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Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
John 10: 22-24 (NIV)
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INTRODUCTION
Chanukah, known as the Festival of Dedication and Festival of Lights, is an eight-day-long celebration commemorating the rededication of the Temple after the victory over the Syrian Greeks and their attempts at assimilation.
The word means ‘dedication’, ‘consecration’, or ‘inauguration’. The rededication was more than a mere military victory. It was a spiritual victory of faith over speculative reason and humanism with all the solace, deliverance, wonders, and miracles that took place. Especially the Menorah flame miracle story that gives this celebration its signature name the Festival of Lights, and after all the prefigure of the arrival of Yeshua, the Suffering Servant that brought deliverance and salvation to all.
THE FESTIVAL OF DEDICATION
Hanukkah or rather more traditionally Chanukah is known by different names. More modernly known as the Festival of Lights, to an ancient Israelite ear it was known as the Festival of Dedication.
A festival, or holiday, that is celebrated from the 25th of Kislev to the 3rd of Tevet. Not one of the original Moedim, yet a celebration that grew in importance among the Jews and was celebrated even in Yeshua’s time. (2)
Chanukah means ‘dedication’, ‘consecration’, or ‘inauguration’. It originates from the times of the Maccabees. After three years of a bloody war against the Syrian Greeks, they finally managed to oust them from Jerusalem and began cleansing the temple that was desecrated. (3) The Hellenistic Greeks used the temple to worship their Greek Gods and sacrificed pigs. (4)
Once cleansed the temple was rededicated once more. For eight days the people brought sacrifices with joy in their hearts. (4) The rededication has been celebrated ever since as the Hanukkah festival.
This victory was not merely a military one but also a spiritual victory over the Hellenistic attempts to prohibit Jewish practices. (4) Chanukah represents the victory of faith over speculative reason and demonstrates the power of the miracle in the face of mere humanism. (3)
The temple alone is not all that was rededicated back to God. It was about people’s hearts turning back to God in true worship. No wonder Yeshua was found teaching at the temple during Chanukah. He was sent to rededicate the hearts of Israel back to Yahweh. It was during this time that He pointed out to His fellow brothers that His works and character attested to His identity as Messiah. His actions were a sign for themselves of who He was.
Also, the Hebrew spelling of Hanukkah serves as a mnemonic device, reminding us that the date of the holiday is the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev, as represented by the last two Hebrew letters of the holiday, which are equivalent to 25 in the Hebrew alphanumeric system. (3, 4)
THEY RESTED
The first three letters of the Hebrew word Chanukah spell out the word chanu, which means ‘they rested’. According to the Bible, rest can mean multiple things. It can depict a cessation of war, rest from slavery, or even marriage, as can be seen in the book of Ruth, among other meanings.
Rest is ultimately what the Maccabees received after they won the war against the Greeks. Finally, they were allowed to worship their God appropriately in peace once more. (3)
THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Where there seems to be no way, God makes a way—a saying many of us know only by head knowledge and few experience through heart knowledge. But according to some ancient texts, that was not the case with the Maccabees and the people of Israel, who rededicated the temple back to God.
The light was never to go out in the Temple per the Law of God. Yet Israel found themselves in a predicament. The meager portion of non-defiled oil remaining would last them only a day. Miraculously it lasted all eight days necessary to prepare a new batch of non-desecrated oil.
The story is not mentioned in the accounts of the Maccabees but appears later on in Jewish texts, so some question its authenticity.
Either way, the Jews in response to this miracle light candles during Hanukkah starting with one on day 1 to eight on Day 8, giving the celebration its signature name Festival of Lights.
HANUKKAH AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
One Hasidic text suggests that the light of Hanukkah is a foretaste of the light of the Messiah and is meant to educate us for our eventual redemption. (3)
Our redemption has already arrived in the shape and form of our Savior Yeshua. He is the one who managed to turn our hearts back to God. Through His sacrifice, we have been restored to God; through His grace, we are empowered to overcome the world and be obedient.
Certain Jewish ancient elders claim that the word Messiah (Mashiach; מָשִׁיחַ), may be an acronym for “we light throughout the eight days of Chanukah”.
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The central lamp of the Chanukah Menorah is called the shamash meaning ‘Servant’. It is the original flame that kindles all others. (2)
All the deliverance, miracles, solace, and wonders the Jews suffered at the time might have been a prefigure to the deliverance of the Suffering Servant, The Light of the World, Yeshua Messiah according to some. (2)
I want to point out one more theory. Yeshua has been theorized to have been born at the beginning of Sukkoth, not in December (6). As such, His conception would have occurred during or at least around the Festival of Lights.
There are debates if Yeshua observed Chanukah or not; but what really matters at the end of the day is that He was at the temple teaching and guiding people back to the Source of all, The Light Above All - The God Almighty.
And at the end of the day, He is our Ultimate Shamash, The Light of the World, Yeshua Messiah. He shines with the Ultimate Light which enables us to shine ever so brightly to the world with our sacrificing love to the outside darkened world.
I will add though, that in my opinion, Chanukah is not a holiday that must be observed as the Moedim. To all those who have joined the festivities;
HANUKKAH SAMEACH!
CONCLUSION
Hannukkah is an eight-day Jewish celebration that spans from the 25th of Kislev to the 3rd of Tetev each year. It dates back to the time of the Maccabees, who, after claiming victory over the Syrian Greeks, rededicated themselves and the Temple back to God. Once more, they turned their hearts to God in faith in the face of all the miracles and wonders performed during those times. One such miracle was the story of the Menorah flame remaining kindled despite the lack of non-defiled oil until a new batch was prepared.
All was a prefigure to a greater light coming, the Light of the World who came in the shape of Yeshua Messiah. The Suffering Servant who delivered us all. Our Ultimate Shamash that enables us to shine forth and bring light to this darkened world.
Application
Dear Heavenly Father as we feast and make merry during this Hanukkah season, we come to you with a simple request. Fill our cups until they overflow. Any of us who need a change of oil, let the oil be changed and a new batch poured upon us in the name of Yeshua Messiah.
SOURCES
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John J. Parsons: The Festival of Chanukah. Hebrew for Christians. Available at https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Winter_Holidays/Chanukah/chanukah.html
My Jewish Learning. What is the meaning of Hanukkah? Available at https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/what-is-the-meaning-of-hanukkah/
Shoshana Kordova: The Little-known Meaning of the Word Hanukkah. Dec 25, 2024. Available at https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-12-25/ty-article/hanukkah-what-does-it-mean-anyway/0000017f-da7a-dc0c-afff-db7b2b470000
Image created via canva.com.
Steve Heimbichner. Feast of Tabernacles: The Birth of a King – Prayer Call Replay, Sept. 30th, 2023. Available at https://craighill.org/feast-of-tabernacles-the-birth-of-a-king-prayer-call-replay-sept-30th-2023/
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