PURIM
This article is dedicated to the memory of my grandmother – Esther, being born on the holiday Purim.
Israel is not one of the nations of the world. Israel is a nation, created by God for a special mission – directed to all the nations of the world. The goal of this mission – to demonstrate the ability to have a living connection with God and to be under His leadership and covering, through the obedience in the Law of God, laid out in the written Torah.
On this path, every Jew has only two perspectives: fulfill the commandment of the Lord and obtain everlasting life or to perish. Non-Jews, who have joined the nation of God through the acceptance of Yeshua, the Messiah and Savior, also share this fate.
Anti-Semitism – this word first arose in the 19th century – however, hatred towards Jews existed earlier:
- Amalek – a treacherous attack: “Remember what ‘Amalek did to you on the road as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you by the road, attacked those in the rear, those who were exhausted and straggling behind when you were tired and weary. He did not fear God. Therefore, when Adonai your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies in the land Adonai your God is giving you as your inheritance to possess, you are to blot out all memory of ‘Amalek from under heaven. Don’t forget!” (Deut. 25:17-19)
- Haman – a classical expression of hatred towards Jews: Then Haman said to Achashverosh, “There is a particular people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people; moreover, they don’t observe the king’s laws. It doesn’t befit the king to tolerate them. If it please the king, have a decree written for their destruction; and I will hand over 330 tons of silver to the officials in charge of the king’s affairs to deposit in the royal treasury.” (Esther 3:8-9)
- Antiochus Epiphanes- 167 years B.C. violently tried to suppress the revolt of the Maccabees. This gave him a reputation of being insane, but the Maccabees became the warriors for freedom.
- Anti-Jewish riots in Alexandria – 38 A.D.
- Extermination of the Jews by the Crusaders.
- The 14th century plague in Europe, Jews were accused of poisoning wells.
- In 1610 – the medical Faculty of the University of Vienna officially declared that Jewish law prescribes to kill one of 10 Christian patients.
- Bogdan Khmelnitsky – 1648 – mass murders of Jews in Eastern Europe.
- The bloody libel- Jews put the blood of Christian children into Matzoth
- Protocols of the Elders of Zion
- Pogroms in recent times, the Holocaust – Hitler – killed 6,000,000 Jews
- Stalin – 1953 – plan to kill 3,000,000 Jews
This is far from the complete list of crimes, done against the Jewish nation. And all of these crimes are linked to one chain, which is called – anti-Semitism.
The holiday of Purim, is not the only one, that reminds us of the enmity of this world towards the Jews, as a nation chosen by God for a special mission, addressing to all the nations, who fill the earth. Pesach demonstrates the hatred of the Egyptians, Chanukah and Purim – of Persians. The independence day reveals the hatred of the Arab world. Just as in those days, it is the same today, the leaders of Iran (Persia) throw lots (in Hebrew Pur, from here we get the word Purim). Only one thing interests them, in which month to deal with Israel.
The Babylonian captivity came to an end. Jews are still scattered in Medo-Persia. The Temple is restored but the walls of Jerusalem are not yet. On the seventh year of the reign of Ahasuerus, Esther becomes the queen of the Empire, which is made up of 127 countries. Twice, Esther influences the historical events:
- 478 BC- the salvation of the Jews from annihilation
- 465 BC – the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem
In addition to the valuable historical information, the book of Esther is also viewed in a prophetical perspective. In the relationships between King Ahasuerus, Queen Vashti, Esther, Haman, and Mordecai, we can see a parallel with the relationship between God, Israel, the nations of the earth, the Body of Messiah and satan. Ahasuerus is the preimage of the supreme power, Vashti – the proud granddaughter of Nebuchadnezzar, is the prefiguration of the rebelling nations against God, Esther – the image of the Body of Messiah, Mordecai – the image of Israel and Haman – the devil.
Esther- a perfect Jewish girl played an important role in God’s plan of salvation for the world. She saved her people and her city from destruction. The chosen one of the king, showed the image of humility and submission in contrast to the rebellious Queen Vashti. Did not the same thing happen with the nations of the world, they rejected the calling of God. (The nations did not answer to the call of Enoch and Noah and did not accept the law of holy life) And then God, chose one man (Abraham) and brought out of him the nation Israel, who accepted the Law of God, the law of holy life.
About the origin of Esther, it is written: “…she had neither father nor mother…” (Esther 2:7). She was raised in the house of Mordecai, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin. The Body of Messiah also came forth from Israel. Esther, being the wife of Ahasuerus, hid her identity for 13 years. This resembles today’s church, who has been hidden for a long time, its Jewish origins, that even now rejects this fact. Esther – is an example of a true mediator for her nation. In order to have freedom from the enemy, a mediator is needed. Esther became this mediator for her nation and with her prayers, was able to change the historical circumstances twice. She was wavering, as, she was putting her own life at risk, but made the right choice. She agreed with Mordecai and called the whole nation to fast and pray. Resolving serious problems, requires taking serious measures.
