exterminate exterminate

Abraham Lincoln

James A. Garfield

William McKinley

John F. Kennedy

They were all assassinated!

Today

‘Exterminate Exterminate’

Esther 2:21-3:1-15

‘Esther – a beauty that’s more than skin deep’

Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favour and approval more than

any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen

instead of Vashti

Est 2:17

Esther is crowned Queen

And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and

officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed

gifts with royal liberality

Est 2:18

Esther is crowned Queen

“It is difficult to comprehend that our sweet and beautiful

daughter was the victim of such a terrible crime”

Evil is part of life

During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh,

two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired

to assassinate King Xerxes

Est 2:21

Plot 1 – a conspiracy to assassinate the king

Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy,

kill and annihilate all the Jews – young and old, women and children – on a single day,

the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods

Est 3:13

Plot 2 – a conspiracy to exterminate all the Jews

After these events, King Xerxes honoured Haman son of Hammedatha, the

Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honour higher than that of

all the other nobles

Est 3:1

Let God work things out when life seems unfair

In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they

were good. This is so meaningless!

Ecc 8:14


Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand,

that He may lift you up in due time

1 Peter 5:6


And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good

of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose for them

Rom 8:28 NLT


Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only

Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes

Est 3:6

Leave room for God’s wrath

‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’

Deut 32:35

Leave room for God’s wrath

• Too much wealth and power

Why do people hate the Jews?

• Claim they are God’s chosen people

• Convenient group to blame

• Killed Jesus

• Different - the dislike of the unlike

• Inferior race

“What shall we do with this rejected and condemned

people, the Jews?”

‘On the Jews and Their Lies’ (1543)

Persecution of the Jews

1935 Nazis passed the Nuremberg Laws

restricting citizenship to those of “German or

related blood.”


1938 ‘Kristallnacht’

The Night of Broken Glass”


1939

The ‘Holocaust’ begins


Don’t look for revenge

Do not repay anyone evil for evil

Rom 12:17a

Learn to handle anger in the right way


When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered,

He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted himself to Him

who judges justly

1 Peter 2:23


Pray for your enemies

‘You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for

those who persecute you

Matt 5:43-44


Forgive others

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one

another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you

Col 3:13

1. Let God work things out when life seems unfair

2. Leave room for God’s wrath

3. Learn to handle anger in the right way

“God is working out His eternal purpose, not only in spite of human and satanic opposition, but by means of them” – A W Pink

exterminate exterminate

Spiritual