Esther 9:23-32 — Do You Remember…?

 READ THIS: Esther 9:23-32

23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles. 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 2

8 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants. 

29 So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— 31 to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. 32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

 

This passage shows us something SO cool about the Jewish faith and about Mordecai and Esther: they understand just how important it is to remember. Something that human beings are very good at doing is forgetting. For example, try and remember what you ate for dinner last Thursday… yep, I can’t even try to remember that far back! While it can seem like silly things like dinners can and maybe should be forgotten compared to other things, the truth is that we can also forget what God has done and is doing in our lives! In fact, we forget those things pretty easily when hard times come. 

Because of that, we see time and time again in the Old Testament that the Jewish people made holidays and other traditions to help them constantly remember the times that God provided for them! Even today, many Jewish people still gather together and celebrate Purim, the celebration of what we have been reading in Esther. Some will even read the book of Esther in its entirety when they celebrate! While we may not follow the exact holidays and celebrations of the Jewish people, it is important that we remember the lives of stories like Esther, Mordecai, and the others to remind ourselves that our God is faithful.

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Why can it be so hard to remember the things God has done when things are tough?

 

2. What is something you can do today to remember that God is on your side?

TRY THIS:

Today, write down a list of things that you remember God doing for you in the last few years! Then find a place to put that list where you can see it every day this week! Every time you see it, take some time to thank God for what He has done and what He will do in the future.

SONG OF THE WEEK:

 

While you listen to the song of the week, think about how God is already going before you and fighting on your side! Check it out on Spotify or Youtube!