Esther 3-4
The first 2 chapters concluded with 2 Jews as the victors
1. Mordecai successfully saving the King's life
2. Esther successfully becoming the new Queen
So far so good! But, as expected, that's when things took a turn for the worse. The introduction, into the story, of Haman is significant insofar as he is an Agagite (Amalekite). The history between the Amalekites and Israel was one of conflict. The Amalekites had attacked Israel as they came out of Egypt for no apparent reason, inviting God's judgment. Israel's 1st King (Saul) was told to annihilate the Amalekites, but kept their King alive (1 Samuel 15). Through it all, some Amalekites, apparently, survived the years up to the days of Esther.
In fact, it is worth noting that there is a reversal of sorts in chapter 3. King Saul was a Benjamite/Israelite told to annihilate all Amalekites. Haman was an Amalekite wanting to annihilate mordecai (a Benjamite) and all of Israel. The conflicted history, quite certainly, had much to do with the actions of Mordecai & Haman in chapter 3. When everyone was supposed to kneel before Haman, Mordecai would not. This was not so much b/c Jews refused to bow in respect to foreign leaders (they didn't necessarily refuse this), but more likely because Haman was an Amalekite. When Haman, about to punish Mordecai, discovers that he is Jewish, he promptly decides to punish all of Israel!
Haman proceeded to convince King Xerxes that annihilation of the Jews was necessary because of their 1) different customs and 2) disobedience to the king's laws. There was some truth in these statements, but mixed with deception as the Jews were not really a threat to the Persian Empire. By the time the decree was written, about 11 months remained to the Jewish Massacre, which was to be as complete (3:13) as the massacre of the Amalekites was supposed to have been in Saul's day (1 Samuel 15:3).
As knowledge of the decree spread throughout the Empire, Jews, obviously, began to mourn and cry out to God and for justice. Esther, though a Jew herself and married to the King, was oblivious to the decree and wondered why her relative Mordecai was so troubled. Mordecai reported back to Esther, through her servant, the information about the decree and urged Esther to confront the King regarding this issue. But Esther was reluctant b/c Persian Law forbid anyone from approaching the King without being summoned. In the next round of dialogue, though, Mordecai convinced Esther to take the risk, reminding her that it may be by God's providence alone that she had arrived a such a pivotal position in the Empire at such a pivotal time in Jewish history. Esther, and all the Jews, began to fast and pray.
Whereas the first 2 chapters ended with good news for Mordecai & Esther
The second 2 chapters end with all Jewish lives in the balance
1. Mordecai successfully saving the King's life
2. Esther successfully becoming the new Queen
So far so good! But, as expected, that's when things took a turn for the worse. The introduction, into the story, of Haman is significant insofar as he is an Agagite (Amalekite). The history between the Amalekites and Israel was one of conflict. The Amalekites had attacked Israel as they came out of Egypt for no apparent reason, inviting God's judgment. Israel's 1st King (Saul) was told to annihilate the Amalekites, but kept their King alive (1 Samuel 15). Through it all, some Amalekites, apparently, survived the years up to the days of Esther.
In fact, it is worth noting that there is a reversal of sorts in chapter 3. King Saul was a Benjamite/Israelite told to annihilate all Amalekites. Haman was an Amalekite wanting to annihilate mordecai (a Benjamite) and all of Israel. The conflicted history, quite certainly, had much to do with the actions of Mordecai & Haman in chapter 3. When everyone was supposed to kneel before Haman, Mordecai would not. This was not so much b/c Jews refused to bow in respect to foreign leaders (they didn't necessarily refuse this), but more likely because Haman was an Amalekite. When Haman, about to punish Mordecai, discovers that he is Jewish, he promptly decides to punish all of Israel!
Haman proceeded to convince King Xerxes that annihilation of the Jews was necessary because of their 1) different customs and 2) disobedience to the king's laws. There was some truth in these statements, but mixed with deception as the Jews were not really a threat to the Persian Empire. By the time the decree was written, about 11 months remained to the Jewish Massacre, which was to be as complete (3:13) as the massacre of the Amalekites was supposed to have been in Saul's day (1 Samuel 15:3).
As knowledge of the decree spread throughout the Empire, Jews, obviously, began to mourn and cry out to God and for justice. Esther, though a Jew herself and married to the King, was oblivious to the decree and wondered why her relative Mordecai was so troubled. Mordecai reported back to Esther, through her servant, the information about the decree and urged Esther to confront the King regarding this issue. But Esther was reluctant b/c Persian Law forbid anyone from approaching the King without being summoned. In the next round of dialogue, though, Mordecai convinced Esther to take the risk, reminding her that it may be by God's providence alone that she had arrived a such a pivotal position in the Empire at such a pivotal time in Jewish history. Esther, and all the Jews, began to fast and pray.
Whereas the first 2 chapters ended with good news for Mordecai & Esther
The second 2 chapters end with all Jewish lives in the balance
posted by matthew at 11:10 AM
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