Understanding Your Jewish Neighbour: Purim

A sleepless king. A courageous queen. A villain with a vendetta. The Book of Esther reads like a soap opera steeped in Shakespearian tragedy, full of intrigue, irony, suspense, and salvation. Purim, one of the most joyous and lively holidays in the Jewish calendar, celebrates Queen Esther’s courage and God’s hidden hand, bringing this story to life each year. Yet beneath the colorful pageantry lies something far more profound, a revelation of God’s providence when he seems most absent.
Celebrated on the 14th day of the month of Adar (beginning this year at sundown on 2 March and continuing through the following day), Purim is vibrantly observed with feasts, gifts, storytelling, plays, and costume parades. It commemorates one of the darkest threats the Jewish people have ever faced, a plot to annihilate them. This prophetic theme has echoed throughout history. Yet through it all, Purim stands as a testimony to God’s divine intervention and unfailing protection over his people, a truth that believers today can still rejoice in and learn from.

• The Story Behind the Celebration
• God’s Hidden Hand
  "the name of God never appears in the Book of Esther. Yet his presence saturates every page.<"/li>
• From Esther to Jesus
  "The same unseen hand that moved in Persia moves still in history, guiding all things toward the redemption promised in the Messiah."
• Purim Celebrations
• Celebrating with Gospel Eyes
  "Purim calls us to courageous obedience."
• God’s Faithfulness Then and Now

For more information go to Understanding Your Jewish Neighbour: Purim on the Lausanne Movement website.
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