Est 5:9-14 | KingComments | STEP | Immediately after the meal Haman leaves ( ). He is in a very good mood, completely in the clouds, both by his participation in the meal that has just been held and by the invitation to the next meal. He is blown up. His character becomes public. God allows evil to mature in some people, so that His judgment may prove completely justified. However, Haman’s good mood turns to anger as soon as he sees Mordecai in the gate. This time he does not need to be reminded of Mordecai ( ), but immediately notices that he does not receive the obligatory tribute. This Jew has become a stumbling block for him. He will fall over it because of his pride. Thus, the Lord Jesus, of whom Mordecai is a picture, is to apostate Israel and his captain the Antichrist, of whom Haman is a picture, “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” ( ; ). Haman does not perceive any respect or awe in Mordecai, to him, the great Haman. Mordecai remains unmoved, without any expression of fear of him. He just ignores him. It brings Haman’s anger to its boiling point. As for Mordecai, we see in his fearless attitude a confirmation of his conviction (faith) that salvation will come ( ). Although Haman is furious, he does nothing yet ( ). He controls himself out of pride and arrogance and piles up his anger, laying the foundation for his coming downfall and fall ( ). After all, his haughty plan is to exterminate not only Mordecai, but all the Jews. When he has come home, he calls his friends and his wife with him to boast to them with his nose in the height of how big he is ( ). Like an overconfident fool he measures his greatness widely by speaking about his wealth, his many children and the high position the king has given him. What he lists here in his megalomania, he will soon lose all ( ). After this boasting, he proudly points out that he is the only one who was allowed to take part in Esther’s banquet together with the king ( ). Then he raises his voice high from the invitation for the next day. He is the fool whose own lips praise him ( ). He is the fool who thinks he can dispose of “tomorrow”, while he is blind to the calamity that will strike him the next day ( ; cf. ). This is always the case with people who boast in their pride. Such glory is evil (cf. ). Because we know the story, we know that it will soon end dramatically with Haman. But that is not how it looks in the story now. It seems that Haman is very much on a roll, even though he is a wicked and ruthless man. It raises the question why the wicked are often successful, while the God-fearing often have to suffer. Why does God let evil do its work and not intervene? An adequate answer is difficult to give. There are, however, a few thoughts we find in this section that help us think about this question. 1. The wicked must become great in order to promote the welfare of God’s people. David is formed by the persecution of Saul so that he can later exercise justice. Haman must become a prince to give honor to Mordecai, which makes Mordecai’s greatness all the greater. 2. The wicked people must become great in order to be revealed in their full wickedness. God does not judge because He has the greatest power, but because the wicked man deserves it. Asaph also struggled with that problem of the prosperity of the wicked and the misfortune of the righteous. He reflects his struggle in Psalm 73. He has thought about it and comes to the conclusion that the solution can be found in the sanctuary of God: “When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight Until I came into the sanctuary of God; [Then] I perceived their end” ( ).

‏ Esther 5:9-14

Haman’s Boast

Immediately after the meal Haman leaves (Est 5:9). He is in a very good mood, completely in the clouds, both by his participation in the meal that has just been held and by the invitation to the next meal. He is blown up. His character becomes public. God allows evil to mature in some people, so that His judgment may prove completely justified.

However, Haman’s good mood turns to anger as soon as he sees Mordecai in the gate. This time he does not need to be reminded of Mordecai (Est 3:4), but immediately notices that he does not receive the obligatory tribute. This Jew has become a stumbling block for him. He will fall over it because of his pride. Thus, the Lord Jesus, of whom Mordecai is a picture, is to apostate Israel and his captain the Antichrist, of whom Haman is a picture, “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (1Pet 2:7; Rom 9:31-33).

Haman does not perceive any respect or awe in Mordecai, to him, the great Haman. Mordecai remains unmoved, without any expression of fear of him. He just ignores him. It brings Haman’s anger to its boiling point. As for Mordecai, we see in his fearless attitude a confirmation of his conviction (faith) that salvation will come (Est 4:14).

