What Is Purim? How And Why This Jewish Holiday Is Celebrated
Purim celebrates Jewish survival.

Purim, or the Feast of Lots, is a Biblical Jewish festival known for extravagant costumes, the exchanging of gift baskets, performances, and a feast. This joyous celebration commemorates how ancient Jews were spared from massacre during the Persian Empire.

In 2025 (or ה'5785 on the Hebrew calendar) Purim begins at sundown on Thursday, March 13, and ends at nightfall on Friday, March 14. As the festival approaches, here are the basics you need to know to understand Purim, its origins, and what it symbolizes about Jewish survival.

What Is Purim? The Story of the Jewish Holiday
Purim is an annual festive holiday that celebrates a young Jewish woman’s heroic role in saving her people, and it may have been celebrated as far back as the 5th century B.C.E. That’s when the events described in the Book of Esther — the basis for Purim — are believed to have taken place.

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The Book of Esther is one of five Scrolls, or Megillot, in the third section of the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible). These Scrolls are shorter Biblical books grouped together for liturgical use and traditionally read publicly in synagogues throughout the course of the year. The Book’s eponymous heroine, Esther, became the Queen of Persia, or ancient Iran, in the fifth century BCE, strategically hiding her Jewish identity from her husband, King Ahasuerus. Eventually, Esther bravely revealed her status as a Jewish person to convince the king to stop his antisemitic advisor, Haman, from annihilating the Jewish people of Persia.

Due to Esther's courage, Haman was hanged on the gallows that had been arranged for Esther’s caregiver, Mordecai. Ahasuerus issued a new decree allowing the Jewish people to defend themselves against anyone who tried to kill them, and thus the Jewish people killed 75,000 attackers, including Haman’s 10 sons (Esther 9:10-13).

Esther had a lot to lose if revealing her identity had backfired and angered her husband. King Ahasuerus had executed his prior wife, Vashti — though some Biblical interpretations claim Vashti was deposed or banished, not killed. Plus, anyone who approached the king without being summoned was put to death, and Esther had not been summoned for 30 days.

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Esther was initially hesitant to answer Mordecai’s pleas to reveal her true identity to Ahasuerus, but she decided to take a leap of faith. Her one condition, as she instructed Mordecai, was that the Jewish people of Shushan, the capital city of the Persian Empire, must hold a three-day long collective fast as a cry for salvation.

Esther said: “Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast in my behalf; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast. Then I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish, I shall perish!” (Esther 4:16)

When Is Purim Celebrated? Is it the Same Day Every Year?
The festival of Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th day of Adar, the second month of the Hebrew calendar, everywhere but Jerusalem. (In Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on the 15th day of Adar and is called Shushan Purim). This means Purim typically falls during February or March. On leap years, an extra month — Adar II — is added, and Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of that month.


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Because the Hebrew calendar is based on lunar months, that means the exact dates of Adar, and of Purim, change on the Gregorian (solar) calendar each year.

Why Do We Call it Purim? The Meaning Behind the Name
The name “Purim” means “lots” in ancient Persian, referring to the lots Haman cast to select the date of his proposed genocide.

When Haman decided to massacre the Jewish people of Persia, he cast a type of lottery called purim — “lots” in ancient Persian — to determine the day of the genocide. He landed on the 13th day of Adar, the 12th month of the year on the Hebrew calendar. The name of the holiday refers to Haman’s decision to cast these lots.

Haman was not the first or last man to try to exterminate the Jewish people. Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, and even Haman’s own ancestors, the Amalekites, had tried in vain to wipe Jewish people off the map. For thousands of years after Haman’s attempts, people throughout history have tried and failed to destroy the Jewish people, including Roman Emperor Hadrian in the second century, Byzantine Emperor Heraclius in the seventh century, German knight Rindfleisch in the 13th century, and Adolf Hitler in the 20th century. Thus, Purim not only celebrates the Jewish people’s survival against Haman but also our generational survival against incessant threats of genocide.

How Do We Celebrate Purim Today? The Role of Purim Costumes, Gifts, and Food
Modern Jewish observers celebrate Purim with several customs, including interactive recitations and whimsical costumes. On Purim, it’s traditional to listen to the Book of Esther, or Megillat Esther in Hebrew, and cheer or boo at the naming of heroes and villains (think: the original Rocky Horror Picture Show). Many congregations use noisemakers called graggers and stamp their feet to drown out Haman’s name, signifying his status as the villain of the Purim story.

