By Christine Darg
There’s a Prophetic Summons from the Book of Esther 4:14, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” (2 Timothy 3:1)
From time to time our Exploits Ministry is led to call upon believers everywhere to take a stand.
At this critical time, Israel needs our prayers and fastings against the tyranny of the mullahs in Iran who want to wipe Israel off the face of the map and even dare to write that in Hebrew on their test missiles!
Israel’s battle is also the battle of all who love freedom. The Fast of Esther takes place during Purim, the Jewish holiday that celebrates Jewish victory over annihilation and genocide.
The nation of Iran today evokes a spiritual dejavu: the Jew’s ancient enemy in the Persian empire was named Haman and in our parents’ generation, we have seen Hitler, and now– Hamas, Hezbollah and a new Haman spirit arising in Iran.
In fact, according to the sages, in every generation Israel’s ancient enemy Amalek arises to try to destroy them through anti-Semitism. Fast forwarding millennia, the Persians (Iranians) dangerously are on the verge of a nuclear threshold.
There’s the fun side of Purim when kids dress us in costumes and party foods are shared. But the serious side of Purim is a season when we are made especially aware of the spirit of Amalek, with whom the Lord wars from generation to generation (Ex. 17:15-16).
The Amalekites symbolize a covenant-hating spirit and epitomize anti-Semitism. They were Israel’s first enemies after her deliverance from Egypt (Ex. 17:8). They preyed on Israel, picking off the weak straggling in the rear (see Deut. 25:17-19).
One of the names for God is Elohim-Chaim, the “Life-God”. His covenants are covenants of Life; those with Israel are on behalf of all humankind. He therefore grants “no quarter” to those who threaten His covenant purposes; their remembrance is to be “blotted out from under heaven.”
When King Saul failed to destroy the Amalekite king, his kingdom was torn away from him (indeed, an Amalekite in the end claimed to have killed Saul, II Sam. 1:6-10).
Centuries later, it would be Haman, a descendant of Agag (the Amalekite king whom Saul had spared) who, as recorded in the Book of Esther, would contrive to ignite the first Holocaust.
With the hatred Satan has for Israel and her redemptive call, it is indeed a miraculous banner of divine grace flying over her (Exodus 17:15) which has sustained her and brought her, still an entity and with her ancient language restored, back to her native Land.
As we celebrate the Jewish people’s victories and destiny this Purim, we also diligently watch the spirit of Amalek again stirring in the world, especially in Iran (modern Persia).
During Purim in synagogues all around the world, the entire scroll of Esther will be read twice.
While in Iran in 2009, a group of intercessors and I delivered a copy of the text in Farsi to the former leader Mr. Ahmedinejad. The former Shah of Iran reportedly had the story of Esther read every year at the Purim season. May the God of Israel, who is leading a revival amongst Iranian Christians, keep his hand upon the Price of Persia at this time.
Leave A Comment