July 23, 2025
During the reign of King Ahasuerus of Medo-Persia, about 2,500 years ago, the king made the unwise choice to install as his prime minister a man named Haman, who was known to be an enemy of the Jewish people. He was a descendant of Agag, king of Amalek, who was defeated by Saul (see 1 Samuel 15). The Amalekites had been bitter enemies of Israel for centuries.
Because Haman’s new position was higher than all other officials, whenever he passed through the king’s gate, everyone present was obliged to bow and pay him honor. But Mordecai, Queen Esther’s adopted father, could not bring himself to bow to Haman, even if it was required by law (Esther 3:1–3). He knew that despite Haman’s elevated position, he was a cruel man and ruthlessly ambitious.
Some of the king’s servants warned him. “You’ll get in trouble,” they said. “It is the king’s decree that everyone bow to Haman, and you are no exception!” But Mordecai replied, “I cannot! Not to him; you see, I am a Jew” (Esther 3:3–5). Day after day they tried to convince Mordecai to yield, but when they saw that he wouldn’t be persuaded, they reported him to Haman.
When Haman learned that Mordecai refused to obey the decree and that he was a Jew, he saw his chance to destroy not only Mordecai, but the Jewish people throughout the kingdom (Esther 3:6). To ensure that his plot would succeed, Haman went to the priests of the heathen gods and had them roll the dice to find, according to their superstition, the best time to purge the Jews from the Persian Empire. And they told him the ideal day would be March thirteenth (Esther 3:7).
Then Haman went to King Ahasuerus and outlined his plan, making it appear as if it were in the best interests of the king and the country. Subtly avoiding mention of their name, Haman said, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king’s laws, so that it is not to the king’s profit to tolerate them. If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed.”
Lest the king should object to the financial cost of so large an undertaking, he offered to pay the expenses himself: “I will pay 10,000 talents of silver (a sum of money in the tens of millions of dollars) to the hands of those who take charge of this business” (Esther 3:9).
So great was the king’s confidence in his prime minister that he took the signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman, said, “Keep the money. And do with these people as you please! Write out your own decree and sign it in my name” (Esther 3:10–11). Haman was delighted as he contemplated what he would do to Mordecai.
Calling the king’s scribes, he had them prepare the decree, which was then sent to all governors of the 127 provinces. The order was “to destroy, to kill, to annihilate all Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day” and to take possession of all their goods and lands. This would mean the annihilation of the entire population of Israel. After the decree was sent out, Haman and the king sat down to drink a toast, bidding good riddance to the enemies of the empire (Esther 3:12–15).
When Mordecai heard the king’s decree, he “tore off his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, crying with a loud and bitter cry.” All throughout Medo-Persia in every village there was “great mourning among the Jews, and fasting and weeping; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes” (Esther 4:1–3). Even the city of Shushan was thrown into confusion by this alarming decree, as its residents did not share Haman’s hatred (Esther 3:15).
When Esther’s maids told her how upset Mordecai was, she wondered what had happened. “Something terrible must be wrong,” she told Hathach, her most trusted servant. “You must go to him and find out.”
Mordecai told the servant about the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jewish people. He sent word asking Esther to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people (Esther 4:4–8). But Esther sent back word that she couldn’t possibly do that. “No one, not even the queen herself, is allowed to go to the king unless specially invited. It is a law, and the penalty for disobeying it would be death! The only exception is for the king to extend the royal scepter and to spare that person’s life” (Esther 4:9–11).
To this Mordecai replied, “Do not think that just because you live in the king’s palace, you will escape! If you keep silent at this time, deliverance will surely come from some other place, but you and your father’s family will perish!” And Mordecai added, “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:12–14).
Suddenly Esther understood why she, a mere orphan girl, had been made queen. It had been part of God’s plan. He knew this terrible crisis was coming and had made her queen so that she could help save His people. She had indeed come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Esther determined, “I must go to the king, even if it means my life!”
She sent her servant to Mordecai with her urgent reply: “Gather all the Jews in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf for three days. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:15–16). How desperately everyone prayed during those three days, pleading with God to watch over their queen, as she sought deliverance for His children.
Esther’s stand
As the day arrived for Esther to go to the king, she prayed fervently to know how to approach the king and what she could say to change his mind. She knew that Persian kings never altered their decrees. But suddenly an idea came to mind.
Calling her maids, she instructed them to prepare a special banquet in her house. Then, donning her royal robes, she approached the great hall of King Ahasuerus, and stood graciously waiting. When Ahasuerus saw her, he held out his golden scepter and greeted her warmly. As she reached out to touch the scepter, he asked, “What is your request, my lovely queen? It shall be given to you, even to the half of my kingdom!” (Esther 5:1–3).
