“Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur” (Esther 9:26 ESV).
The author of Esther told his Jewish readers why the annual feast of Purim received its name. “Pur” meant “lot,” referring to the lots Haman had cast to determine the day on which he planned to destroy the Jews. But what Haman intended as an instrument of destruction became the name of a celebration of deliverance. God had completely reversed the outcome. The day chosen for their annihilation became a day of victory and rejoicing.
The book of Esther is unique in the Bible in that it never explicitly mentions the name of God, yet His providential hand is visible throughout the story. Haman plotted, lots were cast, political decisions were made, and circumstances seemed beyond the Jews’ control. Yet behind every event, God was quietly preserving His people and fulfilling His purposes. The holiday of Purim ensured that future generations would remember not only “what they had faced,” but also “what had happened to them.” Their crisis became part of their testimony.
We are often quick to cry out to God in trouble but slow to remember His deliverance afterward. God’s past faithfulness deserves more than a passing acknowledgment. It can become part of the story we repeatedly tell ourselves, our families, and the next generation.
We need to be regularly reminded of God’s deliverance. For we are a forgetful people. This is why we gather every Sunday to remember and worship Jesus. For He rescued us from sin and death through His cross and resurrection.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for faithfully working in our lives even when we cannot see Your hand. Help us remember the ways You have delivered, sustained, and protected us. Above all, keep the saving work of Jesus continually before us. May we faithfully tell the next generation of Your goodness and grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.