day IN day OUT: One night with the KING

Date: 13th December 2007

Morning: -3.7 celcius

Went to cell group today. It was a movie night for cellgroup today. Movie titled ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING. A nice movie, worth to watch. hahaha.

This movie, chronicles the life of the young Jewish girl, Hadassah, who was named Esther later on, goes on to become the Biblical Esther and the Queen of Perisa, winning the heart of the fiercely handsome King Xerxes anc the friendship of eunuch Hegai. This suspenseful story of her courage and God's providence brings history of life as the Jews are saved from annihilation at the hands of its archenemy.

What's the story behind the scene?

King Cyrus the Great of Persia overcame the Babylonian empire in 539 B.C. He gave Jews who had been forced to live in Babylonia for seventy years a chance to go home. But many of the Jews liked their new home better than the ruins of Jerusalem and decided to stay where they were. In this sotry, Mordecai and Esther represent those who chose to stay in Babylonia.

Why was the book of Esther written?

One of the key reasons the book of Esther was written was to explain the Jewish Feast of Purim which is celebrated in the month of Adar (late February/ early March) and to keep alive for future generations the memory of the deliverance of the Jewish people during Xerxes' reign. Of all the major holidays still celebrated by Jews around the world, Purim and Hanukkah are the only two that do not have their basis in the exodus and desert experiences of the Israelites as dexcribed in Torah (Pentateuch, the first five books of the Hebrew bible). Purim is a lively holiday in which celebrants are encouraged to exerience the carefree enjoyment of the moment. For example, when the book of Esther is read aloud in synagogues on Purim, children are given noisemakers so they can drown out Haman's name each time the reader says it.

Overview of the Book of Esther

The story of Esther resembles a historical novel or wisdom story. It tells how the beautiful young Jewish woman Esther, who becomes Queen of Persia, is able to sue her position to stop plot to kill all the Jews in the Persian kingdom. Other characters who play important roles in this exciting story are Xerxes, the easily-influenced and quick-tempered king of Persia; Mordecai, Esther's cousin, who save the king's life only to find his own life in jeopardy; and Haman, the king's highest official, who plots the death of every Jew in the kingdom. The sotry explains the reason for the Jewish festival of Purim