Haman was cursed. He attempted to exterminate the Jews in ancient Persia by political intrigue and maneuver. But the story of the Book of Esther relates his cursed end. He was hung on the gallows that he had constructed for Mordechai. This was a consequence that reflected G-d's curse on those who seek to bring the curse on Abraham (and his descendants): "....And I will curse him that curses you" (Genesis 12:3 Tanakh JPS). Haman was cursed of G-d, because he tried bring the curse of extermination upon the Jews.

This curse by hanging is related to the text of Scripture in the Law (Torah) that speaks of the just judgement on heinous crimes. "If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God" (Deuteronomy 21:22-23 NKJV). This hanging was a public display of the curse. Sin that merited capital punishment was done by stoning, then the guilty person's dead body was hung on a tree, displayed for all to see.

There is another aspect of the curse that was shown by hanging, this was the public impalement of captured soldiers by enemy nations. The Torah warned about the danger of a national departure from ethical living and from G-d by idolatry.¹ There is in the Torah progressive levels of the curse from G-d for disobedience to the Law. Progressive judgements followed the increasing levels of the curse. Next to the last level of progressive judgement was the conquest of Israel by enemies. Following that was the "last straw" judgement, which was exile into foreign lands as slaves.



In the time of king Hezekiah around 700 BCE, Judah had gotten near to the level of the exile judgement. One of her major defense cities, Lachish, was brutally conquered by the Assyrians. One of their methods in siege warfare was to impale (hang) their enemies on stakes. This was a warning about the curse in the Law that Judah was in danger of being taken into exile. However, the final judgement was averted because Hezekiah's heart was right in the sight of Adonay and the reforms that he initiated brought a measure of Teshuvah (repentance) and revival of faith in the land. The Assyrians were miraculously defeated by an Angel sent from Adonay.

One of the most famous hangings of all related to the curse was the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth on the Tree. The cross is called a "tree" in the New Testament for good reason. It was meant to reflect back to the curse for heinous crimes mentioned in the Law. This curse is clarified in the New Testament by Paul: "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'" (Galatians 3:13 NKJV).

Mel Gibson's new movie "The Passion of the Christ" attempts to show how horrific the experience of crucifixion was. The physical suffering on screen is able to expand the viewer's horizon about His great affliction. But the greater suffering occurred on the cross when God the Father turned His back on Jesus and allowed Him to be separated and totally alone. This was a result of the curse that the Savior received in order to make the atonement for the sins of the entire world. That curse came because of our violation of the Torah, but He received it in order to satisfy the righteous demands of the Law.

It was the prophet Daniel who described that event by his prophecy: "....the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary" (Daniel 9:26 NASB ) Before the Romans were to destroy the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple in 70 CE the Messiah was to be "cut off," which is descriptive of execution for heinous crimes. The phrase "have nothing" was when He was left to suffer alone by the Father. Jesus hung on the cross for the curse of the broken Law, He was innocent, but took our guilt. God judged our sin in Jesus. He lost everything that we might gain everything. The proof that the atonement was completed is the resurrection. He rose from the dead. Death could not keep Him. Because of this the power of sin can be broken in your life and His resurrection life can make you new inside.

¹ Deuteronomy 28 & Leviticus 26

Click here: How to be saved.