12.23.24 ~ Deeper Dedication

Good morning!

Hanukkah/the feast of dedication, as with many other topics, is like a multifaceted diamond. One 'diamond' with multiple facets. Like life, we can become consumed with a myopic perspective on just about any topic (spiritually, emotionally, relationally, politically, financially, etc). Hence, because of this myopic phenomenon of restricted vision, in the religious realm there are at least 42,000 different denominations all claiming the same God and all claiming to be correct.

Over the past week we have taken a biblical and historical look at John 10, Haggai 2, Exodus 29, Psalm 30, etc...all dealing with the Feast of Dedication/Hanukkah, which corresponds with distinction with Christmas (Dec. 25). Scripture is full of Hanukkah/dedication! 7 are worthy of mentioning to help us gain a larger grasp on this topic.

The first mention of the word hanukkah, meaning dedication, is found in Numbers 7, when the Tabernacle altar was dedicated in the wilderness and celebrated by Moses, Aaron and the Princes of Israel. The second is found with the grandest of them all, Solomon's Temple (2 Chron. 7; 2 Macc. 2:9-12). Later, after the Babylonian captivity, the wall of Jerusalem was Hanukkah'd in the month of Adar (Ezr. 6:16; Neh. 12:27). Not long after this was the Maccabean story that we've been highlighting small gleanings from. The rest of the Hanukkah's are prophetic. There will be a desecration with a future anti-messiah (Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:4; Dan. 9:7), which will be followed by a dedication. There will be the building of Ezekiel's Temple (whether physical or spiritual...we'll see one day :-) and it will be Hanukkah'd (Eze. 43:26) and there will be a day when the Temple will not be like any other we've ever known (Rev. 21:22).

I've encouraged you to read, at minimum, the first five chapters of 1 Maccabees to get a historical perspective on  the challenges during the days of the Maccabean revolt and how they were much more difficult than they are for us here in the USA. For some of the persecuted nations around the world, however, history is repeating itself and it will come here to the United States. Without a doubt, the four hundred years between the book of Malachi and Matthew were barbaric.

During the times of the Grecian Empire, there were two kinds of people: those who sold out their faith (1 Mac. 1:11-15;43-53; 2:18) and those who were strong with their knowledge of God's Word intellectually and practically; they knew the Torah inside and out and wouldn't compromise one iota to the plans of Antiochus Epiphanes, the mad man/Epimanes (1 Mac. 1:41). It was the devoted individuals who refused to submit to his antichrist ways. Consequently, they were singled out and were the ones appointed for death (1:50, 57-58, 60-63; Rev. 12:11, 17; 14:12; Heb. 11:32-38).

What did one group know that the other didn't? Were they just afraid of men and death (1 Sam. 15:24; Heb. 2:15)? Or did one group fear God more than men (Acts 4:19; 5:29; Gal. 1:10)? This morning I want to have you consider the last group. What do you think they understood? Do you think they knew God's instructions/Torah as well as we do? Do you think they knew TaNaKh (an Acronym for Torah, Prophets, & the Writings, 39 books we call the Old Testament) as well as us? Do you think they understood Daniel's prophecy regarding Persia who was conquering the world? Do you think they knew the stories of the Patriarchs and Prophets as well as us? The Calendar? The Feasts? Temple Sacrifices? Blessings and curses? Sobering questions.

Antiochus attacked specific areas of belief and practice. He polluted the sanctuary and anything that had to do with any of the offerings (1 Mac. 1:21-23). He sought to turn their feasts into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, her honor into contempt (1 Mac. 1:39-40). He demanded that they leave the observance of the Torah and agree to the commandment of the king and his strange laws; substituting the counterfeit for the real (1 Mac. 1:42-43).

The first group, mentioned above, consented to idolatrous practices, pagan sacrifices, profaning the sabbath, stopped offering burnt offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings in the temple. They polluted the sanctuary and the set-apart people by setting up altars, groves and chapels of idols and sacrificed swine's flesh and unclean beasts. They stopped circumcising their children, profaning their souls and making themselves unclean. Their actions ultimately lead to purposefully forgetting (stopped practicing) the Torah and changing the ordinances (1 Mac. 1:43-49).

Mattathias and ultimately Judah, along with their families refused to cower to the governmental demands of Antiochus. They refused to step away from the faith of their fathers (1 Mac. 2:19-20). Their fear of God was so great they refused to forsake the covenant of their fathers, the law and the ordinances (1 Mac. 2:21). They refused to turn to the right hand or the left (1 Mac. 2:22). And all who held to that position, followed Mattathias (1 Mac. 2:27-31). They lived with the reality that heaven and earth would declare their innocence and their devotion to God's Word and His ways (1 Mac. 2:37). As a result, they fought valiantly to tear down the desecrated altar. They circumcised the uncircumcised. They didn't allow sinners to win the victory and they recovered the Torah out of the hands of the Gentiles (1 Mac. 2:45-48).

Mattathias implored his sons to be like faithful and righteous Abraham; like Joseph who kept the commandments during times of distress; like zealous Phinehas who obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; like Joshua who was made a judge in Israel; like Caleb who stood up against all odds before the people and inherited the Land; like merciful David who possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom; like Elijah who was zealous and fervent for the law was taken into heaven; like the 3 boys saved out of the fiery furnace; like Daniel who was delivered out of the mouth of lions and all those who aren't mentioned who God showed Himself true (1 Mac. 2: 50-61). And by their dependence upon God in the battles, the enemy quaked in their boots (1 Mac. 3:1-19).

Knowing what they know and living as they lived, did they know something about rededicating the altar in the winter time, without breaking a commandment, that we don't know? Could this be a time in our lives to