Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion

Hanged on Your Own Gallows

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2018-08-17

Synopsis: John Weaver examines the pride and self-exaltation of Haman in the book of Esther, tracing the fleshly desire to be one's own god back to the fall in Genesis 3. He shows that Haman, as an Agagite (Amalekite), embodies the flesh's defiance against God and its demand for worship. The sermon warns that giving in to pride, anger, and the lust for recognition leads to self-destruction—being hanged on one's own gallows—and calls believers to mortify the flesh by putting on Christ and adopting a servant's heart.

[John Weaver] All right, if you would open your Bibles today to the book of Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. So if you look, if you would, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, so you know where Esther is. The book of Esther, chapter three, the title of the message is How to Get Hanged on Your Own Gallows. How to get hanged on your own gallows. If you look in the book of Esther, chapter three, I'll just read verse five right now and we will come back and read. In fact, let's just begin with verse one.

[John Weaver] After these things did Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hamadathah, the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And all the king's servants that were in the king's gate bowed in reverence to Haman. for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gates, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath, and he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had showed him the people of Mordecai. Wherefore, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

[John Weaver] So the title of the message, again, is how to get hanged on your own gallows. Fallen man likes to play God. He believes that his will and his way should be supreme and hold supreme sway. It's been that way ever since the fall of Adam. I want you to hold Esther chapter three, but very quickly look back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter three and notice, if you would please, the fall of man. Notice in Genesis chapter three, beginning there with verse one, the Bible says this Genesis three, verse one.

[John Weaver] Now, the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but the fruit of the tree which is amidst of the garden, God hath said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die. For God doth know the day that you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons."

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note the subtlety of the serpent. It's very clearly seen in that, in verse 1, he begins questioning God And then he proceeds to deny the authority of God. He not only denies God's authority, but His sovereignty and His word. If you look down in verse 5, he says this. In fact, he's proclaiming exactly the opposite of God. He said in verse 5, For God doth know that in the day that you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened. But look back in verse 4. And the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die. In other words, God had already told them that they would die. Now the serpent said, you shall not surely die. And God does know that if you eat thereof, then your eyes are going to be opened. So he is declaring, in essence, that God is a selfish God. He is, in essence, stating that what God is trying to do is to hold Adam and Eve back. He is keeping Adam and Eve from expressing themselves.

[John Weaver] for reaching their full potential. And he clearly implies to Adam and Eve that it is possible for them to become their own God and that they do not need the one true, the living God. So here's what the serpent is saying. You do not need God. You do not need God to tell you right from wrong. You don't need God to make his law. You do not need him or his law, so here's what you to do. You're to make your own law. You're to do your own thing. You're to worship yourself. You're to get all the honor, praise and glory for yourself. So here's what you do. You magnify yourself. You lift up yourself. You dethrone the one true of the living God and you enthrone yourself and you will be as God.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look at verse five again, he makes it very plain. He says this in Genesis chapter three and verse five, he says that you will be as God's knowing good and evil.

[John Weaver] Now, the Hebrew word for knowing there is the word Yadah, which has the force of to know, to know by experience, to determine for yourself. to make oneself known and reveal oneself. So the original temptation here is for man to replace God, for man to become his own God. Jean-Paul Sartre, who was a French philosopher, a playwright, a novelist, a political activist, a biographer, a literary critic, and among all those things, He was not a Christian by any stretch of the imagination. But it was John Paul Sartre who said, I believe if I am God.

[John Weaver] Then my neighbor is the devil. It was Sartre who said, listen carefully, hell is other people. Now, how could he say hell is other people? And how could he say if I am God, then my neighbor is my devil? Here it is. If each man is his own God, then anyone that disagrees with him and opposes him is a devil. So anyone then who stands in your way, anyone who does not agree with you, anyone who refuses to bow to you and your thoughts and your whims and your desire is a devil. Hence, you find born in fallen man is a domineering, tyrannical, despotical, totalitarian spirit that basically demands that everyone worship him, bow to his thoughts, kneel before him, and embrace his ideology.

[John Weaver] Unhappily, such perversion and such wickedness, and even idolatry, oftentimes rears its head and reveals itself in almost every individual And sometimes, in every Christian. And only the grace and the power of God can overcome that. I'm sure that you remember that passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, where God said, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. So man does not think like God. And if man is saved by His grace, then man is to submit his mind and learn to think like God. But until man is converted by the grace of God, he prefers his own thoughts. He prefers his own ways. And having his own thoughts and having his own way and having his own will is an attempt to play God.

[John Weaver] He is, in essence, pleasing himself and exalting his pride. Now, Haman is a clear example of such thinking. The book of Esther describes Haman in such a way that the truth that I'm about to enunciate today cannot be misunderstood. If you look back in Esther chapter 3 and verse 1, the Bible says after these things did King Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hamadathah the Agagite and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were before him. The word Haman means magnificent. He was a son of Hamadathah. The word Hamadathah literally means double. So evidently Haman believed that he was doubly magnificent.

[John Weaver] because he demanded honor and homage and reverence from everyone. Now, the most revealing thing in this passage about Haman is that he wasn't a Gagite. Look at that. After these things did the king of Hashereus promote Haman, the son of Abadathah, the Gagite. Do you know what a Gagite was? A Gagite was an Amalekite. Let me explain this. Here's what one commentator said. Listen carefully. Haman the Agagite. The term Agagite is here intended as a most significant ethnic identification. Agag was the king of the Amalekites, defeated by Saul and put to death by Samuel.

[John Weaver] And the Old Testament tradition stresses the bitter and unrelenting enmity that existed between the two peoples. Amalek is presented as the preeminent enemy of Israel.

[John Weaver] Now, some have suggested that even this term, Haman the Agagite, intended to show that Haman was of royal lineage even from Agag. Well, in order to understand the Book of Esther, and especially Haman in the Book of Esther, You have to understand the origin of the Amalekites. So, if you will hold Esther chapter 3, but go in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 36. Genesis 36, and we'll begin reading with verse 10, and we will find out the origin of Amalek. Notice if you would, Genesis 36, and let's begin reading at verse 10.

[John Weaver] The Bible says these are the names of Esau's sons. Iliphaz, the son of Ada, the wife of Esau. Ruel, the son of Bashamath, the wife of Esau. The sons of Iliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gathim, and Kenaz. Now watch carefully. And Temna was concubine to Iliphaz, Esau's son, and she bear to Iliphaz Amalek. These were the sons of Ada, Esau's wife. So Amalek is an Edomite. Amalek is the grandson of Esau. Esau, in the Bible, represents the flesh because Esau despised spiritual things. In fact, Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 16 identifies Esau as a fornicator and a profane person. There, the scripture says, lest there be any fornicator or profane person, such as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

[John Weaver] You have to remember the birthright not only included the headship of the family to become the patriarch of the family, it also included a double portion of the inheritance, because he was to take care of elderly mother and father, but it also included the lineage of the Messiah. So he was willing to trade all of that for a mess of pottage. So Amalek, like his grandfather Esau, despised spiritual things, and he also despised the people of God. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Turn right over to the book of Exodus. Exodus chapter 17. Exodus chapter 17. Israel has just been delivered out of Egypt. The blood has been applied. Water has been given unto them at Rephidim. And water in the Bible represents, number one, the Word of God. Number two, the Holy Spirit. But notice, if you would, in Exodus chapter 17, beginning there with verse 8, The Bible says, Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. You have to understand the word then. There was deliverance, the blood had been applied. There was the water, sovereignly and supernaturally given. When these two things happened, then came Amalek. Now, note if you would, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men and go out and fight with Amalek.

[John Weaver] Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed. And when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him. And he sat thereon, and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people at the edge of the sword. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua. For I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi.

[John Weaver] For he said, Because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Now, I want you to take note of something in verse 8 particularly, and that is that Amalek came to fight. Amalek initiated the attack. He did not hesitate. He purposely pressed the issue. Amalek was also exceedingly strong. So strong that Moses had to intervene. Moses had to pray. And when Moses was interceding, then the Israelites were winning. When his hands got heavy holding up that rod, then Amalek prevailed. And so they put the stone under Moses so he could sit and they held up his hands until Amalek was discomfited.

[John Weaver] Now, the question you need to ask is found in verse 16. For he said, we're talking about the Lord because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

[John Weaver] Now, one would think that if God made war, if God unfurled his banner, the war would soon be over. It would just simply annihilate. his enemy. But that is not so. He did give that battle to his people. But now he says that he's going to have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Why? And the answer is this. Because Amalek's hand was raised against God. And it is still raised against God. I'll explain. And therefore, God's hand is going to be against Amalek.

[John Weaver] So let me try to spell this out for you. Amalek in the Bible is a type of the flesh. Amalek reveals the tendency of the flesh to desire its own way, to have its own way, to be pampered, to be satisfied, to be pleased, to be praised. and to live in defiance of God. One commentator made this statement, he said the tendency of the flesh day and night is to act in defiance of God's rights. Amalek's hand is on the throne of YAH seeking to seize the place which God has gained in the heart of man and the fruit of redemption. It is a war against the flesh which continues until our last breath God has said that he is in this war. So our flesh then lifts up itself against God and God then lifts up himself against our flesh. That is why this war is going to be from generation to generation. So when you read about Amalek, you have to remember that he was the grandson of Esau. He was an Edomite.

[John Weaver] He despised spiritual things. He despised the people of God. He despised the law of God. And he was always fighting against God. May I remind you that the Apostle Paul said in Galatians chapter 5, For the flesh lesseth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. So there is a battle.

[John Weaver] I want to show you. If you would turn right over to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 25. I'm still trying to expose Amalek to you, Deuteronomy chapter 25. And let's begin reading every verse 17. Look what God says, you know, we just read how Amalek came out in Rephidim and fought against Israel. Now, look what God says in Deuteronomy 25, verse 17. It's interesting, God says, remember, What Amalek did unto thee by the way when you were come forth out of Egypt.

[John Weaver] You better put this in your memory bank. Do not forget this. Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way when you came forth out of Egypt. How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary, and he feared not God, Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, and the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven, thou shalt not forget it." Look what God says. You better remember what Amalek did to you. He said Amalek does not fear God. Amalek, in this passage in Exodus 17, purposely pressed the attack. He planned it, he desired it, and he wanted to destroy the people of God. He was the aggressor. He was unprovoked.

[John Weaver] He did not need to be teased, tipped, or tested, or enticed. He wanted to destroy. And he took advantage of the disadvantaged. He attacked the weak, the feeble, and the helpless. He slipped up from behind to destroy them. He slipped up from behind against those who had absolutely no protection. May I tell you something? Your flesh will do exactly the same thing. Your flesh will entice you to sin. Your flesh will tempt you to sin. Your flesh will tempt you to play God. To be your own ruler, and to make your own rules, and to lay down your own law, and your flesh will attack you when you're weak, when you're faint, when you're disheartened, when you're dispirited, and when you're discouraged. Your flesh has no regard for God. It has no regard for spiritual things. It has no regard for truth. It desires one thing, and one thing only, to be satisfied. To be pleased. and to be praised. And it's willing to do that even at the expense of God.

[John Weaver] Again, Matthew Henry said this, I'm just trying to explain to you about Haven so far. Matthew Henry said Haman advanced by the prince that is by Hattuarus and adored thereupon by the people. This Haman wasn't a Gagite, an Amalekite says Josephus. probably of the descendants of Agag, a common name of the princes of Amalek, as appears in Numbers 24 and verse 7. Some think that he was by birth a prince, as Jehoiakim was, whose seat was set above the rest of the captive kings in 2 Kings 25 verse 28, as Haman's was here in Esther chapter 3 and verse 1. So Haman was undoubtedly then an Amalekite, and Mordecai was a Judean. What am I saying? Look back in Esther chapter 2 and verse 5. Esther chapter 2 and verse 5. Mordecai was a Judean. Notice Esther 2 and verse 5. Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew or Judahite or Judean whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jer, the son of Shemai, the son of Tish, a Benjamite.

