Happy Purim! Do you know the story? Tis a true one that dates back to the 4th century B.C. Purim is a national holiday in Jerusalem, and the most joyous feast on the Hebrew calendar. Do you know why? I invite you to read the book of Esther. Interesting negotiation tactics. Click to read: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther.
Four characters – three men and a little lady – a very beautiful one.
The story is set in Persia, (which many of us mistakenly think is what we know as Iran), which is incorrect. At the time of this story, the Persian Empire actually covered not just modern-day Iran and Iraq, but 14 other countries as well. Consequently, her king, was powerful. The story opens as Xerxes (or ‘Ahasuerus’ in Hebrew), threw a lavish party for his high-ranking military men, nobility and other officials, while his queen, Vashti, also held a party for the women. Get this, the party lasted six months! Then he invited all the people in the area to come to a celebration for seven days; on the final day, King Xerxes called for his wife to come and display her beauty bedecked [only] in her jewel crown for his guests—but . . . she declined.
Warned by his advisors that this would kick off rebellion in the women of the empire, the king banished Vashti, and held a glorified, lengthy beauty contest to choose a new queen. The king chose Esther (or ‘Hadassah’ in Hebrew), because he thought she was the most beautiful of the 400 concubines he had conscripted. An orphan, Esther had been raised by her cousin, Mordecai, who warned her not to disclose to anyone that she was a Jew. One time, Mordecai told Esther of a plot to assassinate Xerxes, and thereby saved the king’s life.
Then there was Haman--a high-ranking official who got infuriated when he learned that Mordecai would not bow to him, particularly incited because Mordecai was a Jew. Haman devised a plot to get rid of the Jews, not knowing of course that the king’s beloved was a Jewess. Look at the irony of what ensued: The wicked Haman brought about his own destruction. Haman sought the death of Mordecai, who saved the king’s life. But what Haman sought for his own honor instead honored Mordecai; what Haman plotted as Mordecai’s public execution became his own; what Haman plotted against the Jews came on their enemies.1 (Again, you can read the whole story in the short book of the Bible that bears the name Esther.)
So the Jewish people were saved from destruction, but how? Through the courage of the woman, Queen Esther. Once Mordecai learned Haman’s plot to kill the Jews, he sent word to Esther to go to the king to plead for mercy. She wrote, ‘But my dear cousin Mordecai, do you not know that if I go to my husband, the king, without him calling for me, he can order my death?’ ‘O my dearest Hadassah, surely you do not see the plight of me and all of your people! “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”’2
I’m wondering – for what has God raised you up—you know, for such a time as this?!
So she went. And Xerxes did not just hear her, he listened.
Esther saved the day! Yes, a woman saved the day for the Jewish people In order for that to happen, in humility, Esther had to obey what Mordecai suggested for her to do Esther had to be courageous Esther had to take risks, that could have cost her her life!
Esther is an example to all men, but especially women: we are to keep up our ‘outer temple’ as well as our ‘inner’ one in order to be ready—to be used, to be an influence.
Paul wrote, ‘Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.’3
In Jerusalem, Purim is marked with parades, family dinners, gift giving, and observant Jews gather to read the Megila together, hissing when evil Haman’s name is mentioned. As for me, I should like to cheer the beatitudes we saw exhibited in the girl who would be queen, Esther.
Christine
1 – Bible Background – Haman, www.craigkeener.com/tag/haman/
2 - Esther 4.14
3 – 1 Corinthians 6.19,20