Esther had wisely decided to make a simple request that the king could hardly fail to grant. “If it please the king,” she said, “let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for you.” The king agreed at once to come and sent a messenger telling Haman to make haste to do as the queen had asked (Esther 5:4–5).
That evening, as the two men attended the sumptuous banquet Esther had prepared, the king asked her once again, “Surely there must be something you desire. Please, ask and I will give it to you, unto the half of my kingdom!”
Esther replied, “There is something I would like to ask, but for now my only request is that you would both dine again with me tomorrow. Then I will tell you” (Esther 5:6–8). The king complied, and Haman was overjoyed. That is, until he passed the gate and saw Mordecai, who once again did not bow to him as required. Haman was filled with rage.
Hurrying home, he called his wife and friends telling them of the many favors the king had bestowed on him. “I was the only one invited to accompany the king to Queen Esther’s banquet,” he exclaimed. “And tomorrow I will dine with them again. But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 5:9–13).
“Why bother about him,” chided his wife, Zeresh. “Why don’t you just get him out of the way once and for all!” His friends heartily agreed, suggesting that Haman have a towering gallows erected. Haman liked the idea and gave the orders to build the gallows seventy-five feet high, to make a public spectacle of Mordecai (Esther 5:14). Little did he know how the gallows would actually be used!
That night the king couldn’t sleep, so he gave orders for the book of chronicles, the record of memorable deeds of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. It so happened that the chapter the servant read recorded the story of the two traitors who had tried to murder the king, and how Mordecai had discovered their plot just in time to save his life. “What honor or recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked. “None so far,” answered the servant (Esther 6:1–3).
The next day the king was quite concerned that something be done for Mordecai. At that moment Haman entered the court, prepared to petition the king for the hanging of Mordecai. When the king heard of his arrival, he summoned him and asked, “Haman, what should be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?”
Assuming that the king planned to bestow an honor on him, Haman replied, “Let him be dressed in the king’s own robes, with the royal crown on his head; and let him ride through the city on the king’s horse, with one of the chief princes running in front of him crying, ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king honors!’” (Esther 6:4–9).
“Good,” said the king. “Now go at once and do as you have suggested for Mordecai, the Jew who sits at the king’s gate.” “Not Mordecai!” gasped Haman, but he dared not disobey. So it happened that Mordecai, dressed in the king of Persia’s robes, was paraded through the streets with Haman, his enemy, going before him proclaiming the king’s recognition of Mordecai (Esther 6:10–11).
When Haman told his wife and friends what had happened, his wise advisers warned him, “Since Mordecai is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him” (Esther 6:13). Even Haman’s wife and advisers sensed that a greater power was protecting the Jewish people.
As they were still speaking, the king’s attendants arrived to escort Haman to the banquet. During the feast, the king could no longer contain his curiosity. “Queen Esther,” he asked, “Tell me, what is your petition and I will grant it.”
Esther boldly addressed the king, “If I have won your favor, I ask that you grant me my life and spare my people. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated” (Esther 7:1–4). Astonished, the king demanded, “Who is he and where is he who would dare to think of doing such a thing?” Esther lifted her hand and, pointing across the room, declared, “The adversary and the enemy is this wicked Haman!”
Filled with rage, the king strode out into the palace garden, leaving Haman alone with the queen. Haman began frantically to plead for his life, flinging himself on the couch where the queen was reclining. At that same moment the king returned, and when he saw this he exclaimed in outrage, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in my own house?” (Esther 7:5–8).
At once the king called his servants to arrest Haman. As they dragged him away, one of the attendants told the king about the gallows Haman had made for Mordecai. And the king, furious at Haman’s perfidy, said, “Hang him on it,” and Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai (Esther 7:9–10).
Thanks to Esther’s courageous intervention, the evil designs of Haman were foiled, and with the death of Haman, Mordecai was given Haman’s position and royal authority, ensuring the protection of the Jewish people (Esther 8:1–2). However, the death of Haman did not remove the threat to the Jewish people, as the king’s decree was still in place and could not be changed.
Since the king couldn’t revoke a royal decree, he told Esther and Mordecai that they could write their own decree and seal it with his ring, and send it out to all provinces (Esther 8:3–8). In every land where the decree arrived, there was joy and gladness amongst the people, as evidently Haman’s hatred was not shared by the people (Esther 8:9–17).
Mordecai became prominent and was second in rank to King Ahasuerus. He was also held in high esteem by his people, as he worked for the welfare of his people (Esther 10:3). The faithfulness of God’s chosen man and the obedience and courage of one woman placed them both at the center of the palace of the king of Medo-Persia. As a result, the Jewish people eventually would restore and repair Jerusalem in preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished July 2025.
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