And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
The handing over of the signet ring gave Haman full royal authority to carry out his proposal and decree against the Jews. In granting it the king was blinded to what would follow and was about to bring suffering and oppression upon a people who acknowledged and served the Lord. The decree itself sprang from Haman's malice toward Mordecai, who refused to give to a human being the reverence belonging to God alone. It was secured through false pretenses and misrepresentation, by falsely representing the Jews to the king and urging false claims upon him.
Behind the plot Satan was at work through Haman and other wicked men to attack and destroy God's people who preserved the knowledge of the true God and to rid the earth of them. Yet God's protecting power defeated the plot through angels, the enemy's purpose was thwarted, and the plans of the enemies were turned back upon themselves. The account stands as an ancient example and pattern of a future decree against God's people over Sabbath observance and refusal of false worship. As Mordecai did, Sabbathkeepers by their fidelity rebuke those who reject God's law, and for that reason their opponents seek to remove them out of the way.
In that future time Satan will work through deceptive religious and political powers to condemn those who refuse false worship. As in Mordecai's time, God's people can trust that Satan's plans will be defeated. The verse thus teaches the lesson that God's subjects must remain true to Him whatever the cost.
The handing over of the signet ring gave Haman full royal authority to carry out his proposal and decree against the Jews. In granting it the king was blinded to what would follow and was about to bring suffering and oppression upon a people who acknowledged and served the Lord. The decree itself sprang from Haman's malice toward Mordecai, who refused to give to a human being the reverence belonging to God alone. It was secured through false pretenses and misrepresentation, by falsely representing the Jews to the king and urging false claims upon him.
Behind the plot Satan was at work through Haman and other wicked men to attack and destroy God's people who preserved the knowledge of the true God and to rid the earth of them. Yet God's protecting power defeated the plot through angels, the enemy's purpose was thwarted, and the plans of the enemies were turned back upon themselves. The account stands as an ancient example and pattern of a future decree against God's people over Sabbath observance and refusal of false worship. As Mordecai did, Sabbathkeepers by their fidelity rebuke those who reject God's law, and for that reason their opponents seek to remove them out of the way.
In that future time Satan will work through deceptive religious and political powers to condemn those who refuse false worship. As in Mordecai's time, God's people can trust that Satan's plans will be defeated. The verse thus teaches the lesson that God's subjects must remain true to Him whatever the cost.