Happy Purim 2018 13th of Adar, 5777

"And who knows but that you have come to

 royal position for such a time as this."

Esther 4:13

Queen Esther 

Lilian Broca

(2006)

Tonight at sundown begins the Feast of Purim, or literally, "lots"

which recalls a time in Jewish history when the "lot" was cast to

determine the day of destruction for the Jews.

Fortunately, Elohim Chayim, the Living God, prevented this

wicked scheme from being carried out against His people.

The feast of Purim is God's appointed time to celebrate

the deliverance of His people from their enemies.

Purim is also the story of Esther, a beautiful Jewish girl chosen

to be the queen of Persia during the reign of  King Achashveros (Xerxes).

One of the king's advisers was a prideful, arrogant man named Haman,

who believed, as he became more powerful, that other servants of the king 

 should bow before him.   One of these servants was a pious gentleman named

Mordechai, a devout Jew, who refused to bow before any man.

He would only bow his knee before the Most High God.

In response to Mordechai's reluctance to pay him this homage,

angry Haman hatched an evil plan to exterminate all

the Jews within the Persian Empire.

"And the letters were sent by special messengers to all the king's

provinces-to destroy, to slay, and to do away with all the Jews,

both young and old, little children and women, in one day,

the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,

and to seize their belongings to spoil."

Esther 3:13

After Mordechai learned of Haman's wicked decree, he

realized that it was more than just a coincidence that

 his niece, the beautiful Esther, had

been chosen as queen of the Persian Empire,

at this dark and uncertain time for the Jewish people.

Mordechai went to see his niece to report on Haman's scheme.

He also warned her, saying, "Do not think that because you are in

the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For 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 royal position

for such a time as this."

Esther 4:13

Esther responded to her uncle's challenge, telling him

to go and call the Jews together to fast and pray, as she and her

servants would also fast and pray for three days, night and day.

Then, she said she would go in to see the king in his court,

even if it mean't that she would be breaking the law,

declaring bravely, "If I perish, I perish."

Queen Esther Seeking Permission To Speak

 Lilian Broca

(2009)

When the king saw his Esther, whom he loved more than all

the other women presented to him while he was looking for a new queen,

he held out his golden scepter to her, allowing Esther to draw near

and touch the tip, allowing her to speak in the court.

Esther invited her husband and Haman to a dinner she would

prepare for them that evening.  The king granted her request and sent

for Haman, who was delighted that he might ingratiate himself

even further with the king and queen at the special dinner.

He was even more surprised and elated when the queen asked

that he and the king come to dine with her the next night.

However, he was still ticked off that Mordechai the Jew who

sat at the king's gate refused to bow before him.

Haman then told his wife and all his friends about Mordechai's

insolence to which they all urged him to have a gallows made,

and in the morning, after speaking to the king, have the stubborn Jew

hung on it while he and the king went to dine in the queen's palace.

Haman agreed and ordered the gallows made.

Meanwhile, that same night, the king could not sleep, and so he ordered

his servants to bring him the book of memorable deeds to be read before him.

When he learned that no honor had been given to Mordechai, who

had saved his life from an assassination plot by two of his attendants

who guarded his door, he called for Haman, who had just arrived in

the court to seek permission to hang Mordechai on the gallows.

However, he before could make his request, the king

 told his adviser to take the finest royal apparel

and one of the horses which he (the king) had ridden, as well as a 
 a royal crown and present all to Mordecai the Jew at the gate.

 The much incensed Haman,  begrudgingly followed the king's order,

 and promptly led the man he considered his enemy

 on horseback through the open city square of Shushan, proclaiming

before him, "This is the reward given to this man whom the king

delights to honor."

Afterwards, when Haman recounted to his wife and friends 
what had happened that morning, they all warned him, saying,

"If Mordechai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the

offspring of the Jews, you cannot prevail against him,

but will surely fall before him."

Before they finished speaking, however, the king's attendants

came to escort Haman to the dinner Esther had prepared.

During the serving of the wine, the king asked his wife if she had a

special request, to which Esther answered, "If I have found favor in

your sight, O King, and if it pleases the king, let my life 

and the lives of my people be spared.  For we are sold, 

I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and wiped

out of existence!"

Her angry husband responded, "Who is he,

and where is he who dares presume in his heart to do that?"

 Esther told him, "An adversary and an enemy of me

and my people sits at this very table, your adviser, Haman!"

The king rose up and in his shock and anger stalked out into the

palace garden while Haman began pleading and begging for his life 

 before the queen. When the king returned a few minutes later, he

saw that Haman had fallen upon the couch where his wife reclined,

and he said to him, "Will you even try to assault my wife in

my presence, in my own palace?

At that moment, Harbonah, one of the attendants serving the king,

appeared on the scene, declaring, "Behold, your Majesty, the gallows

Haman ordered to be built for Mordechai, whose warning saved

the king stands at the house of Haman!"

The king, glaring angrily at the wicked Haman cowering

before him, ordered, "Hang him on it!"

So, Haman was hung on the gallows he had intended for Mordechai.

However, even with Haman executed, according to the law of

the Medes and Persians, the previous decree calling for the

annihilation of the Jews in the empire could not be rescinded.

So, the king issued a new decree, declaring that while the 

Jews throughout his empire might come under attack, they

were permitted to defend themselves and their properties 

from their enemies.  Thus, the 13th day of  the month

of Adar, although considered a minor holiday by the

 world Jewish community, is a time of great rejoicing and

feasting, with a special meal called Seudah, shared

with family and friends, or at synagogues, where the

history of Purim is recalled through the reading of

Megillat Esther, or the scroll of Esther.

Esther Reveals Her True Identity

Lilian Broca

(2006)

When Faith Is Put Into Action

When we put faith into action
How quickly we will see
The evidence of things unseen
And God's reality.
We can never walk on water
If we won't leave the boat.
If we're paralyzed by fear,
We may not even float.

When faith is put into action,
Our doubts and fears take wings,
And God gives us the confidence
To try and do all things.
It pleases Him to see us there
When others run away,
To prove that "In God We Trust"
Reflects our faith today.

When faith is put into action,
Results are guaranteed,
For we're never disappointed
When we follow His lead.
When we put faith into action,
How quickly we will see
The evidence of things unseen
And God's reality.

-Clay Harrison