Purim
Your Mission to the Jewish People will soon celebrate the Jewish festival of Purim. This holiday is one of the most joyous on the Jewish calendar.
Introduction
During this festival, Jewish communities read the entire background of Purim in the book of Esther. The story describes the Jewish people’s deliverance from certain destruction at the hand of Haman, a leader in the Medo-Persian empire during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes).
It is important to recognize the tale’s heroes and how God used them to deliver the Jewish people from Haman’s wicked plan. By God’s providence, Ahasuerus chose Esther to be his new queen through a national beauty contest. The other hero is Mordechai, Esther’s cousin (Esther 2:7), who raised her and played a critical role.
But the true hero of the story is God Himself, who sovereignly arranged all the events to work toward the good of the Jewish people. The name of God never appears in the book of Esther, but His presence and providence are evident throughout the book.
The Major Themes of Purim
During this time, we center on God’s power to orchestrate the events of life while remaining behind the scenes! Purim shows us how the hidden hand of God guides, empowers, protects, and accomplishes His divine purposes on earth.
The festival of Purim focuses on God’s covenant faithfulness. It celebrates the deliverance of God’s chosen people and shows the Lord’s faithfulness to the covenant He made with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3).
The Right Person in the Right Place at the Right Time
One of the great lessons of Purim and the book of Esther is that God puts His children in the right place at the right time to do His will.
Purim is a reminder that God’s all-powerful and invisible hands hold and guide us during difficult times. The Lord is always good and has a purpose for our lives, just as He did for the Jewish people.
Heroes for the Messiah
Esther was a heroine willing to die for her people. Yeshua also loved His people and was ready to perish for them.
The history of the Jewish people, the church, and Chosen People Ministries is filled with stories of brave and godly women who served the Lord faithfully, who faced dire and challenging circumstances, and even risked their lives to bring the gospel to the Jewish people.
Allow me to introduce you to one of these godly ladies, a founder and early pioneer without whom Chosen People Ministries would not exist today. Her name was Augusta Sussdorff.
Born in 1867 to German immigrants, Augusta Sussdorff was one of the Mission’s earliest workers. She conducted many programs at the Brooklyn headquarters, including mothers’ meetings, sewing school, and Bible classes.
Augusta also made home visits, greeted people at the medical clinic, brought clothing to the poor, helped English-speaking immigrants find jobs, and served on the board of Chosen People Ministries when this was quite unusual within Christian work.
She served with the Mission for more than fifty years and continued volunteering long after her retirement.
To honor Augusta Sussdorff, we are creating a scholarship in her name for women in the United States, Israel, and around the globe who are serving with Chosen People Ministries but have trouble raising their missionary support.
It would be wonderful to provide $50,000 this year to help two or more women serve with Chosen People Ministries. We could enable young women to serve in an internship or be part of our theological training program in Brooklyn—if we had the funds.
Would you consider a generous gift today as we initiate the Sussdorff scholarships?
Encouraging women is a vital part of our Foundations ’22 campaign, and we will tell you more ways you can support this effort in the days ahead.
Please help us start by giving two grants of $25,000 or more, as the funds allow, to women who want to serve the Lord with Chosen People Ministries.
What better way to re-affirm our back-to-basics approach to 2022 and refocus on evangelism, discipleship, and training than to help future Augusta Sussdorffs give their all for the salvation of Israel!
Thank you for caring,
Dr. Mitch Glaser
P.S. Happy Purim! As a thank-you for your gift of any amount, you will receive a digital copy of our latest booklet, Purim: God Saves His People.
If you give a gift of $250 or more, we will send you a beautiful scroll of Esther. This elegantly written and illustrated scroll contains the entire book of Esther on parchment with a decorative scroll box. I know it will bless you!