Esther 5:9-14

Relax, Read and Reflect

Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen

Haman’s Rage Against Mordecai



9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.


Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. 12 “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13 But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”






14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,[a] and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.

  I really like this translation  of verse 9. "Hamam went out that day happy and in high spirits".  As we have seen in the book so far- Hamam is the bad guy! That day he was happy, evil was winning.
  Those high spirits were short lived, because he ran into Mordecai and Mordecai did not rise and bow to him. This caused him to become enraged and consumed with anger. Why? Did Mordecai do anything different? No, that is the way hate works.
  This is where we run into one of the moral lessons of Esther. Hamam hated Mordecai because he was a Jew. Hamam did not hate because of what Mordecai did to him, Hamam hated because of what Mordecai was.
  This racial hatred, this bigotry consumed a capable and competent person. Hamam was blinded by race, and it consumed him so much he could not look beyond this to do his work. He vented and boasted to his wife.
  Hamam's wife comes up with a brilliant plan. If Mordecai offends Hamam so much, execute him- in public. Show those dirty Jews who has the power.

Questions:
1. If Hamam had known that Queen Esther was a Jew, would he have acted differently?
2. Why would a man of Hamam's position get so wigged out?
3. What is the major flaw with Zeresh's plan?

Prayer- Lord, Help us love everybody. Help us look past what a person looks like on the outside to see what is in their heart. Thank you for loving us even though we are "one of them". Go-Fight-Win. Amen.