The
Times Of Esther And Israel's Coming Travail - Purim 2006
The story of Esther holds
tremendous prophetic implications for the future of Israel. The events portrayed
in this beautiful story of God's providence behind the scenes even in a strange
land are foreshadows of events coming upon Planet Earth very soon. The choices
made by the main characters in this story may very well be the same choices
facing you and I as well.
By Chris McDonald
TEXT: Esther
4:14-17 - For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall
there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou
and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come
to the kingdom for such a time as this? [15] Then Esther bade them return
Mordecai this answer, [16] Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in
Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day:
I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king,
which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. [17] So Mordecai
went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Among the feasts of Israel, PURIM,
also known as the Feast of Esther, expresses expression faith in the invisible
working of an invisible God behind the scenes of human events yet shows a deep
conscious of the Lord's watch and care for His people Israel. The story of
Esther is a fitting tribute to the God of an exiled people, without a temple or
priesthood, without a prophet or even a great spiritual leader, who nevertheless
are the eternal recipients of God's grace and mercy in spite of their sin and
rebellion.
The nation of Israel is away from God at this moment. Much of the current events
in the Middle East are the invisible workings of this same invisible God working
behind the scenes of human events to orchestrate end time events, which will
include the rise of the Antichrist, the coming Great Tribulation known as
Jacob's trouble, or Israel's travail, and the soon coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The story of Esther and Mordecai and the origins of this precious Jewish
feast day known as Purim, is full of types and shadows showing us what is coming
in the very near future, not only for Israel but for the world and the church of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Book of Esther, so conspicuous by
the absence of the name of God, seems to be shouting in its every line and word,
“Behold, he who keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalms 121:3).
Purim, unlike any other feast, is a warning to ALL who come against the people
of God, the nation of Israel, and the Jewish people in general. If you seek the
destruction of the Jewish people, the same destruction you seek will come back
to you! When the Antichrist breaks his false covenant with Israel and defeat her
in battle (it will be Israel's first defeat in battle in her entire history), he
will have her destruction fully planned. For the next 3 1/2 years it will look
like Israel will totally be wiped off the face of the Earth. Millions, according
to Daniel, will flee to Petra (Edom and Moab), and hide from the wrath of the
"spoiler," as Isaiah calls the Antichrist. Isaiah also called the Antichrist
"the Assyrian," which speaks to us of the region of the world the man of sin
will rise from.
Daniel 41-43
- [41] He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries
shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and
Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. [42] He shall stretch forth his
hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. [43] But
he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the
precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his
steps.
But no matter how much the Antichrist
may think he can destroy Israel, he too, like every other dictator in the annals
of man's sinful history, will meet his end in the LIGHT of the Glorious Return
of the Lord Jesus Christ!
2 Thes. 2:8 -9 - And then shall
that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his
mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [9] Even him, whose
coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
The current conflict in Iraq is now
entering it's third year. Our conflict with Iraq officially began on Tuesday,
March 18, 2003. That was the day Israel celebrated Purim all over the world
three years ago. As we celebrate it two days earlier this year it is interesting
to see the surging violence and what effect it is having on those in leadership
in Washington, D.C., especially President Bush.
Another drama unfolding at this time is the trial
of former Iraqi dictator Sadaam Hussein, who may very well be executed by the
Iraqis if found guilty of the war crimes he is accused of where thousands died
at his hand. Sadaam's death could very well be the payment and vengeance for the
treatment Mr. Hussein gave Israel in 1991 when he lobbed 39 scud missiles into
Israel killing hundreds of innocent Jewish citizens. Since that time Mr. Hussein
has done nothing but indirectly terrorize Israel by paying thousands of dollars
to Palestinian families who would offer up their sons and daughters to detonate
themselves and kill innocent Israelis. This was not an isolated situation, but
one Mr. Hussein bragged about and published without blushing. He hated Israel
and even in the dying days of Iraq said the only reasons he ever kept weapons of
mass destruction were to protect him from Iran and to eventually deal with
Israel. Had the United States not acted in 2003, more than likely, eventually
Israel would have been attacked again by Sadaam. No individual with a reasonable
sense of reason would see anything else.
Friend, let this thought sink in. YOU
DO NOT MESS WITH THE GOD OF ISRAEL. WHEN YOU MESS WITH ISRAEL YOU ARE MESSING
WITH THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE! AND THE GOD OF ISRAEL DOES NOT SLEEP OR Slumber.
World history is littered with the epitaphs of dictators, groups, and even
nations who have come against Israel only to find out that there was a plumb
line of judgment they took upon themselves when they took up this demonic
inspiration to kill Jewish people. I am totally convinced God has a sense of
humor. The Psalms tell us that He laughs in heaven when the heathen rage and
bring calamity upon themselves:
Psalm 2:1-6
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? [2] The kings of
the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the
Lord, and against his anointed, saying, [3] Let us break their bands asunder,
and cast away their cords from us. [4] He that sitteth in the heavens shall
laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. [5] Then shall he speak unto them
in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. [6] Yet have I set my king
upon my holy hill of Zion.
The Lord said through the Psalmist He
shall laugh and have them in derision. The only thing those who have come
against Israel and the Jewish race has ever left here on earth is an occasion
for a holiday. When Pharaoh first stretched forth his hand to kill the Jewish
race in Egypt, the night of his destruction became the perpetual celebration of
Passover.
When Antiochus Epiphanies desecrated
the temple in Jerusalem in 156 B.C. and slaughtered a pig in honor of the
heathen god Zeus as a precursor of horrible persecution on the Jewish people,
his demise only led to the Jewish feast of Hanukkah.
Modern dictators have also found
their end on interesting days in history. Adolph Hitler died on April 19, 1945 –
the day the Jewish people celebrated Passover. Joseph Stalin died in March 17,
1953 – the day that the Jewish people celebrated PURIM that year. And on March
18, 2003 – it is very possible that yet another of Israel’s potential destroyers
– Sadaam Hussein – may have found his end – again on the JEWISH FEAST DAY OF
PURIM. That is the day we entered into this conflict to liberate Iraq but I
believe for even a greater purpose in heaven- to remove a threat to the safety
and security of the nation of Israel – at least for now.
There will be one more in history –
the Antichrist himself – who will attempt one final act of barbarism and murder
on the Jewish people – as he seeks to wipe out the knowledge of God during the
Great Tribulation period and “overcome the elect of God,” for a season – before
finding his end in the FULFILLMENT OF ALL THE JEWISH FEASTS – The Lord Jesus
Christ – Yeshua HaMaschiah.
