Persian Law dictated that anyone who approached the Emperor without an invitation was to be killed — unless the Emperor raised his golden scepter. Queen Esther approaches the Emperor without an invitation to tell him details of Haman’s plot to kill all Jews and take their property.
Most evangelical Christians support President Trump. Some even say he is doing God’s work. Many “progressive” Democrats, who know little of the Bible, openly ridicule that idea. They point to past sins of Donald Trump in his business and personal life that are forbidden by the Bible.
However, the Bible is filled with stories of flawed, and even sinful, men and women who in times of need, become instruments of God and who do God’s work.
One of those stories is celebrated on the Jewish holiday of Purim. That holiday begins on sundown this Monday, March 9, and ends sundown on Tuesday. That story is told in the Old Testament Book of Esther, which is read in Hebrew and English during the holiday. Jews refer to that book as the “scroll” or “Megillah” of Esther. It is the longest scroll (megillah) in the Bible.
That story takes place in the ancient Empire of Persia “in the days of Ahasuerus” before Alexander and the Greeks. It tells of an ambitious top government official named Haman. Haman came up with a creative plan to raise money for the Emperor and his government without imposing unpopular tax hikes. Haman would do it by having his officials kill all Jews in the Empire, and take their property.
The Emperor Ahasuerus at first approved this plan. At that time, he cared mostly for banquets, drinking, and women. The Emperor was not interested in the details of government which he left to others.
“The Gallows of Haman” was a well-known expression used by President Abraham Lincoln when most Americans were familiar with the Bible. Haman built giant gallows to execute Jews, but in the end, he and his sons were hanged on them instead.
However, through a miraculous turn of events, the Emperor met and fell in love with Esther, a Jewish girl, and made her his queen. In the end, King Ahasuerus saved the Jews of his Empire when he learned details of Haman’s plan to kill them from his Queen Esther.
Today, Jews celebrate the holiday of Purim with eating, drinking, sending gifts to friends and neighbors, and giving money to the poor — as well as reading “the whole Megillah” telling the story.
King Saul, King David, and the Good Samaritan are other examples of flawed men and women described in the Bible as doing God’s work and serving as His instruments.
Observant Jews and evangelical Christians (as well as honest historians) have good reason to believe that both America and Israel became strong, safe, prosperous and free by applying the core values and ideas of the Bible. They can also conclude that the Bible approves of political leaders, regardless of past sins, who act now to apply those ideas and values to keep both Israel and America strong, safe prosperous, and free.