Some Purim customs involve posthumously humiliating Haman, such as baking triangular cookies called hamantaschen to imitate the shape of the triangular hat purportedly worn by Haman. In ancient times, some observers burned effigies of Haman.

Other traditions celebrate the heroes of the story, which is why many Jewish people wear costumes and masks on Purim — it’s said to to emulate the way Esther “masked” her Judaism from Ahasuerus. A 15th-century Italian rabbi, Yehuda Minz, argued that wearing costumes — and even cross-dressing — is sanctioned because it creates joy, according to Georgetown University Center for Jewish Civilization professor Ori Z. Soltes.

Further, the Book of Esther does not mention G-d’s name at all — and G-d does not play a visible role in the miracle that Purim celebrates. Disguising oneself in costume echoes the way G-d worked behind "a cloak of the natural order" in the Book of Esther, according to Chabad.org staff editor Rabbi Menachem Posner. Thus, a theme of masquerading emerges. The tradition may also be rooted in 13th-century Italian traditions of dressing up and holding carnivals for Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent. That said, don’t call Purim “Jewish Carnival” or “Jewish Halloween” — Purim is a festival of deep significance to Jewish communities specifically, and it shouldn’t be conflated with other holidays.


Purim celebrations also include exchanging gifts of food and giving to charity. Delivering gifts to friends and strangers — known as mishloach manot, Hebrew for “sending portions to one another” — is a Purim mitzvah, or commandment. The other three Purim commandments are to read the aforementioned Megillat Esther, enjoy a festive meal called the Seudah, and donate to people in need. Altogether, it’s an occasion of revelry, resilience, and community, making it one of the most beloved, joyful holidays in the Jewish tradition.

Purim: A Feast to Remember from the Book of Esther
I can be a very forgetful person. My multiple calendars and lists are my lifeline, and even then some appointments and responsibilities accidentally fall through the cracks. This is not something I’m proud of and I see it as a failing of mine. The Lord also sees it as a shortcoming and has made a provision for my forgetfulness. And for yours too. Our good God is all about helping us remember the important things!

In Scripture, we see the Lord use objects as a way of helping His people remember His goodness, might, and faithfulness in keeping His promises. The bow he placed in the sky in Noah’s presence was a sign of the covenant, or promise, He made that “the waters [would] never again become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Gen. 9:15). The Lord also commanded that twelve memorial stones be brought out of the dry bed of the overflowing Jordan River as the ark and all the Israelites made their way along the path He made for them. In addition to those twelve stones on the bank of the river, Joshua also stacked twelve stones in the river bed itself (Josh. 4).

We also see elsewhere in Scripture the Lord use holidays to help His people remember. In Leviticus 23, we see God institute seven feasts of remembrance or festivals for His people to observe, with each one highlighting a specific event in their past. The Feast of Passover reminded the Israelites of the saving blood of the lamb on their door lintels. The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted for a week after Passover and reminded the Israelites of the haste in which they left Egypt. The Feast of Firstfruits was celebrated at the beginning of the grain harvest and acknowledged God’s deliverance of His people out of Egypt and into the promised land, a land that was fertile and rich. The Feast of Weeks (or Harvest) took place fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits and as a culmination of the harvest season was a way for God’s people to show gratitude to the Benefactor of the bounty. The Feast of Trumpets marked the end of the agricultural and festival year and heralded the coming of the next feast occurring in ten days’ time. The Day of Atonement saw the high priest entering the holy of holies to make an offering for the sins of the whole nation of Israel. Finally, the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) took place five days after the Day of Atonement when offerings were presented to the Lord while the people lived in temporary tents or huts to symbolize the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness.

While these were Old Testament observances decreed by the Lord for the benefit of His forgetful people, in each feast there are New Testament applications and I would encourage you to do some research on how Christ can be seen in each one.

But there is one feast which is an outlier, the only feast in our canonized Scripture that was given outside of Leviticus—the Feast of Purim which will be celebrated this year from March 23 to the 24.

Purim, a Jewish holiday of remembrance, historically was commanded to be “days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor” (Est. 9:22). Today, Jews who observe Purim start by reading the entirety of the book of Esther aloud congregationally, give charitably to those in need, share food with a friend, and dine on a festive meal. Children’s participation is encouraged with costumes (harkening to Esther’s concealment of her heritage) and booing Haman, the villain of the story, with every mention of his name during the reading of Esther.