Daniel 8:23-25 - And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the
transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. [24] And his power shall be
mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall
prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. [25]
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he
shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall
also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand
All the despots of the past –
including Mr. Hussein in many ways – were but dress rehearsals for the
Antichrist. Hitler, Antiochus Epiphanies and Haman attempted what the Antichrist
will succeed at doing for a season – destroying the “mighty and holy people,” of
God. Neighbor, those days are ahead of us soon. Time is getting short for us to
spread the gospel to the entire world.
That’s why we are living in this time
– for “such a time as this.” THIS GENERATION will behold the events written
about by John the Revelator and Daniel. I firmly believe that. It’s hard to
fathom the Lord tarrying 30-40 more years. I don’t look for Him to tarry at all.
He could come at any moment for the church, or His body. The rapture of the
church is the next great event on the prophetic horizon for the child of God.
Whether you believe in a pre-, mid-,
or post- tribulation rapture – neighbor the soon coming of the Lord is HERE!
It’s time to get ready to meet Him. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the
day to get unconfessed sin out of our lives and remove any impurities in our
heart – no matter how small or great. As Jude exhorts us – we need our garments
clean “without even a spot of the flesh,” on them!
Jude 1:19-25
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. [20] But
ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy
Ghost, [21] Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. [22] And of some have compassion, making a
difference: [23] and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating
even the garment spotted by the flesh.
We need to hate the garment SPOTTED
by the flesh. We need to abhor sin like it was the deadliest plague we could
ever inhale in our bodies- because neighbor – IT IS! Sin will destroy you child
of God just as it will destroy those who do not know God. We are in the time of
the end. The harvest is here. We who are living right now have been called to
the kingdom for such a time as this. We have been called to this time in history
to be part of the greatest army on the face of the earth. This is an army that
is not armed with bullets and bombs but with the power of the HOLY GHOST that as
a SWORD will destroy the enemies of the spirit world through the intercession
and prayers of the saints. Oh neighbor, don’t you feel that? The feast of Purim
is a feast that cries to us to see the power of intercession and how it changes
nations and people.
I believe that even though we
couldn’t cause this conflict to be totally avoided without conflict, the prayers
of the saints in the United States have went a LONG way for the destruction of
Sadaam’s regime. We are still a Christian nation – despite the wickedness in a
good majority of our citizenry. Those things will have a payday. When the
rapture of the church occurs the fabric of the United States as a whole could
very well come unraveled so quickly that the entire nation will be destroyed.
Hear what I say to you. We are the ONLY superpower on the earth at this time in
history. But in no shape form or fashion can we find the United States on the
pages of the prophetic scene as recorded in Scripture. This is not something to
be overlooked or passed over. Something is coming that will remove us off the
pages of history to give way to the LAST superpower on earth – the Kingdom of
the Antichrist. America may be here in a form – but no one can find us in the
main role of players in the end times.
The one nation however you find on
EVERY page of the prophetic stage is the nation of ISRAEL and the city of
Jerusalem. As we wrote in a separate journal, Jerusalem and Babylon are the only
two cities mentioned by name in relation to end time events in Daniel and
Revelation. Not New York, not Los Angeles, not London, not Paris – none of these
are mentioned. But the entire scope of events that are coming in the future
center on the national salvation of Israel and the restoration of Jerusalem as
the center of the earth. The second part of this drama is the destruction of the
harlot Babylon!
The Jewish people have seen some dark
days and their immediate future is not going to be too great. Many will perish
at the hands of the Antichrist amid a growing worldwide hatred that will
culminate in a final holocaust. During this time many believers who are not
Jewish are going to be called on as Esther was to stand in the gap for the
Jewish people and in many cases possibly shed blood to protect them. I believe
there will be a time of intense persecution even for those who are going to be
taken in the rapture prior to the Lord's return.
My dear brother Todd has shared with
me many times that he believes this act of unselfish service and sacrifice by
the Body of Christ for those whom the church has shunned and at times in the
past persecuted itself – may very well be the catalyst that will reveal to the
Jewish people that Yeshua the Messiah is real because the ones who claim He is
their Lord are willing to die for His brethren after the flesh. These are the
times of Esther! These are the prophetic shadows of a Jewish feast celebrated
long ago that are soon to be replayed again I believe in THIS generation.
This is the time we have been called into – “for such a time as this,” have we
be summoned to history to witness the hand of God orchestrate events that will
culminate in the Second Coming of His Son of Earth. And when Jesus comes –
Jerusalem will once again be the center of the earth. He will rule and reign
from Jerusalem for 1,000 years. His coming will destroy the Antichrist with HIS
brightness and the Antichrist and the False Prophet, will be cast into the lake
of fire, while Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. The
nations will know war no more and the lion will lie down by the lamb.
To state it again. Both the Antichrist and
False Prophet will find their end in the lake of fire. MAN DOES NOT WIN and
SATAN DOES NOT WIN this war the saints of God are in right now with the enemy of
our souls! God WINS! And those who are the Lord’s will be there to witness it
all. I believe there is no other Feast in scripture that puts the events of the
current time we live in kaleidoscope form such as that of the Feast of Purim!
The Feast Of Purim
According to the Word of God, there
is one individual who stands out in history that found his end on the inaugural
celebration of this Jewish Feast of Purim – the wicked Haman. Every year during
the Feast of Purim, the story of Esther is read with glee in the synagogue.
Mordecai’s name is cheered, and Haman's name is greeted with stomping of the
feet, derisive booing, and the grinding sound of special noisemakers. Private
and public merriment is the order of the day. Gifts are sent to fiends and to
the poor in a joyful reenactment of the first Purim, commemorating the
deliverance of the Jewish people from the hands of Haman – Amalek and Agag’s
descendant – and his henchmen.
As we read this story of Esther, we
notice an exquisite fabric of seeming coincidence woven by the invisible but
sure hand of God into a pattern that spells DELIVERANCE. It has a lesson not
only for the Jewish people but also for all believers who name the name of
Jesus. God moves to accomplish His plans – even in modern times – , sometimes
behind the scenes but always working. It takes FAITH to see HIM who is
invisible! Purim is a feast about FAITH. For the believer, it stands in type as
a feast of FAITH in what Christ did for us at the Cross in bringing deliverance
to ALL mankind-both for the Jew and the Gentile. Israel's deliverance will never
come through false land deals and political maneuvering. Israel's greatest
deliverance is coming when the Son of David steps foot once again on the Mount
of Olives and opens up a fountain from Jerusalem for uncleanness and cleanses
the filth in Zion!
