Let us now look at a third personage which plays so great a role in this most important episode of the history of the Jews. It is very striking to observe, in the court of the Persian, Ahasuerus, a man arising belonging to a race which from ancient times has been an enemy of the Jews. Haman, the Agagite, from the word Agag, title of the kings of Amalek, belonged to the nation which attacked Israel in the wilderness, shortly after their departure out of Egypt. Subdued by Joshua, type of the Lord, Jehovah declared war with Amalek forever (Ex. 17:8-16). Balaam, who prophesied in spite of who he was, announced the end of this people; he said: “Amalek was the first of the nations; (that is the oldest) but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.” Num. 24:20. Moses (Deut. 25: 17-19) reminded Israel of Arnalek’s treacherous attack and commanded them to erase their memory from under the heavens when they would be at rest in their land.
But Israel was unfaithful, and it was Amalek who came to attack and spoil them (Judg. 6:3). Saul, Israel’s first king, is charged with executing sentence against Amalek. But he, too, is unfaithful and carries it out only partially. By his neglect there were some of them that escaped. Amalek continues (1 Sam. 27:8), and we again find them a last time in the person of Haman, showing himself still as the enemy of the Jews. “Full of wrath” when he saw Mordecai refusing to show him the reverence he thought was due to him, he wanted not only to punish Mordecai but also to punish the entire race after finding out who he was (chap. 3:5,6).
Haman’s entire history bears out that great truth announced in the Scriptures and so often verified by facts: “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Prov. 16:18. But in Haman’s history there is more than receiving promotion and then falling -through pride. Queen Esther characterized Haman as “adversary, enemy and wicked” and we have remarked that these terms are precisely those whereby the Scripture identifies Satan, the Adversary of God, the enemy of His people, and that wicked one. And Satan always has those upon the earth who can be called his representatives; they are individuals who are his instruments and who bear his same traits. Haman is one of them, as was Pharaoh in Egypt, or Herod during the Lord’s time. So in the time to come there will be the Iniquity, the man of sin, which the Lord will destroy by the breath of His mouth, and also his powerful ally, the Beast (2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 13).
Let us notice a few of these striking traits in Haman’s history. He, a stranger of a race ignored for many years, arose suddenly and found himself elevated above all the princes and servants to the Persian nation (chap. 3:1). Nothing about him is told us which explains such a rise to honor. He appeared suddenly displaying a proud and wicked character; all are required to render homage to him; woe to him who refused to bow before him. This resurrection of the Amalekite, pursuing the Jew with his hatred, brings before us the beast suddenly rising out of the bottomless pit, receiving his power from Satan and using him “to make war with the saints.” (Rev. 13:1,2,7; 17:8.)
The analogy is all the more striking since the beast is none other than the re-appearing of the Roman persecutor’s power which has disappeared, but must be reborn: “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit . . . and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder . . . when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” Rev. 17:8. When Amalek appeared for the first time (Ex. 17:8-16) and made war with God’s people, Moses said: “Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” A first victory has been obtained; Mordecai the Jew prevailed, but the struggle has continued and will continue, until we see the entire destruction of the power which is represented by Amalek, at the appearing of the great conqueror for a last and final triumph (Rev.’19:11-21).
We have already noticed that what distinguished Haman are the predominant marks of Satan: pride and wickedness. The prophet has characterized the Great Adversary thus: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning . . . . Thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.” Isa. 14:12,13. Nebuchadnezzar, in his time (Dan. 4:28-30) and also the king of Tyre (Ezek. 28:2) have shown to a great degree this same disposition of the heart of the natural man who, instigated by the enemy, will, like him, exalt himself above everything. This exaltation of self will have its full manifestation in the son of perdition, “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2:4. Such we see Haman to be, in his character and acts. He would allow no rival about him, and demanded veneration and worship of all his contemporaries. To have all bow and prostrate themselves before him was his will. By this he gaged who was for him and it was, so to speak, his mark on their foreheads, to bow themselves into the dust. Mordecai refused this mark, therefore he must perish with his people. How great a contrast there is between the man in Satan’s following who exalts himself and seeks to usurp the place and throne of God, and Him, who in the form of God, humbled Himself and has taken the form of a bondman so as to be obedient unto death. Would that we might follow Him in this path of self-denial, of humbling and obeying! Since pride comes before a fall, it is no less true that he who humbles himself shall be exalted. The Lord Jesus is the example of it; God has gloriously exalted Him.
Haman’s downfall is another very striking fact whether one visualizes the moment of its happening, or that which brings it on and the circumstances leading up to it, or finally the results thereof.
