This is the time of year when parents become kids, kids become animals and animals become very confused!
It is the “funnest” festival on the Jewish calendar. Even though it is not one of the seven biblical festivals yet, it is so drenched with God’s work, that it is impossible to miss!
The feast of Purim is the annual celebration instituted by Mordechai and Queen Esther, to remember the miracle that God performed when He saved His people from certain, determined annihilation by the evil Hamman.
The event happened during the 70 year exile of Israel in Babylon. Hamman was a confidant of King Xerxes, the ruler of the Persian kingdom. By God’s Providence, Esther,a Jewess who’s Hebrew name was Hadassah, an orphan raised by her uncle, Mordechai, married the king.
Because of Mordechai’s devotion to God, he refused to bow to Hamman, which sent Hamman into a furious rage. He tricked the king into signing an edict, ordering the extermination of not only Mordechai, but all the Jews in the kingdom.
The king did not know that his own wife was a Jew as her uncle advised her to keep it secret. The fate of her people landed squarely in the lap of Esther. She called the Jews to fast with her and her maids for 3 days before she went to approach the king. No-one was allowed to approach the king unless summoned or if the king extended his sceptre towards that person when entering into his presence.
The brave Esther invited the king and Hamman to a special meal and exposed this evil plot and the mastermind behind it all. Hamman and his 10 sons were impaled on the gallows that he constructed for Mordechai.
Mordechai and Esther were given position second only to the king himself and they issued a decree that the Jews were able to defend themselves in the slaughter, and thus, they were not only saved, but had a great victory! Halleluya!
Haman was the accuser of the Jewish people then, Pharaoh was the accuser of the Jewish people in Egypt and Herod in Israel. God’s people has had many accusers throughout their history. Satan himself was the accuser of the righteous Job before God and he is still the accuser of the brethren today. Whenever and wherever there is a righteous person who are devoted to God, we always find an accuser lurking in the shadows.
It is despite this ever-present reality, and because of it, that the Lord has called us to stand.
In the face of despair, God calls us to stand.
In the face of darkness, He bids us ‘stand’.
Whether we face impossible obstacles or numbing fear, even in the face of death itself, we are called as believers in Yeshua, to stand.
And not only to stand, but to REJOICE!
There is no escaping for anyone.
There is no other way for us.
Mordechai very sternly warned Esther that if she would not go to the king,: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)
Thank God for the Mordechais of faith in our lives! Thank God that when we are weak, God ensures that there is someone nearby who is strong in the faith and who can pull us up by the bootstraps! Thank God for His faithful people who continue to remind us every day to fight the good fight! Thank God for faithful parents, teachers, pastors and mentors!
Sometimes we find ourselves in the position of an Esther where God brings us into positions ‘for a time such as this’ but our courage fails, our faith becomes shaky and we find the world oddly attractive. Esther’s uncle raised her and he knew her well. He understood the implications of what he was asking her to do and he knew her weaknesses.
By His grace, Esther submitted to God’s will, not knowing for certain the outcome. She did immediately what she knew to do and called her whole nation to fast with her for three days together with herself and her maids. I believe that this is the type of faith and prayer that God delights in. This is the type of devotion that Daniel’s friends also had when they were being thrown into the fiery furnace. They were confident that their God would save them and EVEN IF NOT, they would not bow the knee to Nebuchadnezzar.
Esther knew that she was in great danger of loosing her life, yet she obeyed. God brought everything to the light and the tables were turned. The strong became weak, the weak became strong, the humble was raised up and pride was brought low as all things were revealed.
This is the reason we dress up on Purim.
Because things are never as they seem.
As believers we know this all too well. The world does not recognise us but Scripture tells us that ‘creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.’ (Romans 8:19), and our eternal destiny far outweighs our current sufferings!
May we learn from this incredible drama, to trust God, to surround ourselves with Mordechais and submit ourselves to those in authority to us, to always be ready for battle and no matter what things may look like, to fast, to pray, to stand!
(If you haven’t done so lately, we encourage you to read this powerful little book again as the Jewish people will be doing this week, and pray that, as they hear yet again the story of God’s deliverance, God would open the eyes and ears of some, to see their salvation)
