After gaining permission to
annihilate Mordecai and the Jews, Haman immediately called for the
scribes and sought for them to write the law and send letters to all
the provinces within the Persian empire which would notify them of
the new command. In chapter three and verse thirteen we see this part
of Haman's plan executed. We read:
And the letters were
sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and
to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and
women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of
the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the
spoil of them for a prey.
Our
verse begins, “And the letters were sent by posts into all the
king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all
Jews, both young and old, little children and women,...” In a
day when there were no telephones, email and other ways to
communicate, “posts” were used to pass along messages. The word
“posts” means “run or runners” and conveys the idea of
“moving swiftly or quickly” at something. These “posts” were
sent throughout the Persian empire to communicate the new command
that all Jews should be destroyed and killed. Notice there was no
sympathy for Jewish people who were older, younger, little children
or women. This projected holocaust would be thorough.
The
verse goes on to say, “in one day, even upon the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the
month Adar,...” Haman was so brazenly against the Jews that he
even gave the appointed date for the execution to begin - “thirteenth
day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.”
We might remember that he consulted his soothsayers for the best
date for this to occur, and now we see him implementing his chosen
date which is in the twelfth month corresponding to our March to
April.
We also
note the verse says, “to take the spoil of them
for a prey.” which means that those who actually kill the Jews
may benefit from taking their items of value. Not only was there
permission granted to destroy the Jews, but if the Jews owned any
property, the killers were entitled to it. This part of the law
counted upon the greed of people within the Persian empire, and those
who wrote it knew that if there was something to gain from the Jews
extermination, people in the kingdom might be more inclined to carry
out their destruction.
What a
heinous plan Haman has designed! Can we imagine that such hatred
could exist because of one man's refusal to bow to him? And yet, it
does. Haman didn't realize it but he was being used by Satan himself
to stop what Satan knew was the future for the Jews. The messiah was
promised through the Jewish people, and should they all be
exterminated, the messiah could not come. Satan will use anyone who
will align in opposition with the promotion of the gospel, and
without a messiah, there would be no gospel to give, salvation would
not be possible, and man would be eternally lost. Jesus Christ came
through the Jewish line, and should Haman's plan be completed, He
would not have come. Thank God we have the Almighty looking over this
situation. Though He is not named, God is still in control even when
“posts” may declare another story. As we meditate upon the words
within this verse, may we be reminded that even when thing are posted
as bad in our lives, God is still in control. We can trust Him and
know that He is ever mindful of our situations.
Next time we will see how the letters
prepared every province in the kingdom, so read ahead, and we shall
join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” and the new marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment