12.20.24 ~ About Hanukkah...

Good morning!

Let's continue to unfold some more information about Hanukkah.


Some of you have heard me say 'a hundred times', or read it at least a 'dozen times', and at least once this week, that without knowing the context of a statement or an action, it's impossible to be accurate with your assessment of whatever you're assessing. Or, as my father said, 'never judge an Indian until you've walked a mile in his moccasins.' Hence, we give God the glory that Yeshua doesn't judge by what He sees or hears (Isa. 11:3,4), but He is capable of judging righteous judgment (Jn. 7:24), because He knows what is in our hearts (1 Sam. 16:7; Lk. 16:15). 


Many have debated and others accused the Jews of adding to the word with the 9-branched menorah; aka hanukkiah. Why would they do that knowing they are not supposed to add or take away from the word (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18,19)? Could there be a reason why they use a 9-branched lampstand instead of a 7-branched lamp-stand? Could it be that they are so mindful of Exodus 30 in making something that is only an imitation of the real that they stay away from it entirely? Do they see something else in Scripture that won't be found in a 'word search' but they see a principle of God's Word working through the number 7, 8 & 9 that we don't see? Do they see 'seed' thoughts out of Torah that blossom into other truths that aren't written or expressed verbatim (Lk. 8:11)?


Why would they make such a big deal about a cruise of oil that was supposed to last one day, but they claim it lasted 8 more; when we know that the purest olive oil could actually last 8 days? Are they so blind to the fact that we can read 1 and 2 Maccabees and see clearly that oil isn't emphasized like the modern story? Are they hoping we'll just follow a pagan tradition with no thought of what they are really trying to convey? Is the oil significant? Was it a real issue? Was it a real miracle? Why wasn't it mentioned? Oh my, the questions, the questions!  Is the topic of the oil pointing us to something else that the reader of that day would understand, but we in our 'Gre-brew' mindset don't? I say, definitely yes!


Whether the oil is mentioned or not, is not an essential element if it's used as something to point our attention somewhere else. The miraculous fire that burned for 8 days, in one point, is intended to point our attention back to the Shepherd Moses, one of the 7 shepherds of Haggai 5, and the miraculous fire that burned, but not from the bush...it's fuel source was from God (Ex. 3:1-4)...but there's more (details on zoom tonight). 


According to the book of Exodus, the Lord did not speak to Moses until he stopped long enough to consider what was happening with that bush and that fire (Ex. 3:3,4). It's at that point that an ordinary shepherd is called to do an extraordinary work...deliver Israel from their oppressors. It's through this event that the shepherd of sheep, who was born to the house of Levi, becomes the shepherd of people bring the people of God, out of the oppressive, Egyptian slavery (Ex. 4-12) to the mountain that burned with fire, but was not consumed, manifesting the presence of the God who is a consuming fire (Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:29) with the fiery law (Deut. 33:2) that comes from above and not below (Ex. 19; Deut. 30:2).


Hundreds of years later, another deliverer from the tribe of Levi, Matathias Maccabees, delivers the God fearing Jews from the Greeks and Hellenistic Jews. His brother, Judah Maccabees takes office as High Priest to cleanse the Temple. It's from this historic event that the modern legend of the miraculously burning fire is drawn, but its roots go back to the burning bush, where another source provided a fire that supernaturally points to the One True God. 


Unfortunately, we don't often see the perspective of the author at first blush and we draw our incomplete conclusions, of which I am too guilty! One problem that some have with Hanukkah is its similarities to pagan festivals. Hence, we find similarities and we conclude that this practice came from them, however, if we took the time to really read the settings of these stories, we would find, from a purity standpoint how the Jews did everything they could to make clear distinctions as to why they did what they did and how to repeal the appearance of the evil, pagan practices, which they were commanded not to do. And just as a side note, many, many of the commandments that God gave through Moses were very similar to the pagan rituals, but with a clear distinction to show the consecration and holiness of the command/mitzvah. 


John 10, which I've introduced you to this week, begs to ask the question: what was Yeshua doing walking in Solomon's Porch, during the Feast of Dedication/Hanukkah? Whether He was keeping the celebration or not, we do know His declaration at that time in history was significant. More on this tonight.


Happy Preparation Day and Shabbat shalom!


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