The PLOT of Haman

Haman uses the superstition of lots to determine his “lucky day” to set for his Anti-Semitic plan to exterminate all Jews in the land (v7)

Haman deceives the king into thinking that all Jews were refusing to obey him and that they were a threat to his kingdom (v8)

Haman advices the king to hire out the job of killing all the Jews (v9)

Esther 3:9 - Haman offers to pay a reward of silver to the murderers of the Jewish people out of his very own pocket

10,000 talents of silver is equal to 375 tons (Persia used silver as their monetary standard)

Haman was either very rich himself or planned to use the loot confiscated from the Jews after they were killed

This massacre could be carried out all the way to Palestine which was part of the Persian empire under Xerxes

Be careful who you seek as advisors (Advisors who are prejudiced or only tell part of the story, are advisors who will cause you to make horrific decisions)

Be careful who you hold a grudge against

The king gives Haman total authority to carry out the plan seen in his giving his ring (v10-11)

Though the edict was signed in the first month of the year, due to the result of the lot it was not to be carried out until the 12th month (the Jews would live in misery knowing what awaited)

This execution included young and old, women and children

Haman had all the papers drawn up, sealed, and distributed through the kingdom resulting in even non-Jews being perplexed (v12-15)

The PAIN of the Jews

Mordecai was very upset realizing that it was his refusal to bow before Haman that was the source of this plan and he put on sackcloth and ashes…a public sign of mourning (v1)

Jews all through the land were greatly disturbed (v2-3)

Esther, unknowing of the plan, hears of Mordecai’s mourning and sends clothes to comfort him which he refuses (v4)

Esther than sends a messenger to find out the situation (v5-6)

Mordecai does three things (v7-8)

He tells the messenger of Haman’s plot
He gives the messenger a copy of the decree to show Esther
He asks the messenger to tell the queen that she must go to the king and expose herself as a Jew and plea for her people

Esther sends word back that she is troubled by the request (v9-11)

It was widely known that for a person, even the queen, to come before the king without being summoned usually ended in death

Because the king had not sent for Esther in 30 days, it was very unlikely that he would want to accept her (lost some interest?)

Mordecai reminds Esther of 3 things (v13-14)

Based on the decree, she too should be killed and Mordecai predicts that this would happen if Esther kept quiet

If she doesn’t, God would deliver His people through another

Perhaps this was the very reason (saving the Jewish race) that God allowed her to go from orphan to queen

Esther requests of her own people a 3-day commitment to fasting on her behalf as she prepared to make her request to the king (v15)

Esther’s confidence in God is seen…“If I perish, I perish” (v16)

Not until we truly believe that one person can make a difference will we be willing to take a risk

The kings heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes (Proverbs 21:1)