So what’s so special about the book of Esther that would warrant the Lord wanting His people to remember and celebrate it every year?

To answer that, we’ll need to have a quick history lesson.

The story of Esther is placed around 483 to 473 BC during the Persian rule of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). The events of the book of Daniel have already occurred with the southern tribe of Judah being exiled into Babylon which is then conquered by Cyrus, the Persian king. Cyrus allows the Jews to return to their homeland of Jerusalem. As the story of Esther unfolds, Mordecai is a Jewish man raising his orphaned cousin, Esther, as his own daughter in the Persian capital city of Susa. King Ahasuerus is shopping for a new wife as he disposed of his previous bride after she displeased him. Esther is chosen as a possible candidate and after the contenders are paraded through the palace, the king selects Esther to be his new queen, ignorant of her Jewish heritage as she has not disclosed it to anyone on Mordecai’s advice.

Enter Haman, the king’s right-hand man who was to be honored and bowed to by all according to the king. Except Mordecai didn’t bow and “Haman was filled with fury” (Est. 3:5). Mordecai, who must have held a position of respect as he was often in proximity to the palace, discloses to the king’s servants who are at the king’s gate that he is a Jew. The servants tell Haman and he sets out to not only destroy Mordecai but his entire race of people, which would have included those in Jerusalem as it was still under the jurisdiction of the king of Persia. Haman hatched a plan but was unsure of when to set it in motion so he cast lots, or pur, to let “fate” decide the right time (it’s unknown what the lots actually were but it would be akin to us flipping a coin). Once the lots fell in a way that seemed favorable, Haman mentioned to King Ahasuerus that there was a people scattered throughout his kingdom who were only causing issues and were of no benefit to the king or his purposes. Haman then offered to personally fund the genocide of these people and the king agreed to his trusted advisor’s plan. When the proclamation went out, the citizens of all the king’s provinces were instructed “to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children…and to plunder their goods” (Est. 3:13) on the thirteenth of the month. All of the Jews were deeply grieved and fasted and put on sackcloth and ashes in response. Queen Esther learned of this development and after asking for the Jews in Susa to pray and fast for three days, she vowed to approach the king even though approaching without being first summoned was against the law, punishable by death.

Esther hosts two dinners for her husband and Haman, and before the second one occurs, it is brought to King Ahasuerus’ attention that he never honored Mordecai for thwarting an assassination plot. The king brings in Haman to ask him how he could recognize a deserving man. Haman, thinking the king is speaking of celebrating him, suggests pulling out the stops: a parade for the gentleman sitting atop a royal horse, enrobed in a royal garment. You can imagine Haman’s reaction when he learns it is his archrival who will receive such celebration, and even more than that, Haman is the one who dresses Mordecai and leads his horse through the city, proclaiming, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor” (Est. 6:11).

At the second dinner Esther hosts, she unveils Haman’s plot against the Jews as well as her Jewish heritage to her husband, the king. Esther had found favor with King Ahasuerus and, outraged, he took action. Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. Then because the king’s original decree couldn’t be reversed, a second decree went out to say that the king would allow the Jews to defend themselves and take the attackers’ goods should anyone seek them harm. Thus, Queen Esther’s bravery and Mordecai’s integrity saved the Jewish people from genocide.

We should remember, as we regard Purim, that our great and magnificent Lord has plans that cannot be foiled. Haman was an example of the worst kind of evil, someone who out of his hatred for one wanted to destroy all. But he has a history that’s hard to see at first blush. The Bible’s introduction of him is as “Haman the Agagite” (Est. 3:1). That’s an important note. Agag was king of the Amaleks, who the Lord commanded Saul to destroy in 1 Samuel 15 for an offense the Amalekites subjected God’s people to in Numbers 14. Saul did not obey the Lord and as a result, his kingship was eventually stripped from him. So Agag lived when the Lord instructed him to die. Saul’s disobedience bore the ugliest, most rotten fruit many, many years later in the form of Haman, a descendent of Agag who was bent on the destruction of every single Jew. Had Saul obeyed in killing Agag, would we even have the story of Esther?

But God steps in to rescue and save His people again. And again. And again. Throughout the metanarrative of the Bible. Throughout all the stories of individual lives. We can easily paint Esther and Mordecai as the saviors of this story, especially when the book itself never mentions the name of the Lord. And while they certainly play a heroic part in this epic tale, the Lord points our attention to Himself. The feast is called Purim, so named after the lots Haman cast. Whose mighty hand was behind those lots? The Lord commanded Aaron to cast lots over goats (Lev. 16:8), to divide land by lots (Josh. 18:6), and to divide labor responsibilities by lots (1 Chron. 25:8), just to name a few examples. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit now so there is no need for us to use this method to discern the Lord’s will as they used it in the Old Testament. The message is clear: fate has no place in a believer’s life.

The salvation the Lord keeps reminding us of with the objects and the feasts is a temporary, earthly one. But there is a permanent, eternal saving available to us through Jesus Christ, our ultimate Savior, that we must not miss, must not be absentminded about.

So I would encourage you to celebrate Purim. Be thoughtful about giving to someone in need, share some food with friends, and feast! Put on a costume and boo Haman. But read the book of Esther. Every year. Remember. Recall. Recollect that our God sent His Son to save us from annihilation. And He does this for us every day of our lives until eternity.

Esther: The Woman Who Saved a Nation

Queen Esther is a remarkable example of faith and courage.

Esther was a beautiful young woman who was chosen by King Ahasuerus to be queen. King Ahasuerus did not know that Esther was Jewish. The Jews had been driven out of Israel, about 70 years earlier and exiled in Persia.  Esther’s stepfather, Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, an advisor and high official of the king. Because of this lack of respect, Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews. When Esther found out that this was to happen she wanted intercede, but  feared doing so because anyone who entered the king’s throne room without permission could be put to death. She prayed and fasted for three days and found the courage to approach her husband, the king.  She told him of her Jewish ancestry and pleaded for her people. Ahasuerus was persuaded by his love for Esther and ordered Haman to be hanged on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

Read Esther’s life story in Bible verses:

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• Esther is a beautiful, orphaned Jewish girl
Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. (Esther 2:2, NIV)

• She is the adopted daughter of her cousin Mordecai
Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. (Esther 2:7, NIV)

• Esther is a God-fearing woman living in a pagan court
She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.  Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality. When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. (Esther 2:16-20, NIV)

• Esther was chosen by King Ahasuerus to be queen
 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. (Esther 2:17, NIV)

• Esther finds out that the Jews were to be executed by Haman
But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. (Esther 2:22)

• She fasts and prays for three days and then risked death by approaching the king
Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” (Esther 4:10-11, NIV)

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.  When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.  (Esther 5:2, NIV)

• She prepared a banquet for the king and Haman
 “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.” (Esther 5:4, NIV)

• She asked the king for a new edict
“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. (Esther 8:5, NIV)

•  Esther’s delivery of God’s people is still celebrated by Jews during Purim
Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records. (Esther 9:32, NIV)

What Queen Esther Teaches Us About Courage

She was an unlikely queen.

The orphaned daughter of Jewish parents, Esther was raised by her uncle Mordecai in Shushan. As the years passed, Esther grew into a stunningly beautiful woman. Yet she never dreamed she would someday wear a jeweled crown. She never imagined she would bear the weight of her people’s destiny on her slim shoulders.

After King Xerxes banished his first queen for disobedience, he ordered his officers to bring all the fair young women of the land to his harem. He wanted to select a new queen. Because of her beauty, Esther was taken into the palace of Xerxes.

Surrounded by the opulence and idolatry of Persia, Esther likely felt lost and alone. She had no fellowship with her people, no chance to attend the synagogue or hear the sacred scrolls of the Torah read aloud. Instead, she was surrounded by hundreds of beautiful women, all competing desperately to win the king’s favor. To a Jewish girl from a humble background, it must have been a huge culture shock.

By the grace of God, Esther found favor in the king’s eyes. She was crowned queen of Persia. Because of her uncle’s advice, she never revealed her Jewish heritage. Yet, beneath the swirling current of life in the royal court, trouble was brewing.

After Mordecai refused to bow to him, a powerful politician named Haman was very offended. Enraged, he decided to punish Mordecai and his entire people. After getting carte blanche from the king, he arranged for a wholesale massacre of the Jews.

Desperate, Mordecai and every self-respecting Jew in Shushan dressed in sackcloth and began to fast and pray. Word reached Esther in the palace from Mordecai. He explained the dire situation and pleaded that Esther go before the king and intercede for her people.

At first, Esther refused. After all, the king had not summoned her for thirty days. What if he was angry with her? If she simply walked into his throne room, she risked immediate death.

