Hanukkah –(means Dedication- to be totally devoted to)

What does it mean for the Christian

The story can be read in the Apocrypha books of the 1^st and 2^nd Maccabeus.

The main focus of these books is the desecration of the Holy Temple of God in 165 BC by Antiochus IV who added on the name Illustrious (in some writings Epiphanies-god manifest) who ruled over the kingdom of the Greeks. By his orders the Holy Temple was defiled with pigs blood, the worshipping of foreign gods , all kinds of debauchery and the stealing of all the holy vessels among other acts of hatred. There was also a mandate that the Jews were forbidden to celebrate the Sabbaths and the festivals. Women, children and cattle were taken captive and there was much bloodshed among the people of God.

At that time many Jews became Hellenized , meaning they went the way of the Greek culture and their views. They saw that it was easier to make a covenant with heathen then to have evil befall them.

Now a small army of Jewish zealots know as the Hasidim (pious ones) who stood for God’s law and who under the leadership of Judah (the hammer) Maccabeus, the son of Mathathias the priest , fought Antiocus’ great army to take back the Temple and stop the wickedness that came upon God’s children. With His Almighty hand of protection the Syrian army was defeated and the Temple rededicated.

According to how the rest of the story is told, everything that the Temple was required to have, by God’s own design, was restored except for one thing not enough oil to keep the menorah (candelabra) lit . There was only one vile which was enough for only one day. Miraculously, and so the tale goes, it lasted for eight days, for that’s the amount of days it takes for the priest to press the olives for the oil , add the special spices and consecrate it for a new batch.

The miracle of the oil in not mentioned in the Books of Maccabeus or any other writings on the rededication of the Temple. Many agree that it never happened. It was also stated by some commentaries that there was so much persecution and opposition towards the Rabbis and due to their fears , the military victory was downplayed and this shifted the focus to the miracle of lights.

In any case there is spiritual truth and personal application to this story.

This victory was to be celebrated for all time. In John 10:22-30 tells of Jesus being at this celebration and claiming His diety. As written in verse 30. Jesus states, “The Father and I are One.”

The celebration of lights–Hebrew calendar 25^th day of Kislev

Because of the so called miracle of oil , tradition which started in the 6^th century, is to light the nine candle menorah (candelabra) called the Hanukkiyah, loosely translated, means to begin again with God. It has four candles on each side of the higher middle one. This is called the Shamash which means servant or helper. It’s purpose is to light each of the others , one for each day of this holiday, because of it being an eight day celebration. This year it started on our calendar December 22nd and lasted until December 29^th.

As our eyes are opened to spiritual truth of the Hanukkiyah we can see how Jesus is represented. He is that Servant candle, the Light of the world, the Eternal Light that stands above all . The one who is the Light of Life . Mark 10:45 “for even the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life for a ransom for many”.

Speaking of the other eight candles. Eight represents New Beginnings. As the cares of this world make our lights dim, He helps us to shine in the midst of this dark place. Matt: 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put in under a bushel, but on a candlestick ; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.

As this menorah totals nine, this number means “the End of all things”. Jesus is the Beginning and the End. The Alpha and Omega.

Nine also means the Holy Spirit .The menorah normally is lit with oil and this to us represent the anointing of the Holy Spirit. As the anointing oil was poured on the head of Aaron and his sons to anoint them and concercrate them for the service of priests in the temple, we too are called for such a service. 1^st Peter 2:9 “ But you are a chosen generation , a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that your should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”. Remember it is the oil that fuels the fire!

There are nine Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22 - Love , Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Meekness and Temperence.

Instruction in Righteousness is at the core of Hanukkah. The word itself comes from the Hebrew root word Hanak which literally means to train or disciple.

It seems fitting at this season of Hanukkah to ask the Lord to refuel us and take what the Antiochus’ in our lives tried to steal and destroy. Just a little side note: Antiochus did regret all the wickedness he had done. But this is NOT so with our adversary satan. For he is out to steal, kill and destroy whatever and whomever. He knows his days are numbered.

Be careful not to become carnal as the Hellenistic Jews did in taking on the culture and the views of the heathen. Today, as back then there is too much compromise in the Body of Christ . Ecc. 1:9 ……….and there is nothing new under the sun”. Worldly minded (so-called) Christians or Kingdom minded Christians. Remain true to the Lord as the Hasidim Jews and take a stand for what is Godly. Their battle cry was “if God is for us then who can be against us”. Ps. 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear. The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid”?

There is also another meaning for the Shamash, the servant candle, and that is guide. Jn. 16:13 “Now when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth : for he will not speak of himself: but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will show you things to come”.

Be encouraged to find Jesus in the midst of the Feasts (see Lev.23). These are not Jewish feasts but as scripture says they are the Feasts of the Lord. They are types and shadows of things to come.

Being a follower of Christ is all about the dedication of our temples to the service of the Living God. The temples we dedicate really don’t belong to us. We are His possesion. 1^st Cor. 6: 19-20 “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God and you are not your own. For you were bought at a price . Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s”.

Js. 1:17– “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning”.

Let us be a people that RE-present Christ in the earth until His literal return. The true miracle is the victory we have through Christ. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE IN 2009!

An Afterthought

As Hanukkah is the celebration of the Temple , I pondered on the day Hanukkah is celebrated (25^th day of Kislev of the Hebrew calendar) and the day that was chosen by the early church fathers to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus (25^th day of December) it occurred to me that 2+5 equals the number 7 which means Perfection. 1^st Cor. 13:10 “But when that which is perfect is come then which is in part shall be done away with”. We will be complete in Him. The One Who Was and Is To Come.

As so it is said that the early church fathers picked that day for the benefit of the pagans, which were celebrating the sun god, for it to be an easy transition into the House of the Lord to celebrate the real Son of God. Then I thought, humm, could it have been more than that and in fact the Lord downloaded into their spirit’s the picking of this day to RE-present the One True Temple Jesus Christ coming to earth? Selah Rev. 21:22 says “ And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it”.

The Tabernacle (Temple) in the wilderness that was designed by God depicted Jesus from the largest detail down to the smallest. The spiritual truths of the Temple are endless. HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!