Although Haman is furious, he does nothing yet (Est 5:10). He controls himself out of pride and arrogance and piles up his anger, laying the foundation for his coming downfall and fall (Pro 16:18). After all, his haughty plan is to exterminate not only Mordecai, but all the Jews. When he has come home, he calls his friends and his wife with him to boast to them with his nose in the height of how big he is (Est 5:11). Like an overconfident fool he measures his greatness widely by speaking about his wealth, his many children and the high position the king has given him. What he lists here in his megalomania, he will soon lose all (Est 8:2 ; 7 ; Est 9:7-10).

After this boasting, he proudly points out that he is the only one who was allowed to take part in Esther’s banquet together with the king (Est 5:12). Then he raises his voice high from the invitation for the next day. He is the fool whose own lips praise him (Pro 27:2). He is the fool who thinks he can dispose of “tomorrow”, while he is blind to the calamity that will strike him the next day (Pro 27:1; cf. Lk 12:20-21). This is always the case with people who boast in their pride. Such glory is evil (cf. Jam 4:13-16).

Because we know the story, we know that it will soon end dramatically with Haman. But that is not how it looks in the story now. It seems that Haman is very much on a roll, even though he is a wicked and ruthless man. It raises the question why the wicked are often successful, while the God-fearing often have to suffer. Why does God let evil do its work and not intervene? An adequate answer is difficult to give. There are, however, a few thoughts we find in this section that help us think about this question.

1. The wicked must become great in order to promote the welfare of God’s people. David is formed by the persecution of Saul so that he can later exercise justice. Haman must become a prince to give honor to Mordecai, which makes Mordecai’s greatness all the greater.

2. The wicked people must become great in order to be revealed in their full wickedness. God does not judge because He has the greatest power, but because the wicked man deserves it.

Asaph also struggled with that problem of the prosperity of the wicked and the misfortune of the righteous. He reflects his struggle in Psalm 73. He has thought about it and comes to the conclusion that the solution can be found in the sanctuary of God:

“When I pondered to understand this,

It was troublesome in my sight

Until I came into the sanctuary of God;

[Then] I perceived their end” (Psa 73:16-17).

The Hatred Against Mordecai

However, all greatness and prestige are overshadowed for Haman by the thought of Mordecai in the gate. Mordecai is his obsession. In his blind hatred of that man he finds no satisfaction in his own greatness. He is inspired by only one thing and that is to get rid of Mordecai. To him the word from Proverbs 21 applies more than to anyone else: ““Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names, who acts with insolent pride” (Pro 21:24).

“Zeresh his wife” is the first to respond to his anger at Mordecai. She supports and encourages her husband in evil. Thus, Sapphira supports her husband Ananias in an evil cause (Acts 5:1-2 ; 9). We can learn from this that our marriage can be a blessing, but also a curse. Haman’s wife also has a proposal and that is that a gallows be erected for his enemy. His friends wholeheartedly agree with the proposal.

The sinister company encourages Haman to act immediately. Tomorrow, at the first opportunity he has to speak to the king, he must tell him that Mordecai should be hanged on the gallows he has had made. His ‘counselors’ don’t talk about making a request to the king, but rather use the commanding form.

Haman’s wife may have been “a beautiful woman”, but she is a woman who “lacks discretion” and therefore she is “[as] a ring of gold in a swine’s snout” (Pro 11:22). Haman’s friends prove to be foolish counselors by joining Zeresh’ foolish proposal. They expect a favorable effect of their counsel. This is evidenced by their encouragement that Haman can “go joyfully with the king to the banquet”. According to them this is going to be all right tomorrow.

Rage is rarely patient. Outraged Haman cannot wait the day for his enemies to be killed. That would take months. He embraces the proposal of his wife and friends to hang Mordecai the very next day at a height that everyone can see him hanging. Haman sees his triumph. He will sleep well. But while he sleeps, another does not: the king. This is where the next chapter begins.