Posted on : 15 Dec, 2006
Subject : Hanukkah: Feast of Dedication
Hanukkah: Feast of Dedication
Hanukkah is Hebrew for ‘dedication’. Hanukkah is known as the Feast of Dedication, and also the Festival of Lights. [Hanukkah is spelled many ways, including: Chanukah, Hannukah, and Hanuka.] Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, and occurs in December in the common calendar. It is a time of commemoration and praise that is observed for eight days. The average non-Jewish person does not understand what Hanukkah is. Though it is probably the best-known of the ‘Jewish holidays’, most people don’t understand what the significance is. Let’s begin with what Hanukkah is not. Hanukkah is not ‘Jewish Christmas’. Hanukkah was celebrated for about 165 years before the birth of the Messiah. [And the Messiah, Himself, observed Hanukkah.] Unfortunately, in the homes of modern liberal Jews, and in homes in which there is a ‘mixed marriage’, Hanukkah may seem to be like Christmas. [In fact, a few of the most liberal have begun to call it “Chrismukkah”!] Hanukkah, like every other holiday celebrated by the Jews, has had many ‘additions’ through the centuries. Gift-giving is not a traditional part of the holiday; it was added in places where Jews had a lot of contact with Christians, as a way of dealing with the jealousy of their children toward their Christian friends. Hanukkah, like every other holiday celebrated by the Jews, has had many ‘additions’ through the centuries. Gift-giving is not a traditional part of the holiday; it was added in places where Jews had a lot of contact with Christians, as a way of dealing with the jealousy of their children toward their Christian friends. Giving Hanukkah gelt is also a relatively recent addition. In modern centuries, it became traditional to give children one or a few coins at Hanukkah time. [Gelt is Yiddish for ‘gold’, and used to mean ‘money’.] In the 20th century, Hanukkah gelt commonly became coins made of chocolate, and covered with golden foil. The dreidel, a very common modern symbol of Hanukkah, was added some time during the Middle Ages, in Europe. A gambling game is played with the dreidel [a square top that has 4 Hebrew letters written on it]. It was not part of the original observance of Hanukkah, and of course gambling was certainly never an activity sanctioned by Yahweh. Hanukkah is not one of the eight “appointed times” of the Torah. The people of Yahweh are not commanded to observe it as a holy season or a time of special assembly. So, what is Hanukkah? Hanukkah is the celebration that remembers the restoration and re-dedication of the Temple, reestablishment of religious freedom, and the triumph of God’s people over pagan influences. Were it not for the historical events of Hanukkah, in fact, the situation in Jerusalem during the ministry of the Messiah would have been much, much different - and some would have been completely impossible. In John 10:22 and verses following, the Messiah set a ‘righteous example’ by participating in Hanukkah. Scripture says that He had gone to the Temple on the Feast of Dedication [Hanukkah], and answered questions. “It was in the time of the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem; it was winter. And Jesus was in the Temple, walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round Him.” [New Jerusalem Bible] “And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about Him.” [King James Version.] “It was Hanukkah time in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Yahshua was walking in the Temple, in the Porch of Solomon” [The Scriptures] The Savior was present at the Temple, at the time of the celebration of Hanukkah. Alexander the Great conquered Macedonia, Greece, Persia, India, Egypt, Syria, and Israel in about 300 BCE. It was his rule that Hellenism to Jerusalem. [Hellenism roughly means ‘doing things the Greek way’.] Although the Jews at first resisted Hellenism, gradually, most of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas adopted Greek culture, philosophy, and included Greek paganism in their religion. Greek culture of the time [much like 21st century American culture] emphasized physical beauty, fashion, physical fitness, sports and athletics [including the Olympics], grand buildings, the theater, philosophy, and the worship of many gods and goddesses. There was tremendous attention given to entertainment. The Greeks of that day practiced what we call ‘late term abortion’ and infanticide. Homosexuality was widespread, and considered normal. Pedophilia [sexual relations with and between children], prostitution, and other sexual behaviors that the Torah forbids were common among the Greeks, and, regrettably, eventually adopted by many Israelites in Jerusalem. The Jews became ‘liberal’, and ‘cosmopolitan’, and many gave up any pretense at observing Torah, so as to blend in with the Greeks. Many Jews saw that adopting the Hellenistic lifestyle was the way to get on the fast track to success in business and society. In 199 BCE, the Seleucid dynasty that ruled Syria took