f the World
on the Jews. Everything seemed
hopelessly dark.
Chanukah is a festival of rededication,
also known as the festival of light
or the feast of dedication. Jesus
would have known about it as it was
mentioned in John 10:22, it was not
divinely appointed, although Jesus
took the occasion to teach the people
that came together, there is no proof
that He observed it.
Chanukah was originally celebrated
by Judas Maccabaeus in B.C. 165, to
celebrate the cleansing of the temple
after it had been defiled by the
Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes. It is
celebrated over 8 days, starting on the
25th day of Kislev. It is not recorded in
the Old Testament as with the other
feasts, it was to remind the Jewish
nation of a miracle that occurred
during the turbulent intertestamental
times after Alexander the Great died.
He allowed religious tolerance so
that the Jews may celebrate their
religion as they wanted to but after
he died, it became increasingly
impossible for them to worship God
due to oppression. The Syrian-Greeks
overran the temple and defiled it by
slaughtering a pig on the alter. They
were trying to force Hellenization
Some of the Jews were heavily
influenced by the Syrian-Greeks but
a small band of courageous Jews
rose up and fought to reclaim the
Temple in Jerusalem. They needed
to purify and rededicate the Temple,
part of this process was to light the
Menorah but when they tried to look
for some olive oil that hadn’t been
contaminated by the Greeks, they
only found enough for 1 day. It would
take too long to press some more
olives to make oil, 8 days in fact. This
is the miracle that happened at that
time, that oil that should last one day
actually lasted 8 days - until new pure
oil was ready to be used.
The Jews and Messianic Jews of
today remember that it is about light
overcoming darkness. Both Advent
and Hanukkah are about hope and
light. Sometimes we might feel that
darkness is everywhere and that
we cannot overcome it. We may
feel that we are walking in darkness
it could be something like fear,
loneliness, oppression, depression,
poverty, violence and the news that
we hear about the things going on
in the world. God saw through the
Jews darkness and become light
for them and He can become light
for you. Isaiah 9:2, perhaps you too
can experience where it says that the
people walking in darkness have seen
a great light.
Although there is bad news
everywhere, we are people of the
GOOD NEWS. We do not need to
be disheartened because we have
Jesus, the light of the World. His
assurance is that as we follow Him, we
“will never walk in darkness, but have
the light of life” John 8:12. That is an
incredible promise.
As we approach the New Year, we
need to personally aim for something.
Doesn’t it say in Proverbs 29:18,
where there is no vision people will
perish? Dissatisfaction doesn’t come
from the absence of things, but the
absence of direction. Too many of us
merely exist because we have settled
for less than God intended.
How about prayerfully, making, a list
of the areas where you would like to
grow this year? Ask the Lord to shine
His light on what you need to work
on. Ask God for His plan. Don’t get
discouraged if you find it hard going,
just like Paul said of his faith, I press
on toward the goal for the prize of the
upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phil 3:14. Keep soldiering on; It’s our
time to shine! p
By Teresa L. Randle
Missionary, Preacher
and Bible Teacher
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