Hanukkah (4)

The Hannukah story

Hanukkah means dedication.

not the Jewish alternative to Christmas.

This holiday commemorates an incredible event about 2500 years ago .

It is a story of incredible faithfulness to God and of awesome courage.

It is also a story of re-dedication of a defiled Temple.

Hanukkah is a time to rededicate and celebrate.

Hanukkah and Christmas (Messiahmas) Connections

· Both winter holidays, in December

· Both on the 25thof the month

· December and Kislev

· Both are associated with lights

· Both are associated with gift-giving

Yeshua celebrated Hanukkah

John 10:22-23 22 And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Yeshua (Jesus) walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Tanakh as it took place during the 400 silent years.

The Hanukkah story is recorded in historical books called “The Maccabees” and the works of Josephus.

The Hanukkah story begins with Alexander the Great and his world conquest in the 4th century B.C.

His forced the world to Greek language, religion, customs, and philosophy. Greek education become an international standard.

Alexander conquered the whole known world by the age of 32.

Many Jews turned from God and accepted the Greek Culture.

It’s a mistake to turn from God towards any Culture that opposes The Lord. Like America

Prophesy Fulfilled (Daniel 8:5-7)

5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. 8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

One of Alexander's generals took the area of what became Syria.

The ruler that came into power of that area several generations later was Antiochus

. Antiochus was Crazy and declared himself "Epiphanes", which means “god manifest in Greek.”

He believed that he was divine, that he was god

.

He had many statues of himself and he ordered the people to worship them. Bow down when they passed them

He placed one in the Temple. Then he ordered Jerusalem to be destroyed.

Houses were burned, the walls of the city broken down, and thousands of people were killed or sold into slavery.

Then he attacked the Holy Temple In Jerusalem.

Syrian soldiers destroyed the porches and gates.

They stripped the Temple of its golden vessels and treasures, including the incense altar, the table and the menorah.

. On the birthday of Zeus, Antiochus offered a pig on the altar in the Temple.

He then sprinkled its blood in the Holy of Holies and poured the blood over the holy scrolls; which he cut to pieces and burned.

The Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies had been desecrated and defiled seemingly beyond repair.

Antiochus erected an idol of Zeus on the Holy Altar. The Temple was converted to a shrine to Zeus and only pigs were permitted for sacrifice.

ZEUS (Zūs)

Greek god of the sky; ruler over all the gods.

His worshipers believed all the weather were under his control.

The worship of Zeus was very prevalent throughout the Roman Empire during the first century.

Barnabas was mistaken for Zeus by the people of Lystra after Paul healed a cripple (Acts 14:8-12). 8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

Antiochus' wanted to abolish every trace of the Jewish religion and people.

He forbid circumcision, Sabbath observance, kosher diets and the study of Torah.

Those who didn’t obey were killed.

Many obeyed the new laws. They forsook God to save their own lives.

Others continued to serve the Lord and were severely punished.

. 167 b.c. Mattathias and his sons were living in the mountains. They were a priestly family from the line of Aaron.

The Priest Mattathias would not compromise. Before he died, his son Judah took over.

Judah and his freedom fighters were called the Maccabees. .

Maccabee means hammer because they were said to strike hammer blows against their enemies.

Within three years, these warriors miraculously recaptured Jerusalem and the Temple

these fighters were Farmers, laborers and servants

In battle after battle a few overpowered many. The weak beat the strong thru the Power of God

. When we stand for God's Word no matter how hard it may seem , God will see us through.

This small army of freedom fighterstrusted God and defeated the Massive Syrian Army and regained control of Jerusalem.

The temple was in darkness and there was pigs blood everywhere. Just about everything was destroyed.

They found only one small cup of oil, just enough to light the holy lamps one day. They decided to light them anyway. To everyone's amazement the menorah miraculously burned for eight days until new oil could be made!

. The altar was torn down and rebuilt.

The Temple was restored and new vessels were crafted.

The Temple courts were consecrated. The altar of incense and the table was returned to the Temple. They burnt the incense on the altar, put the shewbread on the table, and hung the curtains.

They prepared the Holy of Holies for Gods presence. It was decreed that the rededication of the altar should be observed with joy at the same season each year for eight days.

Hanukkah teaches us to stand and be of good courage. Do not compromise. We can overcome with God.

If God be for you who can be against you!

Two great Miracles

Miracle One - The Preservation Of The Jewish People

• Israel would Have lost its Identity

• Our Jewish people would have been destroyed

• There would have been no Jewish community for Y’shua (Jesus) to Be Born Into.

• The Messiah had to enter the Temple

• Malachi 3:1 - Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Miracle Two The Miracle Of Light

• The Menorah lights were put out.

• The Maccabees only found enough oil to last for one day.

• The Temple had to be cleansed to rededicate the Temple.

The Candle had to stay lit for 8 days to cleanse the Temple and it did! The Altar was torn down and rebuilt.

Yeshua Declared He was The Light of the World

John 8:12 - 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Hanukkah made the Miracle of the Messiah possible!

Without Hanukkah there would be no Messiahmas. If the Syrians had been successful in destroying the Jewish people there would be no Messiah.

if the Temple was not recaptured the offering system could not continue and it would have been devastating

Leviticus 17:11

The Bible predicted that the Messiah would have to enter the temple. Therefore the temple had to be standing when Yeshua entered Jerusalem