Purim Activities & Lessons: Faith, Obedience, and the Story of Esther

Colorful Purim celebration with vibrant masks, hamantaschen pastries, and festive decorations.

What a gift it is to celebrate God’s holidays year after year. No matter how many times I observe them, they continue to reveal new depths of the Father’s heart. Purim is no exception. Each year, this powerful story speaks again—calling us to faith, obedience, and trust in God’s plan.

Why We Celebrate Purim

While Purim is not listed among YHVH’s commanded feast days in Leviticus 23, it is a celebration established by the Jewish people to commemorate their deliverance from destruction (Esther 9:20–22).

A symbolic wild olive branch, representing the grafting into the olive tree of Israel, rooted in Yeshua/Jesus.

As believers grafted into God’s people, Israel, through Yeshua (Jesus), their history becomes our history. Scripture reminds us in Romans 11 that we are wild olive branches grafted into the root, Yeshua, and we become a part of his people. Because of this, celebrating Purim becomes both meaningful and personal.

Esther, Hadassah, and the Hidden Myrtle

In the book of Esther, we meet a young Jewish woman whose identity was hidden. She was given the Babylonian name Esther, but her Hebrew name was Hadassah, meaning myrtle.

This detail is deeply significant. In Isaiah 55, the myrtle

Delicate myrtle blossoms, symbolic of resilience and beauty emerging from thorns, echo the Hebrew name of Esther.

tree is described as something that grows in place of briers—an everlasting sign that will not be cut off. Esther’s very name points to restoration and God’s faithfulness.

Saul, Partial Obedience, and the Amalekites

Saul’s Disobedience

A regal black crown, embellished with large gemstones, represents a king's authority.

Esther came from the lineage of King Saul. Saul was commanded by God to completely destroy the Amalekites because they continued to attack Israel when they left Egypt at the time of the Exodus up until the time of when Saul was crowned king. However, Saul chose partial obedience—sparing King Agag and keeping what he considered “good” (1 Samuel 15:9).

Saul believed he could serve God his way rather than obey fully.

A Pattern That Began in the Garden

This mirrors the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God gave clear instructions: do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). Yet they leaned on their own understanding, judged for themselves what was “good,” and disobeyed.

Eve tastes the forbidden fruit, symbolizing her defiance and pivotal choice in the garden.

In both cases—Adam and Eve, and King Saul—rebellion came from deciding that personal judgment was better than God’s command.

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice

God’s response through the prophet Samuel makes His heart unmistakably clear:

“To obey is better than sacrifice… For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.”—1 Samuel 15:22–23

Because Saul rejected God’s word, his kingdom was taken from him. God’s plan would continue through another line—David’s—because God’s purposes are never thwarted.

Purim and God’s Redemption Through Esther

Haman the Agagite

Fast forward generations later, and we encounter Haman the Agagite—an Amalekite descendant of King Agag. His hatred toward the Jewish people echoes the same ancient hostility. Like his ancestors, Haman sought complete destruction.

But God had prepared Esther for such a time as this. Esther 4:14

Esther’s Obedience Unto Death

Esther, the hidden myrtle, faced a choice: remain silent or obey God even at

Queen Esther dons her crown with courage and determination, ready to risk everything to save her people.

the risk of her life. Unlike Saul, Esther chose obedience. Her courage redeemed her family line, saved the Jewish people, and fulfilled God’s word by seeing Haman and his sons defeated.

Purim becomes a story of restoration—where obedience corrects what rebellion left unfinished.

What Purim Teaches Us Today

Purim is not only about Esther and Haman. It is a story that stretches from the Garden of Eden, through King Saul, into the book of Esther, and even into our present day.

It invites us to ask hard but necessary questions:

• Where am I truly obeying God?

• Where am I doing what I think is right instead of what God has said?

Are You Grafted In?

Golden-baked hamantaschen cookies, filled with a sweet filling, are traditionally enjoyed during the Jewish festival of Purim.

Scripture reminds us:

“He is not a Jew who is one outwardly… but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart.”—Romans 2:28

Purim challenges us to consider what it truly means to be part of God’s people—grafted in, obedient, and faithful from the heart.

Purim Activities for Kids and Families

Purim is also a wonderful opportunity to teach children through hands-on learning. When kids engage with the story through Purim activities, crafts, and worksheets, the lessons of faith and obedience become tangible and memorable.

Free Purim Activity Sheets

If you are a member of my website, you have access to:

• Over 30 FREE activity sheets covering God’s feast days

• Chanukah activities

• 7 Purim activity sheets, perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners

  

  Explore a variety of engaging activity sheets for Purim and Hanukkah, and the other feast days available exclusively on the members-only section of my website.

These resources are designed to help families celebrate Purim in a joyful, meaningful, and age-appropriate way.

👉 Take a moment to become a member if you haven’t already and make Purim unforgettable for your children.

Children's Book Author

Blessings and Shalom 🌿

Grandma Patches has been passionate about her faith since becoming a believer at 17. She lives with her husband and family and loves sharing the insights the Father has revealed to her, encouraging the next generation of believers. She trusts the entire Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, and believes all of it “is very good.”