FEAST OF PURIM
While not an appointed time commanded in the Torah,
Purim, (Feast of Lots), maintains a very significant place in G-d's
timetable.
Purim is based on the book of Esther, a story of a young Jewish girl
living in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Xerxes, identified also
as Achashverosh.
Raised by her older cousin Mordechai in the principles of Jewish law,
Esther was obedient to the God of Israel though living under pagan rule.
After the removal (traditionally viewed as the execution) of the
Persian queen Vashti, Esther was taken with other women into the household of
the King as trials for the position of the new Queen.
In due time, Esther was chosen and crowned by Xerxes.
More than the winner of a national beauty contest, Esther was a devoted
and wise Jewess who continued to obey Mordechai's instruction not to reveal
her Israelite heritage to the King.
Following the time of Esther's
installation, an official named Haman began to rise to power and was soon
exalted above all other officials.
It is recorded in the book of Esther that Haman was an Agagite, a line
of people which Israel's
first king, Saul, had been ordered by God to destroy centuries before.
Saul disobeyed, allowing the King of Agag to live for one more night
upon capture.
That night cost Saul his throne and resulted in a descendant--Haman--that
nearly cost the Jewish nation its life.
Haman became angry with the Jews and sought to end
their existence in the kingdom of Xerxes.
The Scriptures tell us that upon "casting
lots"
to determine a date for their annihilation, Haman went and received the King's
approval to execute his desires.
Mordechai, who daily sat at the King's
gate, refused to pay homage to "Prince"
Haman, irritating the King's egotistical adviser.
Why Mordechai refused to do so is not clear in the text, but he did so
every day that Haman paraded past.
Incensed, the Agagite ordered the construction of a gallows for his
Jewish enemy and was about to request permission of the King to hang him when
Xerxes revealed other plans.
Mordechai saved the King's life from a murderous plot and had never
been rewarded.
After being reminded of this while the King passed a near sleepless
night, and hearing that no honor had been conferred upon Mordechai for his
good deed, the King determined to pay Mordechai what was due him.
Haman himself was ordered to dress Mordechai in royal
robes, lead him through the city atop a horse the King himself rode, and
proclaim "so
shall be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor."
This, of course, only added insult to injury.
Before Haman could continue on his planned course for the destruction
of Mordechai, he was immediately escorted by guards to a banquet that Queen
Esther had prepared for his and the King's entertainment.
Esther and Mordechai had heard of the
decree and proclaimed a fast among all the Jews of Shushan for three days.
This became known as the Fast of Esther, which is still observed today
before the festival.
Concluding her fast, Esther prepared to admit herself
into the presence of the King while he was on the throne, to beg for a
reversal of Haman's
death sentence against her people.
Persian law forbade anyone from seeing the King uninvited under penalty
of instant death; and the queen had not been allowed to come before him for
the past month.
Yet, when he saw the queen, Xerxes held out his royal scepter to spare
her life.
She invited him and Haman to her feast, perhaps hoping to make the
heart of the king merry with a little too much wine.
At the second of these feasts, Esther
revealed her Israelite identity to the King, charging Haman with the murder he
intended for her family and her nation. With
this truth made known, the King promptly ordered Haman hung on the gallows he
had prepared for Mordechai.
However, Esther would not rest until she had obtained
another decree in Xerxes'
name that
the Jews be permitted to defend themselves against the King's army and all
their enemies.
According to Persian law, a royal decree was irrevocable; therefore,
the first decree against them could not be undone.
On the appointed day, the Jews throughout the entire
empire of Xerxes defended themselves and made, excuse the pun, a real killing.
They were permitted to plunder their enemies, which went on for two
days.
The Jews were victorious; they struck terror into the hearts of their
enemies, and many Gentiles became Jews--converted--for
fear of them.
In keeping with Torah law that all Agagites be destroyed, Esther
requested that not only Haman but also his ten sons be hung as well.
Haman's
house and position were then bestowed on Mordechai, in an incredible twist of
fate that only G-d could have accomplished.
TRADITIONAL OBSERVANCE OF THE FEAST OF LOTS
Over time, various customs have evolved surrounding the
observance of Purim.
