What is the feast of Purim?
Saved from annihilation, the Jews turn the days of deliverance into an annual feast. Purim, named from the lot Haman cast, is kept by every generation with gladness and gifts to the poor.
This question arose from studying How did the tables turn on Haman?.
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What the Scripture says
The day the enemies hoped to conquer them
On the thirteenth of Adar, the day the enemies hoped to overcome the Jews, it turned the other way, and the Jews conquered those who hated them. The date Haman chose for their death became the day of their victory.
Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the month, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to conquer them, (but it was turned out the opposite happened, that the Jews conquered those who hated them),
No one could withstand them
The Jews gathered in their cities to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them, and no one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people. The princes and governors helped them, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.
the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people. All the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who did the king’s business helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.
From sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day
Mordecai writes to all the Jews to keep the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar yearly, as the days in which they had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them 'from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day.'
as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending presents of food to one another, and gifts to the needy.
Days of feasting, and gifts to the needy
He ordains that they should make them 'days of feasting and gladness, and of sending presents of food to one another, and gifts to the needy.' A feast of deliverance is also a feast of generosity. The rescued share the joy with the poor.
as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending presents of food to one another, and gifts to the needy.
Remembered and kept throughout every generation
The Jews established Purim for themselves and their descendants, and these days should be 'remembered and kept throughout every generation,' every family, every province, and every city. Salvation is meant to be enacted, not only believed.
the Jews established, and imposed on themselves, and on their descendants, and on all those who joined themselves to them, so that it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to what was written, and according to its appointed time, every year; and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor their memory perish from their seed.
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How does Esther point to Christ?→““Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.””How does the book of Esther point forward to the greater exodus?→“Letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder their possessions.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending presents of food to one another, and gifts to the needy.
and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor their memory perish from their seed.
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