Banquets and Celebrations
Phil and I have made many trips to China and one of the Important Chinese customs is to welcome guests on the night of their arrival with a special banquet. This is a very important meal, often formal, where dignitaries, local officials, and staff are invited to attend. It is a time for the exchange of gifts and words of welcome. There is always too much food and during and after the meal, there are toasts with alcohol, words of praise and commendation, and for our Chinese friends, the opportunity to enjoy too much alcohol and merriment. These banquets are often followed by a late-night karaoke session with even more riotous humour, singing, and laughter. The welcome to guests, the gifts, the food, drinking, celebrations and fun, reminds me of the forthcoming celebration of Purim. Purim is the time for fun and feasting for Jewish families, with dressing up costumes, masquerades, the giving gifts, and offerings to the poor all added to the mix.
Purim is celebrated on the 14th of March, when our Jewish neighbours and friends, and Jewish people around the world will celebrate the festival. We learn about the origins of Purim in the Book of Esther, when victory against an enemy, Haman, with his plans to annihilate the Jewish race in the 127 provinces of King Artaxerxes, across what is now Persia, was won through the wisdom, cooperation, trust, fasting and prayer, of two people, Mordecai and Esther and the quiet but unseen presence of God. It tells of the victory of the Jews against a possible massacre.
The festival is one of the most loved and joyous of Jewish holidays, celebrations and perhaps the high point in their calendar. There is plenty of food, the drinking of alcohol, mainly wine, the giving of gifts of food to friends, family and neighbours, and gifts to the poor. Another popular custom is the dressing up in costumes on Purim, perhaps as a reminder that Esther and Mordecai concealed their Jewish heritage at the King’s court.
In the Book of Esther there are so many extravagant banquets! In the third year of his reign, Artaxerxes gave a banquet for all his nobles, officials, princes, and military leaders lasting 6 months. Then, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, for those from ‘the least to the greatest’ living in the capital, Susa. Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the palace women. When Esther was chosen to replace Queen Vashti, “the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet”, displaying his affluence. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with “royal liberality.” Esther gave 2 banquets, but only for the king and Haman alone, part of her plan to shame the wicked Haman and point to the truth about his plans. When Haman had finally been punished, Mordecai promoted to second in command, and the Jews no longer threatened, there were more celebrations.
“In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, Esther’s Decree, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.”
So, the feast of Purim is celebrated every year as “the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He (Mordecai) wrote to them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.” Esther 9 V 22 NIV
There is a time for celebrations, friends and family meals, anniversaries, weddings and banquets, laughter and games, and putting on the ‘glad rags.’
When the righteous see God in action they’ll laugh, they’ll sing, they’ll laugh and sing for joy. Sing hymns to God; all heaven, sing out; clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider. Enjoy God, cheer when you see him! Psalm 68 v 3 The Message
PRAY
Give me joy in my heart keep me praising.