The Biblical month of Adar is from February 20^th through March 20^th on our Gregorian calendar.  This month is known to be a month of Joy and Celebration.  Adar means "exalted," "praised," "power," and "strength."  All around the world Jews, Messianic Jews, and Christians will be celebrating the feast of Esther which is known as Purim and falls on the 14^th of Adar or on the 4^rd of March this year.  For the purpose of understanding the details and “sweet manna that is hidden in plain sight” of this teaching and newsletter, I would suggest that you read the entire biblical account in the book of Esther first. 

Purim celebrates the brave intercession of Esther before the king of Persia, changing the king's decree, rescuing the lives of the Jews, and ending the life of Haman their enemy who was planning on the genocide of the Jews.  Esther had been encouraged by her cousin Mordechai not to keep silent about the knowledge given to her by Mordechai of Haman’s evil plan.  Esther stepped into history with a voice of conviction and a cause she was ready to die for. Let’s take a closer look at the providential placement, by the hand of God, of the players in this story.

The setting for this story is in Shushan or also known as Susa Iran.  It is said to be the eldest and grandest of cities, and the capital of the Persian Empire.  Many Jews settled here after the 70 year captivity rather than return to Jerusalem. 

 Ancient city of Susa in Iran

Modern day Susa Iran

Daniel the Jewish prophet was highly honored by the Persian King Darius and during the reign of Cyrus.  He was buried in Susa and Susa is where he had a vision of the four kingdoms that would arise and from one of these would come the evil king of the end of days, referred to as the anti-christ.  This vision is recorded in Daniel 8:2.

Entrance to the Tomb of Daniel

Introducing the players of this Purim Drama

King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) ruled the Persian Empire which included 127 provinces expanding south as far as India and Ethiopia.

The Persian King hated the God of Israel and yet the Lord used him to set the Jews free from Haman’s destructive plan.  King Ahasuerus, son of Darius I, was a tyrant and opportunist who was known to take bribes for the destruction of the Jews.  He was a descendant of Rameses II, the Pharaoh of Egypt during the Exodus, who arose from the dynasty that kept the Jews in enslavement for 400 years.  Now think about this... God used a descendant of Pharaoh to set the descendants of those enslaved by Pharaoh free in this historical event.

Queen Vashti was the wife of the king before Esther.  She was the daughter of King Belshazzar and the grand-daughter of king Nebuchandnezzer. When her father was murdered, Darius captured Vashti, spared her life and gave her to his son Ahasuerus in marriage. Vashti was beheaded because she refused to dance at the celebration Ahasuerus was having for his administration and subjects.  Tradition says that the king wanted her to dance naked to show off her beauty, however she refused. It is said that this was divine retribution because on Shabbat Vashti would force her Jewish maidens to work before her unclothed.

Esther was a Jewish orphan who lived with her cousin Mordechai who raised her as a daughter.  She kept her Jewish identity a secret after winning a beauty contest which would secure for her a prominent place in the palace as the wife of the King.  It is said of her that she appointed seven hand maidens; one for each day of the week.  This way she would always know which day was Shabbat.

Her reverence for God caused her to put aside her fears and approach the king even though the outcome may be the same as Vashti’s. However, she bathed herself in prayer first. It is apparent that Mordechai influenced her life.  Her Jewish upbringing taught her that to be silent about injustices is the same as participating in the crime, therefore she went before the king with the attitude of, “If I die, I die.”

Sound the Alarm!!!!!

"Blow you the trumpet in Zion,

and sound an alarm in my holy mountain:

let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:

for the day of the LORD comes,

for it is near at hand" Joel 2:1

 Pray for America!

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peacable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (Yeshua) 

1 Timothy 2:1-5

Haman the Amalekite was the Prime Minister of the Persian Empire and direct descendant of King Agag.  King Saul disobeyed God and did not destroy all of the Amalekites as he was commanded to do by God.

This act of disobedience of leaving King Agag alive caused Israel problems for centuries. Tradition says that the night before Samuel killed king Agag, the king slept with a maiden who then gave birth to the ancestor of Haman. 

Israel first encountered the Amalekites during their wilderness journey.  As Aaron and Hur helped Moses hold up the rod of God, Joshua led the army and they were able to defeat the Amalekites as long as the rod of God was lifted high.

Hillel Ben David said that since “Amalek was the first nation to attack Israel and that it sets the blueprint for everything that is to follow.”  As it is in the beginning so shall it be at the end. 

Anywhere you find hatred of the Jew and of Israel, you find the spirit of Amalek.  Moses records that the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Mordechai was according to the Septuagint an attendant in the king’s court.  He is also identified in the Talmud as a member of the Sanhedrin and the Chief Rabbi in Susa.  As a member of the Sanhedrin he would have been required to speak 70 languages. 

This skill saved the king’s life, because Mordechai was undetected at the gate when he overheard the plotting to kill the king in a language other than his own.  Mordechai was a descendant of King Saul and from the tribe of Benjamin just as King Saul was. 

The fact that Mordechai refused to bow before Haman is what put all the events of this drama into motion.  You see it would have been unthinkable for anyone from the tribe of Benjamin to bow to an Amalekite. 

As the head Rabbi of the city he would have understood the promise of God to war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.

He would never bow down; instead this was his chance as a descent of Saul and from the tribe Benjamin to finish the job that had been assigned to his tribe.

The Gallows

The plot of Haman to destroy the Jews backfired; instead he and his 10 sons were hung on the gallows, fulfilling God’s promise to war against the Amalekites from generation to generation. The Purim drama becomes even more intriguing with the background information of each player placed in Susa by the hand of God for such a time.   You may want to re-read the account in the bible with this information in mind.

History records the preservation of the Jews through the mighty Hand of God as He raises up His Champions for the cause of defeating the Haman’s of this world.  On March 3^rd just one day before the celebration of Purim this year, a Champion for the cause of preserving the Jewish Nation will be speaking before Congress.

Is Benjamin (named after the very tribe that was assigned to wipe out the Amalekites) Netanyahu our modern day Esther or Mordecai? I think that he is!  Pray for his safety and the safety of his family as he speaks out against modern day Persia, i.e. Iran and their nuclear capabilities.

There are many lessons that one can take away from the story of Esther for our own day.  Of the many I would like to focus on just three.

1.  Have the right kind of fear.  Fear God and not man.

2.  We must never be silent about injustice…to do so is to contribute to the crime.

3.  God was faithful to fulfill His promise, therefore we can trust Him to fulfill those promises that are yet to be fulfilled.

So be joyful and celebrate!  If God is for us, who can be against us?

Purim in Israel

MARANATHA

COME

LORD JESUS!

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Be Blessed!

Rev. Marjorie