Est 3:12 | KingComments | STEP | The king gives Haman the free hand to carry out his plan, and gives him his signet ring as proof of the power of attorney to do it ( ). Of Haman is said again from whom he descends and what he is. He is in his nature “the Agagite”, the eternal enemy, and in his work “the enemy of the Jews”. What Ahasuerus does is also what God does in the history of Job. He gives satan the free hand to strike Job in all things in which He allows satan to do ( ). God also does this here with His people. In the surrender of the people of the Jews into the hand of Haman, we see a picture of God surrendering His people to their enemies ( ). Ahasuerus does not allow himself to be bribed by Haman ( ). Likewise, the stake of God’s people is not a matter of agreement between God and satan. What He will bring upon His people has to be brought upon them, for He cannot bring His people into proper relationship with Himself in any other way. For this He uses satan. We should also remember that the order is issued because of Mordecai. That shows us that the remnant will suffer because of their connection with the Lord Jesus. We know from the course of history the final decision of Ahasuerus about both the destiny of God’s people and the destiny of Haman. What we have seen so far is the preparation for what Ahasuerus will eventually do. This shows us that Ahasuerus is after all a picture of God, Who is the Highest above all other high placed people. We see that aptly at the death of the Lord Jesus. Peter says of this that He was “nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put … to death” ( ). He says, however, and even precedes it, that the Lord Jesus was “delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” ( ). Here we see, on the one hand, the counsel of God and, on the other hand, the responsibility of man. Only God can combine these two sides in a way that completely does justice to both. The scribes of the king are called ( ). This happens on the thirteenth day of the first month, the day of the preparation of the Passover which is held the next day ( ). On the day when God’s people are to prepare to celebrate the deliverance, preparations are made here for the extermination of God’s people. We also see this in the deliberations to kill the Lord Jesus ( ). Everything that Haman commands is written down. The writing is addressed to all dignitaries throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus. The commandment is published in each language separately. Everyone receives ‘the honor’ to cooperate in the execution of the order, not to hurt anyone and thus to antagonize themselves. The name of Ahasuerus is mentioned under each individual letter. Then the letters are sent to the one hundred and twenty-seven regions by couriers ( ). Once again the emphasis is placed on the content of the letter. It is about nothing less than “to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day”. An additional exhortation to implement the law concerning the Jews is the permission to “to seize their possessions as plunder”. These couriers have a dark and therefore completely different message than the Lord Jesus, who through His ‘couriers’ preaches the gospel to invite people to the King’s wedding. How hopeless the situation is for the Jews is made clear by . The whole world is ordered by law to turn against them. Anyone can make preparations to be ready to strike on the day determined by Haman. However, God is not out of control of these events. We see the counterpart when it is said later in the same words that a letter is enacted as law, stating that the Jews “would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies” ( ). God is in control. He raises up someone like Haman and makes him great to bring all the distress upon the Jews, with the ultimate goal of giving them the blessing He has promised them. That blessing is connected with the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, Who will be born of this people. He is the source of all blessing. The couriers go on their way, with extra urgency to hurry, by the king’s command ( ). While the king and Haman are drinking, the city of Susa becomes confused. Not only the Jews are in turmoil, but the entire city of Susa. This is circumstantial evidence of the good testimony the Jews have there. In this verse we see a contradiction between the peace at the place where the decisions come from (the palace) and the confusion at the place where the decision applies (the city). God is not confused about what He has planned for Himself, even if satan plays a certain role in it, and even thinks that he has done well with his plan to annihilate God’s people. The Hebrew word for “confusion”, except in Joel 1 ( ), remarkably only occurs in the history of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. God puts this word in the mouth of Pharaoh. Pharaoh uses this word to describe the situation of God’s redeemed people when they are in the wilderness on their way to the Red Sea: “For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly [lit: confused] in the land; the wilderness has shut them in’” ( ). Here, too, we see how God looks at the matter and how it is experienced by people. God is never embarrassed about situations of which we are confused or panic about.

