Today is a feast of celebration! The apocalyptic texts have given way to what lies at the dawn of the New Day. This New Day is a day of celebration, a day hoped for in the midst of certain destruction.
Following Haman's scheme to kill all of the Jews, Esther and Mordecai approach the king. The king offers Esther and Mordecai the ability to write a new law, one that preserves the Jewish people. The opposite of what seemed it would happen has happened, and there is a feast in celebration:
"17 In every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict came, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a festival and a holiday," and that holiday remains Purim.
Likewise, in Revelation, we read no longer of the tribulation promised for the unfaithful: we read of the joy of those at the marriage feast of the Lamb. "7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready; 8 to her it has been granted to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure"-- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
The feast, like the marriage feast in Luke's gospel, is something that surprises us. Having read the threats to the unrighteous over the past few weeks, it seems to lead one into doubt that she will be amongst the invited. Then, in the Event that turns all other events upon their heads, the opposite of what we expect happens: the feast is prepared, and it is prepared for the broken ones who have no other course than to cling to Christ: "'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' 22 And the slave said, 'Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' 23 Then the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled," (Luke 14:21b-23). Stumbling, limping, wiping the tears from our eyes, the prodigals are welcomed home.
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