Peopled

In the Hebrew month of Adar is tucked the sweetest treasure, Purim.  It comes with a whispering roar of  “joyfulness reigns”. This is not simply a season of happy, but the revelation of Christ’s wealth and wreath.  The joy that crowns Him and connects us.  This is a jubilee that completes.

A joy such as this is known as ‘simchah’ or corded joy. It is that which reckons with us and resonates to a world.  The seal and sign of a God who never leaves and a people who ever stay.

With waltz and wonder it comes ending the “always winter, but never Christmas.”  Awe for the thaw. For Christ comes.  He is here.

A joy so boundless and endless as the one He has forevered, for us, must have sprouted and sprung, bringing bountiful spring to a wearied winter.

Purim.

Haman the Agagite, was a descendant of Amalek. Though an evil courtier was his condition, his covenant was to fulfill God’s word to the Israelites and us.  He wipes away every enemy.

Haman was promoted to Grand Vizier, but Mordechai refused to bow.  Haman sought revenge, not only on Mordechai, but all the Jews.  He convinced the King to call for a massacre of all Jews throughout his kingdom.

The word ‘purim’ means lots because Haman picked lots to decide when to kill the Jews.  Through astrology, he divined which month would be most vulnerable for Israel and found the same season his ancestor Amalek had.

A quick history on this ancestor:

The Israelites were fresh and fragile from water’s break and passage’s make.  The world trembled around them as nations shook at the sight of the Israelites and they God they served.  Save one.  The Amalekites, led by Amalek, descendant of Esau and enemy of God’s people.

The Israelites were encamped in Rephidim, resting after rescue.  There they thirsted and Pappa provided.  From a barren place came a mighty well, that not only filled their cups, but containers they would take with them to sustain them along their way.

Though they would not head in the direction of Amalekite territory, that nation came with a surprise attack.  For they sought to lead nations to disregard the Lord and not fear His name. If awe is stolen, fear returns.

A battle ensued, and victory was the Israelites’.  The attack of the Amalekites was recorded for one reason.  Because Pappa promised to wipe the very memory of it from the earth.  The redemption was so radical, the enemy would be forgotten and God and His wondrous works would be remembered.

I will lead you to forget what Amalek did to you. Deuteronomy 25:17-19

The beauty of what God did for them would overwhelm what any enemy had ever done, would ever do.  It would wash away all that didn’t belong.  The enemies wipeout would be their wonder.

The name Amalek means “bound”. It comes from the same root word (safek) as “satisfied, sufficient or supplied.”  When bound meets Boundless, Endless comes.

Then Purim.

Haman entered Esther’s story and a despairing dark met a lighted lovely.

Esther was captured so she could captivate.  She found herself in a contest of beauty and contested everything that opposed the truth beauty holds.  She was named most beautiful and her sash was embroidered “Queen”.

With her people in peril, Esther approached her husband, the king and invited him to a series of parties in Haman’s honor.  At the third of the feasts, she revealed her identity as a Jew and pled for the life of a people.

(I love that there are three spring feasts and Esther held three feasts in spring!!!)

Her beauty broke boundless before a king and on behalf of her nation.  Haman and his cohorts were dethroned and defamed.  He and his ten sons hung in the gallows, which is gloriously gruesome.  It denoted the end of a line and the completion of God’s word.

Purim is the celebration of victory over Haman, yes. But as much, or more, it is the celebration of beauty and all it holds.  For beauty’s break is Heaven’s open.  Joy’s joining.

Esther revealed a beauty deeper than skin.  For courage, devotion and hope adorned her heart, leading a people to choose to live fully. And a month, once marked by mourning was joined to joy.

Their joy was all the greater because they fulfilled the word of the Lord.

Purim revealed the majestic of we.  Through His peopled Purim, His extravagance became our everlasting.

Purim is the celebration of those who rest with Him, who won’t live without Him.

We are carriers of boundless beauty.  Breathtaking and life giving.  Beauty is the break the world needs to inhale and live. For beauty is the revelation of true joy.  Of our abounding, abundant connection to our eternal God.  What they need, we have.  Alabaster to be broken, on behalf of our people.  Before our King.

He has wrestled every enemy so joy, reigning joy, can rest upon the throne of our hearts.  Crest our hope and crown our love. Touch our inmost to multiply His utmost.

‘Venahapoch’ is the phrase used related to the victory over Haman and means “it was overturned”.  Take some time to remember all Pappa has overturned. For it is all that has opposed His plans and promises for you.  Let them be truly overturned now, celebrated and completed, so your joy may be full.  So it may reign with His.

Purim begins tonight (March 9th at sundown) and ends Tuesday at sundown.  It is a festival of fun and fellowship.  If you’d like to enter in, read the book of Esther, give a gift of food to a neighbor, grant a gift of provision to someone in need and then feast!!