“And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence…” (Esther 3:2).
“It was in the days of Ahasuerus, a Persian king who governed over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India all the way to Ethiopia” (Esther 1:1). During the third year of his kingdom rule, Ahasuerus decided to make a display of his wealth to nobles and princes of the provinces under his jurisdiction.
I remember, as a child, our family lived in the American midwest prairie state of Illinois, a rich agricultural area consisting of fertile farmland. Most of the farms were “Scully leases,” which meant nearly all the farms, in our county, were owned by one wealthy land owner from the United Kingdom. My father, one of the tenant farmers, along with our family, were often invited to the land owner’s estate in nearby Lincoln, Illinois. The invitation was to view his stately mansion and his display of wealth. We always wore our finest clothing and viewed the myriads luscious flower gardens, manicured lawns, and elegant tables filled with the finest foods. It was a sight to behold.
It helps me to imagine the scene of splendor revealed to the eyes of the nobles in King Ahasuerus’ kingdom when they caught a glimpse of the king’s royal fortune. After the showcase display and banquet, Mordecai, the Jew, passed a message to the king of the devastating plot of two eunuchs (Bigthana and Teresh) whom he had overheard plotting to kill the monarch. After the king confronted the eunuchs, they were hung. King Ahasuerus then appointed Haman, the son of an Agagite, to be his Chief Advisor. (It is important to note here that an Agagite is a descendant of Agag, the king of the Amalekites, the greatest anti-Semite of the ancient world.) (1 Samuel 15:7,8,9,32,33).
Mordecai’s Allegiance to God
One day the King granted Haman the honor of riding a royal horse through the streets of Shusan so that the people could see that he had been promoted. Of course, the custom was that the common people were expected to bow to this newly appointed lord of Ahasuerus’ kingdom. After investigating Haman’s history from reliable Jewish sources, I found that Haman had an idolatrous image embroidered on his garments, so that those who bowed to him…bowed also to the image. Everyone submitted to the bowing down of their heads to the king’s new advisor except one…one person stood out – Mordecai, the Jew.
What happened next was typical of Haman. His distinctive character quality was one of violent anger. After returning to his chamber in the King’s court, Haman could not forget seeing this one man whom he passed standing upright. His personal rage at this defiance, drove him to plot to exterminate all of the Jews throughout the king’s domain. Haman was a known astrologer at that time and fixed the time of the massacre of the Jews to a most auspicious day. Then he selected a thorn-tree in the king’s garden and, setting it up before his door, he said to himself, “Tomorrow, in the morning, at the time of the reading of the ‘Shema,’ I shall hang Mordecai” (Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906).
What a humiliating experience it must have been for Haman when his plans were exposed to the king. God brought to the mind of the king what Mordechai had done to save his life. He then ordered Haman to parade Mordecai through the streets while Mordechai sat upon the royal horse. Jewish sources again tell us that before Mordecai mounted the horse, Haman was compelled to bend forward, so that Mordecai might mount from his back onto the animal. This Biblical account reveals the principle that those who plot evil against the Jews, will eventually end up having the tables turned on themselves.
The ancient principle and a promise of Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless My People” surfaced and Haman was eventually hanged on the very gallows where he had hoped to finish off Mordecai. His unwillingness to bow to a man, whom he knew bowed to idolatrous gods,is admirable. His devotion to his personal religious convictions were clearly seen as unmoveable allegiance to God Almighty.
Those Who Did Not Bow
Daniel was another Godly Jewish man who did not bow to King Nebuchadnezzar. He chose the fiery furnace rather than to bow down to the king’s statue in worship. He and two other God-fearing Jews are mentioned in the New Testament as those who stood alone “not afraid of the King’s commandment” (Hebrew 11:23, 24).
Will Christians Today Bow?
