Mar 1, 2023
Many Christians may know about the Feast of Purim and the story in the book of Esther on the origin of this feast, but Christians rarely celebrate Purim or spend much time with the book of Esther. That is a shame because the story of Purim is one of the most meaningful teachings from the Scriptures about spiritual warfare, and it has great significance for us.
Show Notes: We read in the book of Esther that Haman manipulated the king to issue a decree of death against the Jews. And as humans we have labored under the decree of death that was first placed on Adam and Eve because of sin. This may have been manipulated by satan, but it was the King’s decree. It was God’s declaration of judgment against them.
Esther appeared before the king to plead for the lives of her people. By extending his scepter to her, the king received her into his presence, and he responded by sentencing Haman to death. Likewise, Yeshua (Jesus) was accepted into the presence of God and His plea for our lives was granted, resulting in the judgment of satan.
The important lesson from the book of Esther is that, even though Haman was killed, the destruction against the Jews was still in motion because it was the king’s decree and could not be reversed. Therefore, the king gave Esther and Mordecai his signet ring and told them to destroy those who would destroy them. As Christians, we must recognize that the futility begun by the King’s decree is set to destroy us, and we must use the signet ring, the mighty name of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Christ, to execute the judgments written and end that which is destroying the world.
Key Verses:
• Book of Esther. “Summarized throughout the podcast.”
• Esther 3:13–15. “Letters were sent … to kill and to annihilate all the Jews.”
• Esther 4:11–17. “I will go in to the king, … and if I perish, I perish.”
• Esther 7:1–10. “They hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai.”
• Genesis 3:13–23. “The Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden.”
• John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.”
• Matthew 3:13–17. “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
• Matthew 24:22. “No life would have been saved.”
• Hebrews 7:25. “He always lives to make intercession for them.”
• Ephesians 4:8. “He led captive a host of captives.”
• Revelation 12:7–9. “Satan … was thrown down to the earth.”
• Esther 8:3–12. “A decree … sealed with the king’s signet ring may not be revoked.”
• Romans 8:20–24. “Subjected to futility, … in hope that the creation itself also will be set free.”
• Philippians 2:9–11. “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow.”
• Luke 10:17–19. “I have given you authority … over all the power of the enemy.”
• Romans 16:20. “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”
• Psalm 149:8–9. “To execute on them the judgment written.”
Quotes:
• “I hope you see the significance of this victory that is Purim. The reason we have a Savior today is because of this tremendous victory that took place under Esther and Mordecai against the decree of annihilation that was brought about by Haman.”
• “All of this has so much to do with us because we know that our hope is in the King. Our hope is in the Lord of Lords. Our hope is in the Creator of the universe who rules in heaven. And before Him we have to make our cry.”
• “I encourage you to study and get involved with Purim. Have a celebration with your family, with your community, with whomever you’re with in faith. Find yourselves celebrating this tremendous feast of Purim, this time of deliverance from annihilation.”
Takeaways:
1. Through the pleading of Christ before the King in His throne room, we see that satan is brought into judgment. Plans that he had for the destruction of mankind are brought back upon his own head.
2. Christ’s coming dealt with the perpetrator of the decree of annihilation against humanity, but that decree has left behind a minefield of destruction that we must deal with.
3. Yeshua ascended to the right hand of the Father, and He has given us the authority and ability to go in His name to proclaim the ending of satan’s plan. We are the ones who will crush satan under our feet.
4. It is only through the voicing of the name of Christ that we will see these death sentences removed until all humanity rises up with the cry in their hearts to receive God and His work and what He has done for them in salvation.