But Mordecai appealed to her with a heart-wrenching plea that rings through the ages.

“…Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)

Humbled, the queen sent word back to Mordecai. She would go in to the king. “And if I perish, I perish.”

As we are thankful to know, this story ends happily. When she approached the king, he held out his royal scepter and offered her anything she wanted. Esther courageously invited the king and Haman to two banquets, where she begged the king to spare her people’s lives.

Surprised, King Xerxes granted her request. Haman was punished, the Jews were saved from genocide, and Mordecai was promoted. Ever since, the Jewish people celebrate Esther’s courage in a yearly feast called Purim.

So what does Queen Esther teach us about courage?

1) Courage stays true to its own.
Even in the luxury of the palace, Esther never forgot where she came from. Though separated from her people, she remained a loyal Jew. She never lost her faith or her identity as one of God’s people.

2) Courage leans hard on God’s strength.
Before Esther went in to ask the king, she instructed Mordecai to gather all the Jews of Shushan. She wanted them to fast and pray for God’s intervention. And she and her maids did the same. When she approached King Xerxes, she went in the strength of her God.

3) Courage acts prudently.
Using her God-given wisdom and experience, Esther carefully planned the best strategy for asking the king. She didn’t blindly rush into the throne room. Instead, she prepared a rich banquet, trusting that God would hear her prayers and grant her an audience with the king.

4) Courage knows which voices to ignore and which one to obey.
If Esther had listened to the inner voices of doubt and fear, she would never have dared to go before King Xerxes. Yet she’d learned long before to ignore those voices. She knew there was only one still, small voice that mattered. And that was the voice of God. When her very life was on the line, Esther chose to trust God’s wisdom and yield her life to him.

What about you? Are you facing a tough situation in your life right now? The secret to Queen Esther’s courage was not her beauty, or wisdom, or position. It was her faith in an unshakeable, unstoppable, unchangeable God.

If you want to have courage, remember whose child you are. Walk in his strength and wisdom. And, above all, learn to listen for the still, small voice of God. And when you hear it, obey.

Esther, a Courageous Queen

a young woman who faced her fears
a wise woman who fasted for wisdom
a queen who saved her people
KEY VERSES
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. —Galatians 6:7

Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. —Jeremiah 32:19

PROLOGUE
This lesson is a condensed version of Esther’s story and focuses on the principle of sowing and reaping. The Bible tells her full story beautifully. You might enjoy reading the complete, dramatic biblical account with all its interesting detail, found in the book that bears her name.


King Ahasuerus
STORY AND STUDY
When Hadassah’s parents died, she lived with her cousin Mordecai in Shushan, the royal city of Ahasuerus, King of Persia. Mordecai and Hadassah were Jews. Their ancestors came into Persia as captives long before Hadassah was born. At the time of this story, the Jews and the Persians lived together agreeably. Hadassah took a new name—Esther—from the Persian word for star.

A new queen
King Ahasuerus was a stern man and was known to call himself King of all the other kings. He ruled with authority and expected complete obedience from everyone. One time he became so angry with his wife, Queen Vashti, for disobeying him that he sent her away with ominous threats. He’d give her crown “to another who is better than she” (Esther 1:19). He’d select a new queen to replace her.

His counselors advised him to “appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan.… Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti” (Esther 2:3-4). Ahasuerus thought it was an excellent plan, so his officers took the most beautiful women of the land into custody at the palace.


Pause for thought: Scripture says the women had to be gathered. They did not volunteer; they were required to go. There’s no indication that they were asked if they wanted to be on the King’s list. How do you suppose these young women felt?


Esther receiving beauty treatments
“Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her.” But would she be most pleasing to King Ahasuerus?

Esther was one of the women gathered and taken to the palace for 12 months of beauty treatments before being presented to the King. During this time, “Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her” (verse 15). But would she be most pleasing to King Ahasuerus?


Pause for thought: Think about this beauty contest. If you were a young woman, would you want to be on the King’s list? It might be nice to live in a beautiful palace, but it would be dangerous to upset the King in any way. All her life the Queen would have to be very careful about what she said and did. What about the women who were not chosen to be Queen? Could they go home, get married and have a family? Probably not. Do you know why? They were the property of the King and likely had to spend the rest of their lives in the King’s harem.

