The Feast of Purim

The Feast of Purim Bible Lesson

Biblical Celebration of Purim in the Bible

Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Daily Bread study program. This is the Feast of Purim Bible study on the Biblical Celebration of Purim in the Bible and how the Feast of Purim Bible message affects your be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

The Feast of Purim Bible Discusson
Biblical Celebration of Purim in the Bible Origin

Great to see you here for the conclusion of the Book of Esther. We left our story when king Ahasuerus sent letters again to all the provinces of his kingdom.

This time it was a writing allowing the Jewish people to gather together, stand up for their lives and lay hand on (defend themselves against) anyone who tried to harm them on the day that Haman ordered that they be destroyed.

From the time the letters were sent until the time the king's commandments were to be executed, Mordecai became more and more honorable in the king's house and his fame spread through all the provinces.

On the 13th day of the 12th month, the enemies of the Jewish people who hoped to prevail over them, couldn't withstand them because the Lord caused everyone to fear them. All the kings officers, deputies, lieutenants and rulers of the provinces helped the Jewish people because the fear of Mordecai fell on them.

The Feast of Purim Bible Explanation
Biblical Celebration of Purim in the Bible Prophecy

The Jewish people struck all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, slaughter and destruction to all those who hated them. In Shushan alone they killed 500 men.

They also slew the ten sons of Haman, but they didn't lay a hand on their property. You noticed that the word slew was in italics, so let's have a little Daily Bread Crumb about that word. The word slew doesn't always mean to put to death. Sometimes it simply means to strike, overwhelm or affect overpoweringly.

You may recall that in the story of David and Goliath, David slew Goliath with a stone first, then cut off his head and slew him with his own sword, 1 Samuel 17:50-51. Did David kill the giant twice! That's quite impossible, so David must have struck him with the stone, then killed him with the sword.

Now, back to the story. That day, the number of people slain in Shushan was reported to the king, and the king told Esther, Your people have slain and destroyed 500 men in Shushan and the ten sons of Haman, imagine what they've done in the rest of the provinces. Now, what else do you wish and it will be granted to you.

The Feast of Purim Bible Study
Biblical Celebration of Purim in the Bible Story

Esther said, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jewish people that are in Shushan that according to today's decree, let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows tomorrow.

The king granted Esther's request and they hung Haman's ten sons. Now, if you wanna look at every possibility, if you read the text in your Bible, they could have been slain (as in killed) and then hung afterward as well sort of as a public display, and perhaps this was just sort of a flashback after the author previously stated that they were slain.

The people in Shushan continued to fight against the Jewish people on the 14th day of Adar, and 300 more Medes and Persians were slain, but not a hand was laid on their belongings. (Did you notice that the author made it a point to mention twice that the Jewish people didn't take any spoil or loot or prey?

Perhaps to point out that the prize of liberating God's people from this horrible curse of Haman's was what it was all about, not how much stuff they could come away with.) In the rest of the provinces, the Jewish people had rest on the 14th day because their enemies surrendered, and they made it a day of feasting and celebration, but the Jewish people in Shushan feasted and celebrated on the 15th day. They also sent gifts to one another.

The Feast of Purim Bible Truth
Biblical Celebration of Purim in the Bible Time

Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jewish people of the kingdom, both near and far, to establish among them that they should keep the 14th and 15th day of the month Adar as a memorial celebration day every year throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city.

The name of these feast days are called Purim, after the word Pur because Haman conspired against the Jewish people to destroy them and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, but when Esther came before the king, he commanded that Haman's wicked idea be returned upon his own head.

The Jewish people enacted and took upon them, and upon their descendants and anyone who joins themselves to them, and that it shouldn't fail, that they observe these two days according to their writing and their appointed time every year so the remembrance of it is never forgotten. The second letter of Purim was confirmed and sent to all the Jewish people in all the kingdom with words of peace and truth and it was written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia.

The king promoted Mordecai to greatness and all their accomplishments were also written in the chronicles. Mordecai was made second in command to the king and he was great among the Jewish people, and respected greatly by all, acting for the good of his people and speaking peace.

The Feast of Purim Bible Promise
Biblical Celebration of Purim in the Bible Vow

All things work together for good to them that love God, says Romans 8:28. Why was Esther orphaned? Why was she put in her cousin Mordecai's care? Why was she beautiful? What are the chances that she would become queen of a kingdom that wasn't even of her people? You can bet God has things in mind, even when they don't make sense to us at any particular time.

Remember, that Esther wasn't the picture of courage at first. She was afraid of approaching the king about saving God's people at first, but Mordecai's words of truth, and the hand of God turned her fright into virtue. Do you think Esther knew the last two verses of Proverbs 31? If not, Mordecai sure taught it to her.

The Feast of Purim Bible Conclusion
Biblical Celebration of Purim in the Bible Origin

One more thing before we wrap things up with the Book of Esther. Queen Esther was a beautiful woman. Chosen from the fairest women of 127 provinces of the kingdom. Why did King Ahasuerus never ask Queen Esther to strut her stuff in front of his people and princes? Just askin'.

Congratulations! You've just finished the study of the Book of Esther! Lookin' forward to having you join in again for our next study of the Book of Job, right here at Daily Bread, so come on back soon.

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