Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. If the Jews should celebrate the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Purim, how much more Should we who are followers of Jesus Christ celebrate the victory accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ over the enemies of Satan and hell itself? The Lord's Supper, I want you to understand, among other things, is a celebration. Mm-hmm. This is the verdict with Pastor Jean Monroe.
Sometimes God's greatest victories emerge from our darkest moments. Today, we near the end of our journey in the Book of Esther by witnessing one of history's most remarkable reversals. What began as a genocidal plot against the Jewish people ends in deliverance. commemorated by a celebration which continues to this day.
Now, here's Pastor Jean Monroe with today's message: God's invisible hand. I trust you've enjoyed this little series on Esther. Repeatedly, we see in Esther that God's hand is invisible. In fact, the name of God is not even mentioned. But God never abandons his people.
He's always with us, working out his purposes for his glory and for our good.
Now, in the story of Esther, we come to the last two chapters and the end of the story. In the sovereign purposes of God, the Jewish nation is spared. Their enemies are defeated. The people rejoice. There is also the institution of the Feast of Purim.
so they would never ever forget their supernatural deliverance. May you never forget what God and His grace has done, is doing. and will do in your life. Yes, from the most horrible situations of life. God's glory shines.
Now, as we come to chapters 9 and 10, we're going to learn about the feast of. Sure him. We all like times of celebration, don't we? Birthdays, family reunions, graduations, weddings, anniversary, Thanksgivings, and Christmas. These are times when we step back from our normal routine of life.
If every day were the same, life would be very dull, very tedious, lacking joy and sparkle. And God has not made us as machines or computers grinding relentlessly day after day in the constant routine of life. We're human beings. We're made in the image of God. We're not robots.
We're not machines. And days of rest. Days of celebration. Days of reunion and joy and remembrance were written into the Mosaic law. You may think of the Mosaic law as rather grim and legalistic.
Not really. There were these various festivals. In fact, every week There was a day of rest, the Sabbath. That was not to be looked on. as something to be endured, but rather as a gift of God.
A time when his people separated from the normal routine of work and focused on rest. On worship, on the family getting together, and even the very animals. Under the Mosaic law, we're to receive a day of rest.
So if you have a working dog or cat or goldfish, make sure it rests at least one day.
Now, the Feast of Purim that we're looking at today was not part of the Mosaic law. but rather began, as we're going to learn, in Persia in the time of Esther and Mordecai. And among uh our Jewish friends to this day, The Feast of Purim is celebrated. A celebration, a remembrance of the goodness of God in delivering the nation of. of the Jews from possible extinction.
Now let's open our Bibles. To the last two chapters, if you've not already done so, Esther's chapters 9 and 10. And we're going to see in the first 19 verses of chapter 9. that the enemies of the Jews Are defeated. The enemies of the Jews are defeated.
In self-defense, very importantly. The Jews slay their enemies.
So let's read. First of all, The first eleven verses of Esther chapter nine.
Now in the twelfth month Which is the month of Adar on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out on the very day. Think of God being in control. On the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them. The reverse occurred. The Jews gained mastery over those who hated them.
The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who saw them harm. And no one could stand against them. for the fear of them. had fallen on all peoples. All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews.
for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces. For the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful. That's wonderful. The Jews struck all over their enemies with the sword.
killing and destroying them. and did as they pleased to those who hated them. In Susa, the citadel itself, The Jews killed and destroyed 500 men. and also killed Parshanadath and Dalfon and Aspatha and Poratha and Adalia. And Aridatha.
and Parm Ashta and Arasai and Aradai and Visatha, the ten sons of Haman, the son of Hamadatha. the enemies of the Jews. but they laid no hands on the plunder. That very day The number of those killed in Susa, the citadel, was reported to the king.
Now, let's just pause there. In verse 1 of Esther 9, there's a kind of summary statement. Remember, there are two edicts now in force. Both of them are still in force. The first was insticated by Haman, the enemy of the Jews, and that was for the mass genocide of the Jewish nation.
He wanted the total. Jews In the Persian provinces, which included Israel, he wanted them. absolutely annihilated. And at that time, it's been calculated, there were about 500,000 Jews throughout the Persian Empire. The second edict was the one instituted by Esther and Mordecai as brave Esther went to the king and told her the plight of her people.
And then they are given in the second edict the right of self-defense and also to kill people who attack them. You may remember that the law of the Medes and the Persians couldn't be revoked. Therefore, in order to neutralize the first edict instigated by Haman, The king allowed Mordecai and Esther to have the second edict. On the long-awaited day, According to the first edict, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month. My wife's birthday, incidentally.
