March 21, 2008

• Purim And Good Friday...

  It's a super Holy day...and not just for us Christians.  According to this Time Magazine article, 6 major religions are celebrating this Holy day in some way or another.  The last time Purim and Good Friday shared the same day was in 1910.  Ironically the next time that will happen again is in 3 years, and the time following that will be 2113. (For a Jewish perspective check out this article written by a Rabbi. 

  This holy coincidence really intrigues me.  For one, the story of Esther is my FAVORITE Old Testament story.   I guess I can relate or am connected to Esther in several ways.  We were both orphans, she as a young child and I in my early 20s.  She lived in the country...I lived in rural DeKalb, MO as a single chick (what was I thinking??!?).  She was set apart to meet her King.  The Lord called me to be set apart to wait for my guy.  She moved to a castle.  God helped me buy my castle I call "Haddassah" (Esther's Jewish name meaning point of light) on my REAL birthday weekend in February 29th, 2004.  I didn't understand the castle part until I moved in the beautiful antiques I inherited from my grandfather a month later...it left me speechless on  God's goodness!  Therefore, Esther and I are kindred spirits...I love her story and how it has impacted my own life.  Together we share the same passion for our God and His people around us.

  Purim is a time of celebration for the Jews.  It was the day they were suppose to be executed by the mighty Haman, the King's right hand man.  But in a beautiful turn of events only divinely inspired, Haman was hung on the very gallows his men built for the Jews!  (Interesting factoid -- Ancient Aramaic versions of the
  Esther story employ the term tzalab, “crucify,” to describe Haman’s
  demise. The first-century historian Josephus did as well. While Jews
  have traditionally ascribed his death to hanging with a noose,
  historians doubt that such methods of capital punishment were used
  during that period. In his Sistine Chapel interpretation of Haman’s
  death, Michelangelo emphasized the Christological parallels, depicting
  a crucifixion rather than a hanging. Quoted from this link.)  God's people, the Jews, were covered by His covenant and were divinely saved from affliction!  The evil hand that had rose against them was defeated and they were again free!!

  Good Friday on the other hand is for Christians a day of somber remembrance.  It was the day our Lord Jesus was beaten and tried and hung on the cross to bear the weight of our sins.  This day is also marked by God's covenant  for His people.  This one death had to happen so we could have salvation.  This event helped to fulfill the prophecy of the Son of Man being born by a virgin, being crucified on a cross and then, three days later rising from the dead. 

  Both of these holy days involve God's people and one man dying a gruesome death.  The deaths of both of these men represent  freedom.  Haman's death  represented  freedom for those Persian Jews for the scope of their life...it was temporal, or temporary to the boundaries of their life.  Jesus' death brings us everlasting freedom and eternal life...something that most Jews still don't see and understand, nor believe.

  Having been to Israel on two different occasions and having met my hubby there, I have such a heart for the Jews.  This day reminds me to pray for their salvation.  As they spend the day celebrating their freedom from execution, we Christians somberly remember the death of the One Man that marks our salvation and freedom from the weight of sin -- FOREVER!!!

  As you ponder the cross today and this evening...say a pray for our Jewish brothers and sisters who are lost to the truth of this very day!

  God bless you all!
  Have an extra special Easter celebration!

  • 5:32 pm
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