An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about Purim and Netanyahu. This follows this post about Esther. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
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Purim, Jews and Netanyahu's Warning

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech this week comes at the same time as the Jewish festival of Purim. Interesting.

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[Darris McNeely] The news that I’ve been watching is abuzz with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled speech before the United States Congress this week. You know, it’s interesting – I didn’t realize it until putting together some of the dates that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech just two days before the Jewish celebration of Purim, an ancient celebration that dates all the way back to an event in the book of Esther in the Bible during the ancient Persian Empire. The Jews were in captivity and Persia was the big kid on the block. Back at that time, there was an effort made that is told in the book of Esther to exterminate the Jews. It’s history’s first holocaust. Anti-Semitism is a very, very old evil. In Esther:3:13And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey., it makes this one statement, and I think it captures the danger that was there for the Jews in the Persian Empire at the time, that “letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is in the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.” Again, history’s first effort to exterminate the Jews. The story in Esther shows that it didn’t happen due to the courage of the young Jewess named Esther, who along with her uncle Mordecai thwarted the effort that was being hatched at that time.
Well, the Jews celebrate Purim every year to mark this particular event. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is coming to talk to the American Congress about the Iranian effort to build and develop a nuclear weapon. This has been dominating the news for years, and it has finally come to a critical point in the negotiations. Many fear that a bargain will be struck that will allow Iran to develop that weapon. Israel, the State of Israel, has a very, very acute visionary understanding of what is taking place there. Iran for years has said that they will destroy the State of Israel, they will push the Jewish state into the Mediterranean. With one bomb, one nuclear weapon detonated over Israel, that could happen. Israel has said it will not happen. And so, the Prime Minister comes to the United States to make this plea, to make this call, this warning, and it promises to be a very interesting speech.
But to connect it all together, as this warning is given, with what we know from the story of history, the Bible as told in the book of Esther, and connected with this very interesting Jewish celebration of Purim, we recognize that we are at a very, very serious time right now.
There’s a map that I had recently seen in one of the newspapers that kind of showed exactly what is taking place with Iran, which is in the heart of the ancient Persian Empire, as they have extended their influence into Syria, into Lebanon, down into Yemen, and their efforts also in Iraq, to almost encircle the State of Israel with the danger they pose there. It’s a very critical, perilous period going on in the Middle East right now, and the negotiations toward Iran’s efforts for a weapon, the warnings that are being sounded, are ones that should be understood, listened to. We’re at a very critical period. There’s a great deal at stake.
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Victory and the Celebration of Purim

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/brp to read if you are interested in the biblical Purim story. This follows another holiday analysis here and subscribe to this blog for more stories like this here.


Victory and the Celebration of Purim (Esther 9–10)
The day decreed for the attack on the Jews, and subsequently for the Jews to strike out against their enemies in self-defense—even preemptively if deemed necessary—finally arrives (9:1). The 13th day of the 12th month, Adar, corresponds to March of 473 B.C. This day had been determined by Haman's superstitious casting of lots, but it seems likely that God had interfered in the process—causing the date to be sufficiently late enough for the Jews to both determine who their enemies were and to make preparations against them. On this fateful day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to prevail, the opposite happened.
Besides the general fear that had come on the people of the empire because of the Jews' apparent divine favor and help, we are told that the officials of the land helped the Jews on this occasion because of their particular fear of Mordecai's growing influence in the empire (verses 2-4). They may have been trying to garner political favor with the new prime minister, and at the very least were trying to secure themselves against any possible reprisal.
In verses 7-14 we see a return to the conflict with Haman in the killing of his 10 sons. "The patterns of reprisal and vengeance were so deeply ingrained in the cultures of the ancient Middle East that the survival of even one of these sons might mean trouble for the next generation of Jewish people. By listing each of the vanquished sons of their mortal enemy, the Jewish people celebrated the fact that the victory was complete" (Nelson Study Bible, note on verses 7-10). It could also be that these sons had taken or threatened action against the Jews at some point. Moreover, we may perhaps see in this a continuation of the carrying out of the ancient divine edict of destroying the Amalekites. King Ahasuerus granted Esther's request that the bodies of Haman's sons be publicly displayed on the gallows (verses 11-14). This was to serve as a deterrent against anyone contemplating harm against the Jews.
Having overcome their enemies on Haman's determined day, the Jews set aside the next day, the 14th of Adar, as a holiday for celebration. The Jews at Shushan, however, were granted permission to continue fighting through the 14th. So they set aside the 15th as the day to celebrate (verses 13-19). Mordecai sent a letter directing the Jews to observe both days annually from then on and this became an accepted custom (verses 20-25, 27). The days were referred to as Purim, named after the word pur, meaning "lot" (verse 26; see verse 24; 3:7). Purim is the plural.
At some point Esther sent out a second letter with Mordecai confirming the tradition of observing Purim (9:29-32). Though God had not established this feast in the law, it was appropriate for the Jews to commemorate God's intervention on their behalf in this annual celebration. Purim is similar in this respect to Hanukkah, which was instituted three centuries later to commemorate God's help and deliverance in the days of the Maccabees. Jesus Christ apparently went to Jerusalem for the observance of Hanukkah (see John 10:22-23). And as a Jew it is likely that He also observed Purim, especially as its institution is recorded in Scripture. Yet as Purim and Hanukkah are national celebrations not commanded in the law, it is not required that Christians observe them. Indeed, non-Jewish Christians would not be expected to, just as non-Americans are not expected to observe the American holidays of Thanksgiving and Independence Day.
What about the "fasting" in verse 31? "No date is assigned for this fast. Jews traditionally observe the 13th of Adar, Haman's propitious day (see 3:7, 13), as a fast ("the fast of Esther") before the celebration of Purim. These three days of victory celebration on the 13th-15th days of Adar rhetorically balance the three days of Esther's fasting prior to interceding with the king (4:16)" (NIV Study Bible, note on verse 31).
In the three verses that make up the short chapter of Esther 10, we see a final mention of Ahasuerus (Xerxes) and Mordecai. Xerxes reigned eight years beyond the events of chapter 9—dying by assassination in 465 B.C. We know nothing of what became of Esther and Mordecai. But they left an amazing legacy, having cooperated with Almighty God in His grand design to save His people.

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Purim with Commentaries on Esther

I know a lot of people like to read the book of Esther at this time of the year. These links describe some interesting commentaries on this book (H/t http://www.ucg.org/ )


1
Ezra 4:6Esther 1
Opposition to Jews of Judea in the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes); Queen Vashti deposed
2
Esther 2
Esther made queen; Mordecai reports a plot against the king
3
Esther 3
Haman’s plot against the Jews
4
Esther 3
Haman’s plot against the Jews
5
Esther 4
Esther learns of Haman’s plot and agrees to tell the king
6
Esther 4
Esther learns of Haman’s plot and agrees to tell the king
7
Esther 5
Esther’s first banquet
8
Esther 6
The honoring of Mordecai
9
Esther 7
Haman exposed and hanged
10
Esther 8
Edict to save the Jews
11
Esther 8
Edict to save the Jews
12
Esther 9–10
The Jews destroy their enemies; Institution of Purim; The greatness of Mordecai
13
Esther 9–10
The Jews destroy their enemies; Institution of Purim; The greatness of Mordecai
14

Supplement: “Esther: A Woman of Faith and Courage”
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Supplement: “Esther: A Woman Willing to Save Others”