As I read the Book of Esther this morning, I couldn’t help but think of the events of October seventh. As we continue to pray for the rescue and release of hostages, for the families who lost loved ones, and for Jews around the world facing unprecedented levels of antisemitism, I prayed a prayer I often pray: Lord, continue giving me the courage to stand with your people and always stay connected to the Jewish roots of my Christian faith.

Ten years ago, this coming Passover, my eyes were opened to the Jewish roots of my faith. Tonight, I will gather with other Christians, and we will read the Book of Esther together. A few weeks later, we will gather around the Passover table.

When I read the Purim story, different things jump out at me each year. The power of fasting was big to me when I read through the first time this year, and today, the following verses caught my attention:

Esther 8:17 KJV “And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.”

Esther 9:1-3 KJV “Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) 2 the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.”

Esther 9:27 KJV “the Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;”

As Christians, we should be joined to the Jews! I am thankful many Christians love the land of Israel, but we also need to love the people and the Jewish faith. Our Christian faith IS Jewish. Jesus didn’t come to do away with the Law and the Feasts; he celebrated the feasts and obeyed the law; he taught the law; in fact, He didn’t come to do away with it but to show us how to live it. 

As I read today, God’s covenant with the Jewish people struck me in a new way! God brought down the wicked Haman and put Mordecai, the Jew, in His position! God reversed the decree against His people, and their enemies were wiped out.

We don’t see God’s name in the story, but we sure see Him at work!

In the story of Purim, you have to choose a side, for the Jews or against the Jews, and to stay silent is a decision against God’s people.

Esther 4:13-14 KJV “Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther couldn’t think she would be spared because she was Queen. As Christians, as those grafted into the commonwealth of Israel (Eph. 2:11-13), we must stand in a time like this. We can’t relegate Jesus’ Jewishness to the past, and we cannot believe the false replacement and fulfillment theology that says God no longer has a covenant with the Jews. Church, for such a time as this, let us return to our roots and embrace the fullness of our faith!