The Jewish festival of Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jewish people from the murderous intentions of the evil Haman, who, driven by personal animosity, devised a plan to annihilate the entire nation. The story is told in the "Scroll of Esther," the traditional Hebrew name for the biblical Book of Esther. It takes place in the Persian Empire, around five centuries before Christ, and remains relevant today.
By Kees de Vreugd, Christians for Israel International, translation by Marie-Louise Weissenböck
The Book of Esther recounts a story that illustrates the fate of the Jews among the nations. Time and again, the Jewish people have faced threats to their very existence. From Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs—which led to Israel becoming a nation—to the cowardly attack of the Amalekites in the desert, to the pogroms of antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the modern era, culminating in the Holocaust, and finally to the Amalekite (Editor's note: The term "Amalekite" refers to a spirit of hostility toward Israel, as manifested in Hamas and other terrorist groups) terrorist attack on October 7, 2023: The mere existence of the people of Israel has always provoked hostility.
All sorts of motives play a role here; motives that already appear in the Book of Esther and have been repeated throughout history to this day. The motive Haman presents to the Persian King Ahasuerus for the annihilation of the Jews is telling: “There is a certain people who live scattered among the nations in all the provinces of your kingdom and live apart from one another. Their laws are different from those of all the other nations, and they do not keep the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s interest to tolerate them.” (Esther 3:8)
Subsequently, a law is issued ordering the destruction, killing, and extermination of all Jews (Esther 3:13). Around the same time, Daniel receives his visions (Daniel 11), which, in veiled language, speak, among other things, of the impending attack by Antiochus IV Epiphanes on Jewish life and Jewish identity; a deliberate and targeted attempt to completely Hellenize or exterminate Israel.
In fact, it is always about Israel's identity as God's chosen people, whom the world despises. Israel serves the one, invisible God, who cannot be represented, and follows laws and rules that are completely different from what is taken for granted in the surrounding culture: its election and the Torah make Israel different. This is clearly demonstrated by Mordecai, who refuses to bow down to Haman. The Jew bows down only to the one God. The stance of this one Jew is reason enough for Haman to exterminate the entire people.
“Europe is failing the Jews for the second time”
This is another recurring theme. Even today, Jews worldwide are judged by the actions of the State of Israel, regardless of whether they identify with it or not. Persia, where the Jewish people were threatened with annihilation in Esther's time, is present-day Iran. Even today, a regime hostile to Israel rules there. However, the Iranian people see things differently.
Iranian writer Atti Bahadori, who lives in the Netherlands, recently visited Israel and told a Dutch newspaper (De Telegraaf, January 8, 2026) that she was surprised and moved by the reception she received: “I have never been hugged so many times.” The Jews and the Iranian people are fighting the same battle, Bahadori said. It is the battle against Islamism. “For me, it is terrible to see how Europe is abandoning the Jews for the second time.”
In the story of Esther, the masks fall: evil is unmasked, and Esther's identity as a Jew is revealed. Today, the opposite seems to be true. Israel, fighting for its existence, is portrayed on international stages and in social media as the ultimate evil, while Western states bow to the power of radical Islam, which threatens not only Israel and Christians worldwide, but also any other dissenting way of life. When will the world's leaders finally open their eyes?
When the tide turns in Esther's story, many join the Jews (Esther 8:17). Israel is a blessing to the world. Despite hatred and hostility, Israel blesses the world, for example, through technological advancements and disaster relief. Above all, Israel's existence reminds us of God. It thus presents the community of nations with the choice of serving God or rejecting God's blessing.
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 144. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
