The Year of Murder (Purim)

It started out covert and hidden. It was not meant to get out to the public, at least not (or I should say most definitely not) in the way it was revealed. But if the trick was to be successful, it needed to be revealed, with lots of PR and a positive spin. And it is here we start the story:

Oh once there was a wicked wicked man,

And Haman was his name, Sir.

He would have murdered all the Jews,

Tho they were not to blame, Sir.

Oh yes, there was a wicked (saying it once is not enough, which is why the song repeats this word. I could say evil or many other things about him) wicked man and his name was Haman. Haman (magnificent) son of Hammedatha (the double) the Agagite (I will topple) came from a wicked ancestry, the line of Amalek. This tribe of people sought to destroy the Hebrew people when they were helpless ex-slaves exiting Egypt. Haman wanted to complete the task.

He called his sons and henchmen in to help him plan how to destroy the Hebrew people. After the plan was developed they cast lots (called the pur - פּוּר) to determine the date they would kill the Jews. The dice selected a date almost a year away to do their deed. It was a year of planning for the murder of God’s people.

And Esther was the lovely queen of King Ahashveyrosh

When Haman said he'd kill us all,

Oh my how he did scare us.

Much can be said about Queen Esther. She was a niece of Mordecai, one of the exiles from Judea to Babylon. Her original name was Hadassah (myrtle tree), but her name was changed to Esther (star) when she entered the beauty pageant bo become queen of Persia.

But Mordechai her cousin bold

Said: "What a dreadful chutzpah

If guns were but invented now,

This Haman I would shoot, Sir."

This is a great verse in the song for it talks about Mordecai’s discovery of Haman’s plot in most graphic terms. Haman is called out for his nerve (chutzpah), not just audacity or effrontery but his chutzpah at even thinking God would not discover the plot and protect the Jewish people. Mordecai was so angry when at Haman’s bold venture he would have shot the villain: if gons had been invented at that time!

*When Esther speaking to the King

Of Haman's plot made mention

"Ha, ha," said he, "Oh, no he won't!

I'll spoil his bad intention."*

When Mordecai told his niece she must go before King Ahashveyros in order to reveal what Haman was up to, she got very nervous. The Jewish people prayed so she would gain courage and go before the King. When Esther approached the monarch, he showed favor. Esther invited her husband and the villain Haman to two banquets. Haman was actually the guest of honor. He bragged to his wife Zeresh (Gold), “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet.”

But anger got the best of him. He could not stand Mordecai, and planned to kill him on a scaffolding he built near his home. Esther chapter six contains a strange turn of events when God in jest forces Haman to honor Mordecai.

The guest of honor he shall be,

This clever Mr. Smarty

And high above us he shall swing

At a little hanging party.

The bitter turn of events in chapter six was not the worst thing that could happen to Haman (although he thought so at the time). The worst came in the next chapter, on the very same day, when Haman attended the banquet where he would be honored. And, in a sense, Esther did honor him, by telling King Ahashveyros the truth about his “most trusted adviser.” The King was not pleased and called for Haman’s immediate execution.

Of all his cruel and unkind ways

This little joke did cure him

And don't forget we owe him thanks

For this jolly feast of Purim.

The Jewish people celebrate Purim to remember how God watches out for His people. They throw parties, wear costumes and eat Hamantaschen.

Who is Haman?

Every story needs a villain, and on a rare concurrence of days, we can talk about two stories and two villians.  For Maundy Thursday (the traditional time of Jesus’ Last Supper) and Purim both fall on the same day.

The first villain of the day is named Haman.  He was an advisor to the king, and loved to sit at the right hand (place of power) of the king.  He is called an Agagite, meaning a son of Agag, the king of Amalek.  Amalek was the grandson of Esau.  It is said Amalek bears a grudge against Israel because Jacob stole his birthright.  Moses said, “the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.“

The man named Judas Iscariot was the treasurer for Jesus and his disciples.  He loved to sit at the right hand of Jesus.  His last name indicates he is a resident of Kerioth-hezron, which is on the border of Edom (land of Esau).

When Mordecai discovered Haman’s plot to kill the Jews, Esther fasted for three days before holding a banquet where she revealed the identity of Haman the Agagite and his plot.  Through the banquet Esther saved the nation of Israel.

Jesus identified Judas Iscariot and his plot at his last supper.  When John asked Jesus for the identity of the betrayer, Jesus said it was the one with whom he dipped the bread.  Following the dinner Judas betrayed Jesus, who was hung on a cross to die the next day. Jesus died to save all who would believe and call on His name.  He was laid in the tomb for three days, and rose again.

Both Hamen and Judas wicked wicked men.  Haman was hung by the king on his own gallows.  According to Matthew 27 5, Judas Iscariot hung himself on his own gallows.

Oh once there was a wicked wicked man,

And Judas was his name, Sir.

He would have murdered Jesus Christ,

But he would not stay dead, Sir.

CHORUS:

Oh today we'll merry merry be

Oh today we'll merry merry be

Oh today we'll merry merry be

And nosh some Matzah now sir..

He told us on the Passover

This meal would be his last, sir

His life would end upon the cross,

Oh my how he did scare us.

CHORUS

And Jesus, as His life did end,

We knew he had some chutzpah

We laid Him in an empty tomb,

Cause that is what we do, sir."

CHORUS

He laid inside the grave all night

And through the whole next day, sir,

And then on through the next night too,

The corpse was in the grave, sir.

CHORUS

When Easter came on Sunday morn

Some wanted to anoint Him,

The stone would it be rolled away?

Oh yes, so we can go in.

CHORUS

When we walked on inside the tomb,

A big surprise we found sir,

The body we saw wasn’t there

The cloth was on the ground sir.

CHORUS

The Angels they did come and say

This man, He did arise sir,

The grave, just look, it’s empty see,

His body did arise sir.