Esther 3:1-6

Relax, Read and Reflect

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

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews



1 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.


3 Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” 4 Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.






5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

   Haman had a long standing feud with Jews. This where we see the prejudice involved in the story. Haman wanted the other nobles to kneel before him. Mordecai had a God, and his God was a jealous God. This was a way to trap him.
  Haman wanted to kill all Jews- not just Mordecai. So the plot thickens.

Questions:
1. Why wouldn't Mordecai kneel?
2. Doesn't Hamam know Esther is Jewish?
3. How are we like Hamam?

Prayer- Lord, take the hate from our hearts. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.