The final verses of Esther show Mordecai and Esther establishing a permanent feast. All subsequent generations of Jews are commanded to remember the 13th and 14th days of Adar as the Feast of Purim.
Why celebrate days filled with so much death and destruction? Because, as Katie pointed out last week, those days represent the Jews’ deliverance from total annihilation. They are the days of their nation’s salvation. When Haman rolled the dice, he sentenced the Jews to death. But God turned that sentence on its head and fought for His people. Instead of death, they had victory. Instead of mourning, they had joy.
This weekend we Christians celebrate Easter. More than any other Christian holiday, this is the one that marks our deliverance day. We celebrate Christ’s resurrection, yes, but Christ’s death had to come first. Ever since Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, mankind has been under the curse of death. The only way to pay the debt of sin is by death. God, in His great love for us, made a way for us to reverse that debt. He paid the debt Himself by sending His son to die in our place. Our faith in Christ’s perfect work on our behalf brings our salvation.
Our God is a God of reversals. The story of Esther proves that over and over. God also calls us to remember. Remember His faithfulness. Remember His providence. Remember His promises to always save His people. Like the Jews in our story, we have much to celebrate! May we never forget.
Equip Her 