Is Purim Just Another Halloween?

Is Purim Just Another Halloween?

Purim is not a Jewish Halloween. Although we traditionally dress up in costumes of Bible heroes, eat, and have fun, Purim is about as different from Halloween as butterflies are from bats.

Purim is a celebration of yet another time when we allowed our walk with God to become too infrequent and impersonal, another time when the people of this world tried to wipe us out, and another time when God intervened as we sought Him in prayer for deliverance. History repeats itself; not much changes except the dates on the calendar and the names of the people God uses.

Where are we today in this circle of repeating history? Are we in the calm before the storm? In the time of slackness on our part? On the verge of the next great calamity to befall us? Or is all that behind us now? Are we living in the promised time of eternal bliss, with no more suffering, no more pain, no more worries, no more fears? Or are we living in the time when more than ever before we need to be watchful and awake, a time when we need to be closer to God then every before? Is God calling you and me to stand like Mordecai and Esther, to stand for God, His word, and His law, to stand against the man-made laws of this world, to stand against oppression and bigotry?

The greatest want of this world is the want of men and women who will not be bought or sold, men and women who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men and women who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men and women whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men and women who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.

Is God calling you and me for such a time as this? Is He calling us to stand for Him and be willing to say with Esther, "If I perish I perish"?

Much more than playing with groggers, eating hamantashens, dressing up, and having fun, the essence of Purim is to stand with and for God. This is the essence of our calling as His people.

--Written by Jeffrey Alan

Related Articles

More From Holy Days Articles

A Meditation in Time

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Colossians 4:5
A Meditation in Time
Illustration:

Porkless Shavuot

Calculating the time it took to go from Egypt to Mount Sinai, it is most likely that Moses was…
Porkless Shavuot
10th plague of Egypt

Passover

The Passover is a very important Holy Day in Jewish history. The Passover begins the day before…
Passover
Sukkot

Sukkot

The third holy convocation of the High Holy Days is Sukkot, also known as the Feast of…
Sukkot

Porkless Passover Toast

Introducing our exclusive brand new Shalom Adventure cartoon series Porkless created by the…
Porkless Passover Toast

Passover Waffles

• 2 eggs separated• 3 Tablespoons oil• 1/2 cup buttermilk• 1/4 cup sugar• 1/3 cup matzah cake…
Passover Waffles

Lime-in-the-Coconut Macaroons

Lime zest is a fresh addition to macaroons, and a Microplane is our zesting tool of choice. If…
Lime-in-the-Coconut Macaroons

Passover Pineapple Crumble

Matzo meal makes a perfect crumble topping for a fruity dessert to round out the Passover meal.…
Passover Pineapple Crumble

New Year of the Trees

Happy Tu BeShvat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees. Tu BeShevat 2021 begins in the evening of…
New Year of the Trees

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, the Day of atonement, is the most sacred of the Jewish holidays. It is regarded as…
Yom Kippur

Vegan Challah with Raisins

Ingredients:2 packages dry yeast2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)1/2 cup sugar, divided3…
Vegan Challah with Raisins
Destruction of the Temple

Tisha B'Av

Tisha B’Av means the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av and is traditionally a day of fasting…
Tisha B'Av

Publish the Menu module to "offcanvas" position. Here you can publish other modules as well.
Learn More.


donation