New Festival: Purim
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Introduction
Introduction
2 Edicts of the King
Esther 3:13 (ESV)
13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
Edict of death for all Jews
Esther 8:11–12 (ESV)
11 saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods, 12 on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
Edict of defense for the Jews
13th of Adar
world(people) n. — all of the people of the world understood according to the place in which human beings live. (Biblical Sense)
Time to Fight (Defend themselves)
Time to Rest (Rest and Celebration)
“Esther 9:20–10:3 recounts the steps required to regularize the Festival of Purim. It is recorded in Esther as a legal Persian festival, observed by the Jews. The Purim festival celebrates the end of fighting, not the days of fighting. A combination of letters by Mordecai (vv. 20–28) and Esther (vv. 29–32) makes Purim a permanent festival. In Purim, a two-day festival is established, a celebration for every Jew (v. 20), wherever they may be. As it is prescribed in the book of Esther, Purim has no religious substance.” (Schmutzer, Andrew J. “Esther.” Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. Ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018. 295. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)
Establishment of Purim (9:20-32)
Establishment of Purim (9:20-32)
Purim: from Sorrow to Gladness (20-22)
Esther 9:20–22 (ESV)
20 And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, 22 as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
Letters from Mordecai
Obliging - to encourage v., to inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)
Purim was to be a celebration on the 14th and 15th day of Adar, yearly.
Purim
Month to remember when their Sorrow was turned into Gladness and Mourning into a Holiday. (22)
They were to gather for feasting in celebration. Gifts were to be sent to one another and to the poor.
Gifts - portion (meal) n., an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)
Esther 9:19 (ESV)
19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.
Reason for Purim (23-28)
Jews accepted Purim (23)
Esther 9:23 (ESV)
23 So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them.
Accepted - to agree (accord) v., to be in accord; be in agreement. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)
They had already started to do. (see 9:19)
Letter from Mordecai.
Haman’s Plot (24-25)
Esther 9:24–25 (ESV)
24 For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. 25 But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
Haman’s Plot of Evil (24)
Esther 9:24 “For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them.”
Haman is addressed as an enemy of all Jews.
His plan was the complete destruction of all the Jews.
He cast Pur to indicate the day he would fulfill his plan.
Haman’s Demise (25)
Esther 9:25 “But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.”
King later gave orders for the Jews to defend themselves that overturned the edict from Haman.
Haman and his 10 sons were executed on the Gallows.
Purim Named (26-28)
Esther 9:26–28 (ESV)
26 Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, 27 the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, 28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.
Named Purim (26)
Esther 9:26 “Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them,”
Same Hebrew word for Pur (Lot) - Purim (feast) n., a feast celebrating the deliverance that the Israelites experienced from a Persian threat; during the 13th through 15th days of the month of Adar. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)
Haman used a pur to decide when he would kill the Jews. Calling the celebration Purim would remind the Jews of this writing, the edict and what happened.
Writing from Mordecai. (vs 20)
The attempt of their enemies to kill them and God’s deliverance of them.
Letters of Authority (29-32)
Esther 9:29–32 (ESV)
29 Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim. 30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, 31 that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. 32 The command of Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.
Official Letter from Queen Esther and Mordecai.
Second letters are sent out with the official authority of the King.
Authority n., the power or right to give orders or make decisions (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)
“Esther’s royal status confirms what Mordecai wrote, granting her authority as a coauthor. Purim is the first non-Torah festival, and Queen Esther’s letter contributed to the legitimacy of Purim.” (Schmutzer, Andrew J. “Esther.” Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. Ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018. 297. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)
Authority of the King, Queen and Mordecai
9:30 peace and truth Esther and Mordecai’s letter is specifically about peace—in juxtaposition to the edict issued before about coming battle (8:10–11)—and about the truth of what has occurred (or the truth that a holiday of commemoration is needed). (Barry, John D. et al. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016. Print.)
"with regard to their fasts and their lamenting."
“Commentators come to differing conclusions about the practices of fasting and lamentation. Some maintain that this authorized certain fasts in the past (Zch 8:19) that were not commanded by the law but had become part of Jewish practice. But it is more likely that it stipulated a commemorative fast modeled on the time when the Jews mourned, fasted, and lamented (Est 4:3) after hearing of Haman’s edict.” (Anderson, Carl R. “Esther.” CSB Study Bible: Notes. Ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017. 759. Print.)
“as … with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. The Jews were to take their obligation to observe the joyful Feast of Purim just as seriously as they had already accepted their obligation to observe days of fasting and weeping (Lev. 16:29–31; Zech. 7:3; 8:19).” (Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008. Print.)
“It seems unlikely that fasting became part of the annual commemoration at that time, though a fast was observed by the Jews at Purim in the medieval period. Nevertheless fasting is a major theme of the book, so there is good reason for expecting that it would feature in the recapitulation of the concluding section, at least in passing.” (Baldwin, Joyce G. Esther: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 12. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1984. Print. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries.)
Exaltation of Mordecai (10:1-3)
Exaltation of Mordecai (10:1-3)
High Honor from the King (1-2)
Esther 10:1–2 (ESV)
1 King Ahasuerus imposed tax on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. 2 And all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honor 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?
Esther 10:2 (NET 2nd ed.)
2 Now all the actions carried out under his authority and his great achievements, along with an exact statement concerning the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia?
Similar to the conclusion statements of the Kings of Judea and Israel.
Summary of the greatness of King Ahasuerus including the high honor of Mordecai.
Mordecai’s love of the Jews (3)
Esther 10:3 (ESV)
3 For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.
Fame of Mordecai among the Jews. (3a)
important adj., of great significance or value. - “Highest-ranking” NET (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)
to be popular v., to be or become regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public. (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)
Mordecai’s continual work for the Jews. (3b)
Esther 10:3 (NET 2nd ed.)
3 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. He worked enthusiastically for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of all his descendants.
“While Esther intervened courageously once, Mordecai was an ongoing intermediary. Like Joseph before them, they both brought shalom (“welfare”) to a complex international setting.” (Schmutzer, Andrew J. “Esther.” Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. Ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018. 298. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)
Lessons from the Book of Esther.
Lessons from the Book of Esther.
God is faithful to His promises and His covenant people.
Whether the Jews were in their homeland or in exile, God was faithful to his covenant promise to them. Although the Jews went through some very difficult and scary times, God showed himself faithful to them by rescuing them from destruction.
Although we may not see when or how God is active in our times of trouble, we can be confident in the midst that God will be there for us.
Examples of faith. (Esther and Mordecai)
Integrity and God honoring lifestyles
We saw in Esther and Mordecai, two people who loved the Lord and sought to honor Him through the way they lived their lives in exile and through the decisions they made.
We can see in Mordecai and example of trusting the Lord in the midst of his enemy (Haman) and did not compromise in his lifestyle even when Haman was present.
Seek the Lord in difficult times.
When Esther and Mordecai were faced with the edict of Haman, they sought to do something about it. The first thing they did was to seek the Lord through fasting and prayer.
When we are faced with difficult decisions or situations, Do we seek the Lords guidance and wisdom?
Trust the Lord when it’s time to act.
When the time came to go before the King, Esther did not cower, but went before the King humbly. Esther trusted the Lord to accomplish His will in the midst of her faithful actions.
2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 (NET 2nd ed.)
11 And in this regard we pray for you always, that our God will make you worthy of his calling and fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Celebrate the goodness and deliverance of God.
The Jewish people rested and celebrated the day after God delivered them from their Enemies.
Do we take the time to celebrate what God has done and His continual provisions in or lives?