Purim then and now
Because of all that has happened in the Book of Esther, the festival of Purim is established so that future generations can remember and celebrate God’s deliverance of the Jewish people from the evil Haman. Because –
On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. Esther 9:1
The Jews defend themselves against their enemies, but do not go as far as taking any plunder. It is an act of self-defence – they attack those determined to destroy them. Including Haman’s ten sons who are impaled on poles.
And the next day becomes a day of feasting and joy, a day for giving presents to each other, A day to be celebrated annually –
Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. Esther 9:20-22
Why is this festival called Purim? From the word ‘pur’ which means lot, because Haman cast a lot to select the day to exterminate all of the Jews.
Why celebrate annually?
And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants. Esther 9:28
The memory of what happened should never die out.
So is Purim still celebrated today?
Oh, yes. This year, 2016, Purim will be celebrated from Wednesday 23 March to Thursday 24 March. And if you live anywhere near a Jewish community, it sounds like you will be unable to miss it! Purim has been described as the Jewish Mardi Gras, with plays and parodies, beauty contests, an entertaining and rowdy reading of the Book of Esther in the synagogue….many dress up in colourful costumes and masks as characters from the Book of Esther. During the story, every time that Haman is mentioned, the people make as much noise as possible to ‘blot out the name of Haman’. Everyone has to eat, drink and be merry. In fact, you are meant to drink so much that you can’t tell the difference between ‘cursed be Haman’ and ‘blessed be Mordecai’! Everyone gives gifts and send s donations to charity.
And what messages can we all take from this story? These are from the information on Purim on the BBC website (as is all the above detail about Purim today and a great video clip of an inside view of Purim) –
God ensures that good wins in the end
God is always there, even when unseen
God plans ahead
It is good to know. It is good to understand. It is good to remember.
