February 24, 2010 / 10 Adar, 5770

Dear Berean,

Purim 5770

This year, the Biblical feast of Purim begins at sunset on February 27. This corresponds to Adar 14. This Biblical feast is filled with joy, and mystery. The book of Esther is a book of hidden things. Fulfill the mitzvah this year by reading the book of Esther… and remember to party!

Purim - Two Men and Their Destiny

It begins on the 14th of Adar. It is the biblical celebration called "Purim" [lots]. While the world seems to think that the course of their lives is dictated by fate, luck, or lots, those of us who know Scripture know differently. The Almighty is directly involved in the circumstances of our lives. It is not "lots" that chose the fateful date of 13th of Adar - it was the Hand of HaShem. The name of this celebration was kept as an ironic reminder: not "lots" but "Providence."

At the end of the book of Esther, we are given a summary of the book and this biblical celebration:

So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them,  because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them, and had cast Pur (that is, the lot), to consume them and destroy them; but when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

So they called these days Purim, after the name Pur. Therefore, because of all the words of this letter, what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had happened to them, the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would join them, that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year, according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time, that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.
Esther 9:23-28

Esther of course is the heroine in this wonderful book. At first reticent, she is convinced by the righteous Mordecai that it was not luck that had placed her in the palace as the Queen of all Persia - but the hand of G-d.

For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Esther 4:14

Esther then responds with courage and faith. Her brave actions are used by G-d to save the Jewish people not only in Persia, but throughout the world at that time.

But in many ways, the story of book of Esther is a story of two men. One might think that it is a struggle between the righteous Mordecai and the wicked Haman (may his name be blotted out), but even that is not quite correct. There is a story of two men in Esther, but it goes back to a time much earlier than the time of the Persian Empire. In preparation for your celebration of Purim this week, I want to take you back to the struggle between two men - and the destiny that HaShem has assigned for the descendants of Jacob.

Let's start with the two main male characters in the book of Esther: Mordecai and Haman (may his name be blotted out).

We are told who Mordecai is in Esther 2:5, "a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite." For those of you paying attention, that name "Kish" might jump out at you. It was a prominent name in Israel. You see, it was the name of the father of Israel's first king: Saul. So, Mordecai was a descendant of Kish. Another of Mordecai's ancestors is also related to King Saul. Shimei is described as a part of Saul's family.

King Saul of course, although having a fine beginning at king of Israel, has an ignoble end. G-d strips him of his office because of disobedience. It is that disobedience that comes to into view even here in Esther. Here is the account of King Saul's sin:

Thus says the HaShem of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.

And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Now the word of HaShem came to Samuel, saying, "I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to HaShem all night.

Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of HaShem! I have performed the commandment of HaShem." But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the HaShem your G-d; and the rest we have utterly destroyed."

And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of HaShem, and gone on the mission on which HaShem sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the HaShem your G-d in Gilgal."

So Samuel said: "Has HaShem as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of HaShem? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of HaShem, He also has rejected you from being king."

Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me." So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before HaShem in Gilgal.
1Samuel 15:2-5; 7-11; 13-15; 20-23; 32-33

 

Saul spared Agag the king of the Amalekites for one night. Samuel the prophet killed Agag the next day, but the damage was done. Saul lost the kingdom, and Agag lived for one night. And all it took was one night. The sole remaining Amalekite passed on his seed that night. The result of the sin of Saul takes us back to the book of Esther.

Who exactly is Haman (may his name be blotted out)? He is a direct descendant of Agag, the man whose life Saul spared in disobedience to G-d's command.

After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
Esther 3:1

Now, the world might look at this turn of events and say, "What a coincidence! Mordecai, from the family of King Saul is now facing Haman, the descendant of Agag, who Saul spared." It was not a coincidence that Mordecai faithfully acted against Haman, thus doing what his ancestor Saul did not do - it is G-d's providence. Notice how large the sin of Saul now looms. But our story does not begin with the two men Saul and Agag. It begins earlier, much earlier.

Agag was the king of the Amalekites. Why did G-d single this group of people out for destruction? Who where the Amalekites, and why did they come out to meet Israel in the Wilderness to try to prevent them from returning to the Land promised to them by HaShem?

The Amalekites were the descendants of Amalek the grandson of Esau. The contest between Jacob and Esau was remembered by the Amalekites there in the Wilderness. The Amalekites always sought to retrieve the birthright that Esau sold for some stew. It is their eternal desire to take the blessing and the inheritance away from Jacob, from Israel. For that reason G-d commanded Israel concerning the descendants of Amalek:

Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear G-d. Therefore it shall be, when HaShem your G-d has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which HaShem your G-d is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.
Deuteronomy 25:17-19

From this passage we get the "remember" and the "blot out" commands we follow on Purim. We remember what Amalek did to our ancestors, both in the Wilderness, and in Persia through Haman (may his name be blotted out). We blot out the name of Amalek and Haman, as their names are blotted out before the Almighty.

The spirit of Amalek is still with us today. It is present in anti-Semitism, and all those who desire to destroy Jews for the simple reason that G-d has shown favor to them.

The spirit of Amalek is present today in some unlikely sources as well. It is found in the theologies of some who regard themselves as the followers of the Jesus. When men's theologies deny the birthright and the inheritance that Jacob was given, they are acting as Amalek. When men, by their theology and their actions deny the essential Jewish nature of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua - they are acting in the spirit of Amalek.

This Purim, we remember what Amalek did. This Purim, we will blot out his name wherever it is found and wherever it is uttered.

The two unnamed men in the book of Esther are Jacob and Esau. G-d blessed Jacob - and of Esau He said:

For violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever.
Obadiah 4:10

The contest of the book of Esther is the contest between Jacob and Esau. Which side are you on?

Chag Sameach!

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Standing in Prayer with all Israel,

Rick Spurlock
Bereans Online
www.bereansonline.org