For Haman….the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them. Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, the Jews took it upon themselves to establish the custom…..And these days of Purim shall never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants. Esther 9: 24-28

The 6 day war, 1967

Victorious living

Esther 7-9

Chapters 7-9

• Esther mediated on behalf of her condemned Jewish race to a corrupt King (7:3-6).

• Haman the enemy is hanged on a tree (7:9).• King Xerxes issues a counter decree declaring there is now no

more condemnation of the Jews (8:8).• The Jews celebrate the counter decree (8:16-17) and are

victorious on the day of battle (9:5-16).• Up to today the Jews celebrate Purim in remembrance of

their deliverance from their enemies (9:26-27).

Proposition 1: How you define victory is dependant on who or what you define as your enemy.

Haman piñata

Baruch Goldstein during 1994 Purim celebration, after reading the Esther scroll, proceeded to massacred 29 Muslims while they were praying.

“The revered Dr. Baruch Kapel GoldsteinSon of Israel. He gave his soul for the sake of the people of Israel, The Torah, and the Land. His hands are clean and his

heart good..He was assassinated for Sanctity of God.”

Stopping the cycle of hate.

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

“Put your sword back in its place, Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

Matt 26:50b-53

The real enemy: Sin

• The real enemy is not country against country or people against people, but rather enmity between us and God.

• The real enemy is sin in our lives.• The only victory that really matters is victory over sin.

You brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it-

I thank you allWe are the champions, my friends,

And we’ll keep on fighting ‘till the end.We are the champions (2x),

No time for losers‘Cause we are the champions of the world

(We are the champions- Freddy Mercury, Queen)

Sometimes it seems lately I just don’t knowBetter sit back and go with the flowCos these are the days of our livesThey’ve have flown in the swiftness of timeThese days are all gone now but some things remainWhen I look and I find no changeThere were the days of our lives(These are the days of our lives – last recorded song ,Freddy Mercury, Queen)

Proposition 2: how you define success and victory will shape how you define suffering and tragedy

Does Purin actually celebrate victory in battle?

• France Bastille Day- 14/07.• Former Soviet Union Revolution Day- 07/11.• Mexico Cinco de Mayo- 05/05.

• Purim is however celebrated the day after the battle victory (9:1 cf 9:17-18).

Victory defined as rest from our enemies

• This happened on the thirteenth day of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy. (9:17)

• ...to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time the Jews got relief from their enemies (9:22b)

• Esther mediated on behalf of her condemned Jewish race to a corrupt King (7:3-6).

• Jesus mediated on behalf of a condemned humanity to an incorruptible King of Kings.

• Haman the enemy was hanged on a tree (7:9).• Jesus took our enemy - sin and was hanged on a tree. • King Xerxes issues a counter decree declaring there is now no more

condemnation of the Jews (8:8).• The King of Kings declares there is now no condemnation for those in

Christ Jesus. • The Jews celebrate the counter decree (8:16-17) and are victorious on

the day of battle (9:5-16).• We celebrate our justification by faith which gives us victory over sin.• Up to today the Jews celebrate Purim in remembrance of the

deliverance from their enemies (9:26-27). • We celebrate Jesus.

Genuine Victorious Living

• Victory is resting in Jesus.• Victory is resting and wrestling together.• Victory is resting in God’s providence.

Rest in Jesus

We rest on Thee, our shield and our defender!We go not forth alone against the foe;Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,And needing more each day Thy grace to know;Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing;We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go

Hymn: Our Shield and Our Defender Lyrics: Edith Gilling Cherry (1872-1897)

Wrestling and resting.

• The Jews fight to defend themselves and then rested in joyous relief (Esther 9:2, 22).

• Jesus commands us take up the cross and follow Him and then come to him to find rest for our souls (Matt: 10:38, Matt 11:38).

• Paul tells us to suffer for Jesus, then tells us to experience the peace of Christ that transcends all understanding (Phil 1:29, 4:7).

Victory is wrestling and resting together

The path that leads to life is a path of much self-renunciation, because so many of our desires as sinners are spiritually suicidal. So life is war. And victory involves fighting- wrestling. If you go AWOL from the narrow road that leads to life, you imperil your soul. But that’s not the whole story.

John Piper

Money beckons us to rest in what it can buy. Sex beckons us to rest in the way it can make us feel. Power and recognition beckons us to rest in what they can give. Health and food and athletics and family and friends and

hobbies and education and looks and accomplishments all beckon us to rest in what they offer.

But Jesus says, “Come to me and find rest for your souls.” Other shelters offer rest. Other yokes seem easy. Other burdens feel light. They are all an illusion. In the end, they enslave and destroy. Only Jesus gives deep and lasting rest and joy. Only Jesus supports the burdens he gives. Only Jesus uses a yoke to lift his team of oxen.

John Piper, 17/09/06

Rest in providence.

I’m in love with youAnd I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things.I’m in love with you,And I know that love is just a shout into the void,And that oblivion is inevitable,And that we’re all doomedAnd that there will come a dayWhen all our labor has been returned to dust,And I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have,And I am in love with you.

Augustus Waters, The fault in our stars.

• “Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Rev 1: 17b-18

• “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Rev 2:10

• “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Rev 21: 3b-4

Victory in times of doubt

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place

Esther 4:14

Victorious Living

• Rest in Jesus.• Rest and wrestle as you follow Christ.• Rest in God’s providence.• Celebrate Jesus.

Celebrate life

Celebrate Jesus, celebrate life

He is risen! He is risen!And he lives forevermore

He is risen! He is risen!Come on and celebrate

The resurrection ofOur Lord!

Challenges to Victorious Living

• We are prone to living a lie without realizing it.• We rather rest in worldly attractions than to rest in Jesus.• We do not ask enough of the Holy Spirit.• We honestly rather not suffer for Christ.• Perhaps God is asking you today to make some radical

changes to your life.