How much of what we believe happened in history was written by those who wanted to tell their side of a story, even when it wasn’t the full truth? The victims of warfare rarely get to write their story and even now as we face an existential war in the Middle East, the stories of the Holocaust are being erased by the liberal left-wing media. Entire systems promote the idea that Auschwitz never happened and some go so far as to claim that Zionist Israel today has replaced the Nazis in their attempts to frame self defense and preservation as “genocide”–”Genocide!” no less, claimed for the destruction of a crazed group of terrorists whose sole vision of their holy war to destroy our people and anyone who is not Muslim is called “infidel”. This mentality does not allow truth to be heard.
Media propaganda paints Israel in the darkest of hues, accusing the Jewish people of the very things that their enemies scheme to do to them. Behind it is an evil force dedicated to eradicating truth and the people called to preserve the truth from the earth. How did the MSM evolve to the point that it now presents as truth only the voice of those who hate us? Why are there so few voices raised to defend and encourage the small nation that has fought for survival ever since returning to possess the land promised to them and their ancestors? How did violent fanatical terrorists, baby killers if you will, become innocent victims that we should protect and support?
Esther–A Myth that Shapes our Warfare?
Much of the strength of the Israeli people comes from the internal struggle to survive and fulfill the command that they are to be a light to the nations, to provide an example of righteousness amidst a world filled with evil and corruption. We see daily miracles from One who looks after the affairs of the world and is deeply involved in what He promised to Abraham over 3500 years ago–the land of Israel and his descendents as possessors of that land. But of course it wasn’t just about a people living peacefully in the land, but about a people who would transform the world into a world that embraces righteousness. But what is the truth that should be embraced by those who lead the world? What was the covenant that the Jews were to keep? Was it given on Sinai? Have we somehow despised that covenant?
Understanding truth is essential to knowing where we have been and where we are going. There are a lot of stories–Midrashim, if you will, that do not have any historic basis. History that is not real history for what really happened is disguised in Myths and Midrashim.
What is it that we cling to as examples in the past that encourage us to push forward beyond mere survival of our people and a creation of a status in the world that will enlighten and bring about ultimate Peace?
But what is the danger of forgetting what really happened and going with the stories that the majority of our leaders promote? Has the majority ever been right and what are we really told about following the majority?
Exo 23: “2 Thou shalt not follow the multitude for evil; neither shalt thou answer in a cause, to go after the multitude to pervert judgment.”
The fact that something has been taught for many years does not mean it is truth. Where are the fact checkers for history? Especially the history of religion? But where can we find true History if it has been doctored up to teach what the multitude of teachers want to impress upon us? Josephus? The books of the Maccabees? The Dead Sea Scrolls?
A particular Midrash that I learned many years ago, Chamsa and Bar Hamsa, I found to be a cover-up to what really happened. You will never learn this from real history.
Sometimes the pen of ancient scribes dipped into their inkpots to insert things that may and may not be fully true even in our Holy Bible. Let’s examine the book of Esther. Does it stand up to the light of the rest of Scripture? And if it is even partially true, does it proclaim the works of Heaven or the works of the Jews? In fact the name of the Almighty is not even mentioned in the book of Esther. Most say that He was there working behind the scenes but was He or did it even happen? Can we find evidence in History?
As I write this, we have just finished celebrating the holiday of Purim. The Biblical book of Esther speaks to us especially at this time when Jews must fight for their very lives and the lives of those neighbors who desire freedom from tyranny. Israel is becoming a power stronger than it has been for over the past 2000 years.
Some say we take our inspiration from the story of Esther. But if we back up and analyse the book of Esther and what it is really saying, we see that Esther happened at a time when many of the Jews refused to return to the land of Israel when Cyrus the great opened the way for them and helped fund the rebuilding of the second temple. Esther and her story happened, according to our best sources, around the year 473 BCE. This was 65 years after Cyrus decreed 538 BCE that the Jews should return to Israel and rebuild their temple. Why did these Jews remain in Persia? And why the story of their success over their enemies there in the Diaspora of ancient Persia?
For me the story is a justification to remain in the Diaspora and to continue living in the ways of the nations, using trickery and a novel romantic plot to destroy those who would destroy them. Again, why were they still in Persia? And what was going on then? We know from the Tenakh that there were factions that fought against the building of the Temple. We obviously do not know how much of the story was changed as it was written for future minds to digest.
There also is a problem with the names Esther and Mordecai. Esther coming from the goddess, Astarte and Mordecai from Marduk, a famous god at the time. How can it be right, to hide under the spell of other gods? I have to admit it is a fantastic story with a satisfying end. If it had happened before the decree of Cyrus, I would feel more support for it. If the names of the chief actors were not the names of Pagan deities, I would be more interested. It reads like a novel and it very likely is just that.
Purim is a fun time of year other than the fasting which I never do anyway. What are we fasting for? Tradition? Memorial? But since it is very hard to find an actual Esther in any real historic source, maybe, just maybe it IS a myth and something written to keep Jews living among the nations without shame. Coming to Israel has never been easy. It requires a virtual change of thinking–a sacrifice of much we hold near and dear. The land itself eats up the inhabitants, as the ten spies once claimed. Yet beholding now with different eyes, the land produces abundantly for all who love it. It is a Goodly Land and despite the manipulation and lies of the nations and our own leadership who often go begging for the approval of America or Europe, the land is good and it will provide for us. God will help us to have the strength to believe like Joshua and Caleb, that we are well able to possess this land and to overcome the enemy both outside and inside of Israel!
