癤풱unday, December 7th, 2003
Scripture Reading: Esther 9:20-23

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Purim (God of Great Reversal)

Today I want to tell you a message
titled, "Purim (God of Great Reversal)".
Although we don't want them in our
lives, we meet big and little enemies.
In this world, competitive for existence,
we do not have only friends and
helpers, but also rivals and enemies.
Jesus said that even our family
members might be our enemies.
Then how many more enemies are
there around us? The Lord tells us
what attitudes we should have
toward our enemies. Psalm 23:5 says,
"You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows." In other words,
if an enemy comes, the Lord will set
a bountiful table before us so that
we may eat, drink, be strengthened,
and overcome the enemy. He will
anoint us with the Holy Spirit
so that our cups may overflow.
This fact is well proven
in the book of Esther in the Bible.
King Xerxes was the king of Persia
which was the most powerful country
in the Middle Eastern region
at that time. He was the emperor
who overwhelmed all his people.
One day, he gave a banquet and
invited all his nobles and officials.
When the king was in high spirits
from wine, he commanded his wife,
Vashti, to come before him. Excited
with wine, he intended to display
her beauty to the people and nobles,
for she was lovely to look at.
Sensing his intention, she disobeyed
his command. Although he ordered her
to come many times, she refused to.
Then the king became furious and
burned with anger. In fact, King Xerxes
was a man of a short temper and
violence. Right after listening to
the advice of one of his men,
he deposed Vashti. Later when his
anger had subsided, he remembered
his wife and felt lonely. Then his
personal attendants proposed that
he choose a beautiful girl to be
queen and he accepted it. Hearing
that news, a large crowd of beautiful
girls came from all over the country.
Among them, there was a Jewish virgin
named Esther. She was a cousin of
Mordecai, a low ranking royal official.
She had no parents and was raised
by Mordecai. He brought her up
as his daughter and she was lovely
in form and features. Mordecai took
his cousin, Esther, to the king's palace
and entrusted her to the man
who was in charge of the harem.
The king met many girls, and
as soon as he saw Esther, he loved
her so much that he didn't want
to meet any more girls. He said,
"Let all the other virgins go back.
Esther will become queen."
He set a royal crown on her head.
Therefore, Esther, who was bereaved of
her parents, caught as a captive, and
brought up by her cousin, was made
queen all of a sudden and had
great authority over the whole empire.
However, Mordecai was humble enough
to forbid Esther to reveal her nationality
and family background before the king.
Then there was a man who was
in a great position and honored
in the palace. His name was Haman.
At first, he was an ordinary official.
But because he was competent,
he was elevated to a seat
of great honor, won the king's favor,
and became a prime minister with
great authority. When he appeared
in the palace, all the royal officials
knelt down and paid honor to him.
Yet, Mordecai would not kneel down
or pay him honor. That's because
Haman was the descendant of
the Amalekites and Mordecai was
that of the Jews. The Amalekites were
terribly against the Jews. God said in
Deuteronomy 25:17-19, "Remember
what the Amalekites did to you along
the way when you came out of Egypt.
When you were weary and worn out,
they met you on your journey and
cut off all who were lagging behind;
they had no fear of God. When
the LORD your God gives you rest
from all the enemies around you
in the land he is giving you to possess
as an inheritance, you shall blot out
the memory of Amalek from under
heaven. Do not forget!" He also said
in Exodus 17:16, "For hands were
lifted up to the throne of the LORD.
The LORD will be at war against
the Amalekites from generation to
generation." Because Haman was
the descendant of these Amalekites
and Mordecai was that of the Jews,
even though he was a low-ranking
official, these two couldn't be reconciled.
Mordecai didn't kneel down before
Haman, so Haman got enraged
at him and said, "Mordecai is such
a bad man. All officials kneel down
before me and pay honor to me,
but he doesn't. I will kill all the Jews
as well as him." At that time,
there were about three million Jews
in Persia. Haman was going to kill
all those Jews and had to get
permission to do so by the king.
This was very easy, because King
Xerxes exalted Haman, trusted him,
and gave him favor, so he accepted
almost all of his requests. It says
in Esther 3:8-11, "Then Haman said
to King Xerxes, 'There is a certain
people dispersed and scattered among
the peoples in all the provinces of
your kingdom whose customs are
different from those of all other people
and who do not obey the king's laws;
it is not in the king's best interest
to tolerate them. If it pleases the king,
let a decree be issued to destroy them,
and I will put ten thousand talents
of silver into the royal treasury for
the men who carry out this business.'
So the king took his signet ring from
his finger and gave it to Haman son of
Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy
of the Jews. 'Keep the money,' the king
said to Haman, "and do with the people
as you please." King Xerxes was willing
to agree to Haman's plot. So Haman
called in the king's attendants and
ordered them to destroy all the Jews
throughout Persia on December 13th
according to the Jewish calendar.
