PURIM
The word "Purim" is from the word "pur", the lot. Haman wanted to destroy the Jewish people because of one Jew, Mordecai, didn't bow and didn't reverence Haman.
Est 3:2 And all the king's servants, that [were] in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did [him] reverence.
The origin of Haman
Est 9:24 ... Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that [is], the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;
Agag was from the nation of Amalek: "And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah [until] thou comest to Shur, that [is] over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all [that was] good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing [that was] vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly." (1Sam 15:7-9)
Amalek is the son of Eliphaz, the grandson of Esau: "These [are] the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these [were] the sons of Adah Esau's wife." (Gen 36:10-12)
When Jews came out Egypt and went to receive Torah, Amalek attacked them. Why? Hatred against Israel. "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands [were] heavy; and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this [for] a memorial in a book, and rehearse [it] in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn [that] the LORD [will have] war with Amalek from generation to generation." (Exod 17:8-16)
Balaam said about Amalek: "And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek [was] the first of the nations; but his latter end [shall be] that he perish for ever." (Num 24:20)
"Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, [even] all [that were] feeble behind thee, when thou [wast] faint and weary; and he feared not God." (Deut 25:17-18)
"Amalek—the first foe to attack the people of Israel after they had come out of Egypt as a free nation..." (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1351&letter=A&search=amalek)
"Amalek's power over the nation of Israel exists only when the nation of Israel itself fails to recognize G-d. The Talmud (Rosh HaShana 29a) writes: "[It is written] and it came to pass, when Moshe held up his hand that Israel prevailed (in the battle against Amalek)." (http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/purim/vol5no17.html)
- - -
Mordecai said Esther:
Est 4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, [then] shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for [such] a time as this?
The Aman's plan hadn't success. Jews didn't perish because of Adonai (the Lord) said:
Mal 3:6 For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
People didn't know who was Esther to some time.
Many Jews don't know Yeshua.
2Cor 3:14 But
their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken
away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ.
2Cor 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon
their heart.
2Cor 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be
taken away.
Jews will believe in Yeshua:
Zech 12:10 And
I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they
have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only
[son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for
[his] firstborn.
Rom 11:25 For
I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye
should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to
Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall
come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
The invisible miracles - The king chose just Esther of many
girls; - Mordecal knew about conspiracy
with the aim an attempt at life of the king and informed Esther; - On night before banquet the
king could not sleep; - The king complied with request
about the gift of life to Jews G-d
have given plan of the salvation to humanity. John
3:16 ... God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Rom
10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. - If there is some
danger it is necessary to act boldly and strongly: "Then Mordecai commanded to
answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's
house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this
time, [then] shall there enlargement and deliverance
arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be
destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for [such] a
time as this?" (Est 4:13-14) G-d told Yehoshua: Joshua 1:7
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do
according to Torah (all the law), which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn
not from it [to] the right hand or [to] the
left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:8
This book of Torah (the law) shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt
meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all
that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then
thou shalt have good success. - The fast and prayer: "Then Esther bade [them]
return Mordecai [this answer], Go, gather together all the Jews that are
present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days,
night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in
unto the king, which [is] not according to the law: and if I perish, I
perish." (Est 4:15-16) - A role of Mordecai
and a role of Esther for salvation of Jews: Mordecai: takes the initiative,
reaches the importnant decisions. Esther: realizes these
decisions "Mordecai says what it is
necessary to do, and Esther decides how it is necessary to do. Each role has
own concernment and cannot be realized one without another." (http://www.machanaim.org/tanach/qd-ester/indqd04.htm) Purim and Pesakh Jewish tradition names both
festivals as "the festivals of deliverance". Purim is the deliverance of Jews
from Haman. Pesakh is the deliverance from
Egypt. Purim and
Hanukkah Est 3:8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is
a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the
provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws [are]
diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it [is] not for the king's profit to suffer them.
Est 3:9 If it please the king, let it be written
that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to
the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring [it] into the king's treasuries. Mal 3:6 For I [am]
the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. - - - The traditions
of Purim are matanot
leev'onim (the gifts to poor people) and mishloach manot (the food parcels).
Too Jews make the meal on Purim. It is ok to invite a poor
man, an orphan and a widow for this meal. There is tradition
too to regale with a three-cornered small loaf with a poppy and honey -
homentash, 'an ear of Haman'. Jews, Christians and
the Word of God
The lessons of Megilat Esther
What is common between Hanukkah
and Purim? During Purim we speak about how Haman wanted to destroy
the Jews physically because of one Jew - Mordecai
- ''bowed not, nor did [him]
reverence'' (Est 3:2).
During Hanukkah we remember about an attempt to destroy the Jews spiritually.
But these attempts hadn't success because of G-d said: