Introduction

Let’s consider the celebration of the Feast of Hanukkah.   Although this is not one of the Levitical feasts, it is an important time in the Jewish year and important for us as Christians also I believe.   Jesus himself was inJerusalem to celebrate it.  “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.”  John 10: 22, 23   In fact this is the only direct reference to this feast in the scriptures, although the historical events that comprise it are prophesied in Daniel (8: 1-12 and 11: 32-33) with exacting accuracy.   On this night before the beginning of the feast I want to give a little historical background, especially for those of you not familiar with how this festival came about.

 Hanukkah – it means dedication and the festival celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the Greek ruler Antiochus IV about 164 BC. But our question is:  what does dedication mean to us as believers?  As I have wondered why it would happen that I would begin a Jewish roots teaching at this time of the Biblical year, it seemed to me that it was because of the call of God at this time for Christian believers, both individually and corporately, to re-dedicate their lives in the sense of returning to some of God’s ancient paths and looking at what it means to “make all things according to the pattern” in our lives.  Where are we in God’s eyes?  How does He see our temples?  When He looks at the Christian church does he see the temple of God that he envisioned?  If not, how would He have us change?  These are the questions that I know burn in my heart and the hearts of many others I have talked with.

 As I discuss some of these things in the light of this festival that is all about cleansing and re-dedicating a desecrated temple, please keep two things in mind.  We all know that when God regards us individually He loves us regardless of how far off track we have gotten in our lives.  And when He looks at the church, we know that he enjoys much diversity within the pattern of unity that he has set forth for our corporate life.  So be sure that I am advocating neither judgmentalism nor legalism as we look at God’s biblical patterns and examine how far we may have strayed from these and need correction.  God only longs to lovingly set us on his paths so that we might walk more closely with him.  For those new to the concept of “Jewish roots” or Hebraic heritage there may be new ideas here that will challenge.  For those who already have some idea of this concept, I hope you will also be challenged at some level.   So let us now begin with some basic history!

The History and Traditions of the Feast of Hanukkah

The events of Hanukkah took place in the period of time between the writing of the two testaments.  During this time history did not stop, and many forces were affecting the Jewish people.  Alexander the Great had conquered the known world, including of course the little province of Judea, and began the spread of the Hellenistic culture throughout his kingdom.  Upon his premature death his empire was divided among four of his generals.  Egypt was governed by the Ptolemies while the Seleucids gained control of Syria and the surrounding area.  The two vied for control of the tiny, but strategically placed Judea.   Around 167 B.C.E. Antiochus IV, the Seleucid ruler succeeded in wresting control of Judea from the Ptolemies.  At first this seemed like a liberation to the Jewish people as Antiochus ruled for several years with seeming benevolence.

 However Antiochus soon moved from promoting syncretism (a blending of the culture of Hellenism with the culture and religion of other peoples) to a campaign of forcing all of his subject areas to assimilate into Hellenism.  Many of the ruling elite of the Jewish people did not object as they saw ways to capitalize politically and economically from this accommodation.   However those devoted to the worship of the true God viewed this with alarm and realized it was an attack on the very foundation of Jewish life with its devotion to the true and living God.  As these Jews resisted, Antiochus became more and more hostile and decreed that those Jews who would not give up their ways (Sabbath, circumcision, kosher laws, reading of Torah scrolls) would be tortured and killed. 

The following were some very dark days for Israel as those who stood for God and his ways were brutally tortured and killed.  In a frenzy of satanic hatred Antiochus took over and desecrated the Temple.  He defiled and destroyed many parts of God’s sanctuary and its articles, including the golden menorah.  He then erected a statue of Zeus and sacrificed a pig on the altar as a final desecration.  The Temple was turned into a shrine for Zeus complete with temple prostitutes.   Jews were ordered to sacrifice pigs and eat the meat, an abomination to them.  At the same time Jerusalem itself was also attacked and many thousands killed or sold into slavery.  