Why did I say that's absolutely irrelevant to the passage? Not in my notes. But it was designed to be a day for the extinction of the Jewish nation. And it turned out, look at verse 1, at the end of verse 1, it turned out that the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. And on that day, the Jews are now ready throughout the provinces to defend themselves against anyone who would harm them.
But notice what happened. and the sovereignty of God. We saw in chapter 8, verse 17, fear of the Jews had fallen on them. Again, in verse 2 of chapter 9. for the fear of them, that's the Jews, had fallen on all people.
Verse 3: The fear of Mordecai, he's number two now under the king, replacing him. And fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. Verse 4, the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful. This unknown Jew who was outside the king's gate, remember the story? From the beginning, that Haman was so incensed that Mordecai would not bow before him.
Now Haman is gone, and Mordecai is in his place. What a dramatic! Reversal. In Sousa which was the winter capital of Persia. 500 Persians were killed by the Jews.
Also, we read that the ten sons of Haman were hanged.
So, although the edict, this is very important, allowed the Jews. To Kill the Persians who attacked them. They were not to take the plunder. Verse 10. The Jews laid no hand on the plunder.
The second edict was for self-defense. The second edict was for self-preservation of the Jewish nation. It was the enemies of the Jews led by Haman. It was the enemies of the Jews who wanted to carry out genocide. They wanted ethnic cleansing.
They wanted to annihilate the Jewish nation.
Now, let's read in the stories. It continues in verses twelve. Through 19. We see that the king is going to grant another day for the enemies of the Jews to be destroyed. Verse 12 of chapter 9.
And the king said to Queen Esther, In Susa, The citadel, the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and also the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?
Now, what's your wish? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled. And Esther said, If it pleased the king.
Let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day's edict. and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows.
So the king commanded this to be done. A decree was issued in Sousa. and the ten sons of Haman. were hanged. The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Hadar.
and they killed 300 men in Susa. but they laid no hands on the plunder. Now, the rest of the Jews who were in the king's provinces also gathered to defend their lives and got relief from their enemies and killed. 75,000 of those who hated them. But they laid no hands on the plunder.
This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth day they rested, and made that day a day of feasting and gladness. But the Jews who were in Susa Gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth day, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore the Jews of the villages who lived in the rural towns Hold the 14th day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday. And as a as a day on which They send gifts of food.
to one another.
So, Esther comes and says they need another day for the Jews to continue to destroy their enemies. Large number of people. who want to kill them. And In order to make A statement, a public example and warning. Esther received permission from the king.
For him, The enemy of the Jews, Haman's ten sons. To be hanged on a gallows. Remember, Haman had made the gallows to hang Mordecai and ends up himself being hanged. And it's written to emphasize the point of the hatred of the Jews. As evidenced by Haman and his sons, and as a reminder.
of the deliverance of God. The next day, as we read, 300 men in Susa are killed by the Jews. Their plunder is not taken. And on the 13th day of Edar, 75,000 people who ate the Jews, who sought to kill the Jews, are themselves killed in accordance with the second edict. And the Jews, after this, what do they do?
They assemble to feast. to party, to rest. and rejoice.
Now in verse 20 Through the end of the chapter, we have the institution of the Feast of Purim, which is written into Jewish culture to celebrate this magnificent uh victory over their enemies. And Here in verses 20 through 22, we have Mordecai's Proclamation. Are you following all of this? And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all of the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month of Hadar. and also the fifteenth day of the same.
year by year. As the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned from them from sorrow into gladness, and from mourning into a holiday. That they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
So Mordecai, he's now the leader of the Jews. He's number one under King Hasuerus. He makes this proclamation that on the 14th and 15th days of Hadar, there's going to be this feast of Purim, is to be celebrated. Point is that the Jewish nation are never ever to forget their deliverance from Haman. The adversary, the enemy of the Jews, who had schemed to destroy them.
And the word purim is a plural form of the Persian word poor. Persian, as in Hebrew, you make the plural by adding ayam. For example, one seraph, two seraphim, one cherub. Uh three chariobim. Pure, the word for lot.
This is the Feast of Curim. The casting of the lots, a reminder Of how God had used the casting of the lot to deliver them from their wicked enemies, particularly from Haman, the very personification of evil and hatred. They understood. Proverbs 16 verse 33, the lot is cast into the lap. But it's every decision is from the Lord.
Now what was the practice of Purim? Let's read from verse 23.
So the Jews accepted what they started to do and what Mordecai had written to them. For Haman, the Agagite, the son of Hamadatha, the enemy of all the Jews. had plotted against the Jews to destroy them. and had cast pure That is cast lots to crush And to destroy them. But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head.
and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. We saw last week that God is the God of reversing. He reverses what seems to be impossible in our eyes. And here's a wonderful example from the book of Esther. Therefore, They call these days purim.
after the term pure. Therefore. Because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring, and all who joined them. That without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written. And at the time appointed every year that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation and every clan, province, and city.
