Cross me and your Toast

Esther 3:12-15

In the way this degree was written to each of the ethnic groups, it seems Haman was letting one and all know that if you cross me your toast.  Now he was smart to send it out under the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring, and this is the account given in verses 12-15.

“The royal scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded. It was intended for the royal satraps, the governors of each of the provinces, and the officials of each ethnic group and written for each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring. Letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces telling the officials to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people—young and old, women and children—and plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.
A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples so that they might get ready for that day. The couriers left, spurred on by royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.”

Did you notice that this was not a popular decree?  At this point all the people were asking, who was safe has the King lost all his marbles?  And also, it was not to be carried out for 11 months.  That is like being on death row with no appeals.  For it was known that once the king had made a decree it could not be changed.  One may wonder why the Jewish people did not just pack up and head for the hills, first, they were dependent on the king, and any such move would be like a violation of the king’s command and the annihilation would have begun earlier.

It looks like the people of God are going to be removed and Haman a hater of the Jews is going to have his cake and eat it.  But God, how I am learning to look for the “But God” moment and get ready your going to see more than one.

From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice