In today’s lesson we will finish studying the book of Esther.

We will be learning about the Jewish Festival of Purim

Esther 9:20 – 10:3 NLT
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. ²² He 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 enemies, 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. ²⁶ That 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. ²⁸ These 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. ³⁰ Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes. ³¹ These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. (The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.) ³² So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

^10:1 King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire, even to the distant coastlands. ² His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia. ³ Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.

Examine the Scriptures

Esther 9:20 – 10:3 NLT
The Festival of Purim

²⁰ Mordecai recorded these events

The events Mordecai recorded:

Esther 9:16-19 NLT
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. 

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. 

• Mordecai and Queen Esther established (proposed v.23) the Festival of Purim.

The festival of Purim was not established by Mosaic Law.   It was established by Mordecai and Esther (v 29-32).

The festival of Purim is the only OT festival not established by Moses. 

²² He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor.

How did the Jews celebrate Purim?

Eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor.

• The Jews celebrated Purim with eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor. 

This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.

Why did the Jews celebrate Purim?

The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction.

On that fateful day, March 7, 473 BC, God miraculously rescued His people from certain death, much like He rescued His people from Egypt at the Passover.

The festival of Purim is much like the Passover celebration.

• The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction. 

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. ²⁶ That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the ancient word for casting lots.

The above verses summarize the events leading to the Festival of Purim.

It was a common practice in the ancient world to cast purim to determine whether God favored a particular course of action.

Esther 3:7 NLT
⁷ So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later. 

• The date of this celebration (events leading up to this celebration) had been determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim).

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. ²⁸ These 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.

Even though Moses did not authorize this festival, Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews.

Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

Purim is celebrated on Adar 14 because the Jews in unwalled cities fought their enemies on Adar 13 and rested the following day.

Shushan Purim falls on Adar 15 and is the day on which Jews in Jerusalem (a walled city) celebrate Purim.

• Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews. 

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.  

Esther’s letter provided further official endorsement to Mordecai’s proposal.

³⁰ Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes. ³¹ These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. 

(The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.) 

• The people decided to observe the Festival of Purim. 

A decree by Mordecai and Queen Esther would not have meant much without the acceptance of the Jewish people. 

³² So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.

A copy of Esther’s letter was put into the royal archives.

The festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

Today, Jewish people fast and pray to commutate Esther’s fasting (The Fast of Esther). This fast is then followed by Purim.

Two events:

A time of fasting.

A time of celebration.

 

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

^10:1 King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire,

This negated an earlier remission of taxes.

Esther 2:18
English Standard Version
¹⁸ Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity. 

Esther 2:18
New Living Translation
¹⁸ To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.

From lesson on Esther 2:

“Holiday” The Hebrew for this word, unique to this verse, may imply a remission of taxes,

an emancipation of slaves,

a cancellation of debt

or a remission of obligatory military service.

• King Xerxes imposed a tax throughout his empire. (Showing the extent of his power.)

Persian taxes on the provinces were heavy.

even to the distant coastlands. 

Esther 1:1 NLT
These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. 

Review the Map of the Persian Empire

² His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia.  

³ Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself.

• Mordecai was rewarded with a high government position.

Mordecai became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself.

Joseph ranked second in the Egyptian dynasty.

Daniel ranked high in both the Babylonian and Medo-Persian Empires.

He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.

• Mordecai was held in high esteem by his people, the Jews.

Nowhere in the book of Esther does it say that Mordecai was a righteous man or that he was careful to follow the Law of Moses.

There are no farther details about Mordecai or Esther.

King Xerxes was assassinated in 465 B.C. (less than ten years later.)

• God’s sovereignty is clearly seen in the book of Esther. Many things happened that were beyond anyone’s control except that of God, who oversees history.

• • • (Chapter 1) The king’s wise men advised King Xerxes to banish Queen Vashti from his presence forever and choose another queen more worthy than Queen Vashti.

• • • (Chapter 2) Esther, a Jew, was placed in a position in which she could help the nation Israel, even before Israel needed help.

• • • (Chapter 2) Mordecai is at the right place at the right time. – Mordecai heard two guards plotting to assassinate King Xerxes.

• • • (Chapter 3) Lots were cast to determine the best day and month for the execution of the Jews to take place.  –  The Jews would have nearly a year to prepare themselves for this event.

• • • (Chapter 4) Esther’s rise to power at this precise time.  Esther’s position as Xerxes’ favored wife and queen allowed her to influence the king in such a way it would favor the Jewish people.

• • • The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases. (Chapter 5)

• • • (Chapter 6) The night between the first and second banquet hosted by Esther, the king had trouble sleeping.  Listening to 12 years of recorded history being read to him, the king discovered the account of how Mordecai exposed a plot to have him (King Xerxes) assassinated.  King Xerxes is reminded of the fact that nothing has been done for Mordecai for saving the king’s life.

• • • (Chapter 7) The king appears to be surprised to hear that Esther is a Jew.  Esther was able to ask the king to spare her life and the lives of her people.

• • • (Chapter 8) A decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring that gave the Jews authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies.

• • • (Chapter 9) The enemies of the Jews could not make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.

The Festival of Purim

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

• Mordecai and Queen Esther established (proposed v.23) the Festival of Purim.

• The Jews celebrated Purim with eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor.

• The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction.

• The date of this celebration (events leading up to this celebration) had been determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim).

• Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

• The people decided to observe the Festival of Purim. (A decree by Mordecai and Queen Esther would not have meant much without it being accepted by the Jewish people.)

• King Xerxes imposed a tax throughout his empire. (Showing the extent of his power.)

• Mordecai was rewarded with a high government position.

• Mordecai was held in high esteem by his people, the Jews.

• God’s sovereignty is clearly seen in the book of Esther. Many things happened that were beyond anyone’s control except that of God, who oversees history.