Hanukkah

Who is ready for Hanukkah? As we enter in to this season it is easy for us in the west to allow the thought to creep in to our minds that this is the Jewish Christmas. We should not let this be the feeling of the season. While it is a season of rejoicing and happiness, it is due to the rescue of the Adonai’s people from extinction that makes it so. As well the season marks the rededication of the Temple. The very same temple that Yeshua taught in, walked in, worked wonders in and was judged in. It is the same temple Yeshua’s disciples delivered teachings and healing in. It is the history of Hanukkah that explains the dwelling place that Yeshua and his disciples spent so much time in. Yeshua celebrated in Hanukkah as well. John 10:22-25

22Then came Hanukkah; it was winter in Jerusalem. 23Yeshua was walking in the Temple around Solomon’s Colonnade. 24Then the Judean leaders surrounded Him, saying, “How long will You hold us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us outright!”

25Yeshua answered them, “I told you, but you don’t believe! The works I do in My Father’s name testify concerning Me.

Is it any wonder that during the Hanukkah or Feast of Dedication, a celebration of the restoration of the temple, that the leaders thoughts are on the coming Messiah.

The reason for the rededication of the temple and the reason it had to be restored is first found in . In this chapter and the preceeding one we see a prophecy about a great King that died and 4 other Kings that rise up to replace him and fight amongst themselves.

The great King that died was Alexander the Great. If you have never read about him or study him. He conquered the vast majority of the world before he was 30. The 4 kings that rose up after he died was 4 of his generals.

Daniel chapter 11 is a prophecy about this event. Towards the end of the chapter in verses 29 - 39 we read.

29“At the appointed time he will invade the south again, only this time the outcome will not be as before. 30The ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his rage against the holy covenant. When he returns, he will favor those who forsake the holy covenant.

31“His forces will rise up and profane the fortified Temple; they will stop the daily offering and set up the abomination of desolation.

An Ungodly King Exalts Himself

At this point in this prophecy it is commonly agreed 4 groups of people that are describbed.

This only a brief summary of the terrible things that this king is prophicied to do. In this prophecy it is commonly agreed 4 groups of people that are describbed.

“32With smooth words he will seduce those who act wickedly against the covenant,” describes the Hellinizers. Hellinizers are conquered peoples who participate in the spreading of Greek culture including religion, culture, and values. In this Israels case this is Jews who abandoned their faith to become Greek.

“33Those who are wise among the people will instruct many, though for many days they will fall by the sword, or be burned, captured or pillaged” describes the faithful who do not abandon the religion, culture or values of Judaism.

“34When they stumble, they will receive a little help, but many will join them deceitfully.” Describes the people that would follow who ever was in power.

“35Even some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end—for it will still come at the appointed time. “ describes people who out of fear seemed to accept the Greek religion, culture, and values but later repented and returned to the right path.

We then get to the information about how disgusting this king becomes.

36“So the king will do as he pleases, exalting and magnifying himself above every god. He will even speak outrageous things against the God of gods. He will prosper until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decided will be done. 37He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or the one desired by women, nor will he show regard for any god, but will exalt himself above all. 38Instead of these, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not acknowledge he will honor with gold, silver, precious stones and costly things. 39He will attack strong fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will give them authority over many and will parcel out land for a price.

This is only a brief summary of the terrible things that this king is prophesied to do. From here we can move from the prophecy to the records of the events as they happened or shortly after the happened. As one begins to read in Maccabees they discover the name of the king that does the great evil prophesied about in Daniel is Antiochus Epiphanes. Let us now read in 1 Maccabees 1:41-50

41 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,

Now if the story ended here or if we where reading about a righteous king such as Hezekiah. Our discussion would be full of positive examples of a righteous kingdom or at least a kingdom that recognized the need for Torah and Veneration of Adonai. The idea of us as a people being one is something that is important to our faith. In Yeshua himself prayed on behalf of all believers for oneness.

20“I pray not on behalf of these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their message, 21that they all may be one. Just as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You, so also may they be one in Us, so the world may believe that You sent Me. 22The glory that You have given to Me I have given to them, that they may be one just as We are one— 23I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them as You loved Me.

Why is it so evil that Antiochus Epiphanes wants to the people to be one, yet when Yeshua or Hezekiah want the people to be one it is not evil? When Antiochus says one he means the same as in only one. Yeshua and Hezekiah wanted one as in unity not sameness.

Here is how Antiochus propose to have oneness.

42 and that all should give up their particular customs. 43 All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.

To be clear this is the Hellinizers. These people adopted the religion of Greece, the worship of false gods, and they gave up the Shabbat. They gave up the day set apart for Adonai.

43 All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. 44 And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45 to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, 46 to defile the sanctuary and the priests, 47 to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, 48 and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, 49 so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. 50 He added, “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”

44 And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45 to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, 46 to defile the sanctuary and the priests, 47 to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, 48 and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, 49 so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. 50 He added, “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”

To be clear the list of things are:

1. Ordered the destruction of the Torah scrolls.

2. Enforced eating of swine’s flesh.

3. Made it illegal to circumcise sons.

4. Forbade observance of the Sabbath or of the Holy Feasts.

5. Morning and evening sacrifices were discontinued.

6. Desecrated the temple and dedicated it to the worship of Zeus.

7. Set up the abomination of desolation.

The law of the land not figuratively but litterally change from; do righteousness to do wickedness or die. It was not enough to live righteously and leave other people who choose not to alone, one actually had to do wickedness and evil.

The law of the land not figuratively but litterally change from; do righteousness to do wickedness or die. It was not enough to live righteously and leave other people who choose not to alone, one actually had to do wickedness and evil.

As one reads this it may seem like a far away place or a far away time. Nothing like this could happen today, right? People would not stand for it. One would certainly hope so but history paints a different picture. This is not the first time we have a person trying to institute sameness in the guise of unity. It is not the first time that a person that believed the ends justified the means came in to power. Consider the first SIN. Genesis 3:4-5

4The serpent said to the woman, “You most assuredly won’t die! 5For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Adam and Eve wanted to be the same as Adonai.

The people prior to the flood where all the same in behavior.

The people of the tower of Babel where all the same in purpose.

The people of Israel where oppressed in Egypt because they where not the same

The Philistines oppressed the Israelites because they where not the same

Even in more recent history we have had the Inquisition, Nazi’s, Facisim, The Bolsheviks, the Khmer Rouge, Mao Zedong’s cultural Revolution and many others are all examples of “Kings” wanting sameness and calling it unity. All of these evil kingdoms involved the oppression of people who love Adonai. All of these evil kingdoms believed the ends justified the means. They believe it does not matter what it takes or what we do to get what we want as long as we get what we want. They saw their neighbor as an obstacle instead of a person created in the image of Adonai. In a manner of speaking they justified doing evil with their heart being in the right place. They wanted a better life for them and their fellow neighbor and if their neighbor did not comply then they had to die, but it was for everyone’s benefit.

Yeshua as king teaches a different way. In his kingdom every knee bows and every tongue confesses but it is not done at the tip of the sword or the slaughtering of our children. It is done at the breaking of our hearts and with tears of joy at the sight of our hope in the flesh and forgiveness in his arms. Everyone is invited to join him. His is a kingdom of love were unity is attained through acknowledgement of his goodness.

In the Hanukkah story the few that remained loyal to Adonai triumph over evil and are able to maintain the

So as we approach the Hanukkah season and we celebrate the rededication of the temple that is our hearts, let us also celebrate the kingdom to come and dedicate ourselves to remaining steadfast in our love of Adonai even in the face of oppression.