We find the Jews overcoming the spirit of Haman in the story of Esther. Mordecai’s lack of honor towards Haman resulted in Haman wanting all Jews dead. So, Haman had manipulated a decree declaring the destruction of the Jews on a certain date. This sounds extreme, but it points to a spirit of ethnic prejudice and racial division that is still evident today.
Discernment Needed
Even though Haman was second in command to the king, he needed the king’s permission to make such a decree. When Haman spoke to the king, he did so in a way that made this decree sound positive. The fact that Haman was willing to donate a large amount of money also helped his cause.
Esther 3: 8 Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. 9 If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.[1]
Haman was using what we today call spin. “Spin is a contemporary term for a form of propaganda that relies on deceptive methods of persuasion. In politics, business, and elsewhere, spin is often characterized by exaggeration, euphemisms, inaccuracies, half-truths, and excessively emotional appeals.”[2] We need to discern what is truth and what is spin.
Mordecai Quenched the Haman Spirit
When Haman wrote the first decree, it confused the city of Susa (3:15). They had not heard the spin that Xerxes had. The Jews immediately began to fast and pray over this injustice. God answered by allowing Mordecai to write a new edict that allowed the Jews to defend themselves. The death of Haman and the new edict brought justice to the situation.
Esther 8: 15bAnd the people of Susa celebrated the new decree. 16 The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere.[3] This justice brought celebration instead of tears and confusion.
Overcoming Prejudice Today
Even though the story of Esther is over two thousand years old, people haven’t changed much. Racial division still exists today. How can we overcome the same Spirit of Haman that seems to be at work today?
- Confess our sin of racism to God and look for His forgiveness.
- Let the Holy Spirit do a transforming work of creating a clean heart within.
- Step out into our communities in ways that build bridges across ethnic boundaries.
Do you need help overcoming the Spirit of Haman? To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/a-new-edict
[1,3] Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.