Esther and the Jewish Holiday of Purim. The book of Esther never mentions God, but His hand is everywhere behind the scenes. Purim commemorates God saving His people from destruction. Discover how God is faithfully involved in your life, even when you least recognize it. You’ll gain courage, strength, and hope from the spiritual lessons we’ll explore in this powerful account of a still-observed Jewish holiday.
Day 1: What Is Purim?
The Jewish holiday of Purim commemorates when the Jewish people were saved from destruction in ancient Persia. The book of Esther records the account.
In the 5th century B.C.E., King Ahasuerus of Persia ruled the Jewish people. He banished his queen, and to select a new one, he conscripted young maidens from throughout his kingdom. He chose Esther, a young Jewish woman who kept her lineage secret.
Mordecai, Esther’s cousin and guardian, overheard a plot to kill the king. He told Esther, thus saving Ahasuerus’ life. The event was recorded, but Mordecai wasn’t acknowledged.
Haman, a wicked officer, convinced the king that the Jewish people were a threat. He persuaded Ahasuerus to issue an irrevocable decree urging the public to kill Jewish people on a selected day. When Mordecai learned it, he begged Esther to approach the king to save their people. “Who knows whether you have attained royal status for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 TLV), he said. The trouble was, going to the king uninvited was punishable by death if he didn’t welcome her.
Despite the danger, Esther chose to go, saying, “If I perish, I perish!” (v. 16). She fasted and went to the king three days later. He received her, and she invited him and Haman to a banquet where she would explain her request.
Before the banquet, Ahasuerus discovered that nothing had been done for Mordecai for saving his life. The king remedied that by ordering Haman to oversee a lavish and public display honoring Mordecai.
At a second banquet, Esther revealed her Jewish identity and exposed Haman as the man whose plan threatened her and her people’s lives. Haman was hanged, and his position was given to Mordecai. The Jewish people were allowed to defend themselves on the decreed day, and they were saved from annihilation.
Interestingly, God is not mentioned once in the book of Esther. But as we’ll see in the coming days, His hand is evident throughout the events, revealing faith-building lessons for us today.
Takeaway
It may not always look like God is working in your life, but He is.
Think About
Is there a time in your life when God seemed distant, but you later realized He was involved in your circumstances all along?
Scriptures
When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or paying him honor, Haman was filled with rage. But it was repugnant in his eyes to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him the identity of Mordecai’s people. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus (Esther 3:5–6 TLV).
“… Who knows whether you have attained royal status for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 TLV).
Esther sent this to reply to Mordecai, “Go! Gather together all the Jews who are in Shushan and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast in the same way. Afterwards, I will go in to the king, even though it is not according to the law. So if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:15–16 TLV).
Consequently, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is the month Adar), the king’s edict and his law drew near to be carried out. On that day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but contrary to expectations the Jews gained the upper hand over those that hated them (Esther 9:1 TLV).
Mordecai recorded these events and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, urging them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar every year as the days when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into celebration. These were to be days of feasting, celebration and sending presents of food to one another and giving gifts to the poor (Esther 9:20–22 TLV).
These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family and in every province and every city. These days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor their remembrance perish from their descendants (Esther 9:28 TLV).
Day 2: God Intervenes
Even though it’s not spelled out, God is a central character in the book of Esther, and Purim reminds us that God intervenes on behalf of His people.
When Esther fasted, she sought God’s favor, and He stepped in. The king received Esther when she dared to visit him unbidden, and God intervened to arrange deliverance for the Jewish people when it seemed impossible. The irrevocable decree meant to destroy the Jewish people was overpowered by a second proclamation permitting them to defend themselves. Their victory was overwhelming. As God had done many times before, He once again stepped in to save His people from annihilation.
God also acts to rescue us today. There’s no telling how many mishaps and dangers He has prevented in our lives. How many accidents did He divert us from? How many illnesses did He see that we weren’t exposed to? How many problems did He intercept before they got to us? We may never know. But we can be thankful.