[John Weaver] Now, may I remind you that the tribe of Judah, the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Simeon had their inheritance in the southern kingdom, which is known as Judea. So Mordecai then was a Judean in the sense that the Benjamites had their possession in Judea.

[John Weaver] Now, interestingly, he was also a relative, a descendant of Saul, the son of Kish. You remember Saul was the first king of Israel. So he was a Benjamite. He was a Judean in the sense that his inheritance was where he lived in Judah. Now, Those who lived in Judea were first called Jews by the Syrians in 2 Kings chapter 16 and verse 6. That is the first time the word Jews occurs in your Bibles. The Syrians drove the Jews, that is those who lived in the southern kingdom, from Elath, the Bible says, and they retook that seaport. So, historically now, the Amalekites, who are Edomites, were always the enemies of Israel. And there was a special bond of hatred between the Amalekites and the Benjamites. Now, I want you to hold the book of Esther, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 83. Psalm 83. Just to show you this, special hatred that existed. Notice, if you would, first of all, Psalm 83, then we'll go to Psalm 137. But notice Psalm 83, and let's begin reading there with verse two.

[John Weaver] Psalm 83, verse two. The Psalmist writes, For lo, thine enemies make a tumult. And they that hate thee, that is, those that hate God, have lifted up the head, that is, they pride, arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded. Verse 3, they have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones. So they're against God's people. And they have said, come and let us cut them off from being a nation.

[John Weaver] Let's kill every one of them. Let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together one consent. They are confederate. against thee. So they're confederated against God. Who is confederated against God in this passage? The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, of Moab, of the Hagareens, Deba, and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines were the inhabitants of Tyre. Asher, that is Assyria, also was joined with them.

[John Weaver] They have hoped or helped the children of Lot. Who are the children of Lot? The Moabites and the Ammonites. So all of these people are confederated against the people of God.

[John Weaver] Now, if you will turn over to Psalm 137 and look at verse 7, you will see what the children of Edom said concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. Watch what they said. Psalm 137. And notice, if you would please, verse 7. Psalm 137, verse 7. He says, Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, Raise it, raise it, even at the foundation thereof.

[John Weaver] In other words, destroy everything. They hated Israel.

[John Weaver] Now, if you'll go back to Esther chapter three, because Haman is told that Mordecai is a Judean. He's of the tribe of Benjamin. Look in Esther chapter 3 and begin there with verse 2. Esther 3 verse 2. 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. Then the king's servants which were in the king's gate said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?

[John Weaver] Why are you not obeying the civil law? Now, it came to pass when they spake daily unto him, he hearken not unto them, he wouldn't listen to them, he wouldn't bow. They told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand, for he told them he was a Jew or Judean. He was in that southern kingdom. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman filled with wrath. Now, interestingly, the Bible says in verse two, When they saw that Mordecai neither bowed or reverenced Haman, the word bow literally means to kneel before, to crouch, to sink down upon one's knees. Mordecai said, I'm not getting on my knees before you. The word reverence here means to do obeisance. It means to reverence and to prostrate oneself before another as an inferior does before a superior in homage and worship. Obviously now Haman thinks that he is a superior and he desperately wants everyone to bow before him. Now you have to remember something else about Mordecai. Mordecai was a captive.

[John Weaver] He was one of those that had been taken captive into Babylon. But Babylon had been conquered by the Medes and the Persians. So Mordecai, basically speaking, was a slave. I mean, he was an interloper. He was a pedon. He was nothing. So comparatively speaking, compared to Haman, Mordecai was nothing. You know, I remember years ago. Abbott and Costello. And I remember a little skit they did. And Abbott said, I'm the boss. Costello says, what am I? He says, you're nothing. He said, well, that just makes you the boss over nothing then, doesn't it? Well, you know, this is what I'm trying to say. If Mordecai was nothing, Why would Haman get so bent out of shape over this?

[John Weaver] Pride, arrogance, haughtiness, warning the praise and admiration of man. He viewed himself as the superior and Mordecai was the inferior. And just simply placing his hands upon Mordecai was insufficient He not only wanted to murder Mordecai, he wanted to murder any and everyone who was like Mordecai throughout the entire kingdom. I like what John Trapp said about verse 5. If you look in verse 5, And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. Oh, John Trapp wrote this, Then was Haman full of wrath. He swelled up like a toad and glowed like a demon.

[John Weaver] being transformed, as it were, into a breathing devil. He seeks the utter extirpation of that people of whom concerning the flesh Christ was to come. Romans 9, 5. Wishing the same to them which Caligula did in a rage to the people of Rome when he said, I would that you all had but one neck so that I might cut you all off with one blow. The Persians, though free men, reverence me, said Haman, yet this slave thinks himself too good for me. Wow.

[John Weaver] Matthew Henry goes a little further, listen to what he says. But it makes Haman's proud spirit rage and fret and boil within him so that he becomes uneasy to himself and all about him. It is soon resolved that Mordecai must die. The head must come off that will not bow to Haman. If he cannot have his honors, he will have his blood. It is as penal in this court not to worship Haman as it was in Nebuchadnezzar's not to worship the golden image which he has set up. Mordecai is a person of quality in a post of honor and on cousins of the queen and yet Haman thinks his life nothing towards a satisfaction for the affront.

[John Weaver] Thousands of innocent and valuable lives must be sacrificed to this indignation. and therefore he vows the destruction of all the people of Mordecai for his sake because of his being a Jew was the reason he gave why did not reverence Haman. Herein appears Haman's intolerable pride, insatiable cruelty, and the ancient antipathy of an Amalekite to the Israel of God. Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite spared Agag, But Mordecai, the son of Kish of Benjamite, shall find no mercy with this Agagite, whose design is to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, which I suppose would include those that had returned to their own land, for that was now a province of his kingdom. When you stop and think of the multitudes of people that Haman wanted to murder Just because one man would not bow to him.

[John Weaver] Satisfy his flesh and please his honor and give him praise. Haman wanted recognition, praise and submission and worship. He would not let this go. He would not let it go that someone would not honor him and recognize him for his position in the kingdom. Unhappily, many preachers and many Christians are just like that. They want the praise, they want the recognition, they want the honor. And if you don't give it to them, they will seek your destruction. You know, it's kind of like.

[John Weaver] That verse is recorded in John 12 and verse 43. talking about the people who would not confess Jesus Christ for fear of being kicked out of the synagogue. And the Bible simply says this, for they love the praises of men more than the praise of God. And, you know, that's what a lot of people just simply desire, the praise of men.

[John Weaver] Now, you know, the story how Haman got called in. To a little. Dinner with the queen and wanted to come back for some wine coolers on a certain day, have wine just with the king and queen. Oh, he's so happy. And if you look in Esther, chapter five. Esther, chapter five. Look in verse nine, Esther, five in verse nine. He's already been and had the wine, he's invited to come back to a banquet on the next day, verse nine, then when Haman forth that day, joyful and with a glad heart, But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king's gate, that he stood not up nor move for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Wow. The word indignation is very informative.

[John Weaver] It's the Hebrew word Kama, which refers to a burning rage, a venomous wrath and a furious rage or fever. He was really ticked. Mordecai would not move out of principle. He would not give in to the insolent and arrogant demands of Haman. Haman despised Mordecai because of Mordecai's character and his unwillingness to compromise. Haman believed he was superior and he was pushing the issue to the fullest. His fiery indignation would only be satisfied not just with Mordecai's death, but with the death of all of his people. Let me give you some scriptures.

[John Weaver] I want you to think about these. Proverbs 21, verse 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. Proverbs 11, verse 2. When pride cometh, Then come its shame, for the lowly is wisdom. Proverbs 16, verse 18. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 29, verse 23. A man's pride shall bring him low, but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit. Anger, wrath, strife and all these other things are classified as the works of the flesh in Galatians chapter 5.

[John Weaver] Haman was a true Amalekite. He was so in fulfilling the desires of his flesh in fighting against God, truth and righteousness. Haman is called the Agagite. Let me show you why. Look in your Bibles. to 1 Samuel chapter 15. Hold Lester if you would. But look in 1 Samuel chapter 15. And let's begin reading there with verse 1. 1 Samuel 15. Verse 1. The Bible said Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel.

[John Weaver] Now therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid weight for him of the way when he came up out of Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, that slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox, sheep, camel, and ask God said, kill everything. Don't let anything live.

[John Weaver] Skip down to verse seven. Look what the Bible says. And Saul smoked the Amalekites from Havilah until they'll come as to sure that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive. And utterly destroyed all the people of the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and of the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. But everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly." Wow! So, God says, you destroy everything, but Saul comes along and says, no, I can't do that. I'm going to spare Agag, and the best of the sheep, and the best of the oxen. Well, you know the story, how when Samuel came, Saul tried to blame the people, and say the people spared all these four Sacrifice to God and Samuel said, the Lord had rather have your obedience and all the sacrifice in the world. And then Samuel took the sword and hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord.

[John Weaver] Remember, now, Agag was the king of the Amalekites. Now, I want you to turn to Second Samuel, chapter one. Second Samuel, chapter one. And let's begin with verse one. Second Samuel, chapter one, verse one. There's a battle between the Philistines and the Israelites. Now, it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and David had abode two days in Ziklag, it came even to pass on the third day that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And so it was when he came to David that he fell to the earth and did obeisance. And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. And David said unto him, How went the matter, I pray thee, tell me?

[John Weaver] And he answered that the people were fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead. And Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? And the young man that told him said, as I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear, and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked behind me, he saw me, he called on me, and I answered, Here am I. And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

[John Weaver] He said it unto me again, stand I pray thee upon me and slay me for anguish has come upon me because my life is yet whole within me. So I stood upon him and slew him because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head and the bracelet that was on his arm and brought them hither unto my Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, if you go back and read, Saul had asked his armor bearer to kill him. An armor bearer refused to. So Saul falls on his own sword. But evidently, his life is still whole within him. And he sees this young man coming by. Who are you? I'm an Amalekite. Well, come and finish me off, lest these Philistines come and abuse me. And the young man said, so I killed him.

[John Weaver] Because I knew that he could not live. And I took the crown from off his head and the bracelet from off his arm. Saul spared the best. And in the end, the best slew him. Some will dispute and say, well, Saul was already dead. This Amalekite was lying. Well, David evidently believed him because David had this Amalekite executed. But whether he was lying or whether he's telling the truth is immaterial right now because he took the crown off Saul's head. He took the bracelet off Saul's arm. It was Amalekite who dishonored Saul. Saul spared the best and the best turned around and dishonored him. So you could say metaphorically Saul was slain on the gallows of his own disobedience.

[John Weaver] Haman is a true picture of the flesh in his desire for vain honor and glory and recognition and praise of men. Let me tell you something. Your flesh will set you up and destroy you just like it did Saul. Your flesh will set you up and destroy you just the way Haman was destroyed. Your flesh will give you full confidence against God and against God's law. Read Psalm 10.

