Esther 3: 7 – 14
In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur—which means ‘the lot’—before Haman for the day and for the month, and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, ‘There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king’s laws, so that it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king’s business, so that they may put it into the king’s treasuries.’ So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. The king said to Haman, ‘The money is given to you, and the people as well, to do with them as it seems good to you.’
Then the king’s secretaries were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king’s satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s ring. Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, giving orders to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation, calling on all the peoples to be ready for that day. The couriers went quickly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.
Reflection
The first thing to be said is that this is the story of a plan to commit genocide against the Jews. It is also a timely reminder of just how ancient the roots of bitterness between Iran (Persia) and “Israel” are.
As I read the story again, I am drawn to the strange part which talks about Haman casting the “Pur” to determine the day of his planned genocide. It reminds me of when the early Church cast lots to choose Matthias to replace Judas. It makes me wonder how many of our church decisions could be similarly decided – imagine! – but it also leads me down a more serious pathway of thought about how it is that we add gloss to our decisions in a way which then allows us to imagine they are “God’s Will”.
The casting of the Pur adds a gloss to Haman’s genocidal plan which allows him to frame it as the will of the gods. As I write this an AI photograph has been in the news. “Britain First” leader, Paul Golding, explains how “this explains my politics perfectly”. Jesus leads a troop of armoured crusaders carrying the English flag through London with the Millennium Wheel and Big Ben in the background and (oddly) Pterodactyls flying overhead! It’s a clumsy attempt to add religious dog-whistle gloss to a political message.
What about you and me, though? Am I the only one to wonder if the decisions WE make at Church Meeting or elsewhere would be any different at all if we DIDN’T begin the meeting with a prayer? Are we REALLY discerning the mind of Christ, or are we adding a churchy gloss to what we would always have said anyway? Have you ever found yourself reaching for a religious or gospel justification for something you know full well you are doing for an entirely selfish motive?
Prayer
Lord, when I am am tempted to apply makeup to my choices
to make them appear more Godly;
when I am tempted to paper over my decisions
to make them seem more Christlike;
when I am wrap my judgements in bible-paper
to make them appear more Spirit-filled;
when I am tempted to top and tail my actions with prayer
to make them seem more faith-filled;
send me an Esther to confound me. Amen.