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Parallel Paradigms of Passover &
Purim
Throughout the book of Esther we can clearly see the fingerprints
of the hand of G-d moving behind the scenes to manifest deliverance
for His covenant people. This can be seen from the banishment of
Queen Vashti to the selection of Esther as the new queen. And continues
from Mordecai uncovering the plot to kill the king to the exaltation
of Haman and his plot to annihilate the Jews. From Mordecai's refusal
to bow to Haman, to the king commanding Haman to honor Mordecai
before all the people of Susa. From Mordecai challenging Esther
to risk her life to save her people, to the surprise turn of events
that hung Haman on the gallows built for Mordecai and enabled the
Jewish people to defend themselves and vanquish their enemies. Over
and over we see G-d working in the daily affairs of ordinary people
to bring about miraculous intervention from a cataclysmic crisis
that demanded their total surrender and reliance upon G-d.
The Purpose Paradigm
This brings us to the first of the paradigms or life lessons that
can be learned from Passover and Purim: Our life has purpose in
the eternal plan of G-d. G-d is absolutely Sovereign concerning
all the events in each of our lives. He puts us where He wants us
when He wants to, without revealing why He wants us there! Proverbs
3:5-6 instructs us to: "Trust in the L-RD with all your heart
and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge
Him and He will direct your paths." G-d does not take any joy
in our suffering. His overriding purpose in each moment of our life
is always to conform us to the image and likeness of His Son, Y'shua
(Jesus) the Messiah. That is what Romans 8:28 means, when it says,
"All things work together for the good of those that love G-d
and are called according to His purpose."
Each of us that have surrendered our lives to G-d will inevitably
find ourselves in a fix that G-d has fixed to finally fix us. This
phrase colorfully portrays the paradigm G-d employs to engender
spiritual maturity in anyone that has bowed their knee to Y'shua
(Jesus) as L-RD and have committed themselves to be His talmideem
(disciples). In each event of our daily lives G-d is targeting the
common enemy within us, namely our old man, the carnal mind, or
the flesh, to be crucified with Messiah so that His life may be
seen in us. The final fix is to be crucified with Y'shua so that
we may be resurrected with Him too.
The "Present Yourselves" Paradigm
Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the
body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer
be slaves of sin. Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin,
but alive to G-d in Messiah Jesus our L-RD. Do not yield the members
of your body as instruments of unrighteousness to sin. But present
yourselves to G-d as being alive from the dead and the members
of your body as instruments of righteousness to G-d. Romans 6:6,
11, & 13
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on
the things of the flesh, but those who live according to Spirit,
the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. The carnal mind
is at war with G-d; for it is not subject to the law of G-d and
is unable to be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please
G-d. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed
the Spirit of G-d dwells in you. If you do not have the Spirit
of Messiah, you are not His. And if Messiah is in you, the body
is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If you live according to the flesh you will die you will die;
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you
will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of G-d, these
are the mature sons and daughters of G-d. Romans 8:5-10 &13-14
Since Messiah suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also
with the same mind, for those who have suffered n the flesh have
ceased from sin. To the end that we no longer should live the
rest of our life for the lusts of the flesh, but for the will
of G-d. 1 Peter 4:1-2
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