control of Israel from the Greek Ptolemies. During the reign of the Seleucids anti-Semitic decrees were first issued against the practice of Judaism. Sabbath observance, the study of Torah, and male circumcisions, for example, were eventually forbidden: the penalty for breaking the Greek ban was of death. Greek gods and goddesses and other symbols of Greek culture were installed inside the holy Temple, which desecrated it. The more ‘fundamentalist’ Israelites moved into rural areas or small towns, and, for a while, were able to avoid the bans against Torah observance. In the year 167 BCE the Greek king, Antiochus Epiphanes, began a campaign to force all the Jews under his rule to formally adopt Greek practices. Throughout Judea all forms of Torah observance were illegal, and mass trials were held. The narrative in 2nd Maccabees describes Antiochus forcing people to eat pork or be killed, for example. Antiochus had a statue of Zeus and of himself installed in the Holy Place of the Temple, and his priests desecrated the Altar by slaughtering hogs upon it. Gradually, Greek troops spread out from Jerusalem into the countryside and small villages, to enforce Antiochus’ decrees. One day Greek forces arrived in the village of Modi’in, where they encountered one righteous Jewish family: five sons and their aged father, who took a stand against them. In Modi’in [modern Moditha] the Greek troops built a pagan altar and ordered Mattityahu, a priest and elder, to offer a sacrifice to Zeus Mattityahu refused; while he stood firm, another Jew offered to make the sacrifice to appease the Greeks. Enraged, Mattityahu killed the Jew who worshipped Zeus, and he and his family attacked the small company of Greek soldiers. This action sparked a Jewish rebellion that began in the country side, and eventually spread back to Jerusalem. The family of Mattitayahu, especially the son named Judah, became known as the Maccabees. In Hebrew maccabee means ‘hammer’. The men who led the revolt against Greek rule were as strong as hammers. The Maccabeean revolutionaries, a force much smaller than the Greek army stationed in Judea, triumphed in 165 BCE. On the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the Maccabees reclaimed possession of the Temple. By that time, the Temple was almost unrecognizable as a place of righteous worship. It was filled with many statues of Greek gods, goddesses, generals, and other prominent leaders. The walls were covered with graffiti and with pictures of Greek gods. Pagan rituals had replaced the proper worship of Elohim. The army of Jews destroyed the statues, and scoured the walls of the Temple, with the intent of rededicating and restoring it to its appropriate appearance. When they intended to light the menorah [the seven-branched candelabra] in the Temple courtyard, they found only one bottle consecrated oil, which was enough to last for only one day. Determined to make a start – even an imperfect one – at restoring the Temple worship, they poured the oil into the menorah and lit it. Preparation was begun to press olive oil and consecrate it for use in the Temple. While the oil was being prepared and transported, the menorah continued to burn. For eight days, instead of one, the sacred seven-branched lamp-stand burned. This was the famous miracle of Hanukkah. By the time of Messiah, Hanukkah was known as the Festival of Lights, as well as the Feast of Dedication. Hanukkah is truly a “restoration festival” – commemorating the righteous who stood firmly for Torah and against paganism re-dedicated the Temple, and re-established pure worship in Judea once again. It is a time to draw inspiration from the brave men and women of old who sacrificed [some with their lives] to obey the Laws of Elohim. It is a time to teach children the importance of choosing the Word instead of the world - of taking a position against modern culture, when being politically correct means going against the Law of God. It is appropriate for those who love Yahweh and His Torah to observe Hanukkah, as the Messiah observed the Feast of Dedication. Remembering the miracle of a small number of righteous zealots overthrowing a large army, and the miracle of the oil in the lampstand. In the present we follow the common tradition of lighting a menorah [seven-branched candelabra] or a hanukkiah [an eight-branched candelabra]. Most people light one candle or lamp every night for eight nights. Others light a single candle, or all the candles of a menorah every night during the eight-day commemoration of the miraculous victory of a few righteous men and women over the much larger Greek army, and of the miracle of the bottle of oil that miraculously burned for eight days. It is a time for praise and celebration. A time to remember those who have been martyred for the faith. Most importantly, we realize that we are lights to the world when we stand for righteousness, and against the commonly-accepted practices of society that are in opposition to the Laws of God.
David Bruce Clark Lion of God Ministries PO Box 33 Oak Grove MO 64075
