Purim 2022
(Lots)

You can find Purim at the end of the book of Esther (verses 9:18-32). It is a story of how the Hebrews have continually been put in harm’s way (due to their own disobedience), only to be rescued just in the nick of time. Haman (Haw-mawn), a wicked Agagite who hated the Hebrews because of a 500-year-old generational hatred, conspired to destroy them. But because Haman was under the King, and Esther was married to the King, she beseeched the favor of the King to save her people, under very great fear for her own life. And of course, just when it appears as if all is hopeless, God uses the King to save His people.

The story of Esther is the fundamental example of how God works in our lives––just when the situation seems completely and inevitably impossible, unbearable and hopeless, God steps in as our Savior (Yeshua). Keep in mind that these situations only come about when we are disobedient to God’s Way (Torah).

The story of Esther was the first attempt at genocide, and the way it was thwarted was nothing less than miraculous. God is seemingly absent in this story, but the Hebrews were sort of still in exile, so they feared that God had rejected them, and were no longer His Chosen People. All looked hopeless to God’s people in the natural, just as it has each time someone has tried to annihilate the whole race of the Hebrews during, and since that time.

Ordinarily God would not allow a Hebrew to marry a Persian, but in this case God planned the whole thing. Esther is divinely maneuvered into the position of Queen, married to the King of Persia––a man who had recently demonstrated that he would not help the Hebrews for he was the one who halted the rebuilding of the Second Temple (Ezra 4:6-24).

But God used this impossible situation in order to glorify Himself––as Queen, Esther was in the unique position to save her people from annihilation. God used her to stand in the gap for His people. But it wouldn’t be a simple task, because God was expecting Esther, being in the position to beseech the favor of the king, to also risk her life in order to save her people.

Yeshua is the God of our Salvation––our God is Who saved the Hebrew people from annihilation, under seemingly impossible odds––exactly the way God likes to do things (so we will know Who is the One Who saved us)––because of mankind’s chronic disobedience, this is the only way to show the rest of the world His Sovereignty and Glory. The event described in Esther was the miqra for all the times that the Hebrew people have faced impending destruction, only to be saved from annihilation in the very last second––and their Salvation was none other than Yahweh Yeshua (Yahweh, our Salvation).

Purim is the result of what was a typical event for the Hebrews: many men throughout history have tried to annihilate the Hebrews, and the evil Haman was one of many, but the first to be recorded to try just that. God allowed this event because the Hebrews were in disobedience––they had been released from their exile and were told to return to Jerusalem, but most of them did not. Interestingly, this always seems to be the case and it always results in a Jacob’s Trouble for the Hebrews.

Esther is also the miqra for the end of times, for Yeshua will one last time save His people from the brink of annihilation (from the muslims this time). And He will reveal Himself to them as their Salvation––their Yeshua!

Yeshua has fulfilled this festival numerous times, and He will again at the end of the age. However, it will be a little different this last time because the whole world is in trouble (and in disobedience to God and His Word). It will however, end the same way––just in the nick of time, God will save His creation!

Celebrating Purim
• Purim is a two day (verses 9:21 & 27) celebration of the saving of the Hebrew people from annihilation. It is the second joyous and festive holiday of the year (Sukkot/Tabernacles being the first). As a part of the festivities, gifts of food (possibly gift baskets of food) are given to each other and to the poor (Esther 9:22). In Israel Purim is the main gift-giving holiday, and it is a celebration of Life and Salvation––which is of course Yeshua!

• For those still celebrating the pagan holiday of Christmas (as it is not in the Bible), this would be a perfect replacement for the gift-giving. We give gifts to one another during Purim in celebration of Life and Salvation––Yeshua being both our Life and Salvation. Purim is most definitely a celebration of Yeshua!

• There should also be a special meal on both these days of celebration, as these are days of feasting (Esther 9:19). It would also be good to read the whole book of Esther.

• This day should also be about repentance, and then a joyous celebration of the goodness and mercy of God. Purim is two days long, so create some traditions that include Yeshua in your celebrations. This is not an Appointed Season of God, so there can be a little flexibility as long as we include Yeshua.