| Dear fellow believers:
What is Purim?
"The Feast of Purim, while considered a "minor holiday" by the Jewish community, is nonetheless a time of great joy. Its important message is revealed by the name Purim, literally "lots." This recalls a time in Jewish history when the "lot" was cast to decide the day of destruction of the Jews. Fortunately, there is a living God who saw to it that this evil plan was never fulfilled. Purim is God's appointed time to celebrate the protection of his people from the dangers of their enemies." (God's Appointed Times by Barney Kasdan, p. 121)
Purim is a Jewish tradition that is recorded in scripture:
"So the Jews in Shushan assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed 300 men in Shushan, but they did not touch the spoil. The other Jews, those in the royal provinces, had assembled, defended their lives and won rest from their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them, but without touching the spoil,
on the thirteenth day of the month Adar. So on the fourteenth day of Adar they rested and made it a holiday for celebrating and rejoicing. However, the Jews of Shushan assembled on both the thirteenth and fourteenth days of Adar, so it was on the fifteenth that they rested and made it a holiday for celebrating and rejoicing.
"This is why the Jews of the villages, those who live in unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a day for celebrating and rejoicing, a holiday and a time for sending each other portions [of food]. Mordekhai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Achashverosh, both near and far, instructing them to observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and the fifteenth day, every year, [to commemorate] the days on which the Jews obtained rest from their enemies and the month which for them was turned from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; they were to make them days of celebrating and rejoicing, sending portions [of food] to each other and giving gifts to the poor.
"So the Jews took it upon themselves to continue what they had already begun to do, and as Mordekhai had written to them; because Haman the son of Hamdata the Agagi, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had thrown pur (that is, "cast lots") to crush and destroy them; but when Ester came before the king, he ordered by letters that [Haman's] wicked scheme, which he had plotted against the Jews, should recoil on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. This is why these days have been called Purim, after the word pur.
"Thus, because of everything written in this letter, and what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had come upon them, the Jews resolved and took upon themselves, their descendants and all who might join them that without fail they would observe these two days in accordance with what was written in [this letter] and at the appointed time, every year; and that these days would be remembered and observed throughout every generation, every family, every province and every city; and that these days of Purim would never cease among the Jews or their memory be lost by their descendants.
"Then Ester the queen, the daughter of Avichayil, and Mordekhai the Jew, gave full written authority to confirm a second letter about Purim. He sent copies of it to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Achashverosh, ensuring their peace and security and requiring the observance of these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordekhai the Jew and Ester the queen had enjoined them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants concerning the matters of fasting and lamenting. At Ester's order these matters of Purim were confirmed and put in writing in the book." (Esther 9:15-32 CJB)
Since we are part of the commonwealth of Israel we also should celebrate Purim (Ephesians 2:12-13).
"Therefore, brethren, stand fast, andhold the traditionswhich ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle." (2 Thessalonians 2:15 KJV)
The word "tradition" in the above scripture is paradosis (par-ad'-os-is).
"From G3860; transmission, that is, (concretely) a precept; specifically the Jewish traditionary law: - ordinance, tradition." (Strong's Concordance of the Bible)
Purim is a Jewish tradition that certainly does not make void the Torah of Yah (Mark 7:7-13). It a day of doing the following:
- Celebrating and rejoicing
- Giving portions of food to fellow believers
- Giving gifts to the poor
"The primary commandment related to Purim is to hear the reading of the book of Esther. The book of Esther is commonly known as the Megillah, which means scroll. Although there are five books of Jewish scripture that are properly referred to as megillahs (Esther, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations), this is the one people usually mean when they speak of The Megillah. It is customary to boo, hiss, stamp feet and rattle gragers (noisemakers) whenever the name of Haman is mentioned in the service. The purpose of this custom is to "blot out the name of Haman . . . In addition, we are commanded to send out gifts of food or drink, and to make gifts to charity. The sending of gifts of food and drink is referred to as shalach manos (lit. sending out portions). Among Ashkenazic Jews, a common treat at this time of year is hamentaschen (lit. Haman's pockets). These triangular fruit-filled cookies are supposed to represent Haman's three-cornered hat." (Judaism 101: Purim) The important lesson of Purim is Elohim will protect His people if His people obey Him. We must be courageous (Joshua 1:6-9). Notice the courage of Mordecai, other Jews and Esther: "When Mordekhai learned everything that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes and went out through the city, lamenting and crying bitterly.
He stopped before entering the King's Gate, since no one was allowed to go inside the King's Gate wearing sackcloth. In every province reached by the king's order and decree, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing, as many lay down on sackcloth and ashes.