Hidden identity
Mordecai believed Esther had the best chance of becoming Queen, but he also warned her not to say she was a Jew (verse 10). The Bible doesn’t explain why Mordecai said this. Some people think Ahasuerus had to marry a Persian woman and not a woman of another ethnicity. Would the King marry Esther if he knew she was a Jew? It was better not to take a chance, so Esther kept quiet about her identity.

Eventually it was her turn to be with the King. Now he “loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti” (verse 17). They married and lived peacefully for several years. But a problem came up between Mordecai and the King’s chief of staff, a man named Haman.

Now he “ loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight.”

Kill the Jews
Because Haman was an important man with a very high position in the palace, “all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage” (Esther 3:2). He said bowing would break the commandments against idolatry. Haman was furious and turned his anger against all the Jews in Persia.

Without checking the truthfulness of Haman’s words, King Ahasuerus sent out an order to kill the Jews and take all their belongings.


10 Commandments on stone

Pause for thought: Can you recite the 10 Commandments from memory? Which one talks about idolatry?

Enraged, “Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai” (verse 6). With lying words Haman persuaded Ahasuerus to destroy the Jews because “they do not keep the king’s laws” (verse 8). Without checking the truthfulness of Haman’s words, King Ahasuerus sent out an order to kill the Jews and take all their belongings. What do you think was Haman’s real motive in all of this?

“Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther’s fears
When Mordecai heard about this terrible order, he wailed loudly and bitterly. He told Esther to beg the king for mercy and for the safety and deliverance of the Jews. Mordecai further instructed Esther not to naively believe “that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews” (Esther 4:13). Mordecai said she was the only person who could do something to save her people. He rhetorically asked, “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom [as Queen] for such a time as this?” (verse 14).

Mordecai’s request made Esther afraid. First of all, she was a Jew. How long could she hide her identity from an evil man like Haman? When he found out she was a Jew, he would make sure she died with all the other Jews.

Second, it was a rule in Persia that people couldn’t see the King unless he asked for them to come. Guards with swords took the life of anyone who entered the royal court without the King’s invitation or permission. The King hadn’t asked for Esther to come in over a month. How could she get in to see him?

“I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”

Esther’s decision
She asked Mordecai, her maids, and all the Jews to fast for three days. During the fast, Esther thought about her people and the terrible danger they faced. She thought about the risk to her life. At the end of the fast, Esther knew that saving her people was more important than saving her own life. She decided, “I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” (verse 16).

“She found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand.”


a golden scepter

Pause for thought: What is a fast? Why do you think Esther called for a fast at this time? Turn in your Bible to Isaiah 58:6 for a clue.

Esther’s bravery was blessed: “It happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter” (Esther 5:1-2).

Esther didn’t make a request for her people at that time. She invited the King and Haman to a banquet where she so graciously entertained them that the King was happy to grant her request. He asked, “What is your petition? It shall be granted to you. What is your request, up to half of the kingdom? It shall be done!” (verse 6). Then Esther revealed Haman’s evil plot and asked the King to save her life and the lives of her people.


Pause for thought: Why do you think Esther did not make her request immediately? Would you say that she was using wisdom? Why?

“Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he himself will fall into his own pit.”

Conclusion
It often happens when people do something bad, they get their “comeuppance.” The Bible says it this way: “Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he himself will fall into his own pit” (Proverbs 28:10).

Haman conspired to kill the Jews, and he built a gallows on which to hang Mordecai. This would prove quite ironic, for “when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows” (Esther 9:25). Haman received the very punishment that he planned for Mordecai.

It also often happens when someone does something good, he or she is blessed. After Esther bravely went to the King, he gave her Haman’s house and made Mordecai the new chief of staff (Esther 8:2). King Ahasuerus also allowed the Jews to protect themselves and save their property by making another proclamation: “And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday” (verse 17). The Jews celebrate this event even today on a day called Purim.

QUESTIONS
1. Knowledge
Why was Esther living with her cousin? What does her Persian name mean?

2. Comprehension
What did Mordecai mean when he told Esther, “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews” (Esther 4:13)?

3. Connections
Can you think of someone else who showed courage as a young shepherd in protecting his father’s flocks and later did battle with a giant enemy of Israel?

DISCUSSIONS
1. Esther’s brave actions saved her people and brought good rewards. Haman’s evil actions brought him swift punishment.

