Esther.6

Celebrating Deliverance: The Feast of Purim

Bible Passage: Esther 8, Esther 9, Esther 10

Summary: The passages recount the establishment of the Feast of Purim as a celebration of the deliverance of the Jews from a plot to annihilate them, showcasing the joy brought about by God's deliverance and faithfulness.

1. Trading Places

Esther 8:1–8 “1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman. 3 Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, 5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?” 7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. 8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.””

As we finish the Book of Esther this week let us reflect on great deliverance of the Jews under Mordecai and Esther, the significant consequences to the Persians, and the feast of Purim.

There are two things to notice in this passage; one, that Haman’s ring is now given to Mordecai. The second thing is the extent of Queen Esther’s plea to the king. She uses a lot of hyperbole in conversing with the king. She was surely seeking to make this an easy decision for him. One reason might be that the king would have been embarrassed, having issued an order to kill the Jews he would now be publicly trying to rescind it. A second reason is that in order to change a law he had to break the law by transferring the ring the new law.

The language, “if it pleases the king” becomes, “as you please, in the king’s name” shows how committed King Ahasuerus is to Queen Esther.

2. Mordecai Issues a Letter of Protection

Esther 8:9–17 “9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds. 11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, 12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in Shushan the citadel. 15 So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor. 17 And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.”

Esther chapter 8 finds Mordecai in the service of the king and issuing a proclamation to protect the Jews.

The decree that Mordecai wrote, included the Jews being also informed because there was a special provision for them. They were given permission to protect themselves. The first decree was still law and not totally of none effect. This second decree gave the Jews permission to defend themselves.

Mordecai’s decree used the same language as Haman’s, just in reverse. The words that Mordecai used would allow the Jews to defend themselves even against women and children. It was not meant to be a permission to kill women and children indiscriminately.

The Jews were filled with joy, a feast was inevitable. Proverbs 11:10 “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.” Many of the people started to re-examine who are these people called Jews. Before they were overlooked, now they were being looked over and many joined them.

Reversals are the theme of Esther. The common is made great. The persecuted are lifted up. The rough was is made smooth and the glory of the Lord revealed.

Isaiah 40:3–5 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.””

There is an unusual paradox in the church in that we are called to greatness and told to achieve it in humility.

Mordecai was raised up from being persecuted to taking Haman’s place as ruler under king Ahasuerus.

3. Same Date - Different Result

Esther 9:1–17 “1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. 2 The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, because fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent. 5 Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them. 6 And in Shushan the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha— 10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews—they killed; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. 11 On that day the number of those who were killed in Shushan the citadel was brought to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done.” 13 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman’s ten sons. 15 And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. 16 The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. 17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.”

The Book of Esther continues with the conclusion of the defence of Israel and it’s aftermath. The 10 sons of Haman were killed. The Queen directed the defence of Israel and proactivly dispatched those who could plot revenge.

When the date of Haman's massacre took place the Jews reversed it and defended themselves 75,000 people lost their lives. It is important to notice that the Jews did not take the plunder. Their action was defensive in nature. It was not intended to be a war for plunder or profit.

For Christians there is a distinction between descriptive and prescriptive sections of the Bible. O.T. describes many situations but N.T. prescribes grace and love.

Vengeance and killing are descriptive and not prescriptive for the church.

Illustrate Elizabeth Elliot’s life in Ecuador. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to get what he cannot lose” Jim Elliot did not defend himself but gave everything.

Even if it were as here self defense.

The reversal complete and Israel safe, the celebrated with thanksgiving and feasting.

4. Joyous Jubilant Celebration

Esther 9:18–32 “18 But the Jews who were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day, as well as on the fourteenth; and on the fifteenth of the month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar with gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and for sending presents to one another. 20 And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, 21 to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, 22 as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor. 23 So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them, 24 because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them, and had cast Pur (that is, the lot), to consume them and destroy them; 25 but when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 So they called these days Purim, after the name Pur. Therefore, because of all the words of this letter, what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would join them, that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year, according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time, 28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants. 29 Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews, to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 31 to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them, and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting. 32 So the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book.”

The word pur is the Persian word for lot. It represents the lot that Haman cast to determine the Jewish date of destruction. The date, determined by the lot, would be known as Purim.

Esther 3:6–7 “6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai. 7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.”

Today Purim is a holiday with both religious and festival themes. In the synagogue there is the reading of Esther with the customary response at the name of Haman, the villain. Outside there is costumes, partying, feasting, exchanging of gifts. It is customary to deliver shalach manot—gifts of fruit, hamantashen (triangular-shaped cookies), and candy—to friends and neighbors. Yet despite the carnival atmosphere, the festival carries deeper significance, reflecting the threat of annihilation described in Esther and the persecutions Jews have endured throughout history.

5. Exalted Everlasting Influence

Esther 10:1–3 “1 And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea. 2 Now all the acts of his power and his might, and the account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.”

The conclusion to the Book of Esther focuses on Mordecai and the level to which he was raised up. To the Jews who read this book it is proof that even in captivity God is on the throne working all things for good. Protecting them when they did not even know it. It is the story of divine reversals:

Queen Ashti was dethroned and Esther, a Jewess, chosen and raised up to deliver her people.

Haman, once a Vizier, was brought low with pride. Mordecai, once hated, was exalted and given Haman’s place.

The decree to kill the Jews was made right by a decree that allowed the Jews to destroy 75,000 of their enemies.

The day of destruction and mourning turned into a day of celebration and rejoicing.

These things remind us God is on the Throne and He has a plan for good for His people