DAY THREE: The Feast of Purim Memorialized
Please carefully read Esther 9:26—28 and answer the following questions.
1. Why was this feast named in such a way (v. 26)?
NOTE: The Feast of Purim was the one and only holiday established in the Old Testament not connected with the Mosaic Law.[iii] The other two not connected to the Law, the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) and Nicanor’s Day, were established in the 2nd Century B.C. during the Macabbean revolt.[iv]
2. How did they commit themselves to keeping this feast, thus memorializing it (v. 27)
3. The Jews established and imposed the celebration, which meant to rise up from a seated position and take immediate, dramatic action, and to do so without fail (that is, trespassing against God by not doing so).[v] While the church is never required to keep these Jewish feasts, what did Jesus establish with us that He wants to continue and be memorialized by His children (Matthew 26:26—29; 1 Corinthians 11:23—26)?
4. To what extent was this to be memorialized by them (v. 28)?
Scripture Memory: Try to fill in the missing words in the blanks below, by memory if at all possible, and then review the passage several times today.
As the days on which the Jews had _____________ from their enemies, as the _____________________ which was turned from ____________________ to __________ for them, and from _______________________ to a ____________________; that they should make them _____________ of feasting and _____________, of sending presents to one another and ____________ to the poor.
(Esther 9:22, NKJV)
© 2005 by Harvest Christian Fellowship. All rights reserved. Written by Thomas Klock for Men’s Bible Fellowship, 2004-2005.www.Harvest.org