It is when at the summit of greatness and honor, that he falls, and his downfall is tremendous. He had been raised above all the most noble and the greatest the Persian empire possessed. The king had complete confidence in him; he could do what he pleased. To crown the favor, twice the queen invited him by himself to the feast which she had prepared for the king, and he gloried in it. From the second banquet, however, he departed as a vile criminal to be hanged on a gallows which he had erected for another. From glory he is expelled into the abyss of dishonor and shame and into death. We find this repeatedly in the ways of God. He allows man in his pride and spirit of independence to lift himself higher and higher, excluding God, glorying in his own works of ingenuity and of his hands. Then God sends the breath of His mouth, and all the great designs of man are reversed in a moment. Such were the impious builders of the tower of Babel: “Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven,” they said, “and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Gen. 11:4. They have commenced their work; the tower arises; it seems nothing can stop them from realizing their purpose. But the Lord descends and with a word confounds and disperses them. Many centuries later Nebuchadnezzar has finished that great and magnificent city of which he said: “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?” But while the word was still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven to usher him from the height of his pride to the condition of a beast of the field (Dan. 4:28-33). Babylon itself, that great and superb city, after having been taken by Belshazzar, is reduced to a heap of ruins and perpetual desolations (Jer. 50 & 51; Isa. 47).
And what will happen to the other Babylon of this world which will soon rise and exalt itself in the advance of science and civilization, in industry and art, hiding under a brilliant exterior the most profound corruption of this world, whose prince is Satan? When at the apex of its glory, the voice of the angel will be heard: “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen . . . for in one hour is thy judgment come.” Rev. 18:2,10. How solemnly true the words of the Psalmist: “I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found . . . . The end of the wicked shall be cut off.” Psa. 37:35-38. Haman’s fate was like that and so is the fate of all the proud. “The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment. Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; yet he shall perish for ever . . . they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?” Job 20:5-7.
It is possible that on seeing the wicked prosper and the just, on the contrary being oppressed with evil, that the heart of the believer may momentarily be overtaken with trouble, and that doubt regarding God’s coming in, may threaten to overtake his soul. God, in His goodness towards us cares for us and, by His Word tells us how to dissipate these clouds with which the enemy tries to bring us down (Psa. 37). Let us notice the exhortation to confidence — confidence entirely in Him who rules all things — and to a walk peaceful and right with God, making Him our delight and listening to the assurance He gives of His care and of meeting our requests. He has patience towards this evil world, but “yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more.” The reign of peace and righteousness of the Lord shall be established; in the meantime we Christians enjoy anticipating the kingdom which is “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Rom. 14:17.
That magnificent Psalm 73 develops the same theme. Seeing the wicked prosper, he says, “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped.” He envies them; in his bitterness he continues, “Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency,” and at that his soul is in turmoil. Have we, perhaps in some measure, had such a painful experience? But listen to the Psalmist. He suffers and says: “Until I went into the sanctuary of God.”
There all becomes light; he understands the ways of God; he sees the end of the wicked; he knows that his portion in this world of iniquity is to have the Lord with and for him until the time of his receiving to glory. Wonderful position, glorious hope, which will never disappoint us. “I am continually with Thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee . . . . God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever!” If the remnant can use such language when at the end iniquity seems to prevail, have we not all the more every good reason, while dwelling in the sanctuary of His presence, in the light of God, to rejoice before Him, filled with confidence, peace and hope in the midst of a crooked and perverse world?
Considering Haman’s rise and fall has led us to these thoughts. Perhaps these Psalms we have quoted from are those which gave Mordecai courage and confidence. His expectation was not disappointed. Here we may remark that Haman falls into the very trap he had prepared which is another characteristic of the wicked that the Word presents to us. Haman had no doubt that, when Ahasuerus asked him how he should treat the man the king delighted to honor, it could be none else but himself of whom the king spoke. He believed, while designating honor upon honor for such a one that he would be traveling in his proper dignity, and adding to his own prestige — and behold the honors are for Mordecai. Haman himself was to be a mere servant parading the triumph of the Jew.
Then, while he had raised the gallows for him whom he hates and believing everything was in readiness to have his enemy perish ignominiously, it is he himself who suffers the same fate. “Behold,” says the Psalmist, “he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.” What a picture, true of Haman and of him who in the last days persecutes Israel! (Rev. 12:13-17!) “He made a pit,” David continues, “and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.” Psa. 7:14-16. This indeed was Haman’s terrible experience.
We have other examples of this divine government. The accusers of Daniel perished by the teeth of the lions which should have devoured him, and those who cast the three Hebrews into the fiery furnace are consumed by the flames which spared the faithful witnesses to God (Dan. 6 & 3). And do we not see the same fate presented to us in the history of the great Adversary? He leads his subjects to crucify the Lord Jesus, and it is the death of Him of whom he wanted most to rid himself, who then destroys his power. The seed of the woman whose heel was bruised will crush the serpent’s head. Satan is taken in his own fall-trap, “that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Heb. 2:14. Believers, delivered by what the enemy prepared against them and seeing him fall into the ditch he had dug, may well in triumph sing: “I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most High.” Psa. 7:17.
Observe also the suddenness of Haman’s fall. Nothing announces it to the ordinary observer. The mere fact that it serves to exalt Mordecai does not indicate an alteration of the favor of the king. As to himself, it may seem as if he resented a great humiliation, but the greatest favorite of Ahasuerus’s princes had only to obey, and their prompt compliance, whatever the object for it might be, only consolidated their position. Haman could console himself as he was led to the gallows raised for Mordecai, by saying to himself: “He triumphs today, but this is only for a moment. Tomorrow it will be his turn to be hung.”