Isa 59:20- And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from
transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
Isa 4:4-5- When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of
Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the
spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And the LORD will create upon
every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke
by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall
be a defense.
The setting of this story is in
ancient Persia at the peak of her glory and power. Some years had passed since
538 B.C., when Cyprus permitted the Jews to return from Babylon to the Holy Land
under the leadership of Zerubbabel (Ezra, chapters 1-6). Many Jewish
people stayed behind in Babylon and chose to live comfortably in dispersion
rather than face the hardships of pioneering in their devastated homeland. Among
those who decided to remain in exile were Mordecai and Esther. Upon the throne
of the Persian Empire, stretching over 127 provinces, was Xerses (486-465 B.C.),
a mighty ruler of nations but of weak character. Self-seeking courtiers and
intriguing politicians often engineered his decisions. The Jewish rabbis were
fond of calling Ahasuerus “a fool of a king,” probably not without cause.
Despite the king's folly, God was
working out an eternal plan for Esther, Mordecai and His chosen people, the
Jews. The times of Esther were a fascinating moment in history watching the
divine hand of God weaving an intricate fabric to shield and protect the Jewish
people, and ultimately showing us today that He is still doing the same!
Haman-The Tool Of Satan Then, The Antichrist, The Tool of Satan That Is
Coming
Haman, the evil spirit of the drama,
was a descendant of Amalek, the eternal enemy of Israel, whom God commanded them
to destroy utterly.
Deut. 25:17-19
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of
Egypt; [18] How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all
that were feeble behind thee, when thou was faint and weary; and he feared not
God. [19] Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from
all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God gives thee for
an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek
from under heaven; thou shall not forget it.
It was Saul, the first king of
Israel, who disobeyed God and SAVED Haman’s ancestors, thus bringing upon the
children of Israel the dire peril of Haman. But, in the artistry of the divine
providence, Mordecai, of the same tribe and family as Saul, was chosen to repair
the damage. With the annihilation of Haman and his sons, the divine verdict to
destroy Amalek was carried out.
This should tell us even today that
when you spare evil and do not deal with it as God says to deal with it –
DESTROY IT – evil will always come back to you through future generations. The
Gulf War of 1991 is a GREAT example of this. The United States left Mr. Hussein
in power and watched 12 years elapse without us confronting his evil. I don’t
know what the divine mandate was in 1991 but I can’t help but feel that the
MORAL mandate at the time would have been to expel Mr. Hussein from Iraq and
bring freedom to the Iraqi people. It was the wishes of the United Nations that
we leave him in power and you see what that caused.
This same body of people- the UN- has
fought the United States and Mr. Bush tooth and toenail since we dealt with him
in 2003. Mr. Bush has taken a beating in the liberal press, liberal Democratic
Senators and in world opinion for taking a stand against Mr. Hussein and
bringing liberty to the Iraqi people. Mr. Bush has the mandate of God on him to
do what he has done. You cannot appease evil. Had we not dealt with him in 2003
then eventually he WOULD have attacked Israel at some point in the future. And
now Iran has stated without blinking that it seeks to wipe Israel off the face
of the map with these same weapons. And the world body of the UNis still
paralyzed doing NOTHING to stop this threat. We are looking at war in the Middle
East very soon friend over this issue. I know that is not popular and something
no one wants to hear but it is coming. The world is not going to solve these
problems with diplomacy. The Bible says that in the last days, "PERILOUS" or
dangerous, times will come. There will be WARS and rumors of war as we near the
rapture of the church.
Yes there were problems with intelligence in Iraq and we did not find the
weapons of mass destruction we thought we'd find. But more importantly to me
than even the lack of weapons was Hussein’s treatment of his own people – the
torture, the rape, the murder, the mass oppression for over 30 years – and his
blatant desire for the destruction of Israel. The leader of Iran has stated this
same goal and we must deal with him soon on the same level we did Hussein!!
America is the only nation in the world right now that has the will and power to
do it and do it we must for the protection of Israel. Israel may fight off Iran
but if she attacks Iran the entire Middle East will go up in flames believe me.
An earmark saying in the Middle East is the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" no
matter if the enemy your fighting with don't like you anymore than they do the
one you're fighting. That is how most Arab nations feel. There is no love loss
between Iran and Egypt or Saudi Arabia. But if Israel attacked Iran there would
be a unity between those nations unlike any we've seen since the Six Day War of
1967 and the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
Please understand. I’m not painting
the United States as a righteous angel or a nation without its own issues with
God. We have a payday coming to our own nation for the sins of our people. But
as God told Israel many times about her enemies – “I’m not delivering them into
your hands because of your own goodness- they’re just more wicked than you are
and you are the instrument of judgment I’m going to use to destroy them.” That’s
blunt but that is how God deals with nations – especially nations who seek the
destruction of the apple of HIS EYE!!!!!!!!!!!
Amalek was the grandson of Esau who became
the head of a generation of people who sought Israel’s destruction back even in
the days of Moses. Israel is the name of Esau’s brother – Jacob – before God
changed not only Jacob’s name – but his character as well. Esau, who held years
of bitterness and hatred toward his brother over the lost blessing and
birthright, summoned Amalek his grandson to his side at the time of Esau’s
death. Esau made Amalek promise him that he would do to Jacob’s line what Esau
had never been able to do- kill them! He told Amalek to make war with Jacob and
avenge his name throughout the generations to come. The actions of Amalek as
recorded in Deuteronomy 25 were actually the actions of Esau. Amalek was just a
tool of an “ancient hatred,” between the line of Esau and the line of Jacob.
That hatred still exists today.
Ezekiel 35:1-5
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, set thy face
against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, [3] And say unto it, Thus saith the
Lord God; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine
hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. [4] I will lay thy cities
waste, and thou shall be desolate, and thou shall know that I am the Lord. [5]
Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred,
and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in
the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:
As a result of Amalek’s cowardly act
of barbarism, God commanded that Amalek’s descendants (uh, coughing – the Arabs)
would be destroyed and their name would be blotted out under the heavens. Haman,
the prime minister and major domo of Ahasuerus, was a descendant of that same
lineage. He did not know these things as he sought to plan his demonic plan to
destroy the Jewish race in Persia. The vainglorious politician, obsessed with
Jew hatred, was tightening the noose around his own neck without realizing it,
for when God would punish someone He first deprives him of his reason. In
essence, the noose was placed around every single attempt to destroy Israel for
the future.
