I love dressing up for Purim! Every year our family contemplates what character they want to be. This year though, I had a hard time figuring out exactly what character from the story of Esther I wanted to be?
Dressing up as Queen Esther has always been the first choice for my little girl every year. Who doesn’t want to be Queen Esther?! I mean COME ON, she rises above circumstances to help save her people, an entire nation. She encapsulates what it means to be courageous, wise of heart and beautiful all at the same time!
She wasn’t always called Esther though, her Hebrew name was Hadassah. The young girl who had lost her mother and father and was raised by her cousin Mordecai.
Names and meaning of names are so very significant. I love looking up what different names mean in my favorite stories from the Bible. When I looked up Hadassah’s name I was perplexed. Hadassah meant “Myrtle Tree”. I thought to myself, “Myrtle tree?!” Why was Hadassah named after a tree? One thing I did know, is that my heavenly Father is very detailed and intricate in his Word and that there had to be more to this! I knew I needed to search further.
What is a Myrtle tree? Here is what I found. The Myrtle tree is an evergreen shrub or small tree. The star like flower is very fragrant, has five petals and sepals, and numerous stamens, and is usually white. The myrtle tree, when reaching full maturity, produces a bluish purple berry.
Mic Drop. Her destiny was hidden in her name!
The description of the Myrtle tree is so completely powerful when you see the comparison it has with who Hadassah was destined to become.
She was raised by Mordecai as a daughter. She was taught how to pray and knowing the Word of God. At that time it would consist of the first five books of the Bible. This foundation would be the strength she would stand on if she were to become Queen someday.
Purple is a color of royalty. I find it interesting that the Myrtle tree produces a blueish, purple berry when reaching full maturity. In like, when Hadassah was ready, and at the right the time, the Father orchestrated for her to be become royalty. She was put in the role of Queen at the perfect time to save the Jewish people from death and persecution.
Just as Hadassah had to hide her identity of being Jewish when she became Queen, her destiny was also so cleverly and brilliantly hidden in her name. The intricacy of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob never ceases to AMAZE me!!!!!
Hadassah, knew the Word, she also knew the how the Royal Persian Court worked. She did not take her decision lightly. It was with great knowledge of the the situation, that she bravely took her stand. The action she took was based on prayer and fasting and in the God she served. She did not waver in her resolve.
Was she scared? I am sure she was. Did she know how it would all play out? I am sure she didn’t. Do we face life and circumstances that bring us to our knees? Situations that leave us scared, intimidated, with no trace of hope? Yes we do. Do we know how it will all play out? No we don’t.
What we DO know is our name. We are called sons and daughters of the Most High King! It says in 1 Peter 2:9:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
We have a purpose, we have a destiny in this world! We need to remind ourselves of our name, we are called a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation! We can walk boldly, in the confidence of one who walks with us and before us! The Father is weaving out your story behind the scenes, and friends-its a good one!!! Be brave of heart, and know that you were brought to this place in time for such a time as this……
much love, Tess
For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” ~Esther 4:14
ps. This Purim I choose to be Hadassah. This year I will be reminded of my name!! 1 Peter 4:9