Purim

Esther and her Uncle Mordecai, appear to have been the two survivors of her family taken into Babylonian captivity by Nebuchadnezzar when Jerusalem was sacked. It was a horrible beginning to life: she lost both her parents to death, saw everyone and everything she had known and loved destroyed and burned by brutal men, and as a child she was carried away with the other Children of Israel to a horrible, strange but wealthy land where they lived as outcasts. Outside of their homeland, where they could worship freely, they lived in constant fear of a pagan society and pagan King, who would banish his Queen, Vashti, because she would not present herself before lewd men in the Palace. It was certainly not Esther's wish as a young Jewish girl to become the next queen of Persia, to live at the behest of such an unholy sovereign, but God's providential plan, would save the Jews and cause the Children of Israel to return to Jerusalem after 70 years because of the strategic placement of Esther and her Uncle, Mordecai in the kingdom of captivity.

Purim is the name of the feast that is celebrated to commemorate the victory via Esther and Mordecai of the Jews of Babylon over Haman and his armies, who had deceitfully tricked the King of Persia, Ahasuerus into allowing him to kill the Jews captive in Babylon in all provinces. Victory comes when Haman's plan is unveiled by Mordecai to Esther, and Esther, laying down her life for her fellow countrymen, obtains the King's favor, of a counter order allowing the Jews to arm and fight back, and obtaining the death by hanging of Haman on his own gallows intended for Mordecai. The celebration comes from the word 'purim' which has to do with the casting of lots.

Purim & The Messiah

The call for celebrating Purim is also in the end of the book of Esther, that the Jews always remember the day of deliverance from their enemies; the day that when all seemed lost, but a Certain Jew, arose, and a young Jewish maiden surrendered all and the Jews were delivered in captivity from their enemies not only in Shushan but through a kingdom which ranged from India to the Middle East. It is often noted that the word 'God' is never mentioned in Esther, but His sovereignty is so apparent that He infuses every other word. Brought to captivity as a child, Esther has no plans to become the wife of a pagan King. Nor would her devout Uncle Mordecai have ever wanted that for her. But providentially because of outward and inward beauty, and the King's men not knowing she was Hebrew, she rises above all choices to be Queen of Persia, during the Captivity in Babylon. Mordecai also gives a Messianic vision of a Jew 'taking Captivity Captive' and standing rightfully, but respectfully in the ancient Civil Disobedience of the Kingdom of God, refusing to bow to an earthly power, while respectfully praying for and obeying the righteous laws of man. It did not take an army to release Israel from Captivity, it took the action of one man, and a young Jewish sovereign who laid down her life even to death for her people, interceding and gaining victory for the Jews, the death of Haman on his own gallows and the paving of the way back to Jerusalem, back to the Promised Land, Canaan.

What a magnificent picture of the Messiah, a singular person, One with the Father, the Anointed or Holy One of Israel, a long awaited Sovereign who lays down His Life for His people, though they cannot see the act till later, bringing everlasting deliverance, and the fulfillment of every promise. Christians may celebrate both the great victory, the covenant Victory which God performs through Esther and Mordecai for His Chosen People, as well as the Great Celebration of Deliverance from Death, in the Cross and Resurrection, in this holiday slightly preceding Pesach. We can lift up the choosing of a King, the Meschiach, from a lowly birth, to reign nations, sovereign over the Jews, and even sovereign over Pagan Kings and Nations. We can celebrate the everlasting Covenant of Stars and Sand, the ever present gift of Deliverance to everlasting life, even when even when it seems hope is lost and deliverance is gone, when death and the end confront, a small twist of God's hand and the surrender of a servant brings everlasting Joy. Our Joy at Purim is the same as the Jews; our Joy at Purim in in the fullness of Christ.

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Est 9:17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

Est 9:20 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, Est 9:21 To stablish [this] among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,