Esther 3:1-5

Here are the notes that I have from the intro page to week 3 of Esther.  I had done the study, a few years back, and this is what I have ~ Brenda

Viewer Guide

It's tough being a woman in a mean world.

1. Meanness always has a history.

Mordecai, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin and a descendant of King Saul.

Haman, a presumed Amalekite and descendant of Agag, their king during Saul's reign.

The disobeyed instruction and the revealed explanation:

Saul brought back Agag the king of the Amalekites and he was suppose to have killed everything and everyone, in the whole nation.

(note: Samuel did kill Agag later)

The Amalekites had killed all straggling Jews, when they were leaving Egypt, when they had been delivered.  The Jews at the time were on the wilderness road.  The Jews were weary and worn out from traveling.  The Amalekites did not fear God and God told the Jews to kill all the Amalekites.

Exodus 17:16-"The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation." (There was history, a history between them.) (The Amalekites were godless and ungodly.)

2. Meanness perceives a threat.

Insecurity is at the heart of every rivalry.  God can only help us and give us our need.

3. Meanness catches like a virus.

Humble your self to God the instant you feel insecurity or meanness arising.

The word Agag is believed to be related to an Assyrian term (agagu) that means "to be powerful, vehement, angry."

The name "Haman" sounds familiar to the Hebrew word for wrath (Hebrew, heman).

Consider the following quote

"Surely as Christians we must recognize the 'spirit of Haman' not only in our world but within ourselves."

Coming in contact with a mean girl, raises up our own mean girl.

4. Meanness is curable.

Don't serve the mean girl or bow down to the mean girl, but love her.  Quit the competition, be humble and not prideful.