February 23rd, 2016

Esther 3:8-11 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and 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. 9 If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king’s business, that they may put it into the king’s treasuries.” 10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”
 
CAN you believe this? Haman proposes an extermination of the Jews. He offers to pay for it! Then King Ahasuerus says, “Do with them as seems good to you.” What kind of weak-minded man is this king? How could he so casually allow this advisor of his to suggest the holocaust of a significant number of Persia’s citizens? Even worse, how could he so flippantly approve? Did the king do so because Haman said, “I’ll pay for it?” (By the way, this was 750,000 pounds of silver, about $147,000,000! I wonder how this government official became so extravagantly wealthy?)
    Haman, though, wasn’t satisfied with his wasteful wealth. He wanted to remove anyone who reminded him of Mordecai’s insult. He could use his power and influence to destroy a people. So he acted. Perhaps he is the spoiled child who demands more simply because he loves his use of power. The more lives he could affect, the greater he will feel. The power appetite is never satisfied.
    Haman and King Ahasuerus are truly symbols of Satan infecting God’s creation. As Satan is “seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8), these two men are eager to consume the lives of anyone who disturbs their minds. Vainly vicious, their disregard for humankind is merciless as they act from their own view of what “seems good”.
    As we consider leaders in our midst today who seem consume with power for their sense of purpose, let us be in deliberate prayer that God will deliver such leaders from Satan’s evil influence. Pray those who do violence are silenced, that those who seek power are humbled, that those who disregard others submit to God’s salvation.
 
Prayer: Father in Heaven, we pray you deliver our leaders from evil and protect them against the Adversary. Where vicious men reign, bring an end to Satan’s rule. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.