"When the girls and officials attending Ester came and informed her of this, the queen became deeply distressed. She sent clothes for Mordekhai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he wouldn't accept them. So Ester summoned Hatakh, one of the king's officials attending her, and instructed him to go to Mordekhai and find out what this was all about and why. Hatakh went out to Mordekhai in the open space in front of the King's Gate, and Mordekhai told him everything that had happened to him and exactly how much silver Haman had promised to put in the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the decree for their destruction issued in Shushan; so that he could show it to Ester, explain it to her, and then instruct her to approach the king, intercede with him and implore his favor on behalf of her people.
"Hatakh returned and told Ester what Mordekhai had said. Then Ester spoke to Hatakh and gave him this message for Mordekhai: "All the king's officials, as well as the people in the royal provinces, know that if anyone, man or woman, approaches the king in the inner courtyard without being summoned, there is just one law — he must be put to death — unless the king holds out the gold scepter for him to remain alive; and I haven't been summoned to the king for the past thirty days.
"Upon being told what Ester had said, Mordekhai asked them to give Ester this answer: "Don't suppose that merely because you happen to be in the royal palace you will escape any more than the other Jews. For if you fail to speak up now, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from a different direction; but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows whether you didn't come into your royal position precisely for such a time as this."
"Ester had them return this answer to Mordekhai: "Go, assemble all the Jews to be found in Shushan, and have them fast for me, neither eating nor drinking for three days, night and day; also I and the girls attending me will fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish." Then Mordekhai went his way and did everything Ester had ordered him to do." (Esther 4:1-17 CJB)
What an example of courage from Queen Esther! She was willing to fast (no food and water for 3 days) and risk death to save her people. Fasting gets Yah's attention: "Here is the sort of fast I want — releasing those unjustly bound, untying the thongs of the yoke, letting the oppressed go free, breaking every yoke, sharing your food with the hungry, taking the homeless poor into your house, clothing the naked when you see them, fulfilling your duty to your kinsmen!" Then your light will burst forth like the morning, your new skin will quickly grow over your wound; your righteousness will precede you, and Adonai's glory will follow you. Then you will call, and Adonai will answer; you will cry, and he will say, "Here I am." If you will remove the yoke from among you, stop false accusation and slander, generously offer food to the hungry and meet the needs of the person in trouble; then your light will rise in the darkness, and your gloom become like noon. Adonai will always guide you; he will satisfy your needs in the desert, he will renew the strength in your limbs; so that you will be like a watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails. You will rebuild the ancient ruins, raise foundations from ages past, and be called "Repairer of broken walls, Restorer of streets to live in." (Isaiah 58:6-12 CJB)
Yeshua expects us to fast (Matthew 6:16-18 CJB).
The Believers' Life Of Sacrifice "No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends." (John 15:13 CJB) "The Son of Man has to endure much suffering and be rejected by the elders, the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers; and he has to be put to death; but on the third day, he has to be raised to life." "Then to everyone he said, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him say 'No' to himself, take up his execution-stake daily and keep following me. For whoever tries to save his own life will destroy it, but whoever destroys his life on my account will save it. What will it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but destroys or forfeits his own life? For if someone is ashamed of me and of what I say, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels." (Luke 9:22-26 CJB) "Whoever does not carry his own execution-stake and come after me cannot be my talmid." (Luke 14:27 CJB) If we are TRUE believers of Messiah, then we are human beings living a life of GREAT sacrifice: "I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim." (Romans 12:1-2 CJB). - When we celebrate Purim, we should remember the suffering of the Jews in ancient Iran (Persia). We should remember how they humbly fasted and followed the leadership of Mordecai and Queen Esther. We should remember the great courage of Esther-she was willing to die for her people. We should remember that Yah has promised to protect us if we consistently obey His Torah.
- Ultimately, as the Great Tribulation nears, we should make use of Purim to prepare for the greatest time of trouble this world will ever experience (Proverbs 22:3; Daniel 12; Matthew 24:21-22). The Anti-Messiah (a type of Haman) will appear and cause tremendous suffering on all of humanity. The Good News is it will only last for 42 months (Revelation 11; Revelation 13). The Messiah will come with all the holy angels and His saints (you included) to rule the earth; the entire universe with TRUE peace (Hebrews 2:5-10; Revelation 19; Zechariah 14; Isaiah 11; Isaiah 2:1-4)!
Based on the Jewish Calendar, Purim is on Sunday, February 24th. Those going by the New Moon Calendar the estimated dates are February 25th or 26th. For more information about Purim, click Purim 2013
- Let's celebrate Purim realizing through all the sufferings we will experience, Yah will save His people that trust and obey Him (Proverbs 1:33; Psalm 91). Let's celebrate Purim with a renewed attitude of giving & sacrificing for our friends and fellow human beings.
"The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God;
and if we are children, then we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Messiah — provided we are suffering with him in order also to be glorified with him. I don't think the sufferings we are going through now are even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us in the future." (Romans 8:16-18 CJB)
Warmest regards,
Kennard, Servant of Elohim (God) |
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will receive gifts — the full measure, compacted, shaken together and
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