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The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble.Proverbs 4:19
Narcissists (aka those with insolent pride) stumble alot (see here), Their stumbling often prevents them from making much progress in their self-exalting goals. But even if a narcissist manages to achieve or maneuver his way to a top position, his insolent pride can still blind his judgment to the point of making a fatal mistake (See “They Have Poor Judgement”).
In our final post about Haman for awhile, we clearly see this. Once he had been promoted to the king’s right hand man, Haman thought he was invincible. As a result, he felt he was free to destroy the entire population of Mordecai’s ethnicity, the Jews, with no consequences to himself.
3 After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him. All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage.
Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
Esther 3:1-6
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Once Queen Esther learned of Haman’s plot, she risked her life to expose it to the king directly in front of Haman. God was opposed to Haman and his plot, and allowed Esther’s unique position as Mordecai’s relative to remain concealed. In his blind pride, Haman took it as an honor, rushing forward toward his own demise.
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7 So Esther replied, “My petition and my request is: if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says.”
9 Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.
11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am nvited by her with the king.
13 Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.
Esther 5:7-13
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Haman in his pride could not see what was unfolding before him, and took Esther’s invitation as a sign to INCREASE his move against Mordecai and have gallows constructed. Little did he know that in God’s sovereignty he was actually constructing his own gallows. Proverbs says it this way:
He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.Proverbs 26:27
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It’s NOT KARMA, which is a concept from Hinduism and Buddhism. It is God demonstrating what He says in Deuteronomy 32:35, Hebrews 10:30, and Romans 12:19
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“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Romans 12:19
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While they previously encouraged Haman in his vain pursuit of Mordecai, when things began to unravel, Haman’s wife and friends could see – even before he could recognize it – that he was standing on a slippery slope and about to fall hard.
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said.” So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.”
12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered. Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.” Esther 6
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In Haman’s pride, or hubris, his move to dominate led directly to his demise – and in his blindness did not see it coming.
God uses “extreme examples” when He really wants to make a point. The story of God thwarting evil Haman’s intentions on behalf of His people is one of the clearest examples in the Bible of how God can and will defend His people from attacks by narcissists who operate from insolent pride. Haman did not see it coming. But it’s also interesting to note that Esther and Mordecai were simply trying to defend against Haman’s evil plan, and also did not foresee that God would execute complete judgment against the wicked Haman.
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Please see here for initial steps on how to know God personally.