We have seen how the Jew had become important to the king. Mordecai became his protector, and Esther had become his wife. In spite of his greatness he, like Nebuchadnezzar and other succeeding Gentile kings, became a debtor to the captives of Judah. But at the very time the Jew was being brought into favor, we see also an enemy, Haman, the Amalekite, also promoted to the highest place; for the king had made him his chief officer, or prime minister. Just why the king had done so, we do not know; but in dignity, office and power Haman was next to the king. The Amalekites were among the oldest enemies of the children of Israel, and in his exalted position Haman saw the opportunity to gratify all the enmity of his heart.
Evidently Mordecai remembered that it was written in the books of Moses that when Israel came out of Egypt, Amalek met them “and smote the hindmost... even all that were feeble... and he feared not God.” Therefore God had said, “thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.” Deut. 25:18,1918How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. 19Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it. (Deuteronomy 25:18‑19). (We learn from this scripture that if we lag behind in the Lord’s things, we are sure to be attacked by Satan.) Therefore we do not find Mordecai bowing down and giving reverence to Haman, as did all the king’s servants that were in the gate, according to the commandment of the king. Mordecai knew that God’s word must be obeyed before that of the king. When the king’s servants reproached Mordecai saying, “Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?” he still paid no heed; “for he had told them that he was a Jew.” So they told Haman; “then was Haman full of wrath.” He scorned to lay hands on Mordecai alone, but “sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus,” and this would include those who had returned to the land of Judah. Accordingly he had his officers cast lots to find out at what time he should carry out his purpose, and the date set was the 13th day of the last month of the year. Then Haman reported to the king that there was “a certain people scattered abroad among the peoples in all the provinces... 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.” He proposed that they be destroyed and if the king would send out a letter to this effect, he would himself give to the king’s treasury a sum that would amount to millions of dollars in our money. The king ought to have suspected from the immensity of this sum that Haman had some wicked end in view, but he did not fear God who, had he asked. Him, could have revealed to him how terrible a thing it was, Changeable and despotic man that he was, he made a small difficulty of this enormous request; and having such confidence in Haman, he allowed him to write the letter and seal it with his own seal. He even told Haman to keep his money. So the letters went out by special messengers to all places of the kingdom, saying that all the Jews were to be slain on the 13th day of the last month, and their houses and lands were to be taken by their enemies.
We see in this attempt to destroy all the Jews another effort of Satan to frustrate the purposes of God to bring into this world Him that should be born King of the Jews (Matt. 2:22Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. (Matthew 2:2)) — Christ, the Saviour of the world. But God was working unseen through these circumctances and turned this effort of the enemy to his own confusion and defeat.
ML 11/08/1959