Mar 10, 2009

Jews in Jerusalem and Around the World Celebrate Escape from Near Total Annihilation

By Jimmy DeYoung

Around the world, Jewish people stop to remember the biblical story of Esther and the account of how a world leader plotted to have every Jew on the earth killed at that time in history, 2,500 years ago, killed thus eliminating all of the Jewish race.

As the biblical narrative goes, the queen of the Persian Empire, Queen Esther came into the King of the Medo-Persian kingdom and actually begged for her people, the Jewish people, to be saved from annihilation at the hand of the wicked Persian ruler Haman, the number two man in the kingdom.

The queen's intervention was able to keep the laws of the Medes and Persians from being carried out, and on this day, the Jewish holy day of Purim, down through the centuries, the Jewish people have celebrated this reprieve. But, there are still dangerous times ahead for the Jewish people.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

On the Jewish holy day of Purim, the Jewish people celebrate the escape from complete annihilation, but Bible prophecy indicates the worst is yet to come for the entire Jewish world.

The Jewish holy day of Purim is a festive occasion, especially for the children as they dress up in the characters of the book of Esther and play act the victory over wicked Haman who led the campaign to kill all the Jews in the world 2,500 years ago. In the synagogues around the world, Jewish worshippers gather to read through the book of Esther once again and to remember how Queen Esther had come into the Persian kingdom at the right time in history.

This historical account not only helps us to reflect on history past, but to realize that in history future, the worst time for the Jewish people is yet to come. In the time of Jacob's Troubles, yet in the future, the Jewish prophet Zechariah says that two out of every three Jews will be killed, Zechariah 13:8. Satan, when he is thrown out of Heaven, Revelation 12:7-12, will endeavor to kill all Jews to keep God from fulfilling His promise to the Jewish people, Revelation 12:13-17.

The celebration of Purim does indeed look back, but also should remind us of the future when Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.

Related Links

In pictures: Jews celebrate Purim - BBC News
IDF imposes closure on West Bank ahead of Purim - Haaretz
Security forces on high alert for Purim - Ynetnews