Thursday – March 24, 2016
From 6 pm on the 23rd of March through 6 pm the 25th of March is the two day Hebrew Holiday of Purim or Feast of Lots. Purim is a celebration of God’s deliverance of the Jewish people once again from evil. This account of the goodness of God to His people, the Jews, takes place about 478 BC. The Medes and Persians are ruling much of the known world as shown by the map. The map is courtesy of; www.freebibleimages.org.
Esther and her uncle, Mordecai, both Jews, are taken captive from Jerusalem to the capital of this empire called Susa (Shushan) by King Ahasuerus. By a series of events Esther a Jew, becomes the Queen of this empire. Haman a chief prince of the Kingdom conspires to kill all of the Jews due to Mordecai’s disrespect. Persia which is modern day Iran was involved in this plot to destroy the Jews and remains committed to the extermination of the Jews to this day. Mordecai becomes aware of the order of King Ahasuerus at the urging of the Chief Prince Haman to eliminate the Jews from the Kingdom so he strongly encourages Queen Esther to take a dangerous action. I know you will recognize the the following familiar admonition that was delivered from Mordecai to Queen Esther.
Esther 4:14-16 (KJV)
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Bold added)
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Through a series of rather dangerous maneuvers for that time and place Esther brings the true intent and the reality of this plot to kill all the Jews to the attention of her husband, King Ahasuerus. King Ahasuerus is enraged and in the picture to the left you can see Haman begging Queen Esther for his life. At the command of King Ahasuerus Haman and his ten sons are hanged on the gallows Haman intended for Mordecai. Mordecai was promoted and the order was given that the Jews were free to kill those that had previously sought to kill them. Then a great feast was instituted by Queen Esther and Mordecai, who was now the chief prince of the Kingdom, and the Jews celebrate this feast to this day, called Purim or Feast of Lots. This is not one of the feasts appointed of the Lord (Leviticus 23), this is a celebration instituted by the Jews much like Hanukah which acknowledges and gives thanks to God for delivering them once again.
Esther 9:20-22 (KJV)
20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,
21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,
22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.
The devil, that old serpent, has been seeking to kill all peoples since there were people. He has been most focused on the Jews since they are the line of Messiah (Jesus), their Messiah and ours. Now he is fighting on three fronts, the nations (heathen), the Jews, and the Church of God. As we watch events around the globe we are becoming increasing aware of the increase in antisemitism. Simultaneously there is a huge effort to silence and eliminate the Church of God. The United States of America has been a safe haven and a defender of the Jewish people for centuries starting which the discovery of this land in 1492 which was simultaneous with the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. So the plot of Haman, inspired of the serpent, lives on and now includes the seed of Abraham which is Jesus and us, the Church in Christ Jesus. All of this has been fueled by the increasing wickedness in America and in the Church of God. Church awake, arise, and triumph in Jesus name!
By Pastor David R. Wood
