Enter the Villain


Esther 3:1-6
1After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. 2And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. 3Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?” 4And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. 6But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Five years after Esther becomes the Queen of Persia, we are introduced to Haman, the king’s grand vizier. Immediately we are made aware of Haman’s hubris and vicious character. One man, Mordecai, refuses to bow down to Haman and he sets his mind that all of the Jews will be destoryed. He is introduced as an Agagite, which has caused some commentators to assume that he wants to settle a very old score with the Jews, as the Agagites were ancient enemies of King Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul defeated the Agagites in a bitter war. There isn’t really enough historical data to support this idea, but it is interesting nonetheless. It is most likely he is merely the descendant of a person named of that name.

Now the principle players are on the stage. We have a powerful king, his new bride, a love story, a doting cousin/guardian, and a villain. This is the stuff of great dramas. What isn’t mentioned is that God is still in His heaven, using human situations to protect His people. This story is just getting started!

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