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In the years following Esther being made Queen a certain man called Haman rose to a position of preeminence in the king's court. The king made him superior to all the other princes and commanded all his servants to bow to him.
When Mordecai saw Haman in the king's gate (court), much to the puzzlement of the king's servants he refused to bow down to Haman. After remonstrating with Mordecai day by day they finally told Haman that Mordecai was refusing to bow to him because he was a Jew, being curious to see whether his claim would stand.
Haman was furious. Disdaining to punish Mordecai alone, he wanted revenge on all the Jewish race. Lots were cast to determine a date to perform their massacre, and then Haman told the king that there was a certain people scattered all through the kingdom who were different from all other people and were not keeping the king's laws.
Haman advocated that it was not in the king's best interest to allow them to live. He offered 10 thousand talents of silver to be paid into the king's treasuries if he would decree they should be destroyed. The king gave his signet ring to Haman with some silver and told him he could do as he liked to the people.
I was surprised to notice that I felt quite indignant as I read this chapter. Do you find that sometimes when you read very familiar scripture that it doesn't really touch you? I think I have been that way about the book of Esther. But today, as I read it I firstly felt indignation, and secondly really noticed the awful murderous impact of what Haman was proposing.
My indignation was towards the king's servants who noticed that Mordecai would not bow down to Haman and eventually told him. 'What troublemakers!' I thought. We read, 'they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew' (verse 4).
My study Bible explains: 'when Persians bowed before their kings they were paying homage as to a divine being'. The King had commanded that all bow to Haman, presumably with the same homage intended. 'Mordecai, as a faithful Jew could not give such honour to a man' (page 781).
So what were Mordecai's companions' motivation in telling Haman about Mordecai? Was it to see if he could get away with his excuse? To see if his beliefs would be considered higher authority than the king's command? To 'call him out' as it were? Was there some jealousy that Mordecai might consider himself 'above' the rules of the land?
Either way, it just struck me as making trouble. Words that didn't need to have been said. Words that resulted in not only a planned death for Mordecai but a planned massacre of a whole race from the youngest babies to the eldest. What 'fire' the tongue - that 'little member' (James 3: 5,6) caused.
But rather than sit in judgement here let us think about ourselves. Do I or you set off a cascade of events by the words which we speak about other people? Do we allow Satan to use us to stir up trouble? I can remember times as a child complaining about what a brother or sister said or did to my parents. 'It's not fair' is a familiar phrase! What was my motivation here? That the person in question would be punished, found out, that perceived fairness might be maintained. There can be the temptation to sometimes do this as an adult, when something doesn't seem fair. How often do we have to swallow down the words and commit it to the Lord?
But as I thought about this more the words came, 'and sitting down they watched him there' (Matthew 27:36). These words were written of Jesus' crucifixion. After he had been crucified there were soldiers, religious leaders and passersby who mocked him, quoting his words and as it were saying, 'let's see if what you said is really true, let's see if you can save yourself, if you really are the Son of God - let's see if Elias will come and save him.'
Perhaps, like Jesus was taunted, so Mordecai's words were being tested to see if they would stand. We read regarding Jesus 'that for envy they had delivered him' (Matthew 27:18). Perhaps Mordecai's companions had delivered him to Haman because of envy and of his religious beliefs. There may be some of you who daily experience such persecution. May the Lord help you to stand firm.
Mordecai's companions spoke to him day after day about bowing down to Haman, but 'he hearkened not unto them' (verse 4). How easy it would have been to have given in - to do it just to keep the peace - after all, he knew in his heart that he didn't think of Haman as a divine being!
I think of Samson, who when Delilah, 'pressed him daily with her words and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; that he told her all his heart' (Judges 16: 16, 17). And then I think of the Lord when teaching about persisting in prayer spoke of the judge who helped the widow, 'lest by her continual coming she weary me' (Luke 18: 5). Humans can be worn down by other's persistence. What are we to do when it is a temptation to do wrong? What did Joseph do when Potipher's wife day by day tempted him?'... 'he hearkened not unto her' and when she physically took hold of him he literally ran from her (Genesis 39: 10, 12).
Do you have a daily temptation to do something which isn't honouring to God? Something which you know is wrong? Something which you have to endure listening to from somebody or a temptation in your heart which Satan keeps whispering? The Lord teaches us to pray, 'lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil' (Matthew 6: 13) - to confess our weakness to him and our dependence on him. Paul writes, 'God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it' (1 Corinthians 10:13), and James encourages us, 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you' (James 4:7).
Well, may the Lord keep us from being troublemakers; let us be aware of what we are saying and our motives, and if we are suffering others' taunting or stirring up of trouble and temptation may we be helped to look to our Lord, who knows what we suffer, and be enabled to rest in his care of us, and his strength to keep us firm.
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