But God was not about to let his people down.  One day Syrian troops entered the town of Modi’in in order to enforce the assimilation policy.  Erecting an altar they chose an old godly priest named Mattathias and ordered him to sacrifice the swine in a pagan ceremony.   Outraged, Mattathias and his five sons rose up in holy indignation and killed the soldiers, pulled down the altar, then fled for the hills with others of the faithful, knowing that retribution was sure.    From the hills and caves of Judea they launched out in guerrilla warfare against the Syrians.  Others joined them and the revolt grew.  Mattathias died within the year and leadership passed to his son, Judah, a military genius who earned the nickname Maccabee, believed to be from the Hebrew word meaning hammer.  Finally in the Hebrew month of Kislev (roughly our December) they were able to meet the enemy in open battle and retake the city of Jerusalem and the Temple mount. 

The Temple was in shambles and it took much work to cleanse and restore it and the holy furnishings.  Of especial interest was restoring the menorah with its eternal light symbolizing the light of God with the Jewish people.  Finally on the 25^th of Kislev in 165 B.C.E. they were ready to rededicate the defiled Temple.  The lamps on the menorah were lit.

Tradition says that a miracle happened in the lighting of the menorah.  According to this tradition only one flask of properly sanctified oil could be found.  This was only a one day supply.  Seven days were required for purification of the altar before sacrifices could resume and it would take seven days just to prepare more consecrated oil for the lamp.  They decided it was better to light the menorah anyway so that the light of God could shine forth immediately.  However, the lamps continued to burn for seven more days allowing the rededication to go forward.  As Dr. John Garr says in his book God’s Lamp, Man’s Light, “This was a witness to God’s acceptance of his people’s dedication and sacrifice both to achieve the victory over pagan forces and to restore his sanctuary to a state of ritual purity.  It was a graphic demonstration to the Jewish people that God’s approval was instant and evident upon their dedication.”  (p. 131)

This celebration of the tradition of the miracle of the oil supply is what has become the central figure of the Hanukkah festival.  The Hanukkah menorah (hanukkiyah) has nine branches, eight for the eight days of light necessary for dedication and a ninth branch, usually central and slightly higher than the others, which is called the shamash which means servant in Hebrew.  The shamash is lit first and then used to kindle the others.  One candle is lit the first night, two the second and so on.  Traditionally the candles are set into the hanukkiyah from right to left, but lit from left to right (now you know the nitty gritty!).   One year I fashioned a simple hanukkiyah by drilling nine holes in a small length of wood and using birthday candles.  So if you don’t have one and would like to participate this year, you could fashion one in some simple way.  Usually the menorah is lit after dark followed by a festive meal and some fun singing and games. There are traditional blessings to be said with the lighting.

Lighting the lights of Hanukkah – The Blessings

Traditionally this is done just after sundown and the following prayers (really blessings) are recited as the candles are lit:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has set us apart by your commandments and commanded us to kindle the light of Hanukkah.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has done miracles for our fathers in those days (or in days of old) at this season.

And on the first day only:

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.

Following the lighting this Hallalu can be recited:

We kindle these lights (to commemorate) the saving acts, miracles and wonders which You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, through Your holy priests (kohanim).  Throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to look at them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, for Your wonders and for Your salvations.

This Song of Praise brings up another of the traditions.  The lit menorah was was not to be used in any utilitarian way, but was to be placed where others could see it – perhaps an entrance or window – in order that it would testify to the faithfulness of our God and His miracles.  There it can remind others of the holiday and the redemption and perhaps draw them back to God.  Followers of Messiah can easily see many parallels to Yeshua (Jesus) as the light of the world.  The blessings and praise songs can easily be expanded to include our faith in Yeshua.  Enjoy this celebration from your heart and give praise to the God who preserved his people Israel so that the whole world could have redemption through Yeshua

-Sarah McIlvaine (2008)