He also interjects His power into our lives to bring good out of difficult situations.
God’s most important intervention is Yeshua (Jesus) coming to Earth to die in each of our places for our ultimate deliverance. God intervened to offer us eternal life.
In big and small ways, God cares and acts on our behalf. His help may come in the most unlikely form. It may be subtle or dramatic. We may recognize it right away, or we may not see it until we reach Heaven. Regardless of how He inserts His power to change our circumstances (and hearts), we can trust that He is working for our good and to make all things beautiful at the right time.
Takeaway
God intervened in Esther’s story, and He intervenes in your story, too.
Think About
Where have you seen God step in to change a circumstance, prevent a mishap, or bring about good in your life? Thank Him today.
Scriptures
When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she found favor in his eyes, so the king held out to Esther the golden scepter in his hand and Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter. Then said the king to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? Whatever you request, even as much as half of the kingdom, it will be given to you” (Esther 5:2–3 TLV).
Now we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28 TLV).
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Moreover, He has set eternity in their heart—yet without the possibility that humankind can ever discover the work that God has done from the beginning to the end (Ecclesiastes 3:11 TLV).
Day 3: God Keeps His Promises
Long before Esther lived, God promised to make her distant ancestor Abraham into a great nation. God said his descendants would be as countless as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. He confirmed this word to Abraham’s son Isaac, and again to his grandson Jacob.
In Jeremiah chapter 31, verses 35 through 37, the Lord promised that as long as the sun, moon, and stars remained, so would Israel. This might seem confusing at first glance, because Israel was only reborn as a nation in 1948 after thousands of years without a homeland. However, “Israel” is not only a self-governing country, but the term also refers to the entirety of the Jewish people throughout the world and across all of time.
Understood this way, we can see that Israel has never ceased to exist – just as God promised. Many kingdoms and nations have tried to destroy the Jewish people, but God has preserved them from utter destruction.
When Haman of Persia wasn’t satisfied with taking vengeance on Mordecai alone but desired to kill every Jewish person under Persian rule at that time, God kept His promise to preserve the Jewish people. He saved them again, according to His Word.
The Purim story offers confirmation that we can trust God to keep His promises. Some of those promises to you are that:
- He will never leave you
- He will never stop loving you
- He will give you wisdom when you ask
- He will strengthen you to live a godly, abundant life
Takeaway
Purim is another reminder that God keeps His promises.
Think About
What promises in the Bible energize you the most? Which ones comfort you most?
Scriptures
“I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17a NIV).
The Lord appeared to Isaac and said... “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed” (Genesis 26:2, 4 NIV).
… and He said, “I am Adonai, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your seed. Your seed will be as the dust of the land, and you will burst forth to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed—and in your seed (Genesis 28:13–14 TLV).
Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the Lord, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever” (Jeremiah 31:35‒36 NKJV).
But it was repugnant in his eyes to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him the identity of Mordecai’s people. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus (Esther 3:6 TLV).
Keep your lifestyle free from the love of money, and be content with what you have. For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 TLV).
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord (Romans 8:38–39 TLV).
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all without hesitation and without reproach; and it will be given to him (James 1:5 TLV).
I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13 TLV).
Day 4: God’s Timing Can Be Trusted
You’d think that if someone saved the king’s life, they’d get some reward. They’d at least receive a “thank you,” right? Not Mordecai. His critical contribution went overlooked – that is, until God saw that it was the right time. Receiving no praise or applause for his good act, Mordecai was slighted, and he let it go.
The king knew nothing of how Mordecai thwarted the assassination plot against him until he heard the account read to him later, in the middle of a sleepless night. King Ahasuerus saw a Jewish man who had saved his life and sought nothing in return. That gave him a good look at Mordecai’s character, and he immediately honored him in a grand way.