[John Weaver] What do these wicked people say? He shall not see. He's not going to judge us. Your flesh will let you believe that you can sin against God and get by with it. Your flesh will let you believe that you can do whatever you want to do and God's not going to punish you. You are the exception. And the scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 12, wherefore, Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

[John Weaver] And Haman thought he stood, because he was the highest of the kingdom next to the king, but he fell. Haman the Agagite was hanged on his own gallows which he had built to hang Mordecai. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Esther chapter 7. Esther chapter 7. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 9. Esther 7 and verse 9, watch. And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standing in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him there on. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.

[John Weaver] Then was the king's wrath pacified. Wow. If you wish to be hanged on your own gallows. Give into your flesh. Disobey the law of God. Live in misery and strife and envy and wrath and anger. Refuse to be a servant Demand that everyone serve you. Demand that everyone bow to your whims and your needs and your desires and your ideology. But you just remember this. You reap what you sow.

[John Weaver] You take the position of pride and arrogance and haughtiness and superiority. And just see how well that will work out for you in the end. Those like Haman believe that they are to be Honored regardless. Worshipped regardless. Believed regardless. Elevated regardless. Because of their insatiable pride and arrogance and haughtiness. And therefore they will attack those that disagree with them and they will attack those who will not bow to them and do them honor and homage and worship. Now, here's the point. of the entire message.

[John Weaver] I want you to listen to me. This truth just demonstrates one very clear fact. We have lost. In Christendom. We have lost a servant's heart. We have lost a service disposition. We have lost the service attitude. We had rather dictate and demand. Then bow and serve. We are fleshly. And we follow the flesh. And we are so unlike the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me tell you. Let me just quote these passages. Matthew 20 verse 28.

[John Weaver] Even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. Jesus Christ did not come to be ministered unto. He came to minister. He said in Luke chapter 22 and verse 27, for whether is greater he that sitteth in meat or he that serveth. It's not he that sitteth in meat, but I am among you as one that serveth. I'm among you as one that serveth. Jesus said I did not come to be ministered unto, but to minister. I came to give myself a sacrifice for others. I came to serve others.

[John Weaver] The Bible says in Romans 14 verses 17, 18, for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that doeth these things serveth Christ and is acceptable to God and approved of men. So the kingdom of God is not being waited on. But it's waiting on others. That's why in Hebrews 6 and verse 10 the Bible says, for God is not unrighteous if we get your labor of love in that that you have showed toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. How do you show love to God's name? You minister to the saints. You serve the saints. You serve each other. Do you realize something? The only way to serve others is to deny our flesh.

[John Weaver] You ever thought about that? Because our flesh wants to be served. Our flesh wants to be ministered to, and it's contrary to the flesh to become a servant and minister to others. The only way that we can become a servant like our Lord Jesus Christ is to deny our flesh. Let me tell you, Romans 8 verse 13, the Bible says this, For if you live after the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit Do mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. You know what the word mortify means? It means to make dead. It's where we get the word mortician from. Mortuary. So he goes on to say, if you live after the flesh, you're going to die. But if you through the Spirit, if you by the Holy Spirit of God do mortify, make dead the deeds of the flesh, your pride, your anger, your wrath, your fleshly desires. If you make them dead, you shall live.

[John Weaver] And that's why I said in Colossians 3 and verse 5, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. Do you realize that pride is idolatry as well? Because we're wanting to take that which belongs to God. You remember that passage in Isaiah 42 in verse 8, when God says, I'm the Lord and my glory will I not share with another nor give my praise to graven images. God's not going to share his glory with us. We have to recognize something, folks, everything that we have, everything that we are, everything that we ever will be, everything we ever will have is only by the grace and mercy of God. Well.

[John Weaver] I want to answer one question that I will close. You're going to ask me this. How do I mortify the deeds of the flesh? How do I keep from being hanged on my own gallows? Well, the answer is found in Romans chapter 13 and verse 14, the scripture says But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ. And make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. Put you on the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Clothe yourself in his spirit and his attitude, in his words, in his actions, in his life. Put you on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. The problem is our flesh will not lie as quietly and as obediently on the altar as Isaac did. Our flesh will scream for deliverance and satisfaction. And we have to learn to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Ultimately, All of those who fight against God, all of those who live for their flesh, whether, you know, we can see a drunk lying in the gutter.

[John Weaver] Wallowing in his own vomit and filth, and we say, oh, I don't want anything like that. And that's repulsive to us. Do you realize the Pharisee and his self-righteousness and the man in his pride And haughtiness and arrogance is just as vile in the sight of God as a little drunk wallowing in his own vomit. And what we tend to do is this, we tend to want to mortify what we would call. Those evil, vile things. But we still want our pride. And the praise and recognition and the honor of man, and if we don't get it, We're like Haman. We're offended. Because we want people to bow to what we think and we want to be ministered unto and served.

[John Weaver] Rather than to be ministers. And servants of other put you on the Lord Jesus Christ. And make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the desires of our Lord. If you do, you will ultimately be hanged on your own gallows. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We thank you, Father, for all that you've done for us. And we give thee praise and honor and glory.

[John Weaver] And we acknowledge and confess today everything we are, everything we have, everything we ever will be or ever will have. is only by Your grace and mercy. You and You alone are God, and You deserve all honor, all praise, and all glory. And we bow before Thee today and render unto Thee worship and homage and honor. For Thou art the Creator, Thou art the Lord, Thou art the Sovereign, Thou art the Master, and we recognize Thee and bow before Thee through Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and give Thee praise in Christ's name, Amen.

Hanged on Your Own Gallows

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	101318153982
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion
Genre	Sermon
Date	2018-08-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 076: Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion — Chapter 7
Source Timed Segments	69

Formatted Transcript

Opening

All right, if you would open your Bibles today to the book of Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. So if you look, if you would, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, so you know where Esther is. The book of Esther, chapter three, the title of the message is How to Get Hanged on Your Own Gallows. How to get hanged on your own gallows. If you look in the book of Esther, chapter three, I'll just read verse five right now and we will come back and read. In fact, let's just begin with verse one.

After these things did Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hamadathah, the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And all the king's servants that were in the king's gate bowed in reverence to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gates, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath, and he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had showed him the people of Mordecai. Wherefore, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

Introduction: The Flesh's Desire to Play God

Fallen man wants to be his own god, making his own law and seeking his own glory, a temptation originating in the Garden of Eden.

So the title of the message, again, is how to get hanged on your own gallows. Fallen man likes to play God. He believes that his will and his way should be supreme and hold supreme sway. It's been that way ever since the fall of Adam. I want you to hold Esther chapter three, but very quickly look back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter three and notice, if you would please, the fall of man. Notice in Genesis chapter three, beginning there with verse one, the Bible says this Genesis three, verse one.

Now, the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but the fruit of the tree which is amidst of the garden, God hath said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die. For God doth know the day that you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Now, I want you to note the subtlety of the serpent. It's very clearly seen in that, in verse 1, he begins questioning God. And then he proceeds to deny the authority of God. He not only denies God's authority, but His sovereignty and His word. If you look down in verse 5, he says this. In fact, he's proclaiming exactly the opposite of God. He said in verse 5, For God doth know that in the day that you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened. But look back in verse 4. And the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die. In other words, God had already told them that they would die. Now the serpent said, you shall not surely die. And God does know that if you eat thereof, then your eyes are going to be opened. So he is declaring, in essence, that God is a selfish God. He is, in essence, stating that what God is trying to do is to hold Adam and Eve back. He is keeping Adam and Eve from expressing themselves.

for reaching their full potential. And he clearly implies to Adam and Eve that it is possible for them to become their own God and that they do not need the one true, the living God. So here's what the serpent is saying. You do not need God. You do not need God to tell you right from wrong. You don't need God to make his law. You do not need him or his law, so here's what you to do. You're to make your own law. You're to do your own thing. You're to worship yourself. You're to get all the honor, praise and glory for yourself. So here's what you do. You magnify yourself. You lift up yourself. You dethrone the one true of the living God and you enthrone yourself and you will be as God.

The Serpent's Temptation and Man's Self-Exaltation

Satan questioned God's word, denied His authority, and promised Adam and Eve they would be as gods, knowing good and evil for themselves.

Now, if you look at verse five again, he makes it very plain. He says this in Genesis chapter three and verse five, he says that you will be as God's knowing good and evil. Now, the Hebrew word for knowing there is the word Yada, which has the force of to know, to know by experience, to determine for yourself, to make oneself known and reveal oneself. So the original temptation here is for man to replace God, for man to become his own God. Jean-Paul Sartre, who was a French philosopher, a playwright, a novelist, a political activist, a biographer, a literary critic, and among all those things, he was not a Christian by any stretch of the imagination. But it was Jean-Paul Sartre who said, I believe if I am God.

The Tyranny of Self-Worship

When each man sees himself as god, anyone who opposes him becomes a devil, leading to a domineering, totalitarian spirit that demands worship.

Then my neighbor is the devil. It was Sartre who said, listen carefully, hell is other people. Now, how could he say hell is other people? And how could he say if I am God, then my neighbor is my devil? Here it is. If each man is his own God, then anyone that disagrees with him and opposes him is a devil. So anyone then who stands in your way, anyone who does not agree with you, anyone who refuses to bow to you and your thoughts and your whims and your desire is a devil. Hence, you find born in fallen man is a domineering, tyrannical, despotical, totalitarian spirit that basically demands that everyone worship him, bow to his thoughts, kneel before him, and embrace his ideology.

Unhappily, such perversion and such wickedness, and even idolatry, oftentimes rears its head and reveals itself in almost every individual. And sometimes, in every Christian. And only the grace and the power of God can overcome that. I'm sure that you remember that passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, where God said, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. So man does not think like God. And if man is saved by His grace, then man is to submit his mind and learn to think like God. But until man is converted by the grace of God, he prefers his own thoughts. He prefers his own ways. And having his own thoughts and having his own way and having his own will is an attempt to play God.

Haman: The Agagite and Amalekite Flesh

Haman, an Agagite (Amalekite), represents the flesh's hatred for God's people and its demand for honor, tracing back to Esau and Amalek's enmity with Israel.

because he demanded honor and homage and reverence from everyone. Now, the most revealing thing in this passage about Haman is that he was an Agagite. Look at that. After these things did the king Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hamadathah, the Agagite. Do you know what an Agagite was? An Agagite was an Amalekite. Let me explain this. Here's what one commentator said. Listen carefully. Haman the Agagite. The term Agagite is here intended as a most significant ethnic identification. Agag was the king of the Amalekites, defeated by Saul and put to death by Samuel.

And the Old Testament tradition stresses the bitter and unrelenting enmity that existed between the two peoples. Amalek is presented as the preeminent enemy of Israel. Now, some have suggested that even this term, Haman the Agagite, intended to show that Haman was of royal lineage even from Agag. Well, in order to understand the Book of Esther, and especially Haman in the Book of Esther, you have to understand the origin of the Amalekites. So, if you will hold Esther chapter 3, but go in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 36. Genesis 36, and we'll begin reading with verse 10, and we will find out the origin of Amalek. Notice if you would, Genesis 36, and let's begin reading at verse 10.