Haman was a tool of Satan, who from
the beginning of the history of the Jews has sought to destroy them. Satan has
known for ages that from the Jewish people – the line of Jacob – would come the
ONE who would bruise his head - the LORD JESUS CHRIST - WHO SPRANG FROM THE
TRIBE OF JUDAH!!!!!!. Haman’s reaction to Mordecai was perfectly modern and it
will culminate in the hatred of the Antichrist who will slaughter millions
before his reign is stopped by the Lord Jesus Christ at the end of the
Tribulation.
The Jewish people faced a dark hour in Persia because of Haman, but they will face an even darker hour in the very near future at the hands of the coming Antichrist. Events taking place right now are orchestrating his arrival on the world scene.
A Bill Of Indictment, A Drastic Solution and A Decree of Murder
Esther 3:8
And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad
and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their
laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore
it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
When Haman came to Ahasuerus requesting the total destruction of the Jewish
people, he had a ready-made bill of particulars against them. This bill is worth
our discussion. These accusations are historic and prophetic in some ways
because they have been leveled against the Jewish people repeatedly throughout
their checkered and tragic history:
1. “The Jews are a people scattered abroad and dispersed among all the people.”
The charge was that the Jewish people were an alien element in the body of that
host nation. That was Hitler’s initial claim en route to the genocide of 6
million Jewish people in 1938-1945.
2. “They have different laws.” Their religion, customs, and the whole structure
of their society and civilization do not fit into the pattern of the host
country.
3. “They do not obey the king’s laws.” This is a charge of disloyalty and lack
of patriotism.
4. Summing it all up: “It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.”
They are a burden on the body politic and on the economy of the land, and so
they are useless to the king, and the economy is better off without them.
Haman, like Hitler and countless others throughout history – including Sadaam Hussein and Irans – have always had a ready solution to the Jewish problem in their eyes – DESTROY THEM – TOTAL EXTERMINATION.
Esther 3:9
If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will
pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of
the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.
Haman was not unaware of the economic
value of the Jewish people to the country. He realized that their absence might
hit the king where it hurt. So he offered as compensation the tidy sum of 10,000
talents of silver (forty to fifty million dollars in our somewhat inflated
currency) “into the hands of those who have charge of the king’s treasury.”
The King for whatever reason refused
to accept the offer and gave Haman the Jewish people anyway – “do with them
as you like.” How often have the Jewish people been delivered to the mercy
of the merciless! The verdict had been pronounced, the trap set. This was the
first time since Pharaoh that the entirety of the Jewish race faced total
extermination.
I want to make a few statements here.
In 2002 and 2003, President Bush, along with the European Union, Russia, China
and The United Nations actively pushed something known as the "road map"
for peace in the Middle East, which in layman’s terms called for the
establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005. Since this time, Yasser Arafat,
one of the world's leading terrorists has since died, with Mohammad Abbas,
leading the Palestinian Authority organization till late 2005 when elections
were held in early 2006. In January of this past year, the Palestinian people
elected HAMAS, a terrorist organization who refuses to acknowledge Israel's
right to even exist and has fomented violence against her for decades, to head
up the PA. Hamas has been a LONG standing friend with Iran, America's current
enemy and Israel's greatest threat as of the date of this writing in early
Spring 2006.
It was revealed just days ago that in 2001,
Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khomeini said on record that "setting Israel on fire" was
the first order of business on the Iranian agenda for the coming new millennium.
"Iran must declare war on Israel and the United States until they are completely
destroyed," said the Ayatollah.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has
stated over and over again he wants to see Israel and the United States "wiped
off the map." He has denied the Holocaust took place and has arrogantly told
Europe that it should remove the Jewish people from the land of Israel and take
them back within their own countries to solve the Middle East peace problem.
America's push for the establishment
of a Palestinian state has backfired in our face with the leadership now in bed
with our most dangerous enemy and with people in power who vow the destruction
of Israel. That is what we get when we mess with God's chosen people! The United
States has a history of selling Israel out over the barrels of cheap Arab oil.
In addition it has had an awful history of stepping in and handcuffing Israel in
her pursuit of justice for Palestinian terrorists who have come into Israel time
and time again since 1948 and murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent Jewish
civilians. This has not caught God off guard. He has engraved Israel
on His right hand and knows EVERYTHING that has happened to her as a nation and
everything that WILL happen to her in the future. His ultimate plan for Israel
is that she accept JESUS CHRIST as HER MESSIAH and come back to Him once again
with ALL her heart, soul and mind.
The wars that Israel has gone through since its rebirth along with the rejection
of the nation by nearly all religious, political and economic organizations fits
right into the Bible prophecy. The wars involving Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967
and 1973 are minor compared to the future battles described in the Bible.
These wars against God’s covenant people will not go on forever. There will be
an end to the wars when God directly intervenes for Israel against the actions
of mankind at the Battle of Armageddon.
The political and religious rejection
of Israel will eventually result in a worldwide military campaign led by the
Antichrist against her. The Bible describes at least three future wars which are
going to be beyond anything the world has ever seen before. Israel will be
defeated for the first time in her history in the middle of the Tribulation when
the Antichrist declares war against her and seeks her total destruction. Each
war will get progressively greater and greater. These future wars will destroy
1/3 of all mankind – two billion people. World events taking place now are
planting the seeds for these future wars. There is a huge confrontation with
Islamic nations in the Middle East and other parts of the world. There is no
escaping these confrontations as we are witnessing at the present time in Iraq
and now Iran and Syria. The flow of oil out of the Middle East is very
delicate and a catastrophic war could overnight cripple the world’s oil supply.
The stock markets and banks would be sent reeling from a massive war in the
Middle East.
The fuse for an Islamic-Israeli confrontation was actually
partially lit on September 28, 2000 when Israeli general Ariel Sharon visited
the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and vicious fighting erupted. The Muslims rioted
over his presence on the Temple Mount site. This was the beginning of the Al-Aksa
intifada. The Al-Aksa Mosque is located on the Temple Mount and it is one of the
most important sites of Islam. This event in 2000 was the summing up of 8 years
of the Clinton and Bush 41 administrations pressuring Israel into giving up her
covenant land. In August 2001, our current President Bush drafted the very same
roadmap he has seen culiminate in the election of Hamas.
One interesting footnote is that the
first scheduled date for the announcement of the Palestinian "state" was
originally slated for 10:30 A.M., September 11, 2001 – on the floor of the
United Nations. We all know what happened to America at 8:45 and 9:15 AM on that
same date. The United States and President Bush are both paying a horrible price
for this. God is NOT for a Palestinian state. Make no mistake about that. The
land in question does not belong even to Israel – it belongs to HIM – and He has
chosen to give it to the nation of Israel.
