Esther 9:6

Eshter 9:6 says. And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.  This verse and the next few verses tell us of the people who were destroyed by the Jews.  As followers of Christ, we don't need to list the non-believers that we have destroyed but the number of those who we have reached with the gospel instead.  Our calling will never be to destroy them, even though we might at times have to fight against them if they are trying to destroy us and God’s word.

Verse seven adds, And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, 

Verse eight continues, And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, 

Verse nine states, And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, 

Verse ten adds, The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand. 

Verse eleven continues, On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.  After the death of these men, the number of those killed in Shushan palace was brought to King Ahasuerus.  He had given them permission to defend themselves, but he still wanted to know how many people had been killed in the process.  Among those killed were the ten sons of Haman, the enemy of the Jews.  This was all done in self-defense.  They did not take the spoils even though they had been authorized to do so by the king.  We certainly shouldn't destroy our enemies in order to enrich ourselves.  If we do have to destroy them, it should only be in self-defense and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  We should never do so out of anger at the person and for our own enrichment. 

Verse twelve says, And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.  Ahasuerus noted to Esther how many people had been killed in the palace including the ten sons of Haman, but he wasn’t angry with her.  He simply asked how many had been killed in the rest of the country and then asked Esther what else she wanted.  If we have to kill someone who is trying to kill us, especially if that is because we are Christians, I don’t believe that God is going to be angry with us, unless we begin to attempt to enrich ourselves in the process. 

Verse thirteen adds, Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.  Esther requested that the sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows as their father had.  Since we are told that the sons of Haman had been killed, this was a sign to those who opposed the Jews of their power I believe.  I don’t believe that we today as Christians will ever be justified in doing such a thing.  We are not called to have the world fear us nor to humiliate those who don’t. 

Verse fourteen continues, And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.  The king agreed with Esther’s request, and the bodies of the ten sons of Haman were hanged on the same gallows as their father had been, the one he had built to hang Mordecai on.  One day, those who do not believe in Jesus Christ and work to destroy His people will be sent away to everlasting punishment and I believe they will also feel the humiliation of their choice.