‏ Esther 3:12

Command to Annihilate All the Jews

The king gives Haman the free hand to carry out his plan, and gives him his signet ring as proof of the power of attorney to do it (Est 3:10). Of Haman is said again from whom he descends and what he is. He is in his nature “the Agagite”, the eternal enemy, and in his work “the enemy of the Jews”.

What Ahasuerus does is also what God does in the history of Job. He gives satan the free hand to strike Job in all things in which He allows satan to do (Job 1:12 ; Job 2:6). God also does this here with His people. In the surrender of the people of the Jews into the hand of Haman, we see a picture of God surrendering His people to their enemies (Psa 44:12-13).

Ahasuerus does not allow himself to be bribed by Haman (Est 3:11). Likewise, the stake of God’s people is not a matter of agreement between God and satan. What He will bring upon His people has to be brought upon them, for He cannot bring His people into proper relationship with Himself in any other way. For this He uses satan. We should also remember that the order is issued because of Mordecai. That shows us that the remnant will suffer because of their connection with the Lord Jesus.

We know from the course of history the final decision of Ahasuerus about both the destiny of God’s people and the destiny of Haman. What we have seen so far is the preparation for what Ahasuerus will eventually do. This shows us that Ahasuerus is after all a picture of God, Who is the Highest above all other high placed people.

We see that aptly at the death of the Lord Jesus. Peter says of this that He was “nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put … to death” (Acts 2:23b). He says, however, and even precedes it, that the Lord Jesus was “delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23a). Here we see, on the one hand, the counsel of God and, on the other hand, the responsibility of man. Only God can combine these two sides in a way that completely does justice to both.

The scribes of the king are called (Est 3:12). This happens on the thirteenth day of the first month, the day of the preparation of the Passover which is held the next day (Lev 23:5). On the day when God’s people are to prepare to celebrate the deliverance, preparations are made here for the extermination of God’s people. We also see this in the deliberations to kill the Lord Jesus (Lk 22:1-2).

Everything that Haman commands is written down. The writing is addressed to all dignitaries throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus. The commandment is published in each language separately. Everyone receives ‘the honor’ to cooperate in the execution of the order, not to hurt anyone and thus to antagonize themselves. The name of Ahasuerus is mentioned under each individual letter.

Then the letters are sent to the one hundred and twenty-seven regions by couriers (Est 3:13). Once again the emphasis is placed on the content of the letter. It is about nothing less than “to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day”. An additional exhortation to implement the law concerning the Jews is the permission to “to seize their possessions as plunder”. These couriers have a dark and therefore completely different message than the Lord Jesus, who through His ‘couriers’ preaches the gospel to invite people to the King’s wedding.

How hopeless the situation is for the Jews is made clear by Est 3:14. The whole world is ordered by law to turn against them. Anyone can make preparations to be ready to strike on the day determined by Haman. However, God is not out of control of these events. We see the counterpart when it is said later in the same words that a letter is enacted as law, stating that the Jews “would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies” (Est 8:13).

God is in control. He raises up someone like Haman and makes him great to bring all the distress upon the Jews, with the ultimate goal of giving them the blessing He has promised them. That blessing is connected with the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, Who will be born of this people. He is the source of all blessing.

The couriers go on their way, with extra urgency to hurry, by the king’s command (Est 3:15). While the king and Haman are drinking, the city of Susa becomes confused. Not only the Jews are in turmoil, but the entire city of Susa. This is circumstantial evidence of the good testimony the Jews have there.

In this verse we see a contradiction between the peace at the place where the decisions come from (the palace) and the confusion at the place where the decision applies (the city). God is not confused about what He has planned for Himself, even if satan plays a certain role in it, and even thinks that he has done well with his plan to annihilate God’s people.

The Hebrew word for “confusion”, except in Joel 1 (Joel 1:18), remarkably only occurs in the history of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. God puts this word in the mouth of Pharaoh. Pharaoh uses this word to describe the situation of God’s redeemed people when they are in the wilderness on their way to the Red Sea: “For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly [lit: confused] in the land; the wilderness has shut them in’” (Exo 14:3). Here, too, we see how God looks at the matter and how it is experienced by people. God is never embarrassed about situations of which we are confused or panic about.