Joel 3:1-3 - For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring
again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, [2] I will also gather all nations,
and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with
them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered
among the nations, and parted my land. [3] And they have cast lots for my
people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they
might drink.
Israel will be sacrificed on the
political altars of Washington for the sake of Arab oil just as the Jewish
people were sacrficied on Haman's altars for the sake of the King's treasury so
long ago. If this happens, then God help us all as Americans. Saint of God –
that is why you and I have been called to the “kingdom” for such a time as this.
This is Esther's "time" and it's leading us to the coming travail of Israel in
the last days that will culiminate in the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
We are the intercessors of harvest generation to stand in the gap for God’s
chosen people and if necessary “perish” for them if called upon.
For Such A Time As This...
Esther 4:14-17 - For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then
shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place;
but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou
art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? [15] Then Esther bade them
return Mordecai this answer, [16] Go, gather together all the Jews that are
present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days,
night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto
the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. [17] So
Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Getting back to the Feast of Purim, let me
say this. The most significant historical events have most often coincided with
feasts of the Lord and when looked at more closely, we see amazing and thought
provoking relationships between the events and the feasts themselves. Such is
the case of Purim. This current conflict in Iraq began on March 18, 2003 the
night the Jewish Feast of Purim began that year.
Purim is an annual celebration of the
great deliverance of the Jewish people in the days of Queen Esther, as recorded
in the Book of Esther in the Bible. Is it just a coincidence that Esther was
queen in the very region where today modern Iran and Iraq sits? Is it just a
coincidence that the wicked Haman who sought to destroy the Jews in that day
exhibits in the scriptures similar qualities to the Iranian president today?
And....after so many delays, was it a coincidence the war actually broke out at
the Feast of Purim? No war America has ever fought in her past has been fought
on soil soaked with Bible prophecy! That's why this ongoing conflict has this
writer's attention on a daily basis praying for our nation, our President and
those those name the name of Jesus.
As we spoke of in part one of this
journal it’s a sad indictment against history to witness the times the Jewish
people have been delivered to the mercy of the merciless as they were in the
days of Esther and Mordecai. With such hostile neighbors, Israel today sits in a
neighborhood of Arab nations seeking her destruction. The Palestinian issue is
not about land – it’s about the total annihilation of every single Jewish person
on the face of the earth.
In reality, this issue over the West
Bank hides an even greater war in the world today between the forces of Islam
and those who know Jesus Christ as Lord. Islam means “submission,” however,
it is not the type submission where the follower falls into the graces of the
one he is submitting to. If the “convert” fails to submit, Islam calls for the
convert’s death. As long as there are Christians in this world, there will be an
eternal war between the lineage of Esau (the Arab, Muslim world) and the lineage
of Jacob (Israel).
In this setting found in the book of
Esther, Haman, an ancestor of the Islamic/Ishmael/Edomite line, had set a
trap for the entire Jewish race. The gauntlet laid down by the king of Shushan
was one that would mean the total annihilation of the Jewish race if Haman had
been allowed to carry out his demonic plan.
When Kings And Captains Drink
Esther 3:14-15 - the copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in
every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against
that day. [15] The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and
the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to
drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.
The last statement of verse 15 speaks
of the utter tragedy that faced the Jewish people in Persia (modern day Iran)
during the days of Esther and Mordecai. While a plan was at work to destroy the
Jewish people the king and his chief advisor sat down to drink and play. That
has been a sad footnote to the history of Jewish suffering throughout the ages.
I can’t help but wander that when the
future attempted genocide and final holocaust begins under the carnage of the
coming Antichrist, how many nations will once again turn their backs on the
Jewish people? The only friend the Jewish people will soon have are the ones who
TRULY KNOW JESUS (YESHUA) and will be willing to lay down their lives to protect
God’s chosen and precious people. Neighbor, that is not a melodramatic
prediction for a journal – it’s a sense that many in the Body of Christ have
concerning future events upon Planet Earth.
Despite the horrific circumstances, man’s extremity has always been God’s
opportunity. The night is darkest just before the dawn. Upon hearing the decree,
the first reaction of the Jewish people was to fast, pray and repent.
Those are three things that have never failed to move the heart of God for it is
He who promised!:
2 Chron. 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Esther, The Main Player Of Purim
Up to this point, we have not
mentioned Esther, the First Lady of the great Persian Empire, a humble Jewish
maiden elevated to the position of queen by the strange workings of God’s
design. Esther, is a type of the church, Mordecai, a type of Christ. Esther and
Mordecai both showed indications of having tried very hard to obliterate their
Jewish background. Some historians even suggest their very presence in Persia
suggests that they had chosen the comforts of that land rather than the
hardships of the Holy Land. This writer believes their presence in Persia was
God's providence, not their own unwillingness to go back to Jerusalem.
Their effort to assimilate themselves into
their environment has been often repeated in Jewish history. In speech, manner,
dress, and by their very names, the Jewish people have often sought to take on
the coloring of the people among whom they live, but in the final analysis, to
little avail. Whenever the times have demanded it, God has repeatedly sent the
Hamans and Hitlers to remind them through blood and tears of their origin and
destiny.
God's master plan for the end times is revealed in the book of Esther.
Allegorically speaking, Esther represents the end-time Church. Esther was
adopted into a Jewish family. She was an orphan without father or mother. Esther
was flawless, beautiful, young virgin. She had favor with the king. And Esther
was totally obedient. She was also instructed to keep her Jewish identity
hidden.
All those same qualities describe the
church of the Lord Jesus! When God sees His church, He sees no flaws, blemishes,
or sins. As God's child we are as righteous as Jesus. We are God's workmanship,
created in His image. We are as loved, appreciated and accepted as Jesus. At the
beginning of the book of Esther, we read that the queen of the land was
rebellious In fact, that is what her name, Vashti, means. in this kingdom, the
queen had to subject to the complete will of the king. Because Vashti was not
willing to submit, she was removed and a search was conducted for a new queen.
In spite of this the chances for Esther, an orphan, without the proper heritage,
were SLIM to NONE of her ever becoming queen. This was how much of a chance
the Gentiles had of being grafted in spiritually into the seed of Abraham. Yet,
neither happened by chance but by God's divine plan.
In preparation of Esther's new responsibility she had to bathe for six
months in oil of myrrh. The myrrh plant is not sweet on the outside, but when it
is crushed the fragrance is spectacular. Esther's "crushing" was a type of
the sufferings we go through as Christians that will in the end produce JESUS in
us. The fragrance that God wants from us is pure Jesus. The fragrance
Paul produced in the end after years of sufferings, beatings, stonings and
desertions was JESUS. In the midst of adversity he would be filled with joy.
