Purim: A Time of Divine Reversal

Purim is 14 days from today and so last night, my family and I began a reading plan together which will take us through the book of Esther in these days leading up to Purim. I wanted to share that reading plan with you (available below as a free bookmark download) and also share some of what I feel God prompting me to around this holiday.

First, if you’re not familiar with Purim or the story or the reason behind this special day, it’s a day of celebration that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the plot of Haman. In years past, I’ve taken note of the day on my calendar and always think about Esther and how God divinely positioned her. However, this year, I believe there is some very unique revelation God wants to give us if we’ll take some time to read through the account more slowly, prayerfully, and ask God what it means to us,  personally.

Again, I’ve just started reading through the account more slowly myself, however here’s already what I sense the Lord highlighting and what I’m positioning myself to hear more about:

1.) This is a time of divine revelation. Haman’s plot against the Jewish people was forged in the first month of the Jewish year, in the month of Nisan (Esther 3:7). Nisan corresponds with our calendar in the month of April/May. That’s the month he actually came up with his plan, though the execution of it wasn’t to take place until almost a year later, in the Jewish month of Adar (which corresponds with the month we are in right now).

I have sensed that the Lord is about to reveal some of the why-behind-the-what. Many of us faced some hard challenges and experienced some very tangible resistance over this last year. I believe that some of what has been hidden over the last year is about to be revealed. Not so that we can become distracted by it, or redirect our focus, but I believe it’s going to give us greater understanding as to what may have been working against us. God is going to show us reasons for some of the challenges we’ve been facing, specifically over the last year.

2.) This is a time of “banqueting in the Lord’s Presence”. We must approach this season from a posture of knowing we already having the Lord’s favor. This is a time to enter with worship and praise on our lips and as we do, we are going to see how the Lord has (and had) already prepared a table before us in the very presence of our enemies. This is meant to be a time of celebration and “having done all to stand” in our place of victory through Jesus.

3.) This is a time of divine reversal. I don’t want to go into this too deeply yet, but if I could say it this way, in the 4th chapter of Esther, the narrative was that there was great mourning, weeping, wailing, and distress. But by the eighth chapter, and because of the deliverance of the Lord, the people instead had light (a fresh new dose of new hope), gladness, joy and honor.  What was meant for evil, we’re going to see how God was already (obviously) aware of it and how He has and is turning it around and will use it for our good.

So friend, I invite you. Take some time over the next fourteen days to read through and meditate on the book of Esther. If you’d like to follow the same reading plan we’re going through as a family, here’s a bookmark you can print up and keep in your Bible. (Just click and drag on the images below and print them up.)

May God add His blessing and revelation to the reading of His word. May He send forth His light to illuminate and reveal what has been hidden. And may He return to you,  multiple times over, blessings and joy, gladness and hope in place for your heartache.