#EstherChallenge – Day 3 Chapter Three

Hello Beautiful People!

Time for Day Three! Please remember to hashtag #EstherChallenge when you tweet about it. In addition, email estherchallenge@outlook.com with your notes for each chapter, or a summary and I will put it up on this blog page.

DAY THREE – CHAPTER THREE

Main People in this Chapter:

• King Aha (the MUGU)
• Haman (aka Hitler aka the PRICK)
• Mordecai (Esther’s cousin)

CHEEKY SUMMARY by Kanayo: One of the King’s men called Haman was promoted and all the people were told to bow down before him as commanded by King Aha. Mordecai refused to bow down and when he was asked why, he revealed that he was a Jew. Haman was basically Hitler and wanted to Kill Mordecai for not bowing down to Him, as well as ALL the Jews in the kingdom. Hamman spoke to King Aha (the number one MUGU) about His plans to eliminate all the Jews and the King gave his ring to him as a seal of approval.

Bulletins, emails, posters, PPI adverts looool everything was sent out with orders to kill all the Jews, young and old, male and female on ONE day (13th day of the 12th month). The King and Haman relaxed while the whole city of Susa were in panic about the news.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS CHAPTER:

• Thou shall not bow down to any other God or idol! Mordecai was an example of true loyalty and faithfulness to God. He refused to bow down to anything other than God, UNASHAMED and not even scared about the possible consequences.
  

  Romans 6, talks about ‘whatever we yield the members of our bodies to, becoming our master’ – Mordecai, certainly wasn’t about that life. He wasn’t having it, regardless of the consequences He yielded his body to God. He obeyed the commandment of THE King of kings. God is a jealous God and He doesn’t want to give His glory to another. He was a Jew and was well aware that God had commanded not to bow down before anything and we will see how God honours his obedience later on in the book of Esther.

   

• DON’T FORGET OR BETRAY THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED YOU! King Aha seemed to have forgotten that it was Mordecai that helped to spare His life from those two men that were plotting against Him in Chapter 2. The King allowed the knowledge of Mordecai’s background to cloud any moral judgement (not that he even had any in the first place). Sometime we do this too! We allow our prejudices and stereotypes against a group of people to cloud our judgement of an individual just because they fall into a pre-defined category. Let us make a conscious effort not to do so any more, because when we do, we are ignorant just like King Aha.

• REVENGE IS NOT SO SWEET: Haman was a drama queen. Because ONE JEW wouldn’t bow, He thought it would be cool to calmly eliminate all Jews. Extreme much? He was even willing to pay 10,000 silver coins to do the job. How far is too far?

WHAT EVERYONE DOING THE ESTHER CHALLENGE THINKS:

Again we see King Aha being manipulated all in the sake of honour/pride.. “It is not befitting to a king” I believed Haman knew that King Aha would react strongly towards anything that poses a threat to his status (as seen in Chapter 1 with Queen Vashti)
Think its very interesting to see the people have a king who hasn’t got a mind of his own, no authority, no covering.

I love the way Mordecai did not pay homage (respect) Haman. he knew what was right and chose to stand on it. Reminds me of the same boldness in Daniel 3 with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

For me the lesson here is a that a man who does not have christ as his covering is at the mercy of men.
We need God more than we think, there are others who believe they are in control when in reality they are being manoeuvred like puppets.
We need to seek him in ALL areas of our lives so that we are no mislead by the world.
1 Chronicles 16:11
Colossians 3:17
1 peter 5:8

Also there will be a time when we will have to show the world that we stand on Christ and we are not of this world even if we are to face persecution. Obedience is better than sacrifice, if we “chicken out” and chose to follow the world we will have to answer to God.

John 15:18
Ephesians 3:12
1 Corinthians 16:13 – Olamide, @LamiSimpson

I’ll make this one short. In this chapter the humble Esther was exalted to take her throne, Queen of Persia. But what about the other ladies?In Esther 2:12 it says the ladies had to complete 12 months of PREPARATION before they went in to meet the King for ONE night? Hold up, 12 months!? Surely they weren’t that ‘ugly’? ..No, they weren’t. But they understood that there had to be some sort of PURIFICATION, some sort of ‘readiness’ before they met Him.So ladies, what about us? We who are Christians and plan to dwell with our King Jesus for eternity, in what ways are WE preparing? Isaiah 54:5 says ‘the Maker is our HUSBAND’, Revelation 19:7 ‘ the wedding of the Lamb has come and the BRIDE has made herself READY’. Christ doesn’t want a spec to be on his church. So what are we doing in terms of preparation? …. Are we practicing holiness? Are we being renewed by His spirit daily? Are we cultivating the fruits of the Spirit? Are we loving those who can’t be loved? Are we forgiving? Are we meditating on His word day and night? Are we bearing fruit? Are we even preparing to meet OUR King? #EstherChallenge – @pearlyoh

Upon reading this chapter I couldn’t help but think; “Jheeeze these Jews have been through ALOT.” Because Mordecai bruised Haman’s ego by refusing to bow to him, Haman decided he wanted to completely eradicate every Jew in the Kingdom.