Mordecai – a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin. In the 3rd chapter of the book of Esther, Israel is called the nation of Mordecai. He is always at the kings gate. He is always ready to serve the king (the revelation of the plan of the eunuchs against the king). He did not bow down before men, he bowed down to the true King. Mordecai became the second in command after Ahasuerus.
Haman- a descendent of Amalek, the image of satan. God says to Israel: “Remember what ‘Amalek did to you on the road as you were coming out of Egypt,” (Deut. 25:17) Amalek attacked Israel just as soon as they came out of Egypt, wanting to destroy them. But could affect only those who were weak and were left behind. All, who were focused on going forward, to the promise of God, were saved from the hands of satan. Haman – a descendent of Amalek, wanted to destroy Israel and to hang Mordecai on the stick, but couldn’t. The prophesy of his wife was fulfilled, which said: “If Mordekhai, before whom you have begun to fall, is a Jew, you will not get the better of him; on the contrary, your downfall before him is certain.” (Esther 6:13).
Amalek – Haman – Hitler – Stalin – Sadam Husain – Yasser Arafat – the current presidents of Iran – Mahmud Ahmadinejad, is the unfinished list of rulers who tried to destroy the Jewish nation. In the time of the first king of the Jewish nation, King Saul, there was a chance to destroy the race of the Amalekites, but he did not fulfill it, sparing King Agag and in this way allowed the race to continue and to appear in the light of Haman, a descendent of King Agag. For this, Saul lost his throne. Indeed, obedience is better then sacrifice. Obedience, even then, when you don’t understand why God wants this from you. God brought two descendents of two ancient kings to the gates of Ahasuerus: Mordecai – the descendent of the king of Israel Saul and Haman – the descendent of the king of Agag. Hitler killed 6 million Jews, but could not destroy the entire race and its faith in God.
In 1953, Stalin tried to destroy 3 million Jews, by sending them to the vicinity of Verkhoyansk in unheated wagons. This became known 10 days before Purim. Having this same plan, on the 6th of March, he was planning to hang Jewish doctors, accusing them in attempting to poison him. But the Lord puts all thing in order. The 1st of March 8:23 in the morning, Stalin became paralyzed and he died. March 5th, on the same place where he wanted to hang the Jewish doctors, the soviet Haman was buried. Today, again, we here threats addressed towards Israel and the president of Iran is not the only one of our contemporaries, who wants to destroy the Jewish nation. But God does not sleep and is never late. Those who trust in Him will not be put to shame.
The name of the holiday is Purim – lots, talks about the repeated desire to cast lots in order to decide on a date on which to annihilate the Jewish nation. The hagada of Passover says this: “And He protected our fathers and us. For not only once had there been someone rise to destroy us. In every generation there is someone who rises to destroy us. And the Holy one, Blessed is He, saved us from his hands” What is the fault of the Jews that there is a repeated desire to destroy them? Haman himself answers this question: Then Haman said to Achashverosh, “There is a particular people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people; moreover, they don’t observe the king’s laws. It doesn’t befit the king to tolerate them. If it please the king, have a decree written for their destruction; and I will hand over 330 tons of silver to the officials in charge of the king’s affairs to deposit in the royal treasury.” (Esther 3:8-9).
The laws of the Torah are like a bone in the throat of satan and he is even willing to pay a price to destroy the Jewish nation. And there is only one path of salvation for Israel. This path leads to the King. Who will go and appeal to the King for the salvation for Israel? Mordecai called out will cries for help, but he could not enter into the Kings gates. Only Esther was able to do this. Only the true Body of Messiah of Jews and non-Jews calls out today for the salvation of the Israel. Esther (the Body of Messiah) can’t be saved alone, without Israel. And Mordecai answers to Esther: “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.” (Esther 4:13-14).
Esther, not only saved the Jewish nation from annihilation in 478 year B.C. but also promoted the beginning of the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem in year 465 BC. During this time she was a widowed queen, and Darius II sat on the throne of Persia – Ahasuerus – the son of Esther. Darius II- Ahasuerus ordered the restoration of the Temple. and the Temple was restored after the 70-year captivity in Babylon. This is how the prophesy was fulfilled.
Esther fulfilled her calling, but Haman was destroyed. When the Body of Messiah will fulfill its calling, the devil will be destroyed just as Haman was, one of his forerunners. The book of Revelation tells us about this: “They defeated him because of the Lamb’s blood and because of the message of their witness. Even when facing death they did not cling to life.” (Revelations 12:11).
There was a surprising reaction from some Jews towards the death of Stalin. The Soviet press wrote in those days, that the soviet Jews experienced the most sorrow. The American author, Irwin Stone condemned Eisenhower for restrained tone condolences on death of Stalin. Time went by and today these Jews are not the same anymore as they were during the times of the Soviets. We can see this by looking at their jokes: Haman appears and says, tell me, when will I die? The answer: You will die on a Jewish holiday. But when will the holiday be? On that day, when you die, then there will be a holiday.
Lev Falkovich
