Mastery of Purim - Pastor W.F Kumuyi

Thursday, 28 July 2016

Topic: Mastery of Purim

Text: Esther 9:20-28

Key Verse: "Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them" (Esther 9:24).

On 1 October, 1946, after 216 court sessions, the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg delivered its verdicts sentencing the leaders of the Nazi party to death by hanging. Julius Streicher, a notorious Nazi in the movement's early history, and publisher of the anti-Semitic newspaper "Das Strummer", set up to publish his vitriolic attacks on Jews, was one of those to face the gallows. Before his execution, he suddenly screamed, ‘Purim Fest 1946' to acknowledge his defeat as an enemy of the Jews.

Purim is a Jewish holiday celebrated in the spring, commemorating the execution of Haman, ancient persecutor of the Jews described in the book of Esther. Haman also died by hanging. From our text, Purim was a day to remember, but not for the reason Haman had thought. That great day, March 7, 473 B. C. , established a festival that the Jews celebrate today. Purim is from the Hebrew word "lots" because Haman cast lots to determine the day on which he would exterminate the Jews. But God turn ed their fasting to feasting and their troubles to triumph.

There are no miracles in the book of Esther. Yet, the whole episode is a miracle of divine providence. Neither Haman nor Satan using him could destroy the people of God or put an end to the Abrahamic and Davidic promises of the preservation of the nation for the coming of the Messiah and the ultimate salvation of Israel. No doubt, these are challenging times but we are assured of ultimate victory.

Thought for the day: Weeping can only endure for a night at the most, joy comes ultimately in the morning.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Thessalonians 1-5