#628 License to Kill

After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. 2 And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. 3 Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king's command?” 4 And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. 6 But he disdained[a] to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy[b] all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. 9 If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents[c] of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries.” 10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”

12 Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion. Esther 3 ESV

Well this looks a little too familiar, and I don't mean to speculate, but I think the king has promoted someone who looks good before him, but looks another way to others. I have seen this a hundred times that my bosses boss and on up the chain, will think quite highly of someone, who I have to refuse to say the same about. I try to give the benefit of the doubt in that he must present himself well before them, but sometimes I am there with all parties and wonder if they are drunk or high. We all like to be liked, but a flatterer is a dangerous employee, dangerous for you if you are so vane to believe it, and dangerous for others once he has your ear. 

Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;

their heart is filled with malice.

Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongues they tell lies. Psalm 5: 9

My companion[b] stretched out his hand against his friends;

he violated his covenant.

21 His speech was smooth as butter,

yet war was in his heart;

his words were softer than oil,

yet they were drawn swords. Psalm 55:20-21

So Mordecai does not bow down to Haman, and some will say this is because of a religious conviction against bowing. This would be true for an idol or someone who says "I am god", which would be another sort of idol, but to pay respect as a recognition, salute or submission to authority is not the same as worship. This could be the same as acknowledging that I am the submissive, you are in the position to give orders and I to obey them. I don't think Mordecai has a problem with showing respect in that fashion, but he has a problem with showing it to Haman, and this is his peaceful protest against a man who is not honorable. Haman proves this quickly in his pettiness and insecurity. If he is disrespected by Mordecai, why does he not go after just him, but no, he wants all the Jews, like Adolph and so many antisemitic people.  

Haman is respected by the king, so he has his ear, and now he has also devised a way to make it seem profitable. He will pay 10,000 talents which will be easy to obtain by taking it from those he lays waste. Hitler was able to provide his minions with a lot of nice things at the expense of those he murdered and stole it from. There is never anything new under the sun. Mordecai and Haman are sworn enemies from way back as Jews and Amalekites. Many of the Jewish exiles have fared well in the land, men like Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Many chose to stay during both of the migrations back to Israel, and this may also play into it, Haman's insecurity and an old hatred of the Jews who have done well. 

Haman makes his play with half truths. He is the dangerous one, but he says, there is a people, which does not say the whole of it, it makes it sound like a small band, a new uprising, a little cult. These people have different laws, and they do not obey your laws. When Daniel was told not to pray to any other than the king, he refused and was thrown into the lion's den. His companions were similarly thrown into a furnace for refusing to bow to an idol. There is a time for protest and civil disobedience. Moses mother hid him from Pharaoh's men, Moses later went back to confront Pharaoh with the words of God. Mordecai and his fellow Jews have been great among the citizens, serving this place well, and Mordecai is responsible for saving the king's life. This is hatred on the part of Haman, pride, and he would like to see it culminate into the genocide of an entire people. History will show this again and again, yet God has always maintained a remnant, rescued a people, the oracles, and language of Israel. It says they sat down to drink, but the city was thrown into confusion. You see, the proclamation made no sense, these were our good neighbors.

The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.Revelation 12:14