HAMAN THE AGAGITE

SPARE NO AGAG!

Texts: 1 Samuel 15; Esther 2:17-3:15

INTRODUCTION TO 1 SAMUEL 15

A. King Saul partially obeyed God, but not completely.

1. he “has not carried out My commands” (v.11)

2. “I have carried out the command of the LORD” (v.13)

3. “Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD…” (v.19; cf. 1 Sam.12:13-15)

4. “I did obey the voice of the LORD” (v.20)

5. “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice” (v.22)

6. “I feared the people and listened to their voice” (v.24)

B. God’s commandment to utterly destroy Amalek may sound like the Mai Lai massacre in Vietnam or some of the alleged war atrocities in Iraq like Haditha.

1. The destruction of the Amalekites was done in obedience to God’s commandment (vv.2-3).

“The notice, on several occasions, that the Jews of Persia were permitted to take booty from their enemies but did not, further calls attention to the fact that Saul permitted the taking of booty when he was commanded to destroy totally all that belonged to Amalek” (Berlin xxxviii).

2. The killing was discriminate (v.6).

3. The Amalekites were far from innocent. When Israel left Egypt, the Amalekites slaughtered the most vulnerable Israelites who were at the back of the long march (v.2; Deut.25:17-19).

C. Haman was a descendant of the Amalekites.

I. COMMANDS, LAWS AND DECREES

A. The book of Esther contains many references to commands, laws and decrees.

1. “for so the king had commanded” (v.2).

2. “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” (v.3)

3. “their laws are different…and they do not observe the king’s laws” (v.8).

4. “it was written just as Haman commanded” (v.12).

5. “A copy of the edict to be issued as law…” (v.14)

6. “The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was issue at the citadel of Susa” (v.15).

B. Esther was obedient to her cousin Mordecai (2:10,20).

C. Mordecai was a patriot (2:21-23; cf. Daniel 6)

D. Why didn’t Mordecai bow to Haman? “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” (v.3)

1. No explicit answer is given other than Mordecai was a Jew (v.4).

2. There is nothing in the law of God that forbids our bowing down before rulers (Genesis 23:7; 33:3; 44:14; 1 Samuel 14:4; 24:8; 1 Kings 1:16).

E. Haman was the son of Hammedatha the Agagite (Esther 3:1,10; 8:3,5; 9:24).

1. Haman was a descendant of the Amalekites who were enemies of the Jews (cf. Num.24:7; Deut.25:19; 1 Sam.15:2,3).

2. Saul was commanded to kill King Agag and the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15; cf. Exodus 17:13-16).

3. Mordecai and Esther, like Saul, were from of the tribe of Benjamin (Esther 2:5-7).

F. The story of Esther is about how a “Benjamite Queen” does what King Saul failed to do. The story of Esther is about how Saul’s “little sin” almost destroyed the entire Jewish people (1 Samuel 15).

II. THE HIGH COST OF DISOBEDIENCE/PARTIAL OBEDIENCE

A. Saul’s disobedience contributed to his death (2 Samuel 1:8-10).

Q.14 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism

What is sin?

Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. (1 John 3:4)

B. The seemingly insignificant decisions you make day by day can affect generations after you.

C. The seemingly insignificant ground you give to the world, the flesh or the devil will affect not only you, but can affect generations after you (Ephesians 4:27).

D. Sin is always malignant and contagious (cf. Genesis 3).

III. THE HIGH COST OF OBEDIENCE

A. Sin seems trivial, righteousness and obedience often seems impossible. It is almost always easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing.

B. Mordecai’s refusal to bow to Haman not only threatened his own life, but all the Jews.

C. There was a high cost for Esther when she learned of Haman’s plot. Her life was at stake for coming to the king when not summoned (Esther 4:11).

D. The high cost of sin is seen at the cross.

E. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Taking up the cross is a daily decision to live as Christ commanded. Every day the Christian is faced with life and death decisions no matter how insignificant they may seem.

The utter obedience required in the military is accepted as necessary, even when one's life may be the price of that obedience. Why does the Christian fail to practice the same obedience in spiritual matters? (Allen C. Emery, Jr.)

F. Partial obedience to God’s commandments “is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23).

1. Saul was partially obedient…at least from his point of view.

a. When Samuel then came to meet Saul, Saul greeted him by saying, “I have carried out the command of the LORD!” (1 Samuel 15:13)

b. Saul had excuses as to why he didn’t utterly destroy everything, but God doesn’t accept excuses.

2. Saul even argued with Samuel and insisted that he did indeed obey! (1 Samuel 15:20)

QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION

Pray that God would enable you and give you the desire to be conformed to His Word as read and preached today.

Who were the Amalekites? How were they like Muslim slave raiders in southern Sudan?

Name four characters from Esther and explain who they were.

What tribe was King Saul from? What tribe were Esther and Mordecai from?

Why wouldn’t Mordecai bow before Haman?

Is there any such thing as a small sin? Why not?

Is there any such thing as a “small righteousness” or a small commitment to King Jesus?

Do you have a grandiose vision of radical obedience?

Why isn’t “partial obedience” obedience?