There is a lesson to be learned for those who follow Jesus as Lord–for it is not the end–it is just the beginning–of the valley of decision for all of us. Will we bow to the spirit of anti-Semitism so prevalent in the world? Will we stand erect against bowing to another god (as Mordecai) or as August Landmesser when Hitler paraded before public rallies? During WWII any resistance to the Nazis was seen as treason. Many Christians yielded by going along with the evils of Nazism rather than to risk their lives for the Chosen Ones. The courage of the few made the many look like cowards. Why are Christians afraid of risking our lives for someone else? Didn’t our Master say we would be “with Him” if a life threatening situation arose? (2 Corinthians 5:8). The Bible says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
While it is obtrusive but widely found in today’s media world blatant anti-Semitism is rarely stood against. Perhaps the adage, “It is better to be a fool for what is right than to be applauded by the crowd,” should be more deeply ingrained in many of us. The worldwide swelling of anti-Semitic demonstrations in a number of nations have multiplied as the Jewish people are portrayed as metaphors of evil.
There is an imperative need to continue to educate the Church about the history of Christendom toward the Jewish people. An alarm bell continues to ring when we hear of our seminaries, theological institutes, and Bible schools teaching our future leaders with an obvious absence of a Hebraic root view of the Bible. It is the original language of the Scriptures! Pastoral institutions are, for the most part, espousing “Replacement Theology” which only produces a stronger emphasis of further disconnection from Israel. The halls of Christian education are in need of another reformation, of improvement from anti-Semitic doctrines and practices. We need to pray for this!
I was recently quite shocked to learn that Stalin, Lenin, and Hitler, in their early lives, had a connection to Christianity. They all attended Christian seminaries (albeit if for short periods). Stalin was raised in the Georgian Orthodox Christian faith and attended Tiflis Spiritual Seminary in Tbili. Lenin was baptized and married in a Russian Orthodox church. Hitler was raised by a devout Catholic mother, and baptized as an infant. As far as we know, he still remains on the roll as a baptized convert to the Roman Catholic church. He even participated in the sacraments in later life. What an indictment on the “Church.”
GOD IS AT WORK: Israel today is moving closer to fulfilling their God-given destiny. I see glimpses of that future event with statements such as, “It’s our turn to lead.” That means we are coming closer to the Messianic era. After all, their very existence gives testimony to the Orchestrator of History who is moving the pieces of the end time prophetic puzzle into place. As in a chess game, there are a few pieces left on the board to be positioned. Our choice will be, “what role will each of us play in this unfolding scenario?” Will we be blockers? We must choose our responses carefully. For victory to happen, it will take courage. It will test our ability to face danger or uncertainty, even pain, without being overcome by fear. It will be the mark of an overcomer. Some will be required to set aside fear and display courageous actions for the good of the Jewish people. May the urgency of the hour galvanize us to swim against the tide, if necessary, of Judeophobia. It may take iron wills but we must not repeat the mistakes of yesterday’s “Christian” history!
When the Jewish people were, for the most part, abandoned by the nations during WWII, I wonder how many stopped to think about how Jesus must also have suffered the pain of rejection of His People. “In all their affliction He was afflicted” (Isaiah 63:9).Yeshua gave cautionary advance warning to New Testament students when He said “Inasmuch as you did it unto the least of these, My Brethren, you did it unto Me” (Matthew 25:40). He was inferring that the level one treats His People, it would then be reciprocated by the measure of “as if you did it unto Me.” When the historical Church turned against the Jewish people they, in essence, turned their faces away from Jesus (Isaiah 63:9). However, a recent example of the same attitude of history was written in a letter to my husband. A pastor said “you know, Jesus stopped being a Jew on the Cross!” I wonder what He became. Did He convert at the last moment? Has this man of the cloth read the last words Jesus spoke in the Book of Revelation? “I Jesus…am the root and the offspring of David…” (Revelation 22:16)…a reminder in the New Testament, “don’t forget I am a Jew!”
A Shield to the Jews
When Jewish neighbors came under the strong arm of the Nazis, too many Christians turned and walked away. The Jewish neighbors had hoped for and silently expected the followers of Jesus to act differently.
