In these days, in most places of the world – even in countries where chistianity is no main concern – people are called upon to remember certain events that supposedly happened in December. The most notable of these, of course, is the birth of the Messiah and the idea that a "mass" or ritual celebration should be held to commemorate the birth of the "Christ" – from there the word "christmas". In an article I read this week, someone tried to express his own disgust with christianity and then referred to christians’ silly adherence to a feast called "Newtonmas". What he was trying to say, I think, was that a feast observed on the 25^th of December is more appropriate as a feast in honour of Isaac Newton, than a feast in honour of the Messiah. Why? Because the Messiah was not born on the 25^th of December, but Isaac Newton most certainly was!

In the past, we have spent enough time on the topic of christmas, and why, as followers of the Messiah and the true message of Scriptures, we should distance ourselves from this feast, polluted with all kinds of pagan influences and unscriptural ideas. There is no need for us to go there again. What would be more appropriate during this time, however, is to remember some of the events that really did take place in the Decembers gone past – events that somehow changed the course of history and stand out as something worth remembering, especially in the eyes of those who wish to honour Yahweh as the One who is ultimately in control of the things that are taking place in this world. Remembering certain events in which one can see the hand and the involvement of Yahweh, not only means making a mental note of those events. It means learning from those events, drawing inspiration from them, using them as reminders and wake-up calls to make the right choices and never let go of our trust in Yahweh.

In Scriptures there is a very significant event that took place in the month of December, or what is now known as the month of December. In the book of Ester 2:16-18 we read these words: "And Ester was taken to Sovereign Achashwerosh, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign. And the sovereign loved Ester more than all the women, and she found favour and kindness in his eyes more than all the maidens. And he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the sovereign made a great feast, the Feast of Ester, for all his officials and servants. And he proclaimed a release in the provinces and gave gifts according to the means of a sovereign." The tenth Scriptural month corresponds to the month of December. Did you know that this month was once known as the month of the feast of Ester? And that the king of the Persian Empire gave gifts to his subjects during this feast?

There are a number of things about this feast, and especially about the book and the person of Ester that are quite amazing. Ester’s Hebrew name was actually Hadassah which means "myrtle". Her popular name "Ester" was a Persian name given to her while in exile and it meant something like "star". The important thing about the name "Ester", however, is not the meaning of the word in the Persian language, but the meaning of the corresponding word "Astir" ("I shall hide") in the Hebrew language. We find this word in Devarim (Deut) 31:16-18: "And this people shall rise and whore after the mighty ones of the strangers of the land into the midst of which they shall enter, and forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. Then My displeasure shall burn against them in that day, and I shall forsake them and hide ("astir") My face from them, and they shall be consumed. And many evils and distresses shall come upon them, and it shall be said in that day, ‘Is it not because our Elohim is not in our midst that these evils have come upon us?’ And I shall certainly hide ("astir") My face in that day, because of all the evil which they have done, for they shall turn to other mighty ones.

There is good reason to believe that these words of Devarim were, at least to a certain extent, a prophetic reference to the time of Ester and the exile when Yahweh did, in fact, hide his face from the Yehudim. Notice the words "Is it not because Elohim is not in our midst …" Ester is known as the only book of the Pre-Messianic Scriptures that does not contain the Name of Yahweh at all – at least not in the normal sense of the word. The symbolism is almost too straightforward not to pick up: During the time of the exile, and more specifically the time of Ester, Yahweh did not only hide his face, He also hid his Name, because of his displeasure over a people who broke his covenant. He did not remove his Name, as many people tend to think and as the post-exilic tradition of complete avoidance of the Name seem to indicate. No, He chose to temporarily withdraw his Name from his people because they withdrew themselves from Him. But in a hidden way, in an "astir" way, if you like, his Name was still among the people – just as his Name was still in the Book of Ester. He did not forsake his people altogether. Not by a long shot. In a sense He was protecting and hiding his Name for the day when his people, and others who would join in with them, would return back to Him and once again acknowledge Him as their only Elohim and Master. Let us look at the way Yahweh’s Name is hidden in this book:

(The feast of) Ester reminds us of the fact that in those times when we feel sure that Yahweh is hiding and turning away from us, we should turn back to Him, repent over our rebelliousness and trust Him to reveal his splendour and his great redemptive power. In the first chapter of ZecharYah (Zechariah) Yahweh showed the prophet a vision of horsemen standing in a field of myrtle trees. The word "myrtle" is a reminder of the Hebrew name of Ester, "Hadassah". The message that Yahweh gave to the prophet through this vision is exactly the same as the message of Ester: In ZecharYah 1:12 the question is asked: "How long would You have no compassion on Yerushalayim and on the cities of Yehudah?" In other words: How long are You still going to hide yourself from us? And then the answer in verse 14, onwards: "I have been jealous for Yerushalayim and for Tsiyon with great jealousy … I shall return to Yerushalayim with compassion … again My cities shall overflow with goodness …I shall comfort Tsiyon … I shall choose Yerushalayim."

In the context of our current theme, it may have been an option to elaborate on the feast or the celebration of Chanukah, also commemorating something that happened in December, during the days of the Maccabean Revolt some 200 years before the birth of the Messiah. In my own mind, however, Chanukah is perhaps one of those days with a more exclusive Jewish nature and not a Scriptural requirement for non-Jewish people. As South Africans, we may rather look at yet another day within the month of December – 16^th December, the day on which the so-called Battle of Blood River took place, and remembered in particular for the vow that was taken on this day. It is not certain whether the vow was taken by all who formed part of the group that was present that day, who later became known as the "Voortrekkers" and were about to be engaged in a war against the Zulus of Dingaan. It is known that the group of 470 consisted of black and white, and even a small number of English settlers. It is not even certain whether the vow was taken on the day of the 16^th or, perhaps a few days before. The exact wording of the vow is also disputed.

However, the vow stressed the point that should Yahweh grant victory to the "Voortrekker" camp, those who were present, as well as their children and descendants, would keep the day and date every year as a day of thanksgiving like a "sabbath", and would tell their children that they should join in this vow in memory for future generations.

We all know how politically loaded, even potentially explosive, this whole issue of the Vow of the Battle of Blood River has become. We know that the Voortrekkers, although being believers, also had their shortcomings and a track record of strife and even hatred. We also know that the majority of people in South Africa cannot identify with their views and their aspirations. I am not sure that I can. But let us try to put all these objections aside and remember the vow for one reason and for one reason only: The fact that 170 years ago a group op people in a desperate situation (outnumbered by about 20:1) called upon Yahweh to protect them and give the enemy in their hand, vowing that if Yahweh would hear them, they and their fellow countrymen, and their descendants, would bring thanksgiving and honour to Yahweh by keeping the day as an annual Shabbat. Was this the first time in history that Yahweh granted victory to one group of people at the expense of another? No. Was it the first time that certain people took it upon themselves to make a vow towards Yahweh in which others are also included, even ones that had no part or no say in the proceedings whatsoever? No. Think of the vows that Samson’s parents made on his behalf or Hannah’s vow on behalf of Shemuel or Yiphtach’s vow on behalf of whoever would be the first one to come out of his house. Vows should be paid, for this one, main reason: Yahweh should receive the honour when honour is due. His name should be exalted to prevent people from taking the credit for their victories. Prayers that have been answered should lead to spontaneous and proper thanksgiving. The challenge in our country today is to honour the vow of Blood River by honouring Yahweh as our protector, without necessarily condoning the history behind Blood River and also without making any conclusions or sending out any signals drawn from an ethnic or political or discriminatory agenda. Impossible? Let’s hope not …