argued that all of the Jews in the book were apostates. Carried away from Israel by unGodly pagans, they largely became unGodly pagans themselves.

Be that as it may, what is certainly true is that the book is not filled with marvellous prophetic utterances, Godly kings and patriarchs, or lengthy didactic passages. What the subject of the book might be said to be is something like ‘Anti-semitism and the Providence of God’.

Now, I dislike the term ‘anti-semitism’. It is too broad and often used in very unhelpful ways. So, instead, I will speak of one of the main characters of the book: Haman. Or, as Queen Esther calls him, “This wicked Haman.” Perhaps I should coin the word ‘Hamanism’.

And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

Esther 7:6 

Our story begins… not the part of the story with disobedient queens and beautiful virgins, but the part with Haman… with Haman getting promoted and then getting upset at the one person who wasn’t impressed with his promotion:

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.

Esther 3:1-2

Now it seems that Haman was so busy being pleased with his promotion that he didn’t actually notice this breech of etiquette. Instead, it was left to others to stir the pot:

 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.

Est 3:3-4

Notice that they didn’t tell the king, the queen, or the palace chief of etiquette; they told Haman. It seems that they were less concerned about the breach of etiquette and more concerned about stirring up trouble. Getting front seats at a grudge match.

Notice, as well, that final ‘for’… which we can translate here as a ‘because’. They told Haman, to see if he would do something about Mordecai because Mordecai ‘was a Jew’. That’s it. No further explanation.

Now, there are two possibilities here. The first is if Mordecai, like Shadrak et al., explained his refusal in terms of his religion. It says he didn’t listen to them, but perhaps he did explain to them: Jews weren’t allowed to reverence anyone except God.

Or perhaps this needs to be read in the opposite direction. Perhaps the king’s servants already didn’t like Jews, and so they were all the more eager to tell Haman so that this uppity Jew might get punished.

 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.

Esther 3:5-6

And here we see Haman go way beyond the story of Shadrak and Co. Here we see him, furious at Mordecai, deciding to leave Mordecai alone (for the moment at least) and deciding to take his wrath out on the entire people of the Jews. Not just to chuck one guy in a fiery furnace or den of lions or some such creative punishment. No, he has to go whole hog and try to destroy all of the Jews in the entire empire!

And, having put his plan into action, he had a whole host of willing accomplices. Skipping a bit down in the story, we see that Haman had tapped into a hatred that was shared by many others:

 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

Esther 9:1

There were a group of people in all the land, including the capital, that had received Haman’s plan with pleasure and were all ready to do some Jew bashing.

But, as I say, that verse is out of order. I think the next verse in line reflects so much of what we see amongst ordinary Americans and Brits right now today:

The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

Esther 3:15 

The city of Sushan was… perplexed. I saw an image the other day of some elderly Brits sitting trying to sell poppies, a symbol of Britain’s war dead, in preparation for their upcoming holiday of remembrance, who had been surrounded by people protesting in favour of Haman… I mean Hamas. (I mean, seriously, you changed one letter!) They looked… perplexed.

If Sushan was like so many cities where we have seen this sort of thing arise, the Jews were pretty important, indeed vital, members of their society. They tended to be well educated, and they had a history of being rulers (see aforementioned Daniel and friends)… it made no particular sense to just wipe them out. Except to Haman. And his allies.

Let me skip a bit to the chase. Leaving out the whole fasting, golden sceptre and wine party scenes, let us jump to the spoilers… how the whole thing turned out:

 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.

Esther 6:13

One wonders at the wife’s failure to add ‘you idiot’. Cause here is the point of my story. Despite the word ‘God’ not being mentioned in this story. Despite the well-founded, if not certain, belief that these Jews were not exactly the most Godly Jews that ever walked the planet. Despite having no prophet from God, no armies proceeded by choirs, no fire and brimstone from heaven… these people who had decided to try to wipe out the Jews didn’t do so well.

Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.

And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.

And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,

The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.

Esther 9:5-10

My point? Speaking to those who are willing to hear the word of God I would say this: God does indeed raise up, from time to time, people and nations to discipline and chastise His chosen people. He has provided the people and nation of Israel with, no shortage of persecutions, no shortage of tribulations, and no shortage of enemies.

But it really doesn’t pay to be one of them.

We are to pray for the people and nation of Israel. Regardless of their sins, personal and corporate. Despite their repudiation of the messiah. Accepting that God has heaped, and will continue to heap, punishments on them… pray that you are not found amongst their enemies, but instead amongst those who fervently pray for them and desire their salvation.

You cannot pray for the salvation of someone who is already saved. Listing their sins (real and imagined, and both are numerous) should lead you not to hatred but to prayer.

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Romans 9:1-4 

 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Romans 10:1-4

I love comments. I would ask for this post they be limited to how the story of Esther should affect modern Christians in their view of the current and ongoing conflict. For general comments on the current conflict, see my posts below.

Links

https://dougwils.com/books-and-culture/s7-engaging-the-culture/a-pinch-of-incense-to-the-genius-of-democracy-2.html