Courage for Life for Women - Flipbook - Page 21
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13
Esther responded, “If it please the
king, give the Jews in Susa permission to
do again tomorrow as they have done today, and let the bodies of Haman’s ten
sons be impaled on a pole.”
14
So the king agreed, and the decree
was announced in Susa. And they impaled the bodies of Haman’s ten sons.
15
Then the Jews at Susa gathered together
on March 8* and killed 300 more men,
and again they took no plunder.
16
Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained
relief from all their enemies, killing
75,000 of those who hated them. But
they did not take any plunder. 17 This was
done throughout the provinces on March 7,
and on March 8 they rested,* celebrating
their victory with a day of feasting and
gladness. 18 (The Jews at Susa killed their
enemies on March 7 and again on
March 8, then rested on March 9,* making that their day of feasting and gladness.) 19 So to this day, rural Jews living in
remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in
late winter,* when they rejoice and send
gifts of food to each other.
The Festival of Purim
20
Mordecai recorded these events and
sent letters to the Jews near and far,
throughout all the provinces of King
Xerxes, 21 calling on them to celebrate an
annual festival on these two days.* 22He
told them to celebrate these days with
feasting and gladness and by giving gifts
of food to each other and presents to the
poor. This would commemorate a time
when the Jews gained relief from their en-
emies, when their sorrow was turned into
gladness and their mourning into joy.
23
So the Jews accepted Mordecai’s proposal and adopted this annual custom.
24
Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to
crush and destroy them on the date determined by casting lots (the lots were
called purim). 25 But when Esther came
before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plot to backfire, and
Haman and his sons were impaled on a
sharpened pole. 26That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the
ancient word for casting lots.
So because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had experienced, 27 the
Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to
their descendants and to all who became
Jews. They declared they would never fail
to celebrate these two prescribed days at
the appointed time each year. 28These
days would be remembered and kept
from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the
provinces and cities of the empire. This
Festival of Purim would never cease to be
celebrated among the Jews, nor would the
memory of what happened ever die out
among their descendants.
29
Then Queen Esther, the daughter of
Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew,
wrote another letter putting the queen’s
full authority behind Mordecai’s letter to
establish the Festival of Purim. 30Letters
wishing peace and security were sent to
the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of
the empire of Xerxes. 31These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the
EsthEr 9
listen to the ord
Listen to Esther 9, and reject the
worldly lie that it’s okay to take
from others in order to gain
earthly possessions. Replace
it with the truth that you are
to do what is honorable in all
situations, repay evil with good,
and treat others as you wish to
be treated (see also Matt 7:12;
Luke 6:31; Rom 12:17-21).
9:15 Hebrew the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was March 8,
473 B.C.; also see note on 2:16. 9:17 Hebrew on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they
rested. These days were March 7 and 8, 473 B.C.; also see note on 2:16. 9:18 Hebrew killed their enemies on the thirteenth
day and the fourteenth day, and then rested on the fifteenth day, of the Hebrew month of Adar. 9:19 Hebrew on the
fourteenth day of the month of Adar. This day of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurs in February or March.
9:21 Hebrew on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar.
remember God’s works
9:20-32
P R A Y • Abba Father, I praise you for your protection. I will remember your works all the days
of my life.
O B S E R V E • After the Jews gained relief from their enemies, Mordecai and Esther instituted
the Festival of Purim. They called on the Jews to celebrate this two-day festival with feasting
and gladness by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. The Festival of
Purim commemorates this remarkable moment in history when God saved his people from
annihilation.
I N T E R P R E T • Mordecai and Esther formalized an annual celebration of God’s rescue so
that future generations would remember what God had accomplished. The Festival of Purim
is still celebrated by Jews today. While holidays such as Christmas and Easter are wonderful
opportunities to remember God’s gift of salvation through Jesus, let’s also be intentional about
celebrating all the amazing ways God works in our lives every day.
A P P LY • Commit to change:
Journal what you need to change
so that you can recognize and
remember the ways God works
in your life (9:28). • Overcome
obstacles: Read Psalm 77:11. In
the margin, list any distractions
that keep you from remembering and celebrating the works
of God. How will you overcome
these obstacles?
As you seek to remember the
works of God, what other
COURAGE steps will you take?
