Some commentators have criticized Esther for her silence when the king accused Haman of molesting her. She knew the truth. He was groveling, not attacking. Was she wrong to keep silent? Technically, Haman was executed for treason, a crime he did not commit. He did not knowingly try to kill the king’s wife, nor did he try to molest her. Esther knew that. Should she have spoken out? Should she have shown some pity? If this happened today, we’d likely see social media platforms filled with people loudly debating both sides.
But consider this. Did Haman deserve pity? John Calvin once said, “Man falls according as God’s providence ordains, but he falls by his own fault.”
Haman was evil. God tells us in Genesis that “the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” When a man chooses to be his own God, when he chooses to promote self over all else, this ultimately leads to murder. We see this reality within one generation of mankind’s fall in Eden. Self must win at all costs.
Haman was not an innocent man. His pride led him to sentence an entire people group to annihilation—women, children, innocents—merely to get back at one man.
Never forget. God IS a god of Grace and Mercy. He is also a God of righteous judgment. If God allowed evil to flourish and prosper in this world without any checks or justice, He would not be good. What good father allows his children to be attacked, oppressed, or even killed?
Here is a portrait of our avenging Father:
Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked.
The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion. He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.
[Isaiah 59:15-18]
Haman’s end is a clear picture of God’s righteous hand of justice in our world. Take heart, friends. Our God will never allow evil to proper.
Equip Her 