People were watching him. Would he complain or murmur when circumstances were
bad? Or would he react based on the pure truth of the Word? As people watched
his childlike faith, they were provoked to jealousy. What he had, they wanted.
And this is the time we've as the church of the Lord Jesus have been called to-
to provoke the Jewish people to jealousy so they will embrace Messiah Jesus and
be saved. Paul prayed that ALL MEN MIGHT BE SAVED.
Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,
but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Romans 10:1-4 - Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is,
that they might be saved. [2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of
God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God's
righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. [4] For Christ is the end of
the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Esther did not become queen right away. It took four years before she
was even considered by the king. Faith and patience were two of her virtues. And
it must be ours as well. The problems we face will change or God will change us
through them. THE KING is molding us into His image. Not only are people
watching you, but angels, demons, those who have died, the devil and God are
watching you. We have a "great cloud of witnesses," Paul says. It is as though
we are an actor on a stage and the whole world wants to see if we will be
faithful to God no matter the circumstances! God has promised that no matter
what happens, He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will be faithful to
you in all things no matter the plight. We get so caught up in the outcome
we forget to realize that the most important part of this journey is the path we
walk everyday that changes us into His image. We must decrease, He must
increase and that is so terribly hard for us to see sometime. Religion plays
up what we do. Jesus wants us to play up what HE is doing IN US and THROUGH US!
God gave Esther favor and approval with the king, and she was grafted into
royalty. Although she was now the queen, she still honored Mordecai, the one who
had raised her, by keeping secret her family and Jewish background. Esther might
have argued with Mordecai and said, "Now that I am queen, I want to tell the
king about my family." I am glad she was obedient because, had she opened her
mouth, Mordecai would one day overheard two royal guards conspiring to kill the
king. The guards ignored Mordecai because they were unaware of his relationship
to Esther. Later, Mordecai alerted Esther, who in turn reported the conspiracy
to the King.
Esther could have taken responsibility and credit for the heroics, but
instead gave full credit to Mordecai. As a result, Mordecai's name was written
in the records of the king. He received no money or recognition, not even an
article in the Sushan Times! Mordecai could have turned bitter. Instead, he
looked to God for His reward. Later on, God used this incident to save
Mordecai's life from a madman named Haman.
Haman's name means "rager," "mad one" and "angry." This describes what
happened when Mordecai refused to kneel down before him. Haman became so enraged
he looked away for a way to kill not just Mordecai, but ALL JEWS.
Haman tried to convince those in authority that it was not in their best
interest to tolerate the Jew. And to make his proposal more attractive, he
offered the king a million dollars worth of silver. It's the same spirit that
drive the Arabs to blackmail the west in return for the United States to
pressure Israel into concessions concerning the Middle East. "Dump Israel, we
want gas!" was one of the common slogans heard in the 1970s. Those slogans have
increased in their venom AND intensity since that time. Esther could not counter
Haman's move by just taking up offerings, which was her first plan when she
heard Mordecai was fasting, weeping and in sackcloth. Clothing was the last
thing Mordecai needed. Finally, Esther got the message. Fasting, humility and
prayer were the only things that would save the lives of the Jews. When the
prayer and fasting started, Satan moved quicker to implement his plan for his
murderous plot he was trying to implement through Haman.
First, he had to kill Esther. When Mordecai commanded her to go to the king,
Satan thought he had her. It was the law of the land that no queen could go to
the king unless he requested her presence. The king had not requested her
presence for 30 days. Perhaps he was angry with her. Perhaps he was tired of
her. Perhaps someone had replaced her like she had replaced Vashti. If Esther
came unsolicited and he did not extend his scepter, the punishment was death.
The king had already proven he was not afraid of disposing of a queen:) This
situation however was urgent. Haman was going to exterminate every Jew in the
Kingdom.
Esther, whose name means "star." And do you know who the star represents?
That is the name for Jesus in Revelation 22:16, "I am the ...bright and Morning
STAR." Every Jewish person has two names; one is from the culture in which he or
she lives and other is a Hebrew name. Esther, your Hebrew name is Hadassah,
which means "myrtle." Myrtle is figurative of the gospel. This was her call as
the queen for the time the Lord placed her in the Kingdom. It is the call of the
church for this end-time era we are in today in relation to our role as
protectors of the Jews.
Philip. 2:15 - That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God,
without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye
shine as lights ("stars") as you hold out the Word of Life in the world;
Micah 5:3 - Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which
travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return
unto the children of Israel.
We will start giving birth to
spiritual children (Jew and Gentile) when we start travailing, fasting and
praying. It's time for the church to intercede and travail for the Jewish people
and reach out to them with the gospel. The same message God was sending to
Esther then is the same one He is sending now. Esther could have remained
comfortable in her role as queen and watched action less as Haman's plan to
exterminate the Jews was produced. She had that right. So too today, we can be
comfortable in our church, singing our hymns, having great fellowship and
building our golden cathedrals but:
Esther 4:13-14 - Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with
thyself that thou shall escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. [14]
For if thou altogether holds thy peace at this time, then shall there
enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and
thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to
the kingdom for such a time as this?
Esther laid down her life
and went to the king. And God gave her favor. The door to the king was very
narrow. Esther's only way of entry was to be touched by the golden scepter.
Today, that golden scepter for access to God is the Messiah. There is NO
OTHER access to God except through HIM!
There may have been much antagonism
against the Jewish people in the Persian Empire at the time, for Esther’s close
relative and adoptive father, Mordecai, cautiously advised her not to betray her
Jewish nationality to the king or the court. Latent Anti-Semitism probably
was deep-seated among the people of the Persian Empire, so that Human found a
ready and eager audience for his Jewish hatred. The Hamans and Hitlers of
history are only possible where latent hatreds are already pent up in the hearts
of the masses. So Esther guarded the secret of her Jewish descent well – too
well.
Mordecai had to remind his exalted
relative:
Esther 4:13
Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shall
escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
Beautiful Esther, queen of the royal
household, was afraid to show her true colors while her people were in danger of
perishing! What a striking picture of a child of God rejoicing in his own
salvation, and at ease while men and women for whom we ought to be burdened and
concerned perish. But when the midnight hour is about to strike, God always has
a deliverer – a Moses in the wilderness; a Samson where the
Philistines roam: a Judas Maccabees when the godless Syrians flood the
land and threaten to destroy God’s people; and a MORDECAI and ESTHER when
a sinister Amalekite-Persian seeks to exterminate the everlasting people.
