Purim
- Gene Keener
- Mar 12
- 2 min read
Purim
The Feast of Ester
I. The Book of Ester
A. No date given in the text. Babylonian/Persian exile (about 483-473 BCE)
B. God not mentioned (possibly due to Deut 31.18), but His hand is clearly seen.
18 And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.
II. The Plot
A. Ester's rise to Queen
1. King Akhashverosh's party, Queen Vashti refuses to attend.
2. King deposes Queen and begins search for new queen.
3. Ester (Hadasah) chosen
B. Mordekhai and Haman
1. Mordekhai, Ester's first-cousin, uncovers a plot to kill the king, but is not rewarded for his efforts
2. Haman is promoted to a high position in the king's court.
III. The Conflict
A. Problems
1. Mordekhai refuses to bow to Haman
2. Haman becomes so enraged he decides to kill all Jews. He uses Pur (dice) to determine the date of his plan, which fall to the 13th of Adar. He deceives the king into ordering the deaths of all Jews on this date.
3. The Jews mourn upon the discovery of this plan.
B. Ester Plans
1. Ester goes unannounced to the king. (if he is displeased, she will be killed immediately)
2. The king gladly receives Ester who invites him and Haman to a private feast
C. Haman Plans
1. Haman erects a gallows to hang Mordekhai
IV. The King Acts
A. The king can't sleep, has the court records read to him. Discovers no reward was given to Mordekhai for saving his life.
1. The king greatly honors Mordekhai, which results in great humiliation for Haman.
B. At her feast, Ester reveals her Jewishness to the king and explains her peril at Haman's plan to kill all Jews.
1. The king orders Haman to be hung on the gallows he erected for Mordekhai
C. The king's order to kill the Jews was already in place. It could not be countermanded.
1. He gives a second order commanding all Jews to take up arms to defend themselves on the 13th of Adar, thus preventing any killing
D. Mordekhai is promoted to great stature
1. The Feast of Purim, plural for Pur (dice), is instituted
V. Modern Celebration
A. 14th & 15th of Adar
B. Very joyful commemoration
1. Specifically, for Ester
2. Generally, for survival through all persecutions
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