Here we have the record of the beginning of the Feast of
Purim that is celebrated by the Jews. After they were allowed to defend
themselves against their enemies they set aside the 14th and 15th
of Adar as days of feasting and gladness because these were “the days on which
the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned
for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday” (9:22).
This feast was commanded by Mordecai and Queen Esther (9:29-32).
As Christians we don’t celebrate Purim. But is there a time
when we celebrate getting relief from our “enemy” and having our sorrow turned
into gladness? I would suggest that is what we do at the Lord’s Supper. It is
at the Lord’s Supper that we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again. We
celebrate and memorialize Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross where our enemy, Satan,
was crushed and his head was bruised (Gen 3:15). At the cross our sorrow for
sin and the lasting results of sin was turned into joy and gladness at the
realization of eternal forgiveness and mercy from God. Because of his death on
the cross there will be no more death for his people just as the Jews were
rescued from death in the days of Esther.
Glory to his name! “ ‘O death, where is your victory? O
death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is
the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)
Prayer: Father, help us to remember that our Savior Jesus
defeated our adversary and took away the sting of death for us. Thank you,
Father, that you turned our mourning into dancing with joy at the victory over
death when you raised Jesus from the dead on the third day. Lord, never let us
forget that our life and our joy and our union with You was purchased through
his blood at the cross.
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