Esther 3:2

All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

From Background Notes [BN] for June 21st & 22nd written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Xerxes makes Haman, a descendent of the Amalekites, the vizier. Ironically, Amalekites were ancient enemies of Israel, and Mordercai and Esther's own genealogies trace back to King Saul's father, Kish. It was Saul who failed to completely destroy the Amalekites when God ordered it centuries before.

 
Mordecai, perhaps knowing this ancient connection, refuses to do homage to Haman, with catastrophic consequences:

i. Haman orders an anonymous pogrom against an embedded people, the Jews, who, he claims, refuse to obey the king's laws and do him proper honor.

ii. The Haman Plan is sent to every corner of the Persian Empire by royal decree.

iii. The decree contains a specific date, determined by lot (Persian: pur; Haman actually "cast lots"  [BN,5]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am