And in these days of harvest, God is
raising up more than just a man – He’s raising up a BODY – HIS BODY – THE CHURCH
– who TOO has hid its Jewish descent for years but when it counts in the end
times – we will reveal to the world that the same Messiah Israel seeks is the
same Messiah we already serve! GLORY TO GOD. Rejected by Israel, He became the
Lord over the Gentiles and continues to be Messiah of all Israel. Both JEW and
GENTILE who come to Him in faith today find salvation! Working together we make
up ONE NEW MAN unto CHRIST. His body on earth is the ESTHER in these prophetic
and dangerous times we live in today for those who call themselves the children
of Abraham.
When the need arises, God has someone
specially appointed to come into the kingdom to deal with the peril of the hour.
And neighbor the peril of this hour will only get worse as the time draws closer
to bring down the curtain on the current age we live in. We are living in the
times of Esther!:
Esther 4:14 - For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then
shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place;
but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou
art come to the kingdom for such a time as this.
Christian, the LORD has called you
into His kingdom for a purpose. He has a special task for you, a precious
privilege peculiarly your own. Esther’s determination and devotion are a
beautiful testimony for all children of God to follow, “If I perish, I
perish.” There are many of you reading this right now that may very
well be called to a true Esther in the rapidly increasing sentiment of
Anti-Semitism just ahead. God is not looking for the most talented, most wealthy
or most respected for this task ahead. He’s looking for one thing – a broken
heart willing to be crushed in intercessory love for Israel and to pray for her
Salvation at all costs. He's not looking for a political correct genius who
knows how Israel can keep her land. Israel keeping her land is important but if
Israel keeps her land is lost it won't matter a whole hill of beans. I'd rather
Israel lose the land and be saved than gain the land be
lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He delights in a totally submitted heart
to Him.
Haman basked in the honors bestowed
upon him by his lord and master, Ahasuerus. And neighbor, the coming Antichrist
will bask in the honors the world and his lord and master Satan will bestow upon
him. John said the world will "wonder" after the beast.
Rev. 13:1-3
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea,
having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his
heads the name of blasphemy. [2] And the beast which I saw was like unto a
leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of
a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
[3] And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound
was healed: and all the world wondered
after the beast.
Daniel 8:8-10
Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn
was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of
heaven. [9] And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed
exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant
land. [10] And it waxed great, even to
the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the
ground, and stamped upon them.
Daniel 7:7-9
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and
terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and
brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse
from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. [8] I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before
whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and,
behold, in this horn were eyes like the
eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Haman spoke great things, just as the coming Antichrist will too during the days
of Israel's travail. I'm sure this evil ruler in Esther's day related to his
wife and friends the dignities already bestowed upon him and gleefully
anticipated honors yet to come. But the fly in Haman’s ointment was Mordecai,
the Jew, the “obstinate” Jewish man with the unbending knee." The Jewish people
have been rocked back and forth throughout the ages but they have never bowed
the knee. Many will die in the purge of the coming Antichrist’s reign of terror
– but they will not bow. One day they WILL bow the knee, as we ALL will,
before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – Jesus Christ!.
Mordecai, a type of Christ, along
with the entire Jewish race, became Haman’s obsession – an obsession not unlike
that among many otherwise reasonable and intelligent people. When you speak to
them they are rational, as long as you do not touch the subject of the Jewish
race. But mention the Jewish people and they see red. One sign of protest
against the war in Iraq read “No blood for Israel.” Many saw this conflict as a
U.S. led attempt to give Israel a free reign in the Middle East which is not
that bad an idea! Satan has festered this sentiment of Anti-Semitism throughout
the ages and he will foster it again through the heart of the Antichrist. It's
already being planted in the hearts of many in the American church even today
through such damnable heresies as replacement theology and the like.
Satan's war with Israel is actually not even about his hatred for her per say.
It centers on his obsession and hatred towards CHRIST, the SON OF ABRAHAM, the
SON OF DAVID, who sprang from the TRIBE OF JUDAH. Satan inflicts pain on Israel
because he feels he's inflicting pain on Jesus Christ. One day friend, through
the Antichrist, the Lord will allow this pain to be inflicted in such a way that
Israel will stand by herself with no one to help and no where to turn but UP!
And up she will turn and cry out to the one she will then realize she crucified
outside the gates of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. And when those cries come up
into the nostrils of God, He will REMEMBER His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob and He will COME BACK in glory and honor and deliver Israel from the hands
of the coming Antichrist! Praise God.
Ezek 38:19-23
19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that
day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of
the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men
that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the
mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall
shall fall to the ground.
21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith
the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.
22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain
upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an
overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the
eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
The Gallows
All who scheme and plan the
destruction of Jewish people invokes divine wrath against themselves. Haman,
in his blindness, and in pursuit of his own aggrandizement, unknowingly set the
stage for Mordecai’s promotion and his own humiliation and final destruction.
Haman sought to hang Mordecai, but the very gallows he erected for Mordecai
become the gallows Haman himself hangs from. Haman was only one in the long
procession of men whom God has raised up to confirm the truth of His Word:
Isaiah 54:17
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall
rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the
servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
The Lot Of Adar
In commemoration of that great
deliverance, Mordecai and Esther instituted the Feast of Purim, which means
“lots.”
Esther 9:26
Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all
the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this
matter, and which had come unto them,
The idolatrous and superstitious
Haman decided to find out which would be the most propitious day to destroy the
Jewish people so he cast lots. The lot fell upon the 13th day of Adar, the 12th
month in God’s calendar. The day appointed for the defeat and destruction of the
Jewish people was turned into their day of deliverance. In the final analysis,
their victory is the victory of God over Satan, the victory of prayer, the
victory of prayer, fasting and FAITH over pagan wrath and blind hatred. It is
the victory of the providence and loving-kindness of Jehovah, who neither
slumbers or sleeps.
Purim, like the preceding Feast of
Hanukkah, is a link in the chain of preservation and redemption which God
Himself has forged for His people. Purim is a signpost on the road of salvation,
ascending from physical deliverance to the perfect redemption which only the
lord Jesus Christ can give to those who accept HIS FINAL REDEMPTION and
SACRIFICE upon the cross of Calvary.
The partial, imperfect, deliverance
which God wrought through Mordecai points to Christ – who is able to save to the
uttermost! Mordecai’s deliverance was physical- Christ’s was spiritual.
Mordecai saved a physical kingdom of people, Christ has saved a spiritual
kingdom of priests.