Just a day later, when the king learned of Esther’s request and stripped Haman of all authority, Mordecai’s trustworthiness was fresh in his mind. Not only did Mordecai receive the honor due to him previously, but the king then elevated him to Haman’s former position in the kingdom.
God saved Mordecai’s reward until the right time, when it fit best into His plan to save the Jewish people. His timing to exalt Mordecai served a higher purpose and was likely sweeter for Mordecai, too, because it was even grander than he would ever have expected.
Scripture exhorts us to “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may lift you up at the appropriate time” (1 Peter 5:6 TLV). Even if we never receive the esteem or credit we deserve from people, God sees everything and will reward us – someday, in some way.
Takeaway
You may have to wait, but you can trust God and His timing.
Think About
Has there been a time when your contribution was overlooked? Were you able to trust God with it? How did it turn out? Can you trust God with it now?
Scriptures
That night sleep deserted the king, so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, be brought in and read before the king. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had revealed that Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the door, had conspired to kill King Ahasuerus. The king asked, “What honor or recognition has been shown to Mordecai for this?” The king’s servants that attended him replied, “Nothing has been done for him” (Esther 6:1–3 TLV).
Then Mordecai went out from the king’s presence in blue and white royal robes, with a large gold crown, and also a purple robe of fine linen. The city of Shushan shouted and rejoiced (Esther 8:15 TLV).
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may lift you up at the appropriate time (1 Peter 5:6 TLV).
“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6:3‒4 NKJV).
For everything there is a season and a time for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1
TLV).
So let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we don’t give up (Galatians 6:9 TLV).
Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him (Isaiah 30:18 NKJV).
Day 5: God Places People in Positions to Accomplish His Purposes
You may have heard Believers share stories like, “I got fired from my job, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Hindsight revealed to them that the Lord was directing their lives for good when they didn’t realize it.
Esther must have wondered why God allowed her to be conscripted into Persia’s “next queen contest.” Yet God orchestrated her path, and she was selected queen. He placed her in that role at exactly the right time, too, just before Haman hatched his plan to exterminate the Jewish people.
No random person overheard the assassination plot against the king; Mordecai did. And not until Esther was stationed as queen in the royal house. He was in the right place at the right time to hear the would-be assassins conspiring, and as a relative of the queen, he was positioned to send her a message warning the king.
Esther hadn’t expected to become queen, and Mordecai didn’t set out to save the king’s life. But God ordained those events to bless and save not only their lives, but the lives of every Jewish person held under Persian rule.
At one point during the apostle Paul’s ministry, he wanted to preach the Gospel in Asia, but the Holy Spirit forbade it. Why would God say no to such a good thing? It wasn’t the right time. He sent Paul to Macedonia first. Later, Paul went to Asia and stayed two years, daily sharing the Good News until all of Asia had heard it.
Life delivers unexpected turns. How many of those surprises or difficulties in our lives laid the groundwork for God’s better blessing? Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God knows His plans for us: to give us a future and a hope. God puts people in the right places at the right times to meet needs, fulfill His plans, and set things up for future good. We can trust Him with our unknown futures.
Takeaway
When life hands you surprises, God may be setting you up for future blessings or purposes.
Think About
What events changed the direction of your life? What opportunities that you enjoy now would not have happened unless God had changed things up earlier in your life?
Scriptures
“… Who knows whether you have attained royal status for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 TLV).
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps (Proverbs 16:9 NIV).
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way (Psalm 37:23 NKJV).
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia (Acts 16:6 NKJV).
And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks (Acts 19:10 NKJV).
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
Day 6:God Will Lead Us Amid Trouble
Esther faced a truly frightening predicament. Haman’s official decree against the Jewish people in Persia was a death sentence for her, despite her position. But to visit the king and ask for his help could likely mean her death as well. No one was allowed to approach the king uninvited, not even the queen. Unless he extended his golden scepter in welcome, the offense was punishable by death.