The Bible says these are the names of Esau's sons. Eliphaz, the son of Ada, the wife of Esau. Reuel, the son of Bashemath, the wife of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. Now watch carefully. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son, and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek. These were the sons of Ada, Esau's wife. So Amalek is an Edomite. Amalek is the grandson of Esau. Esau, in the Bible, represents the flesh because Esau despised spiritual things. In fact, Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 16 identifies Esau as a fornicator and a profane person. There, the scripture says, lest there be any fornicator or profane person, such as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

You have to remember the birthright not only included the headship of the family to become the patriarch of the family, it also included a double portion of the inheritance, because he was to take care of elderly mother and father, but it also included the lineage of the Messiah. So he was willing to trade all of that for a mess of pottage. So Amalek, like his grandfather Esau, despised spiritual things, and he also despised the people of God. Let me show you. Turn right over to the book of Exodus. Exodus chapter 17. Exodus chapter 17. Israel has just been delivered out of Egypt. The blood has been applied. Water has been given unto them at Rephidim. And water in the Bible represents, number one, the Word of God. Number two, the Holy Spirit. But notice, if you would, in Exodus chapter 17, beginning there with verse 8, The Bible says, Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. You have to understand the word then. There was deliverance, the blood had been applied. There was the water, sovereignly and supernaturally given. When these two things happened, then came Amalek. Now, note if you would, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men and go out and fight with Amalek.

Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed. And when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him. And he sat thereon, and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people at the edge of the sword. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua. For I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi.

For he said, Because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Now, I want you to take note of something in verse 8 particularly, and that is that Amalek came to fight. Amalek initiated the attack. He did not hesitate. He purposely pressed the issue. Amalek was also exceedingly strong. So strong that Moses had to intervene. Moses had to pray. And when Moses was interceding, then the Israelites were winning. When his hands got heavy holding up that rod, then Amalek prevailed. And so they put the stone under Moses so he could sit and they held up his hands until Amalek was discomfited.

Now, the question you need to ask is found in verse 16. For he said, we're talking about the Lord because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Now, one would think that if God made war, if God unfurled his banner, the war would soon be over. It would just simply annihilate his enemy. But that is not so. He did give that battle to his people. But now he says that he's going to have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Why? And the answer is this. Because Amalek's hand was raised against God. And it is still raised against God. I'll explain. And therefore, God's hand is going to be against Amalek.

So let me try to spell this out for you. Amalek in the Bible is a type of the flesh. Amalek reveals the tendency of the flesh to desire its own way, to have its own way, to be pampered, to be satisfied, to be pleased, to be praised, and to live in defiance of God. One commentator made this statement, he said the tendency of the flesh day and night is to act in defiance of God's rights. Amalek's hand is on the throne of Yah seeking to seize the place which God has gained in the heart of man and the fruit of redemption. It is a war against the flesh which continues until our last breath. God has said that he is in this war. So our flesh then lifts up itself against God and God then lifts up himself against our flesh. That is why this war is going to be from generation to generation. So when you read about Amalek, you have to remember that he was the grandson of Esau. He was an Edomite.

The Flesh Attacks the Weak and Defies God

Amalek attacked Israel's feeble and weary, showing the flesh's tendency to strike when we are weak and its disregard for God.

You better put this in your memory bank. Do not forget this. Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way when you came forth out of Egypt. How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary, and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, and the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven, thou shalt not forget it. Look what God says. You better remember what Amalek did to you. He said Amalek does not fear God. Amalek, in this passage in Exodus 17, purposely pressed the attack. He planned it, he desired it, and he wanted to destroy the people of God. He was the aggressor. He was unprovoked.

He did not need to be teased, tipped, or tested, or enticed. He wanted to destroy. And he took advantage of the disadvantaged. He attacked the weak, the feeble, and the helpless. He slipped up from behind to destroy them. He slipped up from behind against those who had absolutely no protection. May I tell you something? Your flesh will do exactly the same thing. Your flesh will entice you to sin. Your flesh will tempt you to sin. Your flesh will tempt you to play God. To be your own ruler, and to make your own rules, and to lay down your own law, and your flesh will attack you when you're weak, when you're faint, when you're disheartened, when you're dispirited, and when you're discouraged. Your flesh has no regard for God. It has no regard for spiritual things. It has no regard for truth. It desires one thing, and one thing only, to be satisfied. To be pleased. and to be praised. And it's willing to do that even at the expense of God.

Haman's Pride and Wrath Against Mordecai

Haman's fury at Mordecai's refusal to bow reveals his insatiable pride; he seeks to destroy all Jews because one man would not honor him.

Why are you not obeying the civil law? Now, it came to pass when they spake daily unto him, he hearkened not unto them, he wouldn't listen to them, he wouldn't bow. They told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand, for he told them he was a Jew or Judean. He was in that southern kingdom. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman filled with wrath. Now, interestingly, the Bible says in verse two, When they saw that Mordecai neither bowed or reverenced Haman, the word bow literally means to kneel before, to crouch, to sink down upon one's knees. Mordecai said, I'm not getting on my knees before you. The word reverence here means to do obeisance. It means to reverence and to prostrate oneself before another as an inferior does before a superior in homage and worship. Obviously now Haman thinks that he is a superior and he desperately wants everyone to bow before him. Now you have to remember something else about Mordecai. Mordecai was a captive.

He was one of those that had been taken captive into Babylon. But Babylon had been conquered by the Medes and the Persians. So Mordecai, basically speaking, was a slave. I mean, he was an interloper. He was a peon. He was nothing. So comparatively speaking, compared to Haman, Mordecai was nothing. You know, I remember years ago, Abbott and Costello. And I remember a little skit they did. And Abbott said, I'm the boss. Costello says, what am I? He says, you're nothing. He said, well, that just makes you the boss over nothing then, doesn't it? Well, you know, this is what I'm trying to say. If Mordecai was nothing, why would Haman get so bent out of shape over this?

Pride, arrogance, haughtiness, wanting the praise and admiration of man. He viewed himself as the superior and Mordecai was the inferior. And just simply placing his hands upon Mordecai was insufficient. He not only wanted to murder Mordecai, he wanted to murder any and everyone who was like Mordecai throughout the entire kingdom. I like what John Trapp said about verse 5. If you look in verse 5, And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. Oh, John Trapp wrote this, Then was Haman full of wrath. He swelled up like a toad and glowed like a demon.

being transformed, as it were, into a breathing devil. He seeks the utter extirpation of that people of whom concerning the flesh Christ was to come. Romans 9, 5. Wishing the same to them which Caligula did in a rage to the people of Rome when he said, I would that you all had but one neck so that I might cut you all off with one blow. The Persians, though free men, reverence me, said Haman, yet this slave thinks himself too good for me. Wow. Matthew Henry goes a little further, listen to what he says. But it makes Haman's proud spirit rage and fret and boil within him so that he becomes uneasy to himself and all about him. It is soon resolved that Mordecai must die. The head must come off that will not bow to Haman. If he cannot have his honors, he will have his blood. It is as penal in this court not to worship Haman as it was in Nebuchadnezzar's not to worship the golden image which he has set up. Mordecai is a person of quality in a post of honor and own cousin of the queen and yet Haman thinks his life nothing towards a satisfaction for the affront.

Thousands of innocent and valuable lives must be sacrificed to this indignation. And therefore he vows the destruction of all the people of Mordecai for his sake because of his being a Jew was the reason he gave why he did not reverence Haman. Herein appears Haman's intolerable pride, insatiable cruelty, and the ancient antipathy of an Amalekite to the Israel of God. Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite spared Agag, but Mordecai, the son of Kish of Benjamite, shall find no mercy with this Agagite, whose design is to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, which I suppose would include those that had returned to their own land, for that was now a province of his kingdom. When you stop and think of the multitudes of people that Haman wanted to murder just because one man would not bow to him.

The Flesh's Self-Destruction: Hanged on His Own Gallows

Haman was hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai, illustrating that pride and fleshly living lead to one's own ruin.

Then was the king's wrath pacified. Wow. If you wish to be hanged on your own gallows, give into your flesh. Disobey the law of God. Live in misery and strife and envy and wrath and anger. Refuse to be a servant. Demand that everyone serve you. Demand that everyone bow to your whims and your needs and your desires and your ideology. But you just remember this. You reap what you sow.

Application: Put on Christ and Mortify the Flesh

Believers must deny the flesh's demand to be served, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, or they will reap destruction.

I want you to listen to me. This truth just demonstrates one very clear fact. We have lost, in Christendom, we have lost a servant's heart. We have lost a service disposition. We have lost the service attitude. We had rather dictate and demand than bow and serve. We are fleshly. And we follow the flesh. And we are so unlike the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me tell you. Let me just quote these passages. Matthew 20 verse 28.

Even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. Jesus Christ did not come to be ministered unto. He came to minister. He said in Luke chapter 22 and verse 27, for whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth. It's not he that sitteth at meat, but I am among you as one that serveth. I'm among you as one that serveth. Jesus said I did not come to be ministered unto, but to minister. I came to give myself a sacrifice for others. I came to serve others.

The Bible says in Romans 14 verses 17, 18, for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that doeth these things serveth Christ and is acceptable to God and approved of men. So the kingdom of God is not being waited on. But it's waiting on others. That's why in Hebrews 6 and verse 10 the Bible says, for God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love in that you have showed toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. How do you show love to God's name? You minister to the saints. You serve the saints. You serve each other. Do you realize something? The only way to serve others is to deny our flesh.

You ever thought about that? Because our flesh wants to be served. Our flesh wants to be ministered to, and it's contrary to the flesh to become a servant and minister to others. The only way that we can become a servant like our Lord Jesus Christ is to deny our flesh. Let me tell you, Romans 8 verse 13, the Bible says this, For if you live after the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. You know what the word mortify means? It means to make dead. It's where we get the word mortician from. Mortuary. So he goes on to say, if you live after the flesh, you're going to die. But if you through the Spirit, if you by the Holy Spirit of God do mortify, make dead the deeds of the flesh, your pride, your anger, your wrath, your fleshly desires. If you make them dead, you shall live.

And that's why I said in Colossians 3 and verse 5, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. Do you realize that pride is idolatry as well? Because we're wanting to take that which belongs to God. You remember that passage in Isaiah 42 in verse 8, when God says, I'm the Lord and my glory will I not share with another nor give my praise to graven images. God's not going to share his glory with us. We have to recognize something, folks, everything that we have, everything that we are, everything that we ever will be, everything we ever will have is only by the grace and mercy of God. Well.

I want to answer one question that I will close. You're going to ask me this. How do I mortify the deeds of the flesh? How do I keep from being hanged on my own gallows? Well, the answer is found in Romans chapter 13 and verse 14, the scripture says, But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. And make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Clothe yourself in his spirit and his attitude, in his words, in his actions, in his life. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. The problem is our flesh will not lie as quietly and as obediently on the altar as Isaac did. Our flesh will scream for deliverance and satisfaction. And we have to learn to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Ultimately, all of those who fight against God, all of those who live for their flesh, whether, you know, we can see a drunk lying in the gutter. Wallowing in his own vomit and filth, and we say, oh, I don't want anything like that. And that's repulsive to us. Do you realize the Pharisee in his self-righteousness and the man in his pride and haughtiness and arrogance is just as vile in the sight of God as a little drunk wallowing in his own vomit. And what we tend to do is this, we tend to want to mortify what we would call those evil, vile things. But we still want our pride. And the praise and recognition and the honor of man, and if we don't get it, we're like Haman. We're offended. Because we want people to bow to what we think and we want to be ministered unto and served.

Rather than to be ministers and servants of others. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. And make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. If you do, you will ultimately be hanged on your own gallows. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We thank you, Father, for all that you've done for us. And we give thee praise and honor and glory.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Flesh's Desire to Be God

Summary: Since the fall, man has sought to dethrone God and enthrone himself, making his own law and seeking his own glory.

Evidence: The serpent said, 'ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil' (Genesis 3:5). The original temptation is for man to replace God.

Pride and the Demand for Worship

Summary: Pride makes a person demand honor, recognition, and submission from others, and anyone who refuses is seen as an enemy.

Evidence: Haman was full of wrath when Mordecai would not bow; he sought to destroy all Jews. 'If I am God, then my neighbor is the devil.'

