Lighting Little Candles - Hanukkah

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Jesus Is Love - God Is Love - Jesus Is God

So, I being a "eager beaver" or a "bird brain" thought I would breeze through writing a snappy article about Hanukkah... you know that simple little holiday Jewish people do around Christmas time. It goes on for 12 or so days and they give gifts to their children so they don't feel so left out during Christmas time, or so I thought. Yes, it has been around a lot longer than Kwanza (something I NEVER heard of until 10 years or so) but isn't it about lights and gifts and having your own holiday, too.

Well, back to Hanukkah, the candle lighting holiday. God always has a sense of humor when we think we know all about something and we can be sure if we are His child He is getting ready to feed us a little humble pie.

Thank God, I love to research, dig, and uncover the first original documentation to be most accurate as possible in my writing. I know I will make errors in writing but I want to the best of my ability to try to be factual. Last year, I put "truth-teller" on my business card under what I was/do.  This year, I adjusted one of my titles to self-proclaimed "historian"! I am not sure which is worse.

Anyway, I read, read, read, read, read and felt I was drowning in Hanukkah history and stories. Who would know different stories floated around?

One emphasized freedom-fighting sons of a Levite priest who would not allow sacrifices on an altar in a little town called Modin in the hills from Jerusalem. His five sons were warriors, trained to fight in combat, and who overcome the letter of the law of not fighting on the Sabath which was being used against them in the worst slaughters by the torrential wicked King of Syria AntichousIV (Who renamed himself Antichious The Great One while the people called him Antichous the madman) the occupying ruler of Palestine during 160BC.

This version of Hanukkah says after this victory and the temple in Jerusalem was cleansed, a re-dedication of the temple was observed for eight days which was the usual time of the popular Sukkot feast missed over the reign of King Antichous. The people rejoiced the victory of Maccabees to regain their religious and political freedom (the name meaning "hammer" given to Judah the priest son who lead the rebellion - also the reason for the years of fighting to be called The Macebees Revolt).

The other version of Hanukkah focuses on the "miracle oil" the tradition passed down orally and written in 300 AD in the Talumet, Jewish history and views recorded in a book. This story tells about how at the rededication by  Macabees of the Temple only one day's amount of oil was found. With the rededication taking 8 days, and it also taking 8 days to make new oil, God miraculously multiplied the oil to last the entire eight days.

While both are wonderful godly reasons to remember the days of The Feast of Dedication, it can be complicated and confusing for someone like me so new to Hanukkah to figure out what this holiday is all about.

9/11 was an Attack Against God

Today Most Jews and particularly Messianic Jews (even some Christians) celebrate Hanukkah as the remembrance of the miracle oil. It would probably be a great addition and balance to always recall the Maccabean Revolt victory for religious freedom. Throughout  time haters of God, led by Satan have tried to snuff out His chosen people. The thought is if people who believe in God are killed than God will no longer be! Which is a total flaw in logical and truthful thinking. Believing in God doesn't make God any more real than believing in gravity creates gravity real.

Christian share greatly with the suffering and persecution, particularly around the world in communistic and Muslim countries. Jesus was hated, killed, but not murdered... He laid down His own life for the love of all people to be reconciled to the One True God, I AM. Jesus is God's Son, the one and only Messiah of God, and the only Begotten One True God. Jesus is also the stumbling block for most to coming to God through God's only provided way to know Him personally.

All people need to be respected and cherished. No prejudice can be tolerated in God's Kingdom and His Church. God is not a respector of persons.  He chose to teach us about His love and desire to be our God through the Jewish people, but it was never to stop with the Jews. God always desired Abraham to be blessed so he could be a blessing to all Nations. People of all Nation can be adopted and grafted into the family of Abraham by God through belief in Jesus as the Messiah.

Jesus Lights The Way to Father God

This winter, no matter if you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza or a combination of any, look to the one true God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, who can become your personal Lord through believing in Jesus as His Son, the Lord and the Messiah! We all have a great reason to celebrate Jesus in this winter season! Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year in 2011!!!

Love, Lindy