Haman's Wicked Reciprocity Esther 9:25 - Equipped for Battle

The Jews committed to an annual celebration of a victory over their enemies. Because Haman devised a plan and inspired a law to destroy Mordecai and the Jews, Queen Esther went before her husband King Ahasuerus to appeal for her people's lives. A supplemental law was written by the king to allow the Jews to defend themselves which they did triumphantly, and their success demanded celebration. In chapter nine and verse twenty-five we review the story once again as the Jews solidify their reason for the yearly festivities. We read:

But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

The verse begins, “But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews,...” Once again we encounter the word “But” in our scripture study, and as a reminder whenever we see the word “But” we understand it to mean that what is about to be written takes precedence over what was previously written. We read in the last verse that Haman devised a wicked plan to destroy the Jews...”But” changed everything. When Esther came before her husband King Ahasuerus and revealed that she was a Jew and this wicked plan was devised against her people, the king was moved to alter the outcome. Though he could not change the law to destroy the Jews, he could work against their enemies efforts to do so.

The verse goes on to say, “ should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.” Not only did the king work against the enemies of the Jews, he also at the suggestion of Mordecai and Esther hung wicked Haman and his sons upon gallows. Haman was hung on a gallows that he built for Mordecai, and Haman's ten sons were hung in the street of Shushan. That which the foe against the Jews devised came back “upon his own head” and the heads of his sons.

The law of reciprocity is basically “you reap what you sow.” Paul the apostle said it this way in the book of Galatians in chapter six and verse seven:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

In this case wicked Haman “sowed” bad seed against the Jews, and the fruit of his efforts was his own demise and the deaths of his sons. The Jews were going to celebrate this time of victory over their enemies, and the celebration would be yearly. Perhaps as we consider the repercussions of Haman's terrible choices we will consider the consequences of our own. Reciprocity works both ways – wickedness reaps wickedness, and righteousness reaps righteousness. Maybe the inspiration for pondering this verse will be to make sure that the harvest we hope for in the future will keep us sowing the proper seed today.

Next time we will see the Jews named this annual celebration Purim, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

 

Until tomorrow...there is more...

 

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