Amalek as a Type of the Flesh

Summary: Amalek, descendant of Esau, represents the flesh that lusts against the Spirit, attacks the weak, and defies God's rights.

Evidence: Amalek fought Israel at Rephidim; God declared war with Amalek from generation to generation (Exodus 17:16).

The Flesh Leads to Self-Destruction

Summary: Giving in to pride and fleshly desires ultimately results in being hanged on one's own gallows, as seen in Haman's end.

Evidence: Haman was hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai (Esther 7:9-10).

The Call to Servanthood and Mortification

Summary: Christians are called to deny the flesh, put on Christ, and serve others rather than demanding to be served.

Evidence: Jesus came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (Matthew 20:28). 'Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh' (Romans 13:14).

Key Arguments

The origin of self-exaltation is the fall of man.

Summary: Satan tempted Eve by questioning God's word and promising that she could be like God, determining good and evil for herself.

Evidence: Genesis 3:1-6 shows the serpent's subtlety: 'ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.'

Self-worship creates a tyrannical spirit.

Summary: When a person sees himself as god, anyone who disagrees becomes a devil, leading to a demand for total submission.

Evidence: Sartre's quote: 'If I am God, then my neighbor is the devil.' Haman's wrath at Mordecai's refusal to bow.

Haman's identity as an Agagite reveals the flesh's enmity against God.

Summary: As an Amalekite, Haman inherited the ancient hatred for God's people, typifying the flesh's war against the Spirit.

Evidence: Amalek was grandson of Esau, who despised spiritual things. God declared perpetual war with Amalek (Exodus 17:16).

The flesh attacks when we are weak.

Summary: Amalek struck the hindmost, feeble, and weary, showing the flesh's opportunistic and merciless nature.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 25:17-18: Amalek 'smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee.'

Pride demands total destruction of those who refuse to honor it.

Summary: Haman's pride could not be satisfied with Mordecai's death alone; he sought to annihilate all Jews.

Evidence: Esther 3:6: 'Haman sought to destroy all the Jews... even the people of Mordecai.'

The flesh sets a trap that destroys the sinner.

Summary: Haman built gallows for Mordecai but was hanged on them himself, illustrating the principle of reaping what one sows.

Evidence: Esther 7:9-10: 'So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.'

Victory over the flesh comes by putting on Christ and mortifying the flesh.

Summary: Believers must clothe themselves with Christ's servant attitude and make no provision for fleshly lusts.

Evidence: Romans 13:14: 'Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.' Romans 8:13: 'If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live.'

Scripture References

Esther 3:1-6

Context: Introduction of Haman's promotion and his wrath at Mordecai's refusal to bow, leading to his plot to destroy all Jews.

Genesis 3:1-7

Context: The fall of man: the serpent's temptation and the promise that they would be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:5

Context: The serpent's lie that eating the fruit would make them as gods, knowing good and evil.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Context: God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's; man must submit his mind to think like God.

Genesis 36:10-12

Context: The genealogy of Esau, showing Amalek as his grandson through Eliphaz and Timna.

Hebrews 12:16

Context: Esau is described as a fornicator and profane person who sold his birthright.

Exodus 17:8-16

Context: Amalek's attack on Israel at Rephidim and God's declaration of perpetual war against Amalek.

Deuteronomy 25:17-19

Context: God's command to remember Amalek's attack on the weak and to blot out his remembrance.

Esther 2:5

Context: Mordecai identified as a Jew (Judean) of the tribe of Benjamin.

Psalm 83:2-8

Context: A confederacy of nations, including Edom and Amalek, conspiring to destroy Israel.

Psalm 137:7

Context: The children of Edom calling for Jerusalem's destruction.

Esther 5:9

Context: Haman's joy turned to indignation when Mordecai would not stand or move for him.

Proverbs 21:24; 11:2; 16:18; 29:23

Context: Verses on pride leading to destruction and shame.

1 Samuel 15:1-9

Context: Saul's disobedience in sparing Agag and the best of the Amalekites.

2 Samuel 1:1-10

Context: An Amalekite claims to have killed Saul and took his crown and bracelet.

Esther 7:9-10

Context: Haman hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai.

Matthew 20:28

Context: Jesus came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom.

Luke 22:27

Context: Jesus said He is among them as one that serveth.

Romans 14:17-18

Context: The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; serving Christ is acceptable to God.

Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5; Romans 13:14

Context: Mortifying the deeds of the flesh and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Historical References

Jean-Paul Sartre

Context: French philosopher who said, 'If I am God, then my neighbor is the devil' and 'Hell is other people,' illustrating the tyranny of self-worship.

Agag, king of the Amalekites

Context: Sparred by Saul in disobedience to God's command, later hewed in pieces by Samuel.

Caligula

Context: Roman emperor who wished the people of Rome had one neck so he could cut them all off with one blow, compared to Haman's rage.

Josephus

Context: Jewish historian who identified Haman as an Amalekite.

Matthew Henry

Context: Commentator who described Haman's pride and cruelty, and noted the ancient antipathy between Amalekites and Israel.

John Trapp

Context: Commentator who said Haman 'swelled up like a toad and glowed like a demon' in his wrath.

Important Quotes

Hell is other people.

Significance: Sartre's statement illustrating the conflict that arises when everyone demands to be treated as a god.

Then was Haman full of wrath. He swelled up like a toad and glowed like a demon.

Significance: John Trapp's vivid description of Haman's prideful rage when Mordecai refused to bow.

The tendency of the flesh day and night is to act in defiance of God's rights.

Significance: Summarizes the flesh's constant rebellion against God's authority, as typified by Amalek.

Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof.

Significance: The key application verse: the remedy for fleshly pride is to clothe oneself with Christ and starve the flesh.

We have lost a servant's heart. We have lost a service disposition. We have lost the service attitude. We had rather dictate and demand than bow and serve.

Significance: Diagnoses the root problem in Christendom: a fleshly desire to be served rather than to serve like Christ.

Discussion Questions

In what ways do we see the original temptation to 'be as gods' playing out in our own lives and culture today?

Context: The sermon traces the desire to be one's own god back to Genesis 3.

How does pride manifest itself in our relationships when others do not give us the recognition or honor we think we deserve?

Context: Haman's wrath at Mordecai's refusal to bow illustrates the tyranny of pride.

Why is Amalek a fitting type of the flesh, and how does understanding this help us in our spiritual warfare?

Context: The sermon explains Amalek's origin and his attack on Israel's weak.

What does it mean practically to 'put on the Lord Jesus Christ' and 'make no provision for the flesh'?

Context: The application calls for mortifying the flesh and clothing oneself with Christ's servant attitude.

How can we cultivate a servant's heart in a culture that constantly tells us to demand our rights and seek recognition?

Context: The sermon laments the loss of a servant's heart in Christendom.

Applications

Mortify the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit.

Summary: Believers must actively put to death pride, anger, and fleshly desires through the power of the Holy Spirit, or they will reap destruction.

Evidence: Romans 8:13: 'If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live.'

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Summary: Clothe yourself with Christ's spirit, attitude, words, and actions, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.

Evidence: Romans 13:14: 'Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.'

Adopt a servant's heart like Christ.

Summary: Instead of demanding to be served and honored, follow Jesus' example of coming to minister and serve others.

Evidence: Matthew 20:28: 'The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.'

Beware of the flesh's attack in times of weakness.

Summary: The flesh, like Amalek, strikes when we are faint, weary, or discouraged; we must be especially vigilant in those times.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 25:18: Amalek 'smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee.'

Recognize pride as idolatry.

Summary: Pride seeks the glory that belongs to God alone; we must confess that everything we have is by His grace.

Evidence: Isaiah 42:8: 'I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:46:25Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T03:34:56Z

