The Festival of Purim

 

 

 

Purim is one of the happiest, most fun-filled holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia qho qwew slated for extermination, suddenly found in a strange turn apparently of the wheel of “chance”that  their enemies couldn’t touch them, but they instead could legally wreak revenge on their enemies and exterminate them..

The story of Purim is told in the Biblical book of Esther.

 

The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. Esther was taken to the house of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, to become part of his harem. King Ahasuerus loved Esther more than his other women and made Esther queen, but the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity.

 

The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king.

 

Haman hated Mordecai because Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, so Haman plotted to destroy the Jewish people. In a speech that is all too familiar to Jews, Haman told the king,

 

 

The king gave the fate of the Jewish people to Haman, to do as he pleased to them. Haman planned to exterminate all of the Jews.

 

Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous thing for Esther to do, because anyone who came into the king’s presence without being summoned could be put to death, and she had not been summoned.

 

Esther fasted for three days to prepare herself, then went into the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman’s plot against her people.

 

The Jewish people were saved, and Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai.

 

Throughout history villain after villain have come to power and attempted to annihillate the Jews. In the 20th and 21st centuries there have been some deadly “Hamans” and each time God has miraculously acted. See Purim in the 20th and 21st centuries,

 

The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of God. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to God. Mordecai makes a vague reference to the fact that the Jews will be saved by someone else, if not by Esther, but that is the closest the book comes to mentioning God. One of the customs of Purim, besides sending food and gifts to friends and needy, is to dress up in costumes. A biblical reason for this custom is the above fact that the name of God is never explicitly mentioned in the Book of Esther. 

 

And yet history shows that God observes Purim even in the 20th and 21st centuries. See Purim in the 20th and 21st centuries. In the true, historical events narrated there, God is orchestrating events in a hidden fashion just as He did in the Book of Esther.

 

In Megillat Esther, His mighty hand of deliverance is hidden, dressed up in a story of political intrigue. This is prophetic for our day. Many Christians do not see the spiritual aspect behind today’s events in Israel. They only see politics. Many theologians and Bible teachers claim that today’s Israel has nothing to do with the Bible. They side with the Palestinians and berate Israel for holding on to their divinely-given territory. They are blind and cannot discern the hand of God or the spiritual realities involved. We thank God for the watchmen that He is raising up today! 

The Prince of Persia was the demonic power that Daniel was up against in prayer and fasting, the spirit principality which later inspired Haman to decree the annihilation of the Jewish people. Today the same principality is arising again and is fueling Ahmedinejad’s desire to wipe out Israel. This is the time for Esther to arise in cooperation with the wisdom of Mordecai.

The lesson in the Feast of Purim is that in the end the enemy of the Jews will be removed, Mordecai, representing the Jewish people, will be elevated and Esther, the Bride, will rule on the throne with the King! Esther is introduced as the daughter of Abihail. Abihail means “father of strength or might.” As born again people who make up the Bride we are sons and daughters of the Most High. And just like it was with Esther, the unknown ancestry of the Bride of Messiah is Jewish!

The secret to Esther’s success was the she listened to and submitted to the advice of her wise uncle, “Mordecai, the Jew.” “—she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.” (Est 2:20) Heeding the instructions of our true fathers, the Hebrew prophets and apostles, will be the mark of the overcoming Bride that will be elevated to the throne in the last days!

The destruction of the enemy forces coming against Jerusalem is according to Zechariah 12:9-10 connected to the outpouring of the Spirit of grace and supplication upon Israel.— But the victory will also bring about world wide revival. The Book of Joel says, “Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed. And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” (Joel 2:27-28) When the Eternal is glorified in Israel, then the Spirit is poured out on all people!

 

Finally, one important message that can be gained from the story is that God often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance, coincidence or ordinary good luck. That is why many Christians do not see the spiritual aspect behind today’s events in Israel. They only see politics. Many theologians and Bible teachers claim that today’s Israel has nothing to do with the Bible. They side with the Palestinians and berate Israel for holding on to their divinely-given territory. They are blind and cannot discern the hand of God or the spiritual realities involved. We thank God for the watchmen that He is raising up today! watchmen who identify with the Jews, as our Savior did. (Few know this, but the Name of God does occur in the book of Esther, in hidden form. Not once, but four times! And so intricately and perfectly that no doubt is left. It’s no coincidence, but a hidden presence, just like His intervention in the Esther story.)

 

Did the Savior celebrate Purim? I should think so indeed! 

Yes, Jesus did celebrate Purim.

 

For a fuller Synopsis, in the words of the Bible, click here.