Men of the Bible Series - Mordecai didn't give into pressure.
Esther 3:1-2 Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire.
2 All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.
Esther 6: 1 That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. 2 In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.
3 “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked. His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”
Esther 10: 1 King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire, even to the distant coastlands. 2 His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia. 3 Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.
Mordecai - A Benjamite, son or descendant of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish. He brought up Esther, his uncle's daughter, and adopted her as his own daughter after the death of her parents. Later Mordecai had become a palace official. Mordecai was among the Jews that were taken into exile
During the time of King Nebuchadnezzar, David and his friends got in a lot of trouble for not bowing down, well here's proof that history repeats itself, once again the issue of bowing down and showing respect to someone other than God comes up.
This time the Jews are in exile to the Persians and the king's right hand man gets a promotion. Haman can't stand that Mordecai is loyal to God and will not bow down to him. Over and over again Mordecai was asked to comply but he didn't back down.
Mordecai proved himself faithful time and again. He proved his loyalty to God, to the king (Esther 2:21) and after he was elevated to a high position he was still loyal to his people (Esther 10:3).
Help me Lord to stand in the times of adversity and be found faithful to you.
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