He made a decree, which was sealed
with the king's ring and issued
throughout the country. Soon after that,
the Jews all over Persia tore their
clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes,
and went out into the city, wailing
loudly and bitterly. Hearing that news,
Mordecai also put on sackcloth
and ashes, went out into the streets
of Shushan, and knelt, mourning
and weeping before the palace.혻
When this was reported to Esther,
she was in great distress. She called in
her maidservant and sent good clothes
for Mordecai to put on instead of
his sackcloth. However he said, "Now,
all the Jews are going to be destroyed.
Haman had a king's edict issued
to annihilate all the Jews throughout
Persia. Now you must go into
the king's presence to beg for mercy
and plead with him for our people."
So Esther sent her words to Mordecai.
According to the law of the Persian
palace, anyone who approaches
the king in the inner court without
being summoned must be put to death.
Esther said in her message, "Over
thirty days have passed since I was
called to go to the king. If I go
to him, I must be put to death."
On hearing those words, Mordecai got
so angry that he sent back this answer,
"Do not think that because you are
in the king's house you alone of all
the Jews will escape. When the Jews
are destroyed, you will also turn out
to be a Jew and be killed. Therefore,
if you remain silent at this time,
relief and deliverance for the Jews
will arise from another place, but you
and your father's family will perish.
And who knows but that you have
come to royal position for such a time
as this?" Hearing this answer,
Esther was so distressed in her heart.
She sent this reply to Mordecai:
"Go, gather together all the Jews
who are in Shushan, and fast for me.
Do not eat or drink for three days,
night or day. I and my maids will fast
as you do. When this is done, I will go
to the king, even though it is against
the law. And if I perish, I perish."
After fasting for three days and nights,
she put on her royal robes and stood
in the inner court of the palace,
in front of the king's hall.
She was very terrified and nervous.
If the king extended the golden scepter
to her, she would live, but if not,
she was to be put to death. When she
stood in front of the king's hall,
he was talking with some officials
and saw Queen Esther. The Holy Spirit
worked in the heart of the king
and he was so pleased with her.
After fasting, she looked more beautiful
than usual. The king held out
the golden scepter to her and she
approached him and touched the tip
of it. Then the king asked, "What is it,
Queen Esther? What is your request?
Even up to half the kingdom, it will
be given you." She was relieved and
said, "If it pleases the king, let the king,
together with Haman, come today
to a banquet I have prepared for him.
Then I will tell you what I wish."
The king said, "Bring Haman at once,
so that we may do what Esther asks."
So the king and Haman went to
the banquet Esther had prepared.
As they were drinking wine, the king
again asked Esther, "Now what is
your petition? It will be given you.
And what is your request? Even up to
half the kingdom, it will be granted."
Esther replied, "If the king regards me
with favor and if it pleases the king to
grant my petition and fulfill my request,
let the king and Haman come tomorrow
to the banquet I will prepare for them.
Then I will answer the king's question."
King Xerxes said to Haman, "You heard,
didn't you? She wants us to come
again tomorrow." Haman was very
happy and decided to come again.
After the party, the king went into
his bedroom and Haman went forth
happy and in high spirits. Then
all the officials knelt down before him,
but to his surprise, he observed that
Mordecai neither rose nor showed fear
in his presence, he was filled with rage
against him. He decided to kill him
more cruelly than other Jews.
When he got home, he called together
his wife, family, and friends, boasted
to them about his vast wealth,
his many sons, and all the ways
the king had honored him. He added,
"And that's not all, I'm the only
person Queen Esther invited to
accompany the king to the banquet
she gave. And she has invited me
along with the king again tomorrow.
But all this gives me no satisfaction
as long as I see that Jew, Mordecai,
sitting at the king's gate without
kneeling down to me. How bad he is!
What shall I do to him?" Then
his wife Zeresh said to him, "You are
the prime minister of this country.
Why are you worried about removing
such a low-ranking official? Have
a gallows built, seventy-five feet high,
and ask the king in the morning
to have Mordecai hanged on it.
Then go with the king to the dinner
and be happy." A bad wife usually
destroys her husband. Adam listened
to his wife and was expelled from Eden.
Because of his wife, Haman faced
trouble. Her suggestion delighted him,
and his friends agreed with her, too.
So he said, "Right now, have a gallows
built, seventy-five feet high, and I
will ask the king in the morning
to have Mordecai hanged on it.
Then I will go with the king to
the dinner that the queen will give
and enjoy it." That night he was
waiting for the next morning,
so that he could get permission from
the king to have Mordecai hanged.
Since Mordecai was a royal official,
he needed the king's approval.
Haman thought that it was very easy
to get, however, because he had had
too much food and wine at the banquet
that night, the king could not sleep.
He tried to sleep, but kept waking
up again and again until daybreak.
He called in his attendants and ordered
them to read the book of the chronicles.
It was found recorded there that
Mordecai had exposed two of
the king's officers, who had conspired
to assassinate him, and that they
were hanged. The king asked,
"What honor and recognition has
Mordecai received for this?"
