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Mordecai was a Benjamite (Esther 2:5). And Benjamin was the son of Rachel. Rachel was also another heroine who knew how to hide things and emotions. When her father, Laban swapped her with her sister, Leah, in Rachel's marriage to Jacob, she did not cry out nor protest against injustice. She did not desire to Behind The Scenes Of Purim bring shame to her father and her sister. She hid her
feelings, suffering in silent pain until Jacob finally Behind the scenes of Purim is a loving and invisible God working to deliver His beloved people from their Rachel’s son, Joseph was also a case of hidden enemies. From the beginning to the end of the Book of identity. His godly qualities and greatness were Esther, we would not find Him or any mention of His concealed from his parents and brothers. Even in name. This is the only book in the Bible that the name Potiphar’s palace, his godliness and purity were of God is not being named even once. Nevertheless, hidden until Potiphar’s wife exposed them. He kept his His invisible presence is visibly felt as He orchestrated testimony and brought honour to God even in the and turned a day of destruction of the Jewish people hidden prisons and dark dungeons. He was a treasure into a day of great deliverance for them! hidden and preserved by God for a specified time and task. When his brothers came to Egypt to seek food in Though God was hidden behind the Purim scenes, His times of famine, Joseph successfully hid himself from hands were evidently moving throughout the whole them. They could not recognize him behind his grand saga. Nothing was given to chance or coincidence, apparel of royal Egyptian garments. He also hid a silver cup in Benjamin’s sack (Gen 44:12) to test whether his brothers would again forsake and Queen Vashti refused to appear at the royal feast. abandon their own brother. A masquerade that  The king replaced his disrespectful queen. eventually became a master plan of God to build Israel  Esther was chosen to be the new queen. from merely 70 people to a nation of millions (Gen  Mordecai was at the right place at the right time to  Haman plotted to annihilate all the Jews. Another Benjamite, Saul felt unworthy to become the  Mordecai came to know about Haman’s evil plan. first king of Israel. He hid himself among the baggage when the people of Israel came searching for him to  The king’s servants reminded him of Mordecai’s elect him as their king (1 Sam 10:21-23). The miracle of Purim is a hidden one. Chanukah was  The king walked in when Haman was in the an open miracle. The oil, which was only enough to burn for one day, persisted to burn for eight days. Everyone was able to see the bright miracle of  The Jews were delivered, and their enemies were Chanukah. But the Purim miracle was not so obvious. Who actually saved the entire Jewish community from destruction? The king? Esther? Mordecai? Or God? Purim is the holiday in hiding. This idea of concealment is found in the very name of the heroine of the book. The name Esther is derived from the The entire deliverance of the Jewish people is being Hebraic root str which means "hidden." In Deut 31:18, masked. It is a story wrapped in a disguise, hidden God gave Israel this warning, "And I will surely hide behind a costume, concealed behind a mask. We My face in that day because of all the evil which they need to unmask the Hidden God in between the have done, in that they have turned to other gods." verses of the ten chapters of Esther. The Invisible This verse may suggest that the Lord had hidden controls the visible, and the Unseen is more powerful This is the theme of the book – hidden people and Another thing hidden in Purim is the feast itself. The hidden plans. Take Esther for example. No one knew Feast of Purim is the most physical of all the Jewish who she really was except her cousin Mordecai holidays. Work is permitted as usual on Purim unless it (Esther 2:20). Even her husband, King Ahasuerus was falls on a Sabbath. The festive Purim meal, the sending of cooked food to friends, the gifts of charity to the poor, and even the encouragement to drink Mordecai was also a hidden character - working excessively - all of these deal with the physical body quietly and secretly behind the scenes. He adopted and soul. Almost nothing spiritual. In contrast to the Esther as his daughter at the death of her parents most spiritual and holiest Feast of the Lord, Yom (Esther 2:7). Through this act and many following, he Kippur, Purim seems to be the direct opposite. But became a precious vessel that God used to deliver His upon closer examination, the two are closely related in The official name of Yom Kippur is Yom HaKippurim. We will be celebrating Purim @ WHOP through Literally, this means "a day like Purim." This is praise, worship, scriptural reading and intercession. astounding. Yom Kippur is a day like Purim. How can this be? Opposite and yet the same. Both of them are mirror images of one another. On Yom Kippur we are forbidden to eat or drink, on Purim we are bidden to eat and drink. Yom Kippur is overwhelmingly spiritual; Purim is overwhelmingly physical and soulish. God is interested in the whole man - whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our We are to serve God in the Holy of Holies at a solemn Yom Kippur, and also to serve Him at the outer courts celebrating and feasting with His people in a joyful Purim. Spirituality is both vertical and horizontal, both private and public, both unseen and seen. Please join us as we read and pray together through We must be willing to be hidden by God till He reveals us to the world as His light and salt. Joseph was WHOP (Worldwide House Of Prayer)
hidden in Egypt to save his family and the people of 7 Armenian Street, #03-03, Singapore 179932 the lands. Baby Jesus was hidden in Egypt until King Herod died (Matthew 2:13-15). He then returned to save His people from their sins. Prophet Elijah was hidden in the brook of Cherith, and kept by God to do greater things (1 Kings 17:1-7). However, we speak wisdom among those who
are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor
of the rulers of this age, who are coming to
nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a
mystery, the hidden wisdom which God
ordained before the ages for our glory, which
none of the rulers of this age knew; for had
they known, they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory.
But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear
heard, nor have entered into the heart of man
the things which God has prepared for those
who love Him." But God has revealed them to
us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches
all things, yes, the deep things of God. For
what man knows the things of a man except
the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so
no one knows the things of God except the
Spirit of God. (1 Cor 2:6-11)
When God hides His face from us, His hand is still here with us. He is always with us through each single day and night. He has something great in store for us even though we may not see or comprehend them. One day, everything hidden will be unveiled. Every riddle will be solved. The LORD is now working behind the scenes to bring forth the salvation of Israel and all the nations of the earth. When He unmasks Himself, all of us will see Him face to face. Written by: Joshua Ong (WHOP Coordinator) 5 March 2012

Source: http://www.whop.com.sg/BehindThe%20ScenesOfPurim.pdf