Esther 3:15: “The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.”

November 18th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Mordecai was a Jew and the cousin of Queen Esther. When he refused to bow to Haman the king’s advisor, Haman became so angered that he convinced the king to issue a decree that on a specific day all the king’s people were “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children” (vs. 13). This decree was sent throughout all of Ahasuerus’s kingdom, which included Jerusalem and the surrounding cities where the exiles had returned. If successful, this attack would have destroyed all the Jews.

This event took place at least 500 years after the death of Agag the king of the Amalekites, who was killed by the prophet Samuel during the reign of Saul of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Sam. 15:1–33). Haman was an Agagite and Mordecai a Benjamite, and they probably hadn’t forgotten their shared history, which may have added to their tension: Mordecai’s refusal to bow to Haman, and Haman’s desire to exterminate the Jews. Verse 15 says that the “city of Shushan was perplexed.” Even the pagan population of Shushan was puzzled at the extreme racism of both the king and Haman. But we are not puzzled at all because we can see the fingerprints of hell all over this affair.

Satan has been trying to stop the redemption of the world from the opening chapters of Genesis down to this very day. And that was exactly what he was attempting to do here by using Haman to target the entire Jewish race. It is a battle that will continue to rage until the final great battle between the Messiah and Satan. Until that time, as God patiently waits for more to come to salvation, Satan will continue to bring accusations against the Jewish race and the nation of Israel, and Jerusalem will continue to be highly contested real estate.

“LORD, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for you to use us to lead others to Your salvation today.”

=============================================================

Esther 3 KJV

¹ 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. ² 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. ³ Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment? ⁴ 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. ⁵ And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. ⁶ 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. ⁷ In the first month, that is , the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is , the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month , that is , the month Adar. ⁸ And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.  ⁹ If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.   ¹⁰ And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.  ¹¹ And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. ¹² Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and toevery people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.  ¹³ And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. ¹⁴ The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day. ¹⁵ 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.