How often it happens that the unbelieving world reasons in this manner about the subjects of truth and its witnesses! It is believed and expressed many times that the Bible and Christianity have come to their last moments, but instead, the truth remains unchangeable, founded on the divine rock, while the world will pass away in a moment, together with its vanity. Haman deceived himself, and, like the world today, had the sword of vengeance hanging over his head on the fragile thread of just one man’s favor; aside from this man, it was God who used this occasion to execute judgment. However, it is worth remarking that there were more clear-sighted eyes foreseeing the fall of the favored and telling him: “Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.” chap. 6:13.
These were prophetic words, although they came from the mouth of one ignorant of God and of His dealings. The Amalekite could not prevail against the Jew. The Adversary must fall before Christ and His people. But should not these words of Zeresh have driven him into humbling himself? They certainly did trouble him, but it was too late for him to avoid the gallows by confessing his crimes.
Haman’s downfall was sudden as we have said. In fact, how much time transpired between the moment when “the chamberlains [came], and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared” (chap. 6:14) and the time when they covered his face and by order of the king, suspended him on the scaffold he had prepared for Mordecai? At most some hours. And thus it transpires in the great judgments which have been executed upon the earth and which remain as monuments of God’s holy justice. Noah’s contemporaries heard his voice which warned them; they became insensitive to his appeals and suddenly the deluge came which took them all away. The sun arose over the smiling plain where Sodom and her sister-cities, equally answerable with her, were situated. Lot entered Zoar, his refuge, and suddenly “the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven,” and entirely destroyed those cities and their inhabitants. Just as suddenly will judgment be executed when the Son of man shall appear. “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be . . . . And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn.” Matt. 24:27-30.
Is it not when the world says: “Peace and safety” that sudden destruction shall come upon them? And as Haman was warned, so is the world; its end has been announced by the prophetic word. But alas, it is intoxicated with its so-called progress, with pleasures and pomp, having its ear closed to divine warnings. It would rather be listening to false teachers who abuse them, or mockers which say: “Where is the promise of His coming?” 2 Pet. 3:3,4. How terrible to Haman was the voice which condemned him without appeal. “Hang him,” said the king, and that was the end. How much more terrible when this word will be executed: “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him” (Rev. 1:7), and when Christ, descending from heaven, will destroy the wicked with the breath of His mouth, and the beast and the false prophet with all them that are aligned against Him. Sudden judgment, inexorable, without appeal.
Finally as a last trait of the history of Haman, the adversary of the Jews, we may observe that his downfall is complete; he is abandoned by all. Zeresh his wife and his wise men with her can tell him his ruin but have no word of counsel, consolation or encouragement to offer. Terrified on seeing the wrath of the king, he “stood up to make request for his life unto Esther the queen” but he has not time to implore her grace. His very act serves to ruin him. The king abandons him forthwith, pronouncing his death sentence. It was necessary that God’s decree against the Amalekite should be carried out. Whatever instruments He may use, whether worthy and of personal integrity or otherwise, as we have seen in the person of Ahasuerus the king himself, God is sovereign as to accomplishing His own ends.
At the moment of Haman’s apprehension, such a figure appears in the person of “Harbonah, one of the chamberlains,” who once bowed to the Amalekite when Mordecai did not, a true “courtier,” who may have been one of those who accused Mordecai of non-compliance to Haman. Now he sees his opportunity to curry favor with the king and the up-coming favorite and advertises: “Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman.” chap. 7:9. Harbonah in true courtier fashion, thoroughly a man of the world, who, when it suits him, finds fault and accuses Mordecai, now flatters him while dealing the deathblow to Haman. One of Satan’s tools works against another; there is no mercy; he is a hard, heartless master, and the Scripture rightfully calls him a liar from the beginning and the father of lies. God is above all the events. The Psalmist says, “Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.” He uses the acts, the words and the sentiments of man to accomplish His design.
The king’s wrath delivered the adversary to his just due, satisfying God’s justice. “Wrath restrained,” it may be mentioned in this context, is a solemn reminder that eventually God will bring all things into judgment. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Eccl. 8:11.
After his death not only he himself but all Haman’s posterity disappears. His ten sons (mentioned by name) having been his pride are killed and hanged (chap. 9:7-10,13). All his riches pass on to Esther and Mordecai. Thus he disappears entirely from the scene and the name of Amalek is wiped out from under heaven. This is typical here according to the word of the Lord to Israel, as quoted earlier: “For I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven” Ex. 17:14, reminding us of the final scene in the end when Satan’s citadel, great Babylon, is doomed. “For in one hour is she made desolate . . . and shall be found no more at all.” Rev. 18:19,21.
Now the world is ripening for judgment. She is going to disappear with all her adversaries, to give place to a new world over which Christ will reign in peace and righteousness; thereafter will be the eternal state from which evil will be banished forever.