What is the meaning of Esther 9:27? The Jews bound themselves The verse opens with a voluntary, united commitment. Much like Israel at Sinai—“All that the LORD has spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8)—the people pledge themselves to an oath. Their agreement is: • Collective, not individual (Nehemiah 10:29). • Solemn, invoking accountability before God (2 Chronicles 15:12). They are not making a casual promise; they are sealing a covenant to remember God’s deliverance in perpetuity. to establish the custom Here the intent is to create a standing ordinance, comparable to Passover, which was declared “a memorial … for all generations” (Exodus 12:14). Customs anchored in God’s acts: • Preserve history (Joshua 4:7). • Teach doctrine from one generation to the next (Psalm 145:4). • Prevent spiritual drift by embedding truth in the calendar. that they and their descendants and all who join them The horizon widens beyond the immediate survivors: • Future children inherit the testimony (Genesis 17:7; Deuteronomy 6:20–21). • “Those who join them” welcomes proselytes and sojourners (Zechariah 2:11; Acts 2:39). God’s salvation in the book of Esther is meant to echo outward, inviting others into joy and covenant loyalty. should not fail to celebrate these two days The focus is Purim’s dual-day feast (Esther 9:21-22). Failure to celebrate would equal forgetfulness of God’s reversal. Celebration includes: • Joyful feasting and rest (Leviticus 23:40). • Generosity to the poor (Deuteronomy 16:11–12; 2 Corinthians 9:12). • Public retelling of the rescue (Revelation 12:11). at the appointed time each and every year God works in history at set times (Galatians 4:4). Annual rhythm turns memory into habit: • “Year after year this feast” (1 Samuel 1:3) embeds gratitude. • Regularity keeps the community in step with God’s timetable (Leviticus 23). • It also counters cultural amnesia, ensuring the miracle stays present. according to their regulation The festival is kept “according to their regulation,” meaning the specific directives just recorded—dates, gifts, readings (Esther 9:20-23). Scripture often ties obedience to detailed order: • “Observe this rite as a statute” (Exodus 12:24). • Josiah’s Passover was honored “as written in the Book of the Covenant” (2 Chronicles 35:6). Precision honors God, guards unity, and resists human alteration (Colossians 2:5). summary Esther 9:27 records a covenant to remember. The Jews pledge, and invite all who join them, to celebrate God’s great reversal every year, on the exact days, following the prescribed pattern. By binding themselves, they safeguard the story, pass faith to descendants, and keep gratitude alive through consistent, regulated celebration. |
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