PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL

As with everything else in Esther, no editorial comment appears here: readers are left to draw their own conclusions. The portraits of the different characters are superbly drawn. It is worth reading through the depiction of both the king and Haman; they provide clear illustrations of how leadership ought not to be! In this section Haman’s ongoing fury at Mordecai sits alongside his prideful boasting. Even his own sense of self-importance in his “I am the greatest” speech is not enough to set aside his anger. Everyone must acknowledge his grandeur or be punished! The Greeks would have called this attitude “hubris.” They would have seen it as challenging the gods and be expecting the inevitable downfall that follows. What is also clear in verse 14 is that his wife and friends are co-conspirators in enforcing Haman’s claim to supremacy.

The rest of Scripture affirms God’s sovereignty, and makes abundantly clear that elevating oneself in a proud way is completely inadvisable. The downfall of those who take this attitude is often pictured. Nebuchadnezzar and Herod stand as two notable examples (Dan. 4; Acts 12:19–23). This chapter issues a clear warning to all leaders that leadership is always about service, not about status and being honored by everyone around. What Haman needs is friends and family who would dare to question his hubris, not back it up! Paul’s warning in Romans does that for us: “…do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Rom. 12:3). Jesus told us to pray that God’s “holy name be honored” (Matt. 6:9, GNB). If we hear ourselves or others talking about “getting the respect (or honor) we deserve” then be forewarned: one’s downfall might be not far ahead.

Consider this: “There is nothing wrong in taking delight in the things God has enabled us to achieve. There is everything wrong in thinking we deserve all the credit.”