Clean Transcript

Hanged on Your Own Gallows

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, if you would open your Bibles today to the book of Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. So if you look, if you would, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, so you know where Esther is. The book of Esther, chapter three, the title of the message is How to Get Hanged on Your Own Gallows. How to get hanged on your own gallows. If you look in the book of Esther, chapter three, I'll just read verse five right now and we will come back and read. In fact, let's just begin with verse one.
#1 | 0:01 to 0:43 | cleaned
After these things did Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hamadathah, the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And all the king's servants that were in the king's gate bowed in reverence to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gates, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath, and he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had showed him the people of Mordecai. Wherefore, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
#2 | 0:44 to 1:44 | cleaned
So the title of the message, again, is how to get hanged on your own gallows. Fallen man likes to play God. He believes that his will and his way should be supreme and hold supreme sway. It's been that way ever since the fall of Adam. I want you to hold Esther chapter three, but very quickly look back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter three and notice, if you would please, the fall of man. Notice in Genesis chapter three, beginning there with verse one, the Bible says this Genesis three, verse one.
#3 | 1:45 to 2:22 | cleaned
Now, the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but the fruit of the tree which is amidst of the garden, God hath said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die. For God doth know the day that you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
#4 | 2:23 to 3:16 | cleaned
Now, I want you to note the subtlety of the serpent. It's very clearly seen in that, in verse 1, he begins questioning God. And then he proceeds to deny the authority of God. He not only denies God's authority, but His sovereignty and His word. If you look down in verse 5, he says this. In fact, he's proclaiming exactly the opposite of God. He said in verse 5, For God doth know that in the day that you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened. But look back in verse 4. And the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die. In other words, God had already told them that they would die. Now the serpent said, you shall not surely die. And God does know that if you eat thereof, then your eyes are going to be opened. So he is declaring, in essence, that God is a selfish God. He is, in essence, stating that what God is trying to do is to hold Adam and Eve back. He is keeping Adam and Eve from expressing themselves.
#5 | 3:16 to 4:19 | cleaned
for reaching their full potential. And he clearly implies to Adam and Eve that it is possible for them to become their own God and that they do not need the one true, the living God. So here's what the serpent is saying. You do not need God. You do not need God to tell you right from wrong. You don't need God to make his law. You do not need him or his law, so here's what you to do. You're to make your own law. You're to do your own thing. You're to worship yourself. You're to get all the honor, praise and glory for yourself. So here's what you do. You magnify yourself. You lift up yourself. You dethrone the one true of the living God and you enthrone yourself and you will be as God.
#6 | 4:20 to 5:08 | cleaned
Now, if you look at verse five again, he makes it very plain. He says this in Genesis chapter three and verse five, he says that you will be as God's knowing good and evil.
#7 | 5:09 to 5:24 | cleaned
Now, the Hebrew word for knowing there is the word Yada, which has the force of to know, to know by experience, to determine for yourself, to make oneself known and reveal oneself. So the original temptation here is for man to replace God, for man to become his own God. Jean-Paul Sartre, who was a French philosopher, a playwright, a novelist, a political activist, a biographer, a literary critic, and among all those things, he was not a Christian by any stretch of the imagination. But it was Jean-Paul Sartre who said, I believe if I am God.
#8 | 5:25 to 6:16 | cleaned
Then my neighbor is the devil. It was Sartre who said, listen carefully, hell is other people. Now, how could he say hell is other people? And how could he say if I am God, then my neighbor is my devil? Here it is. If each man is his own God, then anyone that disagrees with him and opposes him is a devil. So anyone then who stands in your way, anyone who does not agree with you, anyone who refuses to bow to you and your thoughts and your whims and your desire is a devil. Hence, you find born in fallen man is a domineering, tyrannical, despotical, totalitarian spirit that basically demands that everyone worship him, bow to his thoughts, kneel before him, and embrace his ideology.
#9 | 6:18 to 7:20 | cleaned
Unhappily, such perversion and such wickedness, and even idolatry, oftentimes rears its head and reveals itself in almost every individual. And sometimes, in every Christian. And only the grace and the power of God can overcome that. I'm sure that you remember that passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, where God said, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. So man does not think like God. And if man is saved by His grace, then man is to submit his mind and learn to think like God. But until man is converted by the grace of God, he prefers his own thoughts. He prefers his own ways. And having his own thoughts and having his own way and having his own will is an attempt to play God.
#10 | 7:21 to 8:31 | cleaned
He is, in essence, pleasing himself and exalting his pride. Now, Haman is a clear example of such thinking. The book of Esther describes Haman in such a way that the truth that I'm about to enunciate today cannot be misunderstood. If you look back in Esther chapter 3 and verse 1, the Bible says after these things did King Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hamadathah the Agagite and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were before him. The word Haman means magnificent. He was a son of Hamadathah. The word Hamadathah literally means double. So evidently Haman believed that he was doubly magnificent.
#11 | 8:32 to 9:32 | cleaned
because he demanded honor and homage and reverence from everyone. Now, the most revealing thing in this passage about Haman is that he was an Agagite. Look at that. After these things did the king Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hamadathah, the Agagite. Do you know what an Agagite was? An Agagite was an Amalekite. Let me explain this. Here's what one commentator said. Listen carefully. Haman the Agagite. The term Agagite is here intended as a most significant ethnic identification. Agag was the king of the Amalekites, defeated by Saul and put to death by Samuel.
#12 | 9:32 to 10:23 | cleaned
And the Old Testament tradition stresses the bitter and unrelenting enmity that existed between the two peoples. Amalek is presented as the preeminent enemy of Israel.
#13 | 10:24 to 10:40 | cleaned
Now, some have suggested that even this term, Haman the Agagite, intended to show that Haman was of royal lineage even from Agag. Well, in order to understand the Book of Esther, and especially Haman in the Book of Esther, you have to understand the origin of the Amalekites. So, if you will hold Esther chapter 3, but go in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 36. Genesis 36, and we'll begin reading with verse 10, and we will find out the origin of Amalek. Notice if you would, Genesis 36, and let's begin reading at verse 10.
#14 | 10:40 to 11:26 | cleaned
The Bible says these are the names of Esau's sons. Eliphaz, the son of Ada, the wife of Esau. Reuel, the son of Bashemath, the wife of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. Now watch carefully. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son, and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek. These were the sons of Ada, Esau's wife. So Amalek is an Edomite. Amalek is the grandson of Esau. Esau, in the Bible, represents the flesh because Esau despised spiritual things. In fact, Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 16 identifies Esau as a fornicator and a profane person. There, the scripture says, lest there be any fornicator or profane person, such as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
#15 | 11:26 to 12:42 | cleaned
You have to remember the birthright not only included the headship of the family to become the patriarch of the family, it also included a double portion of the inheritance, because he was to take care of elderly mother and father, but it also included the lineage of the Messiah. So he was willing to trade all of that for a mess of pottage. So Amalek, like his grandfather Esau, despised spiritual things, and he also despised the people of God. Let me show you.
#16 | 12:42 to 13:17 | cleaned
Turn right over to the book of Exodus. Exodus chapter 17. Exodus chapter 17. Israel has just been delivered out of Egypt. The blood has been applied. Water has been given unto them at Rephidim. And water in the Bible represents, number one, the Word of God. Number two, the Holy Spirit. But notice, if you would, in Exodus chapter 17, beginning there with verse 8, The Bible says, Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. You have to understand the word then. There was deliverance, the blood had been applied. There was the water, sovereignly and supernaturally given. When these two things happened, then came Amalek. Now, note if you would, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men and go out and fight with Amalek.
#17 | 13:17 to 14:17 | cleaned
Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed. And when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him. And he sat thereon, and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people at the edge of the sword. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua. For I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi.
#18 | 14:18 to 15:13 | cleaned
For he said, Because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Now, I want you to take note of something in verse 8 particularly, and that is that Amalek came to fight. Amalek initiated the attack. He did not hesitate. He purposely pressed the issue. Amalek was also exceedingly strong. So strong that Moses had to intervene. Moses had to pray. And when Moses was interceding, then the Israelites were winning. When his hands got heavy holding up that rod, then Amalek prevailed. And so they put the stone under Moses so he could sit and they held up his hands until Amalek was discomfited.
#19 | 15:14 to 16:14 | cleaned
Now, the question you need to ask is found in verse 16. For he said, we're talking about the Lord because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
#20 | 16:14 to 16:28 | cleaned
Now, one would think that if God made war, if God unfurled his banner, the war would soon be over. It would just simply annihilate his enemy. But that is not so. He did give that battle to his people. But now he says that he's going to have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Why? And the answer is this. Because Amalek's hand was raised against God. And it is still raised against God. I'll explain. And therefore, God's hand is going to be against Amalek.
#21 | 16:29 to 17:11 | cleaned
So let me try to spell this out for you. Amalek in the Bible is a type of the flesh. Amalek reveals the tendency of the flesh to desire its own way, to have its own way, to be pampered, to be satisfied, to be pleased, to be praised, and to live in defiance of God. One commentator made this statement, he said the tendency of the flesh day and night is to act in defiance of God's rights. Amalek's hand is on the throne of Yah seeking to seize the place which God has gained in the heart of man and the fruit of redemption. It is a war against the flesh which continues until our last breath. God has said that he is in this war. So our flesh then lifts up itself against God and God then lifts up himself against our flesh. That is why this war is going to be from generation to generation. So when you read about Amalek, you have to remember that he was the grandson of Esau. He was an Edomite.
#22 | 17:12 to 18:27 | cleaned
He despised spiritual things. He despised the people of God. He despised the law of God. And he was always fighting against God. May I remind you that the Apostle Paul said in Galatians chapter 5, For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. So there is a battle.
#23 | 18:28 to 18:53 | cleaned
I want to show you. If you would turn right over to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 25. I'm still trying to expose Amalek to you, Deuteronomy chapter 25. And let's begin reading every verse 17. Look what God says, you know, we just read how Amalek came out in Rephidim and fought against Israel. Now, look what God says in Deuteronomy 25, verse 17. It's interesting, God says, remember, What Amalek did unto thee by the way when you were come forth out of Egypt.
#24 | 18:53 to 19:29 | cleaned
You better put this in your memory bank. Do not forget this. Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way when you came forth out of Egypt. How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary, and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, and the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven, thou shalt not forget it. Look what God says. You better remember what Amalek did to you. He said Amalek does not fear God. Amalek, in this passage in Exodus 17, purposely pressed the attack. He planned it, he desired it, and he wanted to destroy the people of God. He was the aggressor. He was unprovoked.
#25 | 19:30 to 20:31 | cleaned
He did not need to be teased, tipped, or tested, or enticed. He wanted to destroy. And he took advantage of the disadvantaged. He attacked the weak, the feeble, and the helpless. He slipped up from behind to destroy them. He slipped up from behind against those who had absolutely no protection. May I tell you something? Your flesh will do exactly the same thing. Your flesh will entice you to sin. Your flesh will tempt you to sin. Your flesh will tempt you to play God. To be your own ruler, and to make your own rules, and to lay down your own law, and your flesh will attack you when you're weak, when you're faint, when you're disheartened, when you're dispirited, and when you're discouraged. Your flesh has no regard for God. It has no regard for spiritual things. It has no regard for truth. It desires one thing, and one thing only, to be satisfied. To be pleased. and to be praised. And it's willing to do that even at the expense of God.
#26 | 20:32 to 21:42 | cleaned
Again, Matthew Henry said this, I'm just trying to explain to you about Haman so far. Matthew Henry said Haman advanced by the prince that is by Ahasuerus and adored thereupon by the people. This Haman was an Agagite, an Amalekite says Josephus, probably of the descendants of Agag, a common name of the princes of Amalek, as appears in Numbers 24 and verse 7. Some think that he was by birth a prince, as Jehoiakim was, whose seat was set above the rest of the captive kings in 2 Kings 25 verse 28, as Haman's was here in Esther chapter 3 and verse 1. So Haman was undoubtedly then an Amalekite, and Mordecai was a Judean. What am I saying? Look back in Esther chapter 2 and verse 5. Esther chapter 2 and verse 5. Mordecai was a Judean. Notice Esther 2 and verse 5. Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew or Judahite or Judean whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite.
#27 | 21:45 to 23:10 | cleaned
Now, may I remind you that the tribe of Judah, the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Simeon had their inheritance in the southern kingdom, which is known as Judea. So Mordecai then was a Judean in the sense that the Benjamites had their possession in Judea.
#28 | 23:10 to 23:35 | cleaned
Now, interestingly, he was also a relative, a descendant of Saul, the son of Kish. You remember Saul was the first king of Israel. So he was a Benjamite. He was a Judean in the sense that his inheritance was where he lived in Judah. Now, those who lived in Judea were first called Jews by the Syrians in 2 Kings chapter 16 and verse 6. That is the first time the word Jews occurs in your Bibles. The Syrians drove the Jews, that is those who lived in the southern kingdom, from Elath, the Bible says, and they retook that seaport. So, historically now, the Amalekites, who are Edomites, were always the enemies of Israel. And there was a special bond of hatred between the Amalekites and the Benjamites. Now, I want you to hold the book of Esther, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 83. Psalm 83. Just to show you this, special hatred that existed. Notice, if you would, first of all, Psalm 83, then we'll go to Psalm 137. But notice Psalm 83, and let's begin reading there with verse two.
#29 | 23:36 to 25:13 | cleaned
Psalm 83, verse two. The Psalmist writes, For lo, thine enemies make a tumult. And they that hate thee, that is, those that hate God, have lifted up the head, that is, they pride, arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded. Verse 3, they have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones. So they're against God's people. And they have said, come and let us cut them off from being a nation.
#30 | 25:14 to 25:47 | cleaned
Let's kill every one of them. Let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together one consent. They are confederate against thee. So they're confederated against God. Who is confederated against God in this passage? The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, of Moab, of the Hagarenes, Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre. Asshur, that is Assyria, also was joined with them.
#31 | 25:47 to 26:20 | cleaned
They have holpen or helped the children of Lot. Who are the children of Lot? The Moabites and the Ammonites. So all of these people are confederated against the people of God.
#32 | 26:20 to 26:32 | cleaned
Now, if you will turn over to Psalm 137 and look at verse 7, you will see what the children of Edom said concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. Watch what they said. Psalm 137. And notice, if you would please, verse 7. Psalm 137, verse 7. He says, Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, Rase it, rase it, even at the foundation thereof.
#33 | 26:32 to 27:02 | cleaned
In other words, destroy everything. They hated Israel.
#34 | 27:02 to 27:09 | cleaned
Now, if you'll go back to Esther chapter three, because Haman is told that Mordecai is a Judean. He's of the tribe of Benjamin. Look in Esther chapter 3 and begin there with verse 2. Esther 3 verse 2. 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. Then the king's servants which were in the king's gate said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
