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http://youtu.be/NK8VWcw8BOM “The Science is in!”
(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Esther 3:7–15, “In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar. And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries. And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy. And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring. And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day. The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.”
The people in those days were more religious than they are in some parts of the world today. They needed to ask their gods to tell them the most auspicious time to go ahead with their plans for Jewish genocide. To do this, they cast lots. The process involved different coloured stones, or similar objects, and then each day was tested to see if it was a good day or not. It took some time to work out the best day, that is, they day that Haman’s god thought had the best chance for success. Haman went to the king and started making his lie by telling a portion the truth. It was true that the Jews worshipped their own God and they put obedience to the Lord God above obedience to the earthy king but it wasn’t true that they disobeyed all the laws of the land. On the whole, these people were good citizens who worked for the good of the nation in which they lived. After carefully constructing his lie, Haman also added an offer of wealth. He promised to pay a large amount of silver into the king’s treasury. This was enough for the king to give Haman the authority to commit genocide. He began to set his plan in motion, using the king’s authority, and sent letters throughout the entire empire giving the authority to attack the Jews on a certain day. Everyone who chose to attack the Jews could expect to do so without any fear of reprisal. Haman went to the king and celebrated what he thought was a great triumph.
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