God saved His people! That’s what He does! That's what He will do!
According to Haman’s devious plot, “the king’s command and law went into effect on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar.” But it didn’t turn out like Haman had planned! “On the day when the Jews’ enemies had hoped to overpower them, just the opposite happened. The Jews overpowered those who hated them. In each of King Ahasuerus’s provinces the Jews assembled in their cities to attack those who intended to harm them. Not a single person could withstand them; fear of them fell on every nationality… The Jews put all their enemies to the sword, killing and destroying them” (Esther 9:1–5).
“They fought on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar and rested on the fourteenth, and it became a day of feasting and rejoicing… This explains why they… observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a time of rejoicing and feasting. It is a holiday when they send gifts to one another” (Esther 9:17–19).
At sundown on Monday, March 6, 2023, Jewish families will gather to celebrate a holiday called Purim, the most joyous of all Jewish feasts or festivals. It’s a commemoration of God’s saving grace poured out upon His people during the days of Queen Esther and Mordechai, the Prime Minister of Persia.
One commentator described Purim as a “little bit of Mardi Gras, Easter, and Halloween all rolled into one.”
The day leading up to Purim is a day of fasting, which commemorates the three days Esther and Mordechai fasted before she courageously approached the king. Then, the holiday festivities begin with extravagant and sumptuous feasts. One of the best treats for Purim are named after Haman. They’re called hamantaschen, triangle-shaped pastries packed with fruit or other savory fillings.
But why is it called Purim? Remember, Haman threw the dice, the “pur,” when he sought to determine the day for the extermination of the Jewish people. “For this reason these days are called Purim, from the word pur” (Esther 9:26).
Having been miraculously and graciously saved, “the Jews bound themselves, their descendants, and all who joined with them to a commitment that they would not fail to celebrate these two days each and every year according to the written instructions and according to the time appointed. These days are remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim will not lose their significance in Jewish life and their memory will not fade from their descendants” (Esther 9:27–28).
That might be a good explanation for why Christians gather each Sunday. It’s the Lord’s Day. It’s Resurrection Day. We gather to remember and celebrate. “These days are remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days … will not lose their significance … and their memory will not fade from their descendants!”
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