What does Purim teach us about Divine Purpose?
The feast of Purim brings with it costumes and noisemakers, hamantashen and celebration, but beneath all the revelry lies one of the most profound stories of responsibility in Scripture. In our reading of the Megillah, the Book of Esther, a distinctive theme of responsibility sticks out, one woven all throughout the story and its characters.
The story of Esther is one without obvious miracles—God’s name isn’t explicitly mentioned even once throughout the text—yet His hand is unmistakably present, working through the faithful responses of individuals who step up when called.
The two main heroes of our Purim story, as you may well know, are Hadassah (also known as Esther) and her cousin Mordecai. Both of them, all throughout the accounts of this book, show their commitment to God and their people by taking responsibility and stepping up to do what is right!
Mordecai’s Journey in Responsibility
We start off reading the book of Esther learning that our heroine was an orphan, and her cousin Mordecai stepped up and took up the position of raising her:
“He had raised Hadassah–that is Esther–his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The girl was attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her to him as his own daughter.”
Esther 2:7 TLV
Mordecai raised Esther and when the call came for all the beautiful young women to go to the king’s household, he continued to be concerned about her. Esther 2:11 says: “Every day Mordecai walked in front of the women’s courtyard to find out how Esther was, and what might happen to her.”
It was because of following through on his responsibility to take care of his niece, that Mordecai was in front of the courtyard every day which is where he overhears a truly terrible plot and we see his next courageous action of responsibility…
These are but a few examples of Mordecai’s journey of responsibility throughout the Book of Esther. This path of life reveals a man who understood that faithfulness in small matters prepares one for greater callings. From his initial commitment to raise his orphaned cousin, to his ethical stance in reporting an assassination plot, to his bold refusal to bow before Haman, and finally to his courageous challenge to Esther—Mordecai consistently chose responsibility over comfort, righteousness over convenience.
As the story concludes with Mordecai “second only to King Ahasuerus, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by the multitude of his people.” (Esther 10:3), we see how his steadfast commitment to responsibility ultimately elevated him to a position where he “sought their good and spoke for the welfare of his descendants.”
Esther’s Experience with Responsibility
Following in the faithful and obedient footsteps of her cousin, Esther leads her own journey in responsibility. Her transformation over the course of the book, from a passive young woman to a courageous queen exemplifies how embracing responsibility can reveal the hidden strength within us. Maybe even a strength capable of changing the fate of a nation.
At the beginning of her story, Esther was defined by her beauty and compliance, following Hegai’s instructions and Mordecai’s guidance, but yet when faced with the crisis threatening her people, her character truly emerged.
When Mordecai challenges Esther with the words, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place–but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows whether you have attained royal status for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14), he articulates a timeless truth that echoes through the centuries: position and privilege come with responsibility. And Esther recognized her responsibility that came along with the position and privilege of being queen.
“Go! Gather together all the Jews who are in Shusan and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast in the same way. Afterwards, I will go in to the king, even though it is not according to the law. So if I perish, I Perish!”
Esther 4:16 TLV
Esther’s pivotal declaration found in this verse, marks not just acceptance of potential martyrdom, but also a profound embrace of her responsibility as both queen and as a daughter of Israel. During her audience with the king, Esther chose to identify herself as a Jewish woman despite the personal risk, in order to plead for the lives of all of her people.
“So Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life–this is my petition. And spare the life of my people–this is my request!”
Esther 7:3 TLV
The narrative of Esther reveals how accepting responsibility—often accompanied by fear and great personal risk–can transform not just individual lives but the destiny of an entire people.
In the end, the orphan girl raised in exile became the woman who would be remembered for generations through the feast of Purim—not because of her crown or her beauty, but because when the moment demanded courage, she recognized her divine appointment and stepped forward in responsibility!
Taking Up the Mantle as Followers of Yeshua
Esther and Mordecai’s actions demonstrate that responsibility isn’t merely about duty; it’s about recognizing the divine purpose woven into our everyday decisions. Their stories demonstrate how ordinary people become extraordinary when they embrace the responsibilities God places before them.
Our circumstances are rarely accidental…more often, they are divine appointments that call us to action. Just as Esther’s being queen put her in the position to intervene with King Ahasuerus on behalf of her people and save the Jews, God puts us in circumstances and situations where we can make a difference. Just as Uncle Ben once said:
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
[Spiderman]
And it is up to us to listen for the Lord’s call, await His instruction, and take up the responsibility we are called to and make a difference!
As we close out our celebration of Purim this year, let us continue to look deeper at how this ancient story speaks to our modern lives and the responsibilities we each carry in our own spheres of influence…
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