part 9 - esther 9:18-10:3 party at the ranch. we all have a tendency to forget things, even...

Part 9 - Esther 9:18-10:3Part 9 - Esther 9:18-10:3Party at the RanchParty at the Ranch

We all have a tendency to We all have a tendency to forgetforget things, even significant things, even significant things. things.

Let’s Let’s partyparty

But the Jews who were in Susa But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. a day of feasting and gladness. (9:18)(9:18)

The party in the The party in the citycity was was the day after the party in the day after the party in

the the villagevillage..

Therefore the Jews of the villages, Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the rural towns, hold who live in the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of day on which they send gifts of food to one another.(9:19)food to one another.(9:19)

A A NewNew WayWay to Establish a to Establish a HolidayHoliday

And Mordecai recorded these things And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, obliging Ahasuerus, both near and far, obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, as the days of the same, year by year, as the days on which the Jews got relief from their on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, enemies,

A A NewNew WayWay to Establish a to Establish a HolidayHoliday

and as the month that had been and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor. (9:20-another and gifts to the poor. (9:20-22)22)

Prior to this time, the Jewish Prior to this time, the Jewish people observed either people observed either fivefive

or or sevenseven feasts: feasts:

• PassoverPassover

• UnleavenedUnleavened BreadBread

• First-First-fruitsfruits))

• Festival of Festival of

WeeksWeeks


or or sevenseven feasts: feasts:• Feast of Feast of

TrumpetsTrumpets

• DayDay of of AtonementAtonement

• Feast of Feast of TabernaclesTabernacles


or or sevenseven feasts: feasts:

• This feast was a This feast was a spontaneousspontaneous celebration celebration

A Jewish A Jewish MardiMardi GrasGras / / HalloweenHalloween party (9:23-28) party (9:23-28)

So the Jews accepted what they had So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. For had written to them. For HamanHaman the the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. lots), to crush and to destroy them.


But when it came before the king, But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the sons should be hanged on the gallows.gallows.


Therefore they called these days Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, the Jews firmly happened to them, the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, offspring and all who joined them,


that without fail they would keep that without fail they would keep these two days according to what these two days according to what was written and at the time was written and at the time appointed every year, that these appointed every year, that these days should be remembered and days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, in every clan, province, and city,


that without fail they would keep that without fail they would keep these two days and that these these two days and that these days of Purim should never fall days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of should the commemoration of these days cease among their these days cease among their descendants. (9:23-28)descendants. (9:23-28)


• The primary commandment related to The primary commandment related to Purim is to Purim is to hearhear the reading of the book the reading of the book of Esther. of Esther.

• The Jews are also commanded to The Jews are also commanded to eateat, , drinkdrink and be and be merrymerry. .

• They are commanded to send out gifts They are commanded to send out gifts of of foodfood or or drinkdrink, and to make gifts to , and to make gifts to charity. charity.

OnceOnce is not enough (9:29- is not enough (9:29-32)32)

Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim. Letters second letter about Purim. Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, that these in words of peace and truth, that these days of Purim should be observed at days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, their appointed seasons,

OnceOnce is not enough (9:29- is not enough (9:29-32)32)

as Mordecai the Jew and Queen as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. The command and their lamenting. The command of Queen Esther confirmed these of Queen Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing. (9:29-32)recorded in writing. (9:29-32)

• Julius StreicherJulius Streicher

Bottom Line: Bottom Line: RememberRemember

Some things Some things nevernever changechange

King Ahasuerus imposed tax on the King Ahasuerus imposed tax on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. land and on the coastlands of the sea. And all the acts of his power and And all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high might, and the full account of the high honor of Mordecai, to which the king honor of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? (10:1-2)of Media and Persia? (10:1-2)

Some things are Some things are foreverforever changedchanged

For Mordecai the Jew was second For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people. (10:3)peace to all his people. (10:3)

Remember what God has Remember what God has said to you said to you personallypersonally

• Week 1: To make God famous we must put Week 1: To make God famous we must put pridepride to to deathdeath!!

• Start a Start a VashtiVashti movement – practice the movement – practice the royalroyal wavewave


• Week 2: Nothing just happens…God is always Week 2: Nothing just happens…God is always at work transforming the inner nature of at work transforming the inner nature of people!people!

• Learn how to live in the Learn how to live in the 2nd2nd chapterchapter!!


• Week 3: Contentment is the allusive dream of Week 3: Contentment is the allusive dream of self made people!self made people!

• Pay attention to what Pay attention to what irritatesirritates you! you!• Know the Know the sourcesource of your of your victoryvictory


• Week 4: Somebody or something on this Week 4: Somebody or something on this planet needs you planet needs you

• Send the Send the clothesclothes backback!!• You can’t You can’t quitquit – God has you on an – God has you on an

assignmentassignment!!


• Week 5: Making God famous involves Week 5: Making God famous involves riskingrisking itit allall!!!!

• We risk We risk offendingoffending people when we are people when we are truthfultruthful with them about their with them about their realityreality..


• Week 6: God is at Week 6: God is at workwork – even in the – even in the mundanemundane! !

• Do the Do the hardhard workwork; let the Holy Spirit go ; let the Holy Spirit go deepdeep!!


• Week 7: when it seems like God is least Week 7: when it seems like God is least presentpresent He is most at He is most at workwork

• ExperienceExperience your your ownown great reversal great reversal


• Week 8: No matter what it looks like, God is in Week 8: No matter what it looks like, God is in control – trust Him!control – trust Him!

• No more No more cursingcursing• Confront any spirit of Confront any spirit of revengerevenge in your own in your own

heartheart

Remember the big message Remember the big message of Esther: God is of Esther: God is inin controlcontrol!!

• Even when he seems Even when he seems silentsilent• The most surprising thing about the book of The most surprising thing about the book of

Esther is that God is not mentioned.Esther is that God is not mentioned.


• Even when His Even when His timingtiming isn’t to our isn’t to our likingliking• Even when evil seems to prevailEven when evil seems to prevail• Even when politics go badEven when politics go bad• Even when life does not go as plannedEven when life does not go as planned• Do you think the above series of events Do you think the above series of events

reflected what Esther had planned for her reflected what Esther had planned for her life?life?


• Even when the situation seems Even when the situation seems desperatedesperate•

part 9 - esther 9:18-10:3 party at the ranch. we all have a tendency to forget things, even...

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