Time and Emotion
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.
Esther 3:1-6

The first two chapters of the Book of Esther are about Mordechai and his cousin, Esther, and how Esther became queen during the Persian Empire. In chapter 3, however, a new person is introduced: Haman.

It is difficult to understand Haman. He was raised to a very high position by King Xerxes, higher than all the other nobles (verse 1), but we don’t know why. And although the king commanded all royal officials to kneel down and pay honor to Haman (verse 2), Mordechai, “day after day”, refused to do this (verse 4). Once again we don’t know why. What we do know is Haman’s reaction. He was enraged and decided to kill not only Mordechai, but all of Mordechai’s people, the Jews (verses 5, 6).

How did this situation happen? Some people have suggested that because Haman was described as “the Agagite” (verse 1), he was a descendant of King Agag and the Amalekites, who had been killed by the Israelites (1 Samuel 15:8, 33). Therefore, the conflict between Mordechai and Haman was because of a bitterness held against the Jews for 600 years. Perhaps, but other people have suggested that “the Agagite” simply meant that he was from a province in the Persian Empire called Agag.

Whatever the reason, whether it was rage due to hurt pride or an ancient bitterness, his emotions captured Haman and led to his destruction.

Emotions can do that to us. We are made by God to have emotions, but we need to be careful that the passing of time, whether it is 600 years or simply “day after day”, brings forgiveness and not bitterness.

Prayer:
• Are you bitter about something from the past? Is it hurting you now?
Pray that God will help you to forgive and let go.