Israels Purim Festival 2012

THE PURIM FESTIVAL

Also known as the Story of Esther this joyous holiday is celebrated by children and adults wearing fancy dress, giving gifts to the poor, feasting and getting somewhat drunk. ( hick: The adults that is.) This holiday is celebrated on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar. Which fall on the 8th and 9th of March this year, with a full moon on the 8th. The 7th is The Feast of Esther in Israel.

Basically the story is that in the third year of his reign King Ahasuerus held a great feast. On the seventh day he summoned his beautiful wife Vashti to show her off to the court. She refused to appear and in a fit of anger the King had her executed. It may be that she had leprosy somewhere on her body.

Then some years later the King was feeling lonely and desired a new Queen, so he held a contest amongst all the young girls in his kingdom. Esther was a beautiful and modest young Jewish girl who was raised by her uncle Mordechai after her parents died. He knew that trouble was brewing and he instructed her that she was never to tell anyone that she was Jewish. King Ahasuerus was smitten not only by her beauty, but also by her innate kindness and modesty. So he had all the other girls sent home and married her.

Later on the King elevated Haman who was an Alelekite to be the second most powerful man in the Kingdom. They where one of the Canaanite tribes descended from Esau. Who where also the first to attack the Jewish people when they wondered in the desert for 40 years after leaving Egypt. And from whom the modern day Palestinians are also descended.

As the second in the Kingdom everyone bowed down to him, except Mordechi, because Haman wore an idol around his neck. The devil caused Haman to have a smooth lying tongue, and he persuaded the King to have all the Jewish people slaughtered in a surprise attack on the thirteenth day of Adar, which falls this year on :denver2:

Mordechi told Ester of the evil decree, which was a state secret, and asked her to use her influence with the King to get it annulled. But Ester replied that anyone who approached the King unsummoned faced the death penalty unless the King extended his golden sceptre unto them. Mordechi organised a three day fast by all the Jewish people in the city on her behalf.

Then brave Ester entered the Kings inner court in her most royal clothing, and the King extended his golden sceptre unto her and asked her why she came. She replied that she wished to invite the King and Haman to a banquet the following night and Haman left the banquet filled with self importance and pride.

Ester had repeated the invitation to both of them for the following night. On his way home Haman was consumed by anger when he met Mordechi who again refused to bow down to him. His wife Zeresh advised him to construct a gallows 50 cubits high from which to hang Mordechi. (From elbow to the tip of the index finger – about 18 inches.)

That same night the King could not sleep so he ordered his servants to read to him from the book of chronicles. Which was when he discovered that Mordechi had never been rewarded for saving his life from an assassination plot several years previously.

The next day when Haman was summoned into the Kings inner court the King decided to ask his trusted servant what reward such a faithful servant should have. Haman thought that the King was talking about him. So he replied that the honoree should be dressed in royal clothing and mounted on the finest of the royal horses. Then led through the streets by a high government official proclaiming “This is what is done to the man whom the King wishes to honour.”

The King thought that that was a splendid idea and ordered Haman to lead the horse carrying Mordechi himself. Crestfallen Haman dared not disagree with the King. Then heaping insult upon insult, Hamans daughter mistakenly thinking that it was Mordechi leading her father, emptied the smelly contents of a chamberpot upon his head.

Immediately afterwards Haman was whisked away to the second night of Esters banquet, with barely time to wash and change. Where his downfall continued. Speaking poetically and divinely inspired Ester asked King Ahasuerus to “grant my soul and my people,” as she revealed Hamans villainous plot.

Consumed with rage the King ordered that Haman and his ten sons should be hanged from the same gallows that Haman had built for Mordechi immediately. He also promoted Mordachi to the position that Haman had filled. And most importantly he issued edicts throughout the kingdom allowing the jewish people one day, and two in Shushan the royal city to fight their enemies.

So on the thirteenth and fourteenth days of Adar the jewish people joyfully slaughtered all of their enemies throughout the empire and also got to keep all of their goods, land and livestock.

This lovely story also gives us hope for that wonderful day when the Lord will fulfill the promise that He made to his faithful servant Abram long ago...

Gen 12:1 ¶ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Last Edited by Judethz on 03/04/2012 04:42 PM