Upon arriving to in Israel, in 1985, a Holocaust survivor pushed away from me saying, “Don’t come near me. Your people pulled down the shades and closed the doors on my people…I don’t’ want anything to do with you.” It took her years to learn to trust me. Eventually, she saw I was not like the Christians she encountered during WWII. It took years of patience for her to see the difference. Then she began to see a true follower of Jesus.
“I once met a Swedish missionary who had worked in France…he told me that he had visited a prison near Marseilles…where the French Huguenots (Protestants of that time) had been imprisoned for their faith…the missionary told of one prisoner who had engraved in the stone of the dungeon one single word: resister…I believe that God is speaking those words to us…I pray that God…will put steel in your soul and give you a spiritual backbone if you don’t already have one” (Derek Prince, Foundational Teaching, February 2003). Derek’s words ring clear today. Our witness to the Jewish people must never be marred again!
An Orthodox Jewish friend from Efrat, said recently “My own involvement in Jewish-Christian relations began 13 years ago…the more I learn, the more I am amazed by…Christians who stand with the Jewish people and their Homeland State… (these Christian Zionists)…how is it that some Christians overcome such thoroughly ingrained thinking (of Christian anti-Semitism)…and yet they do. They are a gift to the Jewish people” (David Nekrutman). “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:28).
In June, 2014, three Israeli Jewish boys were kid-napped and killed by Hamas extremists. Before realizing they had been murdered, the three mothers of the abducted boys traveled to the United Nations in Geneva to make a plea for their boys in light of the deafening silence of the world against such an immoral act. The mothers, Rachel Frenkel, Iris Yifrach and Bat-Galim Shaer had expected that someone—even if only one person—would approach them to share in their pain and to condemn the heinous crime. No one shook their hands nor gave a word of comfort. One of the mothers said “…in Geneva there is not a single righteous person in the Sodom of the UN…the Human Rights Council is a mirror of the world.” The mothers left the UN standing alone. CFI will be visiting those mothers soon showing our support during their time of sorrow.
Standing Like “Mordecai”
Canada’s Prime Minister, Mr. Stephen Harper,was inspired by the spirit of Mordecai and pledged Canada’s ongoing support for the Jewish state. The supreme leader of Canada said no to abandonment and boycotts of the Jewish state.He has positioned his country for the blessing of God. What an example. “Those who honor me, I will honor!” (1 Samuel 2:30; Psalm 15:4).
In Bible history, the spirit of Mordecai inspired Esther (Hadassah) to courageously stand up in defense of her people by assuring her that the God of Israel would deliver His People, one way or another but she had been given an opportunity to fit the time frame. Likewise, we who follow Jesus, are now being given opportunities to stand and support the nation of Israel. “…if you are silent at this time, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place…and who knows if you have come to the royal palace for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).
Mordecai displayed steel in his soul and spiritual backbone. He knew he could bow only to the Almighty. Will our convictions be strong enough to give our souls some steel?Is our spiritual backbone filled with moral fiber and muscle to witness to true Christian character? Will we stand upright when the world seems to be intent on pushing us down? Rabbi Eliezer Melamed recently was encouraged by some of the support coming in to Israel. He said, “…evangelical Christians stand like a brick wall in our defense, ranging from supporting the vision of the return to Zion, backing the settlement of the Land…and strengthening the State of Israel…they are Righteous Gentiles and should be more exalted than Cyrus.”
While none of us desire exaltation of any kind, the question remains will today’s Church be like Haman and betray the Jewish people as did the Church of history? We can stand together today and make a statement: “We Will Not Bow!” The once beautiful cherub who fell from heaven, (satan) must have stared cunningly and deceitfully into the face of Our Lord Jesus, when on the Mt. of Temptation, he said, “…all these things I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). The answer of Yeshua to his demand to bow must be our response: “…get away…it is written, thou shall worship the Lord Thy God, and Him only shall you serve” (Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20; Matthew 4:10).The choice will, of course, remain ours.
-Sharon Sanders-