How the Me g illah End s (Esther 6—10)
The flourishing State of Israel attests to
God's preservation of His Chosen People.
Israelis relax in this Jerusalem cafe terrace
(Iconotec/Fotosearch).
Criminalsareasuperstitious,cow- ardly lot.” So says one of America’s popular comic-book
superheroes. He could have added,
“And they’re a proud lot, too.” Most villains are proud and arrogant to a fault.
Such was the case with Haman, the villain in the book of Esther.
A bureaucrat in the court of Persian
King Ahasuerus in the fifth century B.C.,
Haman not only enjoyed Ahasuerus’s
trust, but he also enjoyed wealth,
power, and authority (Est. 5: 11). Was
he satisfied? No. He was miserable
because a lone Jewish man named
Mordecai refused to bow before him.
Despite all he had, he was convinced he
could not fully enjoy his position until
Mordecai and, ultimately, Mordecai’s
entire race were obliterated.
24 JANUAR Y/FEBRUAR Y 2012