One custom is to read the book of Esther and celebrate with foods such
as hamentaschen (a tri-cornered pastry).
During the reading of Esther, all present make certain noises at the
mention of each of the main characters.
For instance, Xerxes'
name is celebrated with a loud "Long
live the King!"
Esther's
name is punctuated with an admiring "Ahhh."
Mordechai is honored with excited shouts of "Hurray!"
and the like.
The obnoxious noisemaking graggers traditionally
associated with Purim are reserved for Haman, accompanied with shouts of "Boo!"
in an attempt to drown out his name.
Some even say "Cursed
be Haman"
and "Blessed
be Mordechai."
Sometimes plays are staged with costumes
using all the characters for the children in the group, although some strict
religious circles frown on this. Also,
sometimes traditional and just as often frowned on, is that Purim would not be
complete without drinking, during which,
one becomes so inebriated they cannot tell the difference between the names of
Mordechai and Haman. Of course,
with all traditions one must be careful to follow the Scriptures as a guide
for determining what is appropriate and what is not.
Another tradition is based on Esther 9:19, that it
should be a day of feasting and gladness, a day of sending gifts or "portions"
to each other.
Thus, it is traditional to give away baskets of food, etc, as these "portions."
It is also customary to give charity (tzedekah) to at least two needy
individuals.
PROPHETIC
SIGNIFICANCE OF PURIM
Mordechai and Esther ordered that the
time of Purim be observed as a festival throughout all generations as a
remembrance of the victory G-d won for the Jews.
Although G-d is never directly mentioned in the book of Esther, His
divine hand is undeniably seen orchestrating one of the greatest dramas in
Jewish history.
Since that time, "descendants"
of Agag and Amalek have risen repeatedly.
We saw one of them perhaps most memorably in Adolf Hitler.
He was not, however, the last of the plotting anti-Semites who
determined to erase the memory of G-d's
people.
The book of Revelation records that another like Haman, only worse, and
like Hitler, only worse, will rise against the people of HaShem in a final
effort to destroy them.
Just as Haman had the power and seemed to be on the verge of success,
so it will be for this future Haman, the antichrist.
HaShem's
victories lend much emphasis to a pattern of 3's;
Haman, the first major anti-Israelite protagonist failed.
Hitler, the second, failed.
The antichrist, though he may be the closest of all of them, he will
ultimately fail.
Three strikes and the spirit of Haman is out.
From the three great campaigns against the Jews, each Jewish
victory was greater than the previous one.
In Persia, we saved our people and plundered the enemy.
Though our people lost much, perhaps needlessly, during Hitler's
campaign, we rose like the Phoenix from the ashes.
We did not just save the rest of our people; we returned to our homeland
and established the state of Israel.
In the future, the losses will be much greater than ever before; yet our
gain will also be the greatest.
G-d promises to fight for Israel when everyone turns against her and He
promises that the Bride of Messiah will be victorious--something never
completely accomplished in history of the congregation.
Jerusalem will once more be the capital of the King, Yeshua.
In addition, the spirit of Agag will forever be destroyed.
In reality, the story of Esther is not about the
triumph of the human spirit.
Though Esther and her people did indeed triumph in a battle that should
have cost them their lives, it was about the covenant faithfulness of HaShem--the
triumph of His Spirit.
When His people are cursed, it is an insult to Him.
When they prosper spiritually and physically, it gives Him glory.
Yet Haman's
and Hitler's
plan was just as much part of G-d's
design as was the winning of the battle for Israel.
When we are in tribulation, He receives the greatest glory because He
promises to save those who are His.
It is only in tribulation that we truly triumph, that we are tested,
toughened, polished, and purified.
That is precisely why G-d will not
rapture His people before the coming Tribulation.
The body of Messiah must be victorious, or He will not come back to a
spotless bride. What kind of glory
would He get if He did not have this time to fight for us as never before, to
show Himself strong and faithful to His promises?
It is not about human glory or stamina;
it is about the grace and salvation of G-d.
That is the lesson of Purim, the reason why, millennia later, we continue
to re-enact and recall these events that attest to His faithfulness and
provision.