#35 | 27:10 to 27:51 | cleaned
Why are you not obeying the civil law? Now, it came to pass when they spake daily unto him, he hearkened not unto them, he wouldn't listen to them, he wouldn't bow. They told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand, for he told them he was a Jew or Judean. He was in that southern kingdom. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman filled with wrath. Now, interestingly, the Bible says in verse two, When they saw that Mordecai neither bowed or reverenced Haman, the word bow literally means to kneel before, to crouch, to sink down upon one's knees. Mordecai said, I'm not getting on my knees before you. The word reverence here means to do obeisance. It means to reverence and to prostrate oneself before another as an inferior does before a superior in homage and worship. Obviously now Haman thinks that he is a superior and he desperately wants everyone to bow before him. Now you have to remember something else about Mordecai. Mordecai was a captive.
#36 | 27:51 to 29:16 | cleaned
He was one of those that had been taken captive into Babylon. But Babylon had been conquered by the Medes and the Persians. So Mordecai, basically speaking, was a slave. I mean, he was an interloper. He was a peon. He was nothing. So comparatively speaking, compared to Haman, Mordecai was nothing. You know, I remember years ago, Abbott and Costello. And I remember a little skit they did. And Abbott said, I'm the boss. Costello says, what am I? He says, you're nothing. He said, well, that just makes you the boss over nothing then, doesn't it? Well, you know, this is what I'm trying to say. If Mordecai was nothing, why would Haman get so bent out of shape over this?
#37 | 29:17 to 30:25 | cleaned
Pride, arrogance, haughtiness, wanting the praise and admiration of man. He viewed himself as the superior and Mordecai was the inferior. And just simply placing his hands upon Mordecai was insufficient. He not only wanted to murder Mordecai, he wanted to murder any and everyone who was like Mordecai throughout the entire kingdom. I like what John Trapp said about verse 5. If you look in verse 5, And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. Oh, John Trapp wrote this, Then was Haman full of wrath. He swelled up like a toad and glowed like a demon.
#38 | 30:28 to 31:20 | cleaned
being transformed, as it were, into a breathing devil. He seeks the utter extirpation of that people of whom concerning the flesh Christ was to come. Romans 9, 5. Wishing the same to them which Caligula did in a rage to the people of Rome when he said, I would that you all had but one neck so that I might cut you all off with one blow. The Persians, though free men, reverence me, said Haman, yet this slave thinks himself too good for me. Wow.
#39 | 31:21 to 31:52 | cleaned
Matthew Henry goes a little further, listen to what he says. But it makes Haman's proud spirit rage and fret and boil within him so that he becomes uneasy to himself and all about him. It is soon resolved that Mordecai must die. The head must come off that will not bow to Haman. If he cannot have his honors, he will have his blood. It is as penal in this court not to worship Haman as it was in Nebuchadnezzar's not to worship the golden image which he has set up. Mordecai is a person of quality in a post of honor and own cousin of the queen and yet Haman thinks his life nothing towards a satisfaction for the affront.
#40 | 31:54 to 32:41 | cleaned
Thousands of innocent and valuable lives must be sacrificed to this indignation. And therefore he vows the destruction of all the people of Mordecai for his sake because of his being a Jew was the reason he gave why he did not reverence Haman. Herein appears Haman's intolerable pride, insatiable cruelty, and the ancient antipathy of an Amalekite to the Israel of God. Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite spared Agag, but Mordecai, the son of Kish of Benjamite, shall find no mercy with this Agagite, whose design is to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, which I suppose would include those that had returned to their own land, for that was now a province of his kingdom. When you stop and think of the multitudes of people that Haman wanted to murder just because one man would not bow to him.
#41 | 32:42 to 33:46 | cleaned
Satisfy his flesh and please his honor and give him praise. Haman wanted recognition, praise and submission and worship. He would not let this go. He would not let it go that someone would not honor him and recognize him for his position in the kingdom. Unhappily, many preachers and many Christians are just like that. They want the praise, they want the recognition, they want the honor. And if you don't give it to them, they will seek your destruction. You know, it's kind of like.
#42 | 33:48 to 34:37 | cleaned
That verse is recorded in John 12 and verse 43, talking about the people who would not confess Jesus Christ for fear of being kicked out of the synagogue. And the Bible simply says this, for they love the praises of men more than the praise of God. And, you know, that's what a lot of people just simply desire, the praise of men.
#43 | 34:38 to 35:01 | cleaned
Now, you know, the story how Haman got called in to a little dinner with the queen and wanted to come back for some wine coolers on a certain day, have wine just with the king and queen. Oh, he's so happy. And if you look in Esther, chapter five. Esther, chapter five. Look in verse nine, Esther, five in verse nine. He's already been and had the wine, he's invited to come back to a banquet on the next day, verse nine, then went Haman forth that day, joyful and with a glad heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king's gate, that he stood not up nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Wow. The word indignation is very informative.
#44 | 35:01 to 35:54 | cleaned
It's the Hebrew word Chemah, which refers to a burning rage, a venomous wrath and a furious rage or fever. He was really ticked. Mordecai would not move out of principle. He would not give in to the insolent and arrogant demands of Haman. Haman despised Mordecai because of Mordecai's character and his unwillingness to compromise. Haman believed he was superior and he was pushing the issue to the fullest. His fiery indignation would only be satisfied not just with Mordecai's death, but with the death of all of his people. Let me give you some scriptures.
#45 | 35:55 to 36:41 | cleaned
I want you to think about these. Proverbs 21, verse 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. Proverbs 11, verse 2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame, but with the lowly is wisdom. Proverbs 16, verse 18. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 29, verse 23. A man's pride shall bring him low, but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit. Anger, wrath, strife and all these other things are classified as the works of the flesh in Galatians chapter 5.
#46 | 36:41 to 37:50 | cleaned
Haman was a true Amalekite. He was so in fulfilling the desires of his flesh in fighting against God, truth and righteousness. Haman is called the Agagite. Let me show you why. Look in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15. Hold Esther if you would. But look in 1 Samuel chapter 15. And let's begin reading there with verse 1. 1 Samuel 15. Verse 1. The Bible said Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel.
#47 | 37:50 to 38:40 | cleaned
Now therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up out of Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. God said, kill everything. Don't let anything live.
#48 | 38:41 to 39:09 | cleaned
Skip down to verse seven. Look what the Bible says. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive. And utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and of the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. But everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Wow! So, God says, you destroy everything, but Saul comes along and says, no, I can't do that. I'm going to spare Agag, and the best of the sheep, and the best of the oxen. Well, you know the story, how when Samuel came, Saul tried to blame the people, and say the people spared all these for sacrifice to God. And Samuel said, the Lord had rather have your obedience than all the sacrifice in the world. And then Samuel took the sword and hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord.
#49 | 39:11 to 40:15 | cleaned
Remember, now, Agag was the king of the Amalekites. Now, I want you to turn to Second Samuel, chapter one. Second Samuel, chapter one. And let's begin with verse one. Second Samuel, chapter one, verse one. There's a battle between the Philistines and the Israelites. Now, it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and David had abode two days in Ziklag, it came even to pass on the third day that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And so it was when he came to David that he fell to the earth and did obeisance. And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. And David said unto him, How went the matter, I pray thee, tell me?
#50 | 40:17 to 41:14 | cleaned
And he answered that the people were fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead. And Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? And the young man that told him said, as I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear, and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, he called on me, and I answered, Here am I. And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
#51 | 41:14 to 41:55 | cleaned
He said unto me again, stand I pray thee upon me and slay me for anguish has come upon me because my life is yet whole within me. So I stood upon him and slew him because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head and the bracelet that was on his arm and brought them hither unto my Lord.
#52 | 41:56 to 42:19 | cleaned
Now, if you go back and read, Saul had asked his armor bearer to kill him. The armor bearer refused to. So Saul falls on his own sword. But evidently, his life is still whole within him. And he sees this young man coming by. Who are you? I'm an Amalekite. Well, come and finish me off, lest these Philistines come and abuse me. And the young man said, so I killed him.
#53 | 42:20 to 42:55 | cleaned
Because I knew that he could not live. And I took the crown from off his head and the bracelet from off his arm. Saul spared the best. And in the end, the best slew him. Some will dispute and say, well, Saul was already dead. This Amalekite was lying. Well, David evidently believed him because David had this Amalekite executed. But whether he was lying or whether he's telling the truth is immaterial right now because he took the crown off Saul's head. He took the bracelet off Saul's arm. It was an Amalekite who dishonored Saul. Saul spared the best and the best turned around and dishonored him. So you could say metaphorically Saul was slain on the gallows of his own disobedience.
#54 | 42:57 to 44:08 | cleaned
Haman is a true picture of the flesh in his desire for vain honor and glory and recognition and praise of men. Let me tell you something. Your flesh will set you up and destroy you just like it did Saul. Your flesh will set you up and destroy you just the way Haman was destroyed. Your flesh will give you full confidence against God and against God's law. Read Psalm 10.
#55 | 44:11 to 44:44 | cleaned
What do these wicked people say? He shall not see. He's not going to judge us. Your flesh will let you believe that you can sin against God and get by with it. Your flesh will let you believe that you can do whatever you want to do and God's not going to punish you. You are the exception. And the scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 12, wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
#56 | 44:47 to 45:18 | cleaned
And Haman thought he stood, because he was the highest of the kingdom next to the king, but he fell. Haman the Agagite was hanged on his own gallows which he had built to hang Mordecai. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Esther chapter 7. Esther chapter 7. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 9. Esther 7 and verse 9, watch. And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standing in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him there on. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.
#57 | 45:19 to 46:18 | cleaned
Then was the king's wrath pacified. Wow. If you wish to be hanged on your own gallows, give into your flesh. Disobey the law of God. Live in misery and strife and envy and wrath and anger. Refuse to be a servant. Demand that everyone serve you. Demand that everyone bow to your whims and your needs and your desires and your ideology. But you just remember this. You reap what you sow.
#58 | 46:18 to 46:52 | cleaned
You take the position of pride and arrogance and haughtiness and superiority. And just see how well that will work out for you in the end. Those like Haman believe that they are to be honored regardless. Worshipped regardless. Believed regardless. Elevated regardless. Because of their insatiable pride and arrogance and haughtiness. And therefore they will attack those that disagree with them and they will attack those who will not bow to them and do them honor and homage and worship. Now, here's the point of the entire message.
#59 | 46:53 to 47:40 | cleaned
I want you to listen to me. This truth just demonstrates one very clear fact. We have lost, in Christendom, we have lost a servant's heart. We have lost a service disposition. We have lost the service attitude. We had rather dictate and demand than bow and serve. We are fleshly. And we follow the flesh. And we are so unlike the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me tell you. Let me just quote these passages. Matthew 20 verse 28.
#60 | 47:41 to 48:44 | cleaned
Even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. Jesus Christ did not come to be ministered unto. He came to minister. He said in Luke chapter 22 and verse 27, for whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth. It's not he that sitteth at meat, but I am among you as one that serveth. I'm among you as one that serveth. Jesus said I did not come to be ministered unto, but to minister. I came to give myself a sacrifice for others. I came to serve others.
#61 | 48:44 to 49:31 | cleaned
The Bible says in Romans 14 verses 17, 18, for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that doeth these things serveth Christ and is acceptable to God and approved of men. So the kingdom of God is not being waited on. But it's waiting on others. That's why in Hebrews 6 and verse 10 the Bible says, for God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love in that you have showed toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. How do you show love to God's name? You minister to the saints. You serve the saints. You serve each other. Do you realize something? The only way to serve others is to deny our flesh.
#62 | 49:33 to 50:22 | cleaned
You ever thought about that? Because our flesh wants to be served. Our flesh wants to be ministered to, and it's contrary to the flesh to become a servant and minister to others. The only way that we can become a servant like our Lord Jesus Christ is to deny our flesh. Let me tell you, Romans 8 verse 13, the Bible says this, For if you live after the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. You know what the word mortify means? It means to make dead. It's where we get the word mortician from. Mortuary. So he goes on to say, if you live after the flesh, you're going to die. But if you through the Spirit, if you by the Holy Spirit of God do mortify, make dead the deeds of the flesh, your pride, your anger, your wrath, your fleshly desires. If you make them dead, you shall live.
#63 | 50:24 to 51:28 | cleaned
And that's why I said in Colossians 3 and verse 5, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. Do you realize that pride is idolatry as well? Because we're wanting to take that which belongs to God. You remember that passage in Isaiah 42 in verse 8, when God says, I'm the Lord and my glory will I not share with another nor give my praise to graven images. God's not going to share his glory with us. We have to recognize something, folks, everything that we have, everything that we are, everything that we ever will be, everything we ever will have is only by the grace and mercy of God. Well.
#64 | 51:30 to 52:27 | cleaned
I want to answer one question that I will close. You're going to ask me this. How do I mortify the deeds of the flesh? How do I keep from being hanged on my own gallows? Well, the answer is found in Romans chapter 13 and verse 14, the scripture says, But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. And make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.
#65 | 52:29 to 53:06 | cleaned
Clothe yourself in his spirit and his attitude, in his words, in his actions, in his life. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. The problem is our flesh will not lie as quietly and as obediently on the altar as Isaac did. Our flesh will scream for deliverance and satisfaction. And we have to learn to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Ultimately, all of those who fight against God, all of those who live for their flesh, whether, you know, we can see a drunk lying in the gutter.
#66 | 53:07 to 54:04 | cleaned
Wallowing in his own vomit and filth, and we say, oh, I don't want anything like that. And that's repulsive to us. Do you realize the Pharisee in his self-righteousness and the man in his pride and haughtiness and arrogance is just as vile in the sight of God as a little drunk wallowing in his own vomit. And what we tend to do is this, we tend to want to mortify what we would call those evil, vile things. But we still want our pride. And the praise and recognition and the honor of man, and if we don't get it, we're like Haman. We're offended. Because we want people to bow to what we think and we want to be ministered unto and served.
#67 | 54:06 to 55:06 | cleaned
Rather than to be ministers and servants of others. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. And make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. If you do, you will ultimately be hanged on your own gallows. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We thank you, Father, for all that you've done for us. And we give thee praise and honor and glory.
#68 | 55:08 to 55:41 | cleaned
And we acknowledge and confess today everything we are, everything we have, everything we ever will be or ever will have is only by Your grace and mercy. You and You alone are God, and You deserve all honor, all praise, and all glory. And we bow before Thee today and render unto Thee worship and homage and honor. For Thou art the Creator, Thou art the Lord, Thou art the Sovereign, Thou art the Master, and we recognize Thee and bow before Thee through Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and give Thee praise in Christ's name, Amen.
#69 | 55:42 to 56:26 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:46:25Z

