How does Esther 9:23 connect with other biblical celebrations of deliverance? Purim Begins: The Moment Captured in Esther 9:23 • “So the Jews agreed to continue the custom they had started, as Mordecai had written to them.” (Esther 9:23) • The people formalize an annual festival—Purim—to remember God’s unseen yet unmistakable rescue from annihilation. • What they “had started” (v. 23) was bigger than one victory; it was a pattern of marking salvation with celebration—a pattern woven throughout Scripture. Parallels with Passover • Exodus 12:14, 27—Israel is commanded to keep Passover “as a lasting ordinance.” • Both Passover and Purim: – commemorate deliverance from death, – are perpetual (“lasting” / “continue the custom”), – include feasting, joyful remembrance, and generosity toward others (Exodus 12:3-4; Esther 9:22). • The Passover lamb’s blood spared firstborn sons; Purim’s reversal spared an entire nation. Together they spotlight God’s power to protect His covenant people. Echoes of the Red Sea Song • After crossing the sea, “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD” (Exodus 15:1). • Like Purim’s annual reading of the story (Esther 9:28, 32), the Song of Moses retold the rescue in rhythmic form so each generation would celebrate the victory afresh. Stone Memorials at the Jordan • Joshua 4:7—twelve stones set up “as a memorial to the Israelites forever.” • Purpose matches Purim’s: when children ask “What do these stones mean?” (Joshua 4:21) or “Why two days of feasting in Adar?” (Esther 9:26-28), parents testify to God’s mighty hand. Songs of Deliverance in the Psalms • Psalm 118:13-14 “The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.” • Psalm 124 celebrates survival against overwhelming odds—language that could easily fit Esther’s era. Purim joins this psalm-like chorus, turning national crisis into annual praise. Giving and Gladness: A Shared Practice • Purim: “a time for feasting and gladness, for sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor” (Esther 9:22). • Deuteronomy 16:11-12 commands similar generosity during the Feast of Weeks and Booths—joy over deliverance blossoms into practical care for the needy. Forward Glance to the Lord’s Supper • Jesus kept Passover, then redirected it: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). • 1 Corinthians 11:26 links the meal with proclamation: “you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” • As Purim and Passover look back to temporal rescues, the Table looks back to the ultimate deliverance—the cross—and forward to eternal celebration (Revelation 19:9). Common Threads Running Through Every Celebration • A real threat faced by God’s people. • God’s decisive, historical intervention. • A commanded or chosen ritual to remember. • Storytelling that cements identity and faith. • Outward joy expressed through food, song, and generosity. • The call to pass the testimony to the next generation. Why Esther 9:23 Matters Today • It reminds believers that salvation history is meant to be rehearsed, not merely recalled. • It affirms the goodness of tangible festivals—meals, gifts, gatherings—to anchor theological truths in everyday life. • It invites us, like the Jews of Persia, to keep retelling and reliving God’s mighty acts until all His rescues culminate in the final feast with Christ. |
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