My grandson Evan fashioned this ‘Hanukkah House’ from cookies, icing and a lot of glue! No one will be eating this house!
John 10:22-23
Now it was the feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do you keep us in doubt? If you ar ethe Christ, tell us plainly.”
I never used to like to use the greeting; ‘Happy Holiday’s’. It seemed to be too ambiguous for me. I like Merry Christmas or Happy New Year. I was not considering the fact that before Christmas is an important holiday that we often overlook! The festival of Hanukkah!
Now Hanukkah is not a ‘high holy’ day as some other Jewish festivals are. It is still a holiday worth our attention as John referred to it in John Chapter 10 and Jesus celebrated the feast. Hanukkah is also referred to as the ‘Feast of Dedication’ in the Bible. Today people often refer to this festival as the ‘Festival of Lights’. Either way, let’s explore what this feast is remembering.
If you recall, the Jews often celebrated days of significant meaning to their history. This feast is no different.
This celebration commemorates the Purification of the Temple in 165 BC. After the Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanes defiled the Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and pouring the blood on the Scripture scrolls, (GROSS). The Maccabees (a group of Jews that revolted against the Seleucids) became victorious over defeating the king, with God’s help. It was a miracle of deliverance!
It is referred to as the Festival of Lights because of the legendary miraculous provision of oil for the light in the Temple. After cleansing the temple, the supply of oil to relight the eternal flame, (the symbol of God’s presence) was only enough for that day. But God performed a miracle and the flame burned for the eight days necessary to purify new oil.
Today the ‘Festival of Lights’ is a family celebration that centers around the lighting of a nine-candle menorah. Each night another candle is lit with the center candle called the ‘shammash’, or servant candle. Holiday foods include latkes (potato pancakes) and donuts fried in oil. The oil reminds all of the miracle of the oil that lasted 8 days when there was only enough for one!.
It may be that because Hanukkah falls so close to Christmas that the custom of gift giving began. A gift is given each of the 8 nights of Hanukkah when the next candle of the Menorah is lit. Children will play a ‘dreidel’ game with a top reminding them of the great miracle of God’s deliverance from the Greeks.
This year the Hanukkah festival begins on the evening of the 18th of December. It will last for eight days, and I will be lighting my little Menorah as I remember the continuous blessings God provides for us-even today.
I have come to have a deep appreciation for these celebrations and Holy Feasts as our Savior would have celebrated them through His years here on earth. Each one reminds us again of God’s provision for His chosen people, and remember, we also were grafted into that vine and have been CHOSEN!
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