Hanged on Your Own Gallows

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines the pride and self-exaltation of Haman in the book of Esther, tracing the fleshly desire to be one's own god back to the fall in Genesis 3. He shows that Haman, as an Agagite (Amalekite), embodies the flesh's defiance against God and its demand for worship. The sermon warns that giving in to pride, anger, and the lust for recognition leads to self-destruction—being hanged on one's own gallows—and calls believers to mortify the flesh by putting on Christ and adopting a servant's heart.

Opening

Introduction: The Flesh's Desire to Play God

Fallen man wants to be his own god, making his own law and seeking his own glory, a temptation originating in the Garden of Eden.

The Serpent's Temptation and Man's Self-Exaltation

Satan questioned God's word, denied His authority, and promised Adam and Eve they would be as gods, knowing good and evil for themselves.

The Tyranny of Self-Worship

When each man sees himself as god, anyone who opposes him becomes a devil, leading to a domineering, totalitarian spirit that demands worship.

Haman: The Agagite and Amalekite Flesh

Haman, an Agagite (Amalekite), represents the flesh's hatred for God's people and its demand for honor, tracing back to Esau and Amalek's enmity with Israel.

The Flesh Attacks the Weak and Defies God

Amalek attacked Israel's feeble and weary, showing the flesh's tendency to strike when we are weak and its disregard for God.

Haman's Pride and Wrath Against Mordecai

Haman's fury at Mordecai's refusal to bow reveals his insatiable pride; he seeks to destroy all Jews because one man would not honor him.

The Flesh's Self-Destruction: Hanged on His Own Gallows

Haman was hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai, illustrating that pride and fleshly living lead to one's own ruin.

Application: Put on Christ and Mortify the Flesh

Believers must deny the flesh's demand to be served, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, or they will reap destruction.

Hanged on Your Own Gallows

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	101318153982
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion
Genre	Sermon
Date	2018-08-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 076: Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion — Chapter 7
Source Timed Segments	69

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Flesh's Desire to Play God: Fallen man wants to be his own god, making his own law and seeking his own glory, a temptation originating in the Garden of Eden.
The Serpent's Temptation and Man's Self-Exaltation: Satan questioned God's word, denied His authority, and promised Adam and Eve they would be as gods, knowing good and evil for themselves.
The Tyranny of Self-Worship: When each man sees himself as god, anyone who opposes him becomes a devil, leading to a domineering, totalitarian spirit that demands worship.
Haman: The Agagite and Amalekite Flesh: Haman, an Agagite (Amalekite), represents the flesh's hatred for God's people and its demand for honor, tracing back to Esau and Amalek's enmity with Israel.
The Flesh Attacks the Weak and Defies God: Amalek attacked Israel's feeble and weary, showing the flesh's tendency to strike when we are weak and its disregard for God.
Haman's Pride and Wrath Against Mordecai: Haman's fury at Mordecai's refusal to bow reveals his insatiable pride; he seeks to destroy all Jews because one man would not honor him.
The Flesh's Self-Destruction: Hanged on His Own Gallows: Haman was hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai, illustrating that pride and fleshly living lead to one's own ruin.
Application: Put on Christ and Mortify the Flesh: Believers must deny the flesh's demand to be served, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, or they will reap destruction.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

The origin of self-exaltation is the fall of man.

Satan tempted Eve by questioning God's word and promising that she could be like God, determining good and evil for herself.

Genesis 3:1-6 shows the serpent's subtlety: 'ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.'

Self-worship creates a tyrannical spirit.

When a person sees himself as god, anyone who disagrees becomes a devil, leading to a demand for total submission.

Sartre's quote: 'If I am God, then my neighbor is the devil.' Haman's wrath at Mordecai's refusal to bow.

Haman's identity as an Agagite reveals the flesh's enmity against God.

As an Amalekite, Haman inherited the ancient hatred for God's people, typifying the flesh's war against the Spirit.

Amalek was grandson of Esau, who despised spiritual things. God declared perpetual war with Amalek (Exodus 17:16).

The flesh attacks when we are weak.

Amalek struck the hindmost, feeble, and weary, showing the flesh's opportunistic and merciless nature.

Deuteronomy 25:17-18: Amalek 'smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee.'

Pride demands total destruction of those who refuse to honor it.

Haman's pride could not be satisfied with Mordecai's death alone; he sought to annihilate all Jews.

Esther 3:6: 'Haman sought to destroy all the Jews... even the people of Mordecai.'

The flesh sets a trap that destroys the sinner.

Haman built gallows for Mordecai but was hanged on them himself, illustrating the principle of reaping what one sows.

Esther 7:9-10: 'So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.'

Victory over the flesh comes by putting on Christ and mortifying the flesh.

Believers must clothe themselves with Christ's servant attitude and make no provision for fleshly lusts.

Romans 13:14: 'Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.' Romans 8:13: 'If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live.'

Scripture References

Esther 3:1-6: Introduction of Haman's promotion and his wrath at Mordecai's refusal to bow, leading to his plot to destroy all Jews.
Genesis 3:1-7: The fall of man: the serpent's temptation and the promise that they would be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Genesis 3:5: The serpent's lie that eating the fruit would make them as gods, knowing good and evil.
Isaiah 55:8-9: God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's; man must submit his mind to think like God.
Genesis 36:10-12: The genealogy of Esau, showing Amalek as his grandson through Eliphaz and Timna.
Hebrews 12:16: Esau is described as a fornicator and profane person who sold his birthright.
Exodus 17:8-16: Amalek's attack on Israel at Rephidim and God's declaration of perpetual war against Amalek.
Deuteronomy 25:17-19: God's command to remember Amalek's attack on the weak and to blot out his remembrance.
Esther 2:5: Mordecai identified as a Jew (Judean) of the tribe of Benjamin.
Psalm 83:2-8: A confederacy of nations, including Edom and Amalek, conspiring to destroy Israel.
Psalm 137:7: The children of Edom calling for Jerusalem's destruction.
Esther 5:9: Haman's joy turned to indignation when Mordecai would not stand or move for him.
Proverbs 21:24; 11:2; 16:18; 29:23: Verses on pride leading to destruction and shame.
1 Samuel 15:1-9: Saul's disobedience in sparing Agag and the best of the Amalekites.
2 Samuel 1:1-10: An Amalekite claims to have killed Saul and took his crown and bracelet.
Esther 7:9-10: Haman hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai.
Matthew 20:28: Jesus came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom.
Luke 22:27: Jesus said He is among them as one that serveth.
Romans 14:17-18: The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; serving Christ is acceptable to God.
Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5; Romans 13:14: Mortifying the deeds of the flesh and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Historical References

Jean-Paul Sartre: French philosopher who said, 'If I am God, then my neighbor is the devil' and 'Hell is other people,' illustrating the tyranny of self-worship.
Agag, king of the Amalekites: Sparred by Saul in disobedience to God's command, later hewed in pieces by Samuel.
Caligula: Roman emperor who wished the people of Rome had one neck so he could cut them all off with one blow, compared to Haman's rage.
Josephus: Jewish historian who identified Haman as an Amalekite.
Matthew Henry: Commentator who described Haman's pride and cruelty, and noted the ancient antipathy between Amalekites and Israel.
John Trapp: Commentator who said Haman 'swelled up like a toad and glowed like a demon' in his wrath.

Important Quotes

Hell is other people.

Sartre's statement illustrating the conflict that arises when everyone demands to be treated as a god.

Then was Haman full of wrath. He swelled up like a toad and glowed like a demon.

John Trapp's vivid description of Haman's prideful rage when Mordecai refused to bow.

The tendency of the flesh day and night is to act in defiance of God's rights.

Summarizes the flesh's constant rebellion against God's authority, as typified by Amalek.

Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof.

The key application verse: the remedy for fleshly pride is to clothe oneself with Christ and starve the flesh.

We have lost a servant's heart. We have lost a service disposition. We have lost the service attitude. We had rather dictate and demand than bow and serve.

Diagnoses the root problem in Christendom: a fleshly desire to be served rather than to serve like Christ.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways do we see the original temptation to 'be as gods' playing out in our own lives and culture today?

[Context]

The sermon traces the desire to be one's own god back to Genesis 3.

[Question]

How does pride manifest itself in our relationships when others do not give us the recognition or honor we think we deserve?

[Context]

Haman's wrath at Mordecai's refusal to bow illustrates the tyranny of pride.

[Question]

Why is Amalek a fitting type of the flesh, and how does understanding this help us in our spiritual warfare?

[Context]

The sermon explains Amalek's origin and his attack on Israel's weak.

[Question]

What does it mean practically to 'put on the Lord Jesus Christ' and 'make no provision for the flesh'?

[Context]

The application calls for mortifying the flesh and clothing oneself with Christ's servant attitude.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a servant's heart in a culture that constantly tells us to demand our rights and seek recognition?

[Context]

The sermon laments the loss of a servant's heart in Christendom.

Applications

Format deepseek deepseek-v4-pro structured study JSON | Source Commentary.net transcript enrichment

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T03:34:56Z