PURIM Still
Updated: Aug 12
BOOK OF ESTHER:
PRAY FOR ISRAEL
As The People of The Most High God of The Bible, He has instructed us to intercede for and to bless Israel. In the account of Esther, Queen of Persia, when she was made aware of the pending danger to exterminate her People, the Jews, she calls them to fast for her three (3) days, and she does so herself. After fasting, she felt she was ready to approach the King’s throne without being summoned. King Ahasuerus, King of Persia, receives her, allowing her to speak. She uses the opportunity to invite the King and Haman to two banquets she arranges. Haman was the King’s Viceroy who had devised a plot and had already dispersed the decree to kill all Jews.
TURN AROUND:
Haman attends the banquets and there, King Ahasuerus prompts Esther to state her wish. Only until the second banquet, did she ask for her and her People’s lives. Ahasuerus inquires who has threatened her and she points to Haman. Haman begs her for forgiveness, while positioning himself on her lounge; but the King considers this a violation of his wife and puts him to death on his own gallows.
Her bravery, boosted by fasting and prayer, coupled with the God-given strategy Queen Esther executed, saved the Nation and turned the tide of evil set against her People. The decree to kill all Jews was overturned, and the Jews gained permission to avenge anyone who threatened them with violence on the very day planned for their demise. For on this day instead, the day of Purim, the Jews feasted; the Jews rejoiced. Queen Esther requested a second day for the Jews to avenge their enemies. Purim, therefore, is celebrated over two days.
Purim is derived from the word ‘pur’. Purim is the plural of ‘pur’. Pur means lot. Haman had cast lots (or rolled dice) for an entire year until the lots aligned. It was on the date of alignment, now history, that Haman set to destroy the Jews. But a Turn-Around occurred, as described above. Because of Israel being saved on the day set by pur (lot) for its destruction, Purim is installed as a two-day Feast to be remembered and celebrated for the generations; where gifts are shared with each other; where gifts are given to the poor.
OUR STAND AS THE CHURCH:
The Living God who dwells in Heaven has asked us to pray for the 'Peace of Jerusalem'. Still today, the intercession of the Body Of Christ serves to undermine or even destroy the plans continuously formed against Israel.
So we surmise that although an historical event, we live PURIM Still; we live PURIM Now. Queen Esther's intercession still extends to The Church; to the Body of Christ, as a model, in our stand for Israel today.
PRAY AND FAST FOR ISRAEL
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