"Nothing has been done for him,"
his attendants answered. The king said,
"Who is in the court?" Now Haman
had just entered the outer court of
the palace to speak to the king about
hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had
erected for him. He was waiting for
the king to wake up, thinking,
"Why does time go on so slowly?
It seems so long to wait. What shall
I do?" Then the king said, "Who is
there in the court?" Haman was happy
and said, "Here I am." The king said,
"Come in!" When Haman entered,
the king asked him, "What should be
done for the man the king delights
to honor?" Now Haman thought to
himself, "Who is there that the king
would rather honor than me?" So he
answered the king, "For the man
the king delights to honor, have them
bring a royal robe the king has worn
and a horse the king has ridden, one
with a royal crest placed on its head.
Then let the robe and horse be
entrusted to one of the king's most
noble princes. Let them robe the man
the king delights to honor, and lead him
on the horse through the city streets,
proclaiming before him, `This is what
is done for the man the king delights
to honor!" Now what Haman said
would disgrace him. Likewise, what
we say will bind us. "Go at once,"
the king commanded Haman.
"Do just as you have suggested
for Mordecai the Jew, who sits
at the king's gate. You should get
the king's robe and horse. Robe
Mordecai, and lead him on horseback
through the city streets, proclaiming
before him, `This is what is done
for the man the king delights to honor!"
"Oh? What's wrong with you?
You had so much food and wine
last night that now you are saying
something wrong, aren't you?"
The king said, "What? I'm saying
something wrong? I found in the book
of the chronicles that Mordecai had
exposed two of my officers, who
had conspired to assassinate me,
and saved me. Do for him right now
just as you have suggested."
The command shocked Haman.
He entered the palace and suggested
it. Look, if anyone wrestles with God,
he must be defeated. How can he
resist God? Although Mordecai was
a low-ranking official, he was with God,
the Lord of lords. You may think
that you can disregard the churches,
the people, and the anointed servants
of God because God is not seen.
Yet, when His time comes, He will
judge you. The devil may think that
he can trample on the people of God,
but he surely misunderstands.
When Jesus Christ the Son of God
came to this earth, the devil entrapped
Him through the Roman law and
the Jewish religion and crucified Him
to prevent Him from becoming
the King. Afterwards, for three days,
the devil looked happy, but on the third
day when Christ was resurrected,
God disarmed the devil of power and
authority and had Jesus Christ be
the King of kings and the Lord of
lords. The devil thought that he
defeated Christ by crucifying Him,
but later he found that he opened
a way for himself to be judged
through the Cross. Through the Cross
that the devil set up, he was judged,
disarmed of power and authority,
and was doomed to be thrown into
the fiery lake of burning sulfur forever.
God is the God of great reversal.
Haman was going to have Mordecai
hanged on a gallows seventy-five
feet high but he was hanged there.
No one overcomes those who pray.
The king said to Esther, "I entrust
Haman's family to you." Then
the ten sons of Haman were hanged
on the gallows. After that, Esther
told the king that Mordecai was
her cousin. The king was amazed
and said, "As the queen, how could
you have your cousin, Mordecai,
work as a low-ranking official
at the king's gate? How good you are!
So the king called in Mordecai, put
the signet ring on his finger, and made
him prime minister. It was a great
fortune that the prime minister was
Mordecai and the queen was Esther.
Since both the queen and the prime
minister were Jews, the glory
of heaven was upon them. Having
received the king's approval, Mordecai
and Esther cancelled the decree that
Haman made, and commanded the Jews
to destroy their enemies throughout
the country on December 13th the day
when Haman was going to annihilate
the Jews. Even in Shushan until
the next day, the enemies of the Jews
were to be killed. So for two days
between the 13th and the 14th
of December, the Jews destroyed
75,000 enemies. Those who were
going to kill the Jews were killed,
and those who were going to
destroy the Jews were destroyed.
Darkness turned into light; death
into life; grief into joy; and despair
into hope. Though the country was
ruled by King Xerxes, it was glorified,
honored, and blessed owing to Mordecai
and Esther. Great triumph was brought
to them. God is with His people
and continues to bless, give grace to,
and protect them. Although we walk
through the valley of the shadow
of death, we will not fear evil,
for the Lord is with us. His rod and
staff comfort us. Turning the valley
of the shadow of death into that of
life, and the valley of darkness into
that of light, God protects His people
from enemies by His rod and staff.혻혻
Being aware that God is a good
Shepherd who prepares a table
before us in the presence of our
enemies and anoints our heads with oil,
so that our cups may overflow,
may you have strong and bold faith!


Shall we bow down and pray?
Dear Almighty and Holy God our Father!
Those who are ignorant of the Lord
sometimes disregard, slander, and insult
His servants. They must know that
God will judge them. God is alive,
sits on the throne, and will laugh
at His enemies. Lord, we believe that
You will not abandon your servants
and the saints You bought by paying with
the blood of Jesus and You will not be
patient with our enemies for a long time.
Dear our God, please arise, be glorified,
and reign over them. In Jesus' name
we pray. Amen.