“Then Haman added, “And that’s not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!” 13 Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.”
14 So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet[a] tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.” This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up. Esther 5:12-14
A gallow is a structure, typically of two uprights and a crosspiece, for the hanging of criminals. The story of Haman and the gallows is common. The lessons to learn lessons from it are many, complex, and probably unending.
The great question is are we actually learning from it? I expect society to be more tolerant of one another and make less gallows for one another if we are indeed learning. It’s also important to neither condemn nor commend them, remembering bible characters are long dead and that they are examples for us to change our lives in a positive direction.
Jeremiah said the human heart is very deep and wicked, who can know it? Jer 17:10-12.
In the story of Haman and Mordecai, we are told that Haman’s grouse with Mordecai is that he refused to bow in greeting when Haman is passing by. In the Canadian language, he refuses to say “Hi” in the morning.
Honestly, I don’t know why that is a problem for a gateman to his vice president! But Biblical scholars have proffered reasons why Mordecai refused.
Talking about cultural values, recently some of our CAC Bethel children went to camp and were brought to my living room, awaiting their parents to pick them up. I had to pass through my living room to my room and I expected these children, ages between 8 and 12 years to greet me as their pastor, or grandfather, but they didn’t. I asked them – “What do you say?” – One of them said “ Nothing!” My expectation was that they would say “Good afternoon pastor” But they didn’t!
Now should I go and build gallows to destroy them? I know these are just ignorant children who are not grounded in our cultural values!
Maybe Haman did not accept the argument that Mordecai could be ignorant of the Babylonian laws vis-a-vis the Jewish laws, but was his plan to kill all the Jews the solution to someone not paying him simple expected courtesy?
Friend you don’t need to kill a fly with a sledgehammer. Haman’s evil plot against the nation of Israel boomeranged against him. Most times wickedness boomerangs.
Also, don’t play God. God elevated Haman according to his testimony and made him the Vice President! God made you the President, VP, Senator, MP, MPP, Professor, MD, Engineer, Premier, Director, Manager, Chairman, that prestigious and high position. Why don’t you focus on using that position to build the life of the staff, the organization, the church, and the nation, to improve the productivity and efficiency of your organization? Why do you major in the minors? Why are you leaving leprosy to be treating ringworm or skin rashes at the expense of cancer? Why are you bent on destroying another person?
People will bruise your ego, people will offend you, everybody will not give you the respect due to you, and so what?
Apart from the wisdom of Esther and her prayer teams who began to pray for God to
save the Jews, God also gave a warning to Haman when through the king he was told to decorate Mordecai and parade him around the city “So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honour!” Esther 6:11
When God gives you a warning about not building gallows for your subordinate, staff citizen, or relations do you listen?
Many are in search of prophecies, a word of knowledge from a man of God or woman of God. God sent one to Haman through his wife- Mummy GO, Prophetess Zeresh: “When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has
humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.” Esther 6:13
Are you surprised he did not back down? There is a saying “The ones the gods will destroy he will first make mad”
I don’t support insubordination from Mordecai to Hama, but why will you destroy a nation because someone did not greet you or greet you well?
Haman was insensitive to prophesy, insensitive to humanity, staff, and nation he was consumed with pride, ego, greed, selfishness, and many other vices. This was how Haman ended: “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified. Esther 7:10. Be warned.
Conclusion: Since it is common for humans to build gallows for real or perceived enemies, the Bible teaches us to develop the fruit of the Spirit to help us out: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Gal 5:22-25. Stop making gallows to destroy others so that you will not end up on those gallows.
Shalom.
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