Israel's Coming Purim
The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is about to experience a unification unlike she has ever seen before in her history. That may sound strange considering how divided we are at the moment with so many denominations we can't shake a stick at them all. But neighbor hear me. Coming events will force the Body of Christ very soon to either come together or find ourselves destroyed. The wall of separation must come down not just between Jew and Gentile, but between ALL groups separated by minor differences in doctrine, race or creed. The enemy is not the Baptists or the Methodists or the Pentecostals - the enemy is SATAN!
The coming together of the ONE NEW MAN in Christ was foreshadowed in the book of
Esther, and is the backdrop for the Jewish Feast of Purim. Satan has tried to
instill hatred in the hearts of Christians toward the Jews. This foundational
rift has led the church down a road where there are so many differences and
divisions we have lost view of the destiny we've been called to fulfill. We
were created to do battle in these end-times on behalf of the Jewish people and
ultimately by defending Israel, we put ourselves in line for a move of God of
revival in these end times! This is why without question this is our greatest
hour on this planet.
This past summer when the U.S. pressured Israel
into pulling out of Gaza my heart sunk. I knew something bad was about to take
place in America. It was merely days after this event that Hurricane Katrina
came and changed the landscape in Louisiana and Mississippi unlike anything
since. It also changed the landscape in Washington, D.C. as the President's
cabinet and he himself were humiliated by a slow response. Think what you will,
but America's pressure on Israel brought judgment from God to our shores. If we
keep persisting in this pressure on Israel more judgment is coming!
I saw the United States doing something that was more dangerous than setting ourselves on fire - siding with the enemies of Israel. If the U.S. seeks to be wise in her dealings with Israel, and I believe President Bush really wants that even though many times the advice he gets takes him away from that frame of mind, we will not be siding with Israel's enemies. I think the election of Hamas has woke SOME up in Washington that dealing with fanatical Islamic leaders will not bring blessing but a curse. The TRUE colors of the Palestinian people came to the front in these elections in January. They elected terrorists who hate Israel and wants her destruction to run their nation because deep inside all of this "window" dressing since 2000, there has ALWAYS been the same ancient hatred in the heart of every Palestinian in the West Bank.
If we as the United States bless Israel we will be blessed, if we curse Israel
we will be cursed. That goes for Christians too. When we make jokes about Jews
and embrace the anti-Semitic spirit of our society - we bring a curse upon our
homes and our church. We bring the hand of destruction into our lives. If the
church does not take her place in this end-time scenario then the Lord is going
to raise up another element of society that will. Israel will be protected
and the Body of Christ will come together as ONE NEW MAN in Messiah! It's best
we be on the blessing side of things with God don't you think so?
The Devil's Worse Nightmare; The Church's Greatest Hour - "For Such A Time As
THIS"
Esther 4:14c-16 - and who
knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?[15] Then
Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, [16] Go, gather together all the
Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink
three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will
I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law:
and if I perish, I perish.
There are tremendous times ahead on Planet Earth for the church of the living God. Trouble and glory are on the horizon! If we will pray and seek God we could very well see the end of legal abortion here in America this year or at the very least sometime before President Bush leaves office in 2008. There is already a renewal and revival of a love for Israel, the Jewish people, and our spiritual heritage as saints. Many will take Esther's attitude - if standing up for the Jewish race means we perish - we just perish! It's better dying for God's chosen people, than living for a principle of hatred that was birthed in hell itself. When God births the One New Man "Glorious Church," that I believe is on the horizon, it will be the devil's worse nightmare! The concept of Jew and Gentile becoming one in Messiah is NOT a new concept. It's seems new because the church has been blinded to God's plan for us in these last days by our own hatred of the Jews. As Sid Roth says, it's so simple, you "need help to be confused!" The One New Man is not a doctrine, it's a PERSON - JESUS CHRIST! We are the Body, HE is the HEAD. His BODY is comprised of both Jew and Gentile.
As a Gentile believer let me lovingly warn my own. Jesus said that "the times of
the Gentiles" would end at some point in the future. I cannot help but believe
that time is getting closer to fruition. Israel will once again be the full
focus of God's attention very soon. Judgment will fall on the Gentile nations
who have persecuted Israel, God's chosen people.
Esther revealed her Jewish lineage in
the Kingdom when the Jews were facing extermination. Neighbor, nothing less than
that type scenario is RIGHT around the corner. Hear what I say to you. Our
response will bring either a BLESSING OR A CURSE! The same hatred that filled
Haman's heart for the Jews in the days and times of Esther is still alive and
well today. You, child of God, and me, are the only TRUE FRIENDS the Jewish
people are going to have in the earth. It's happening now and it will increase
as we get closer to the coming of the Lord.
Messiah Jesus loves you today and
wants you to be part of His kingdom. He has come to set the captives free. He
has come as Mordecai came to be our deliverer from the clutches of Satan. He has
fulfilled Purim, the feast of Lots, for the law cast a lot of death on ALL
mankind, but Jesus Christ, came and set man free from the penalty of death. All
we have to do is believe. All we have to do is have faith and TRUST in Him and
release OUR LIFE to HIM so He may live through us.
Heavenly Father, Lord, we first come to you on behalf of the Body of
Christ, especially here in the West. Forgive us of the feelings of hatred and
anger towards the Jewish race that have crippled our vision and limited our
scope of blessing. Open our eyes to these truths even more as we seek Your face.
Let us understand that Moses, Paul, Peter, John, Mark, Titus, Daniel, Ezekiel,
Hosea, Amos, David, Solomon - and above all others - THE LORD JESUS - were all
JEWS. We thank you Lord for the new covenant which was made with the Jewish race
but through Your mercy and grace, we as Gentiles were grafted into it. Help us
in this hour to be brave like Esther and stand up for our Jewish brethren in the
Lord and also for National Israel until the day she recognizes You Lord Jesus as
her Messiah. Help us pray fervently for the peace of Jerusalem and for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Help us as Gentiles be STRONG witnesses to those
of the Jewish faith in humility and compassion in showing them Jesus is their
Messiah they have looked for for centuries. Give us grace to repent of the past
deeds of our forefathers and cleanse the lands and temples of our heart to
remove any trace of bigotry or hatred or malice towards the Jewish people, Your
beloved and chosen. Thank you Lord for bringing us to the Kingdom for such a
time as this! In the name of Yeshuah' our Messiah, Jesus Christ we ask it, Amen!
Celebrate the deliverance of Israel from the hands of Haman and the deliverance of ALL mankind from the powers of darkness through Jesus Christ this 2006 Purim Season!
Jewish Year 5766 : Purim Began At Sunset March 13, 2006 - Ended Nightfall March 14, 2006
Purim has passed, don't let the celebration of what it means go unnoticed!
Related Study: The Feast of Purim