Again we see that disobedience – in this case is right – has a consequence! We are told in the scripture that Mordecai didn’t bow to Haman because he was a Jew. I respect Mordecai’s obedience very much. However it makes me wonder;
– Was he the only Jew who was at the king’s gate? Is that another indication of favour on Mordecai’s life? If he wasn’t, why were the other Jews stepping out of line?
– Had Haman become an idol of some sort?

It looks like the importance of getting the right and wise counsel is raised as an important issue once again. King Ahasuerus’ reckless trusting of people and taking what people say and running with it, with what seems like ALL the time, is very worrying to be honest. Every decision he has made so far has been based upon what another person recommended and he doesn’t ever seem to weigh up the pros and cons.. He just completely runs with it. He didn’t even bother finding out the nationality of these people that Haman spoke of. He just heard that he was gonna have an increase in his finances and that was more than enough for him. (Lol funnily enough it seems like he weighs up what is good for him more however because he investigated Mordecai’s warning in chapters 2). We need to really examine what this king is doing and how he thinks, then run from such a trait. Fast. How can he casually order the eradication of a nation and then sit down to drink when his province is in complete disarray? I’m glad the King I serve is the complete OPPOSITE to this.

Why would Haman completely destroy the Jews though? Unless they were the king’s servants at the king’s gates, they weren’t obliged to bow before him. This little feud between Mordecai and Haman is interesting because it’s a reflection of a previous war. Mordecai was a Benjaminite and Haman was an Agagite.. Now there was an ancient war in 1 Samuel 15 in which King Saul (also a Benjamite) defeated Agag the king of the Amalekites – who Haman descended from. Looks like history is repeating itself. -@GenieBaybee

This chapter introduces us to a new character Haman who was promoted by King Ahasuerus ‘above all the princes who were with him.’ Haman – the prime minister – had substantial power.

The Bible didn’t say Mordecai was one of the king’s servants but he ‘sat within the king’s gate.’ [Esther 2:19] This indicates Mordecai’s closeness to the king or king’s palace.

As was the custom, all the king’s servants bowed and paid homage to Haman but Mordecai won’t bow or pay homage. The king’s servants talked Mordecai into bowing but he refused. The servants therefore reported him to Haman whether Mordecai would bow as he told them he was Jew.

When Haman saw Mordecai won’t bow or pay him homage, he was filled with rage. The sought not to only kill Mordecai but all the Jews throughout the kingdom.

Haman approached King Ahasuerus about the killing the Jews who kept their own laws and not the king’s laws. The king decreed for Jews to be exterminated. But this was after Haman had made a deal with the king to pay 10,000 talents of silver into the the king’s treasuries after all the Jews have been killed.

The king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman. The king told Haman to do as he pleases. The decree for the annihilation of all Jews in the kingdom was made. A day was set in which all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, will be killed and their possessions plundered.

Lessons Learnt:

Refuse the smallest compromise. Mordecai refused as a proper Jew to compromise his stance on bowing or paying homage to any body or anything. ‘You shall have no other gods before Me…. You shall not bow down to them no serve them…’ [Exodus 20:3,5] The king’s servants talked sense into Mordecai but he won’t budge. He held on to his refusal to dishonour his God by bowing before a mere man. How many of us will steadfastly hold on to our principles like Mordecai did? A public acknowledgement of God never goes unrewarded. [Matthew 10:32]

Pride goes before a fall. Haman in his arrogance and pride decided not punish just Mordecai as a person but to wipe out his entire race. This plot is similar to the one successfully carried out in Nazi Germany. Haman decreed for the extermination of a whole race just to pacify his anger at Mordecai.

Be careful of brides. Haman paid his way into the heart of the king by striking a deal with him. The king even though rich won’t refuse extra money coming into his treasuries. As some say, even the rain falls into the sea. How much 10,000 talents of silver is worth in today’s money? That would put the money into perspective. It’s sure was something significant to merit the king’s acceptance. The king allowed Haman’s deal to cloud his judgment all because of money.

Be careful who you give your power to. The king gave his signet ring to Haman. This symbolised the transfer of authority or power to Haman to carry out the decree. Unknowing to the king, the decree meant both Mordecai and his wife Queen Esther would have to be killed as they were Jews. The passage didn’t state whether Haman knew the Queen was a Jew or whether the King Ahasuerus knew Mordecai was the reason for the plot. What is significant is that the king gave his power to anyone who was up to some mischief. – @Dowusem

Mordecai…..had this behavioural pattern that. I admire so much! That of integrity .he wasn’t gonna back. down at the slightest threat..he knew his stands as a Jew even in a country which was considered as foreign to him,he was willing to stand up for his Beliefs. especially that of the most high God.,.he. Had known nobody deserved the same glory or respect given to God…..that was a doctrine he kept steadfast no matter what was going to happen…..
On the other hand…..Hamaan.*sighs* he just acted like devil…let me take y’all back to the time of Saul…1 samuel 15…..when he failed to destroy all the Amalekites.. The king Agag was spared..who’s descendant is Hamaan….however hamaan’s initial plan was to pay back the israelites for what happened to the amalekites…but however….God never let’s his people down….. @Saved_nicole