And that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants. Then queen Queen Esther The daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority confirming the second letter about Purim. Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Azuaris, in words of peace. And truth. that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring with regard to their fasts and their lamenting.
the command of Esther. She's the queen. Confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.
So here we have in these verses the institution of the Feast of Purim. Institute? Led by Mordecai, and now, as we read, there is the practice of Purim. At the command of Queen Esther and Mordecai, the Feast of Purim was to be established.
So that this astonishing Deliverance from Persian hatred against the Jews would never ever be forgotten. And Purim today continues to be celebrated by the Jews one month before Passover. Reminder that God had delivered his people from this seemingly irreversible edict. Which would have annihilated them. It's a story of triumph.
Out of tragedy, a story of gladness out of grief, as we read. A story of a holiday rather than mourning, of celebration out of devastation. The triumph of good over evil. During World War Two and the Nazi, Prison camps, the concentration camps, any Jew possessing the Book of Esther was killed. Can you think why?
What did Nazi Germany want to do? To annihilate the Jews. It was not just that they didn't like the Jews. It's not even that they heeded them. They wanted them all killed.
And we think of the millions of Jews that were butchered during World War II. The Nazis. have gone. That horrible regime that tried to take over most of the world was defeated, as we know, in World War II.
Now we don't celebrate today. They Feast of Purim, we remind ourselves of it as we're doing. We celebrate another feast, a simple feast called the Lord's Supper, the breaking of bread, communion, the Eucharist that's given different names in different church traditions. In Judaism based on Exodus chapter 12. Every year there is the Feast of the Passover.
held every day, every year to this day. What's the Feast of Passover about? You know the answer. that the Israelites would never ever forget another deliverance. A deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.
That once they were slaves, that once they were under a curse. Once They were merely there to Obey my The command of the Pharaohs, and yet God, through the leadership of Moses, delivers them, and they celebrate that freedom, freedom from slavery.
Now if that is true. If the Jews should celebrate the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Purim, how much more? Should we who are followers of Jesus Christ celebrate the victory accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ, our victor over the enemies of Satan and darkness and sin and hell itself? The Lord's Supper, I want you to understand, among other things, is a celebration. It's not just a meaningless ritual.
We're celebrating our great deliverance. And while there is certainly solemnity and reverence at the Lord's table, after all, we're reflecting on the death of our Savior, we also celebrate the victory. Accomplished by him. We sang about the king of kings, the lord of lords, who is coming back soon. And so Paul puts it together in First Corinthians 11 and says, as often As you eat the bread and drink the cup.
He says, we proclaim the Lord's death. Why would we proclaim the Lord's death? Because the cross is central to our salvation. Without our Lord Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sins and being buried and Rising again, there is no salvation, there is no way into heaven. We are eternally lost, but our Savior has come, and we celebrate the Lord's death.
But also, says Paul, we do that until he comes. Aren't you glad Paula added that? He said, what's the point, John? We're looking forward. Our full deliverance, our full redemption has not yet taken place.
Do you think it's good now to be a Christian? I can imagine going through life without being a Christian. It's a wonderful thing to be a Christian and to follow Jesus Christ. But the best is yet coming. If you think it's good now, just wait till that day when our majestic Lord Jesus Christ shall return.
You say, Do you believe that, John? Absolutely. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe and the first part of his message titled God's Invisible Hand. We'll complete Esther's story on tomorrow's program, so be sure to join us then. The reversals we've witnessed in Esther demonstrate a pattern we see throughout Scripture.
Our God delights in dramatic reversals, especially when his people face impossible circumstances. To reinforce your understanding of these profound truths, be sure to get your copy of the Esther Listening Guide. This printable workbook offers notes and questions for application as you review the lessons from this remarkable book. helping you see how God is always faithful to His people and His promises. Download your free copy today by visiting theverdict.org.
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Visit theverdict.org to make your generous donation to this gospel work today. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte, and we'd love to have you visit us this weekend. We're located on the corner of Highway 51 and Ray Road, and we invite you to come join us for worship this Sunday. For more details about Calvary and current service times, visit theverdict.org.
Now, with his closing remarks, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Are you like me and sometimes wonder why God does not reveal himself and make it clear to us what he's doing in our lives? These times when we're in the dark, when God seems silent, are very difficult for us. But the book of Esther is reminding us that God never abandons his people. He's with us.
even through the valley of the shadow of death. Therefore we fear no evil. Make sure you tune in next time as we conclude the study of Esther. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies.
Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