The Bible says that behavior works like planting seeds. If you plant radish seeds, you will have radishes to eat. If you plant pumpkin seeds, you will harvest pumpkins. The kind of seeds you plant (“sow”) in your garden will produce the same kind of crop for you to harvest (“reap”).

It works the same way with us. If we do good things, we usually get good results—sometimes right away and sometimes later on—and when we do something wrong, we usually end up getting into trouble (Galatians 6:7). God sees what we do and rewards us for good and bad behavior (Jeremiah 32:19).

What do you think would happen if for a whole day you were grumpy, irritable, complaining and quarrelsome? Would your family like that? How would they treat you? Do you think they would be happy with you? Would they do nice things for you?

2. Can you remember a time when you had to do something hard that you didn’t want to do? Maybe it was going to the dentist. Maybe it was riding the bus to school. Maybe it was telling the truth about something you did wrong. Why is it hard to do the right thing? Is it better to do the right thing even if it is hard?

ACTIVITIES
1. Secret Experiment
Without telling anyone, take a whole day to try sowing good seed. Talk about things that are pleasant. Be friendly. Don’t complain or quarrel. Say “thank you” lots of times. Do nice things for as many people as you can.

At the end of the day, think about how it went. Was it a good day? Did people thank you or say nice things? Did you see smiles? Keep doing and watching for results!


a young Queen Elizabeth II
2. Good Kings and Queens
There are many kings and queens ruling in countries around the world. Some of them rule wisely and, like Esther, love the people they serve and work hard to do the best for them. Do an internet search or ask your parents about Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. How long did she rule her people? She acted bravely in World War II and when her father the King died. Like Esther, she entertained very graciously and didn't forget her responsibilities to others. Can you find a picture of her as a beautiful young Queen? Can you find additional royals who are good examples?

Old School Courage: Lessons from Esther

You might wonder how a story from thousands of years ago can be relevant to your life today. Well, the story of Esther from the Old Testament is not just a historical account; it's a timeless lesson in courage, faith, and doing what's right, even when it's hard. If you've ever faced a situation where doing the right thing seemed daunting, Esther's story is for you.

Esther was a young Jewish woman who became queen of the Persian Empire. Her journey wasn't easy, and she faced immense pressure to conform and stay silent. But Esther's courage and faith led her to take a stand that saved her people. Let's dive into her story and see what we can learn about living with courage and faith in our own lives.
The Pressure of Doing What's Right
Esther's story begins with a crisis. The king of Persia, Xerxes, had banished his queen and was searching for a new one. Esther, a Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, was chosen to be the new queen. But her journey was far from a fairy tale. When a plot to annihilate the Jewish people was uncovered, Esther faced a life-or-death decision: stay silent and save herself or speak up and risk her life.

Esther followed her father's instructions. Even as queen, she continued to obey Mordecai's guidance. This obedience wasn't blind; it was rooted in faith and respect. Mordecai had raised her to honor God and follow His commandments, including the one to honor her parents (Exodus 20:12).

Esther understood the importance of prayer and fasting. Before approaching the king, she called for a three-day fast. This wasn't just about abstaining from food; it was about seeking God's guidance and strength. In times of crisis, Esther knew that focusing on God was crucial.

Esther was willing to die for what was right. She approached the king, knowing that if he didn't extend his scepter to her, she could be executed. Her famous words, "If I must die, I must die," (Esther 4:16) reflect her resolve to do the right thing, no matter the cost.
What Can We Learn from Esther?
Obey God and those who guide you in faith. Just as Esther followed Mordecai's instructions, we should seek and heed godly counsel. This means listening to those who guide us in our faith journey, whether it's parents, mentors, or spiritual leaders
Prioritize prayer and fasting. When faced with difficult decisions, take time to seek God's guidance. Fasting and prayer help us focus on God and align our will with His. It's a way to clear out distractions and hear His voice more clearly.
Be willing to take risks for what's right. Esther's courage to approach the king, even at the risk of her life, is a powerful example. Doing the right thing often requires stepping out of our comfort zones and facing potential consequences. But when we act in faith, God is with us.
Conclusion
Esther's story teaches us that courage and faith are essential in doing what's right. God uses tough situations to bring about His purposes, and He calls us to be part of His plan.

So, what steps will you take this week to do what's right? Will you seek godly counsel, prioritize prayer and fasting, or take a bold step of faith?

Remember, God is with you, and He will guide you as you seek to honor Him. Let's learn from Esther and be people of courage and faith.