Esther didn’t know what to do. Fear clouded her judgment, so instead of impulsively responding in either direction, she paused. She determined to fast for three days and asked Mordecai to have all the Jewish people fast as well. Though the text doesn’t mention God, it’s safe to assume this faithful Jewish woman prayed to Him for wisdom and direction.
That’s what we’re supposed to do, too. Pray – whenever we’re in trouble or need wisdom and guidance. The Bible tells us not to lean on our own judgment but to lean on God, seek His guidance, and submit to His understanding above our own.
Life can be a real challenge sometimes. What to do, what to say, how to proceed – it can seem so unclear in the moment. That’s when, like Esther, we need to pause and seek the Lord. Ask that we would hear His guidance and receive clarity. Then, rely on His leading. His Word promises that He will guide us, counsel us, and provide us with wisdom when we ask for it.
Takeaway
We can trust God to guide us through troubled times as we seek Him and lean on Him.
Think About
When in your life have you made a mistake by trusting your own thoughts on a matter? What’s a time when you sought the Lord for guidance, and you knew He was leading you? What were the outcomes of these examples?
Scriptures
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:3 TLV).
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5‒6 NIV).
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all without hesitation and without reproach; and it will be given to him (James 1:5 TLV).
This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go (Isaiah 48:17 NIV).
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will give counsel—My eye is on you (Psalm 32:8 TLV).
Good and upright is Adonai. Therefore He directs sinners in the way. He guides the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way (Psalm 25:8–9 TLV).
Day 7: God Wants Us to Celebrate Victories
The Lord paved the way to rescue the Jewish people from Haman’s irrevocable decree to destroy them. And God led them to overwhelming victory. Afterward, Mordecai used his newly given authority to declare an annual holiday among the Jewish people to commemorate their deliverance. He urged them to celebrate the time when God turned their sorrow into joy and their mourning into celebration.
Mordecai also instructed that Jewish people should commemorate this deliverance with great celebration every year throughout all generations to come. He named the holiday Purim because it means “lots,” and Haman “cast lots” (like throwing dice) to determine the day to massacre the Jewish people. Mordecai wrote that the holiday was to be celebrated with feasting, joy, exchanging food gifts, and sending gifts to the poor. And so it continues among Jewish people today.
Throughout Scripture, God encourages and commands remembrance. He wants us to reflect on the things He has done for us and continue celebrating them. He told the Israelites to take courage and to remember how He had saved them from Egypt. The Psalms encourage us to look back on what God accomplished in days of old. Similarly, in the New Testament, God’s instruction to dwell on true, pure, and lovely things keeps our spiritual eyes trained on the good things He has given.
Remembering past victories bolsters our faith today. Recounting the ways God has taken care of us in earlier days gives us reason to rejoice today and the confidence and courage to trust Him with whatever we’re facing now. As we remember His faithfulness and goodness in the past, we also see that we can trust Him for whatever lies ahead.
Purim is a holiday for rejoicing. As we look closely at the historical account, we see a faithful, intervening God whose ways we can trust through the challenges and surprises of our lives today.
Takeaway
Remember how God has worked in your life in the past, and your faith will be stronger today.
Think About
What are some victories God has accomplished in your life? How has He led you, rescued you, and done wonders for you? Remember and celebrate by praising Him. Start a list and keep adding to it. Reading it will bless you for years to come.
Scriptures
Urging them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar every year as the days when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into celebration. These were to be days of feasting, celebration and sending presents of food to one another and giving gifts to the poor (Esther 9:21–22 TLV).
These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family and in every province and every city. These days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor their remembrance perish from their descendants (Esther 9:28 TLV).
He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion (Psalm 111:4 NKJV).
“You are not to be afraid of them. You are to be sure to remember what Adonai your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:18 TLV).
I remember the days of old. I meditate on all You have done. I ponder the work of Your hands (Psalm 143:5 TLV).
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise—dwell on these things (Philippians 4:8 TLV).
