Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews

 Esther 2:21-3:6

When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

Esther's Jewish identity is kept secret: this is important for the plot as the story unfolds. So too is Mordecai's discovery of a plan to assassinate the king, which is written into the court records.

We are not told why Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman. He must have considered that Haman's demand went beyond court courtesy and required a degree of worship that cut across his own faith.

Why?

All of these stories like a noble, but it is plot a miracle story later for God's people.

Esther and Mordecai kept their identity secret is important for the story to unfold.

Things happen and progress is under the control of the Lord, even here did not mention the name of the Lord. But we knew God is working and no one knows.

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服事是為了滿足神的心意，回應主的愛，不是為自己的抱負，不是自己的想法，計劃。

莫底改拒絕跪拜哈曼，哈曼本來就是不受人尊重，所以要求人跪拜他。哈曼是亞瑪力人，自出埃及時遇見第一個敵人，是以色列人頭號敵人。算是以色列人的素敵。莫底改認為有比生命、官位更重要的事。道德、傳統、公義價值多少錢，何必如此堅持?

如果耶穌拜了撒旦，可能全世界的人都信耶穌了，耶穌變成只是凡人，最後都在拜撒旦。

人若賺得全世界，但是失去了靈魂，有何益處呢?

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How?

Give thanks to the Lord and praise God's holy name! My God is great than any other!