The Purim Party, the Purim Pain - Audio
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I know why we're a little thin today, it's because everyone is sick. At least I think everyone is sick. When I'm sick, I think everyone is sick. Isn't that how you feel, too? How many of you have been sick so far this winter? Okay, only some of you, well, I warn you. I warn you, if you receive what I have received this last week, and what I believe Colleen and Jeannie received, and what I think my wife might now be receiving, sadly, sorry honey, she's not here, then you are not going to be very happy. I won't go into symptoms, but it's just, I just couldn't stop coughing. So there you have it, Merry Christmas. But hey, on a more serious note, my time of rest also popped me on the bed to just flip through the television, and as I did, I saw what you saw this week. And that is the horrific, unspeakable massacre in San Bernardino and subsequently in the shoot out in Redlands, California. I know Redlands quite well, I spent many a time in Redlands coming down the mountain from Forest Home when I was on staff back in the late 90s. Folks, that's one hour away, one hour away, a terrorist attack on our country. And details are still coming in, but one thing for sure, it's not a workplace violence incident. Some would have us believe. There are evil people among us, and they subscribe to an evil religion and ideology. And because of that, they are inspired to do evil by the devil himself. And we need to be watchful and mindful and prayerful that God will continue to protect our nation and our community. Amen? But I can't even imagine how the pastors of San Bernardino preached today. For there were many, many Christians who were killed in that attack, and many, many churches gathered this morning, lest a few people, who they loved, let's always keep that in mind. The title of today's message is the Purim Party, the Purim Pain. Purim you will soon learn is a Jewish holiday, the likes of which was born out of the Book of Esther, and today we come to the final installment in the Book of Esther, where we learn what happened as a result of the great victory of the Jewish people over Haman and his sympathizers. Would you please stand with me as we read from Esther chapter 9. We're going to begin in verse 13, backtracking just a bit from where Pastor Tom left off. And we're going to continue to the end of the book, though this morning we'll only read together as we stand just a portion of that. Esther chapter 9, beginning in verse 13, verse 13. Then Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews, who are in Shushan, to do again tomorrow according to today's decree, and let Haman's 10 sons be hanged on the gallows, so the king commanded this to be done, and the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman's 10 sons, and the Jews, who were in Shushan, gathered together again on the 14th day of the month of Adar, and killed 300 men at Shushan, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. The remainder of the Jews and the king's provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and they killed 75,000 of their enemies, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. And this was on the 13th day of the month of Adar, and on the 14th of the month they rested and made it a day of fasting, of feasting, and gladness, verse 18. But the Jews who were at Shushan assembled together on the 13th day, as well as on the
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Teaching on Esther 9:18 to 10:3, Pastor Neil discusses the origins of Purim, exploring both the celebratory and the painful aspects of this commemorative holiday.