A clarion call on Purim 2024
As Israel celebrates deliverance from a genocidal threat 2,500 years ago Hanna Ben-Haim speaks on a day when again the Jewish people are facing an existential threat.
What is Purim and why the celebration?
THE PERSIAN EMPIRE of the 4th century BC extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. When King Ahasuerus had his wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow his orders, he arranged a beauty pageant to find a new queen. A Jewish girl, Esther, found favour in his eyes and became the new queen. However she refused to divulge her nationality.
Meanwhile, the Jew-hating Haman was appointed prime minister of the empire. Mordecai, the leader of the Jews (and Esther’s cousin), defied the king’s orders and refused to bow to Haman. Haman was incensed, and he convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar, a date chosen by a lottery Haman made.
Mordecai galvanized all the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray to God. Meanwhile, Esther asked the king and Haman to join her for a feast. At a subsequent feast, Esther revealed to the king her Jewish identity. Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordechai, Mordecai was appointed prime minister in his stead, and a new decree was issued, granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies.
The word 'Purim' means “lots” in ancient Persian. The holiday was thus named since Haman had thrown lots to determine when he would carry out his diabolical scheme.
Refs: Book of Esther and read more here.
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PURIM 2024
 Purim 2024 was celebrated on 23/24 March.
The day before, Hanna Ben-Haim, widow of the late Eliyahu Ben-Haim issued a powerful message on the Friday morning to the nations; to the church concerning God's purposes; to those who pray for Israel and the Jewish people, and to unbelievers.
The video below is 7mins long.
It is also available online here.
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You can still download it
THE CALL to ESTHER
Queen Esther had to run a great risk in revealing her identity and by approaching the King. The call to Christian believers is also to identify ourselves, to respond to the call of God on our lives, and to declare it in the nations. A main section of the ChristiansTogether website is entitled 'Esther 4-14'. It contains a wide range of articles on the subject of Israel and the Jews.
"For 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?" Esther 4:14
Refs: A compendium of resources concerning God's purposes for the Jewish people and the land can be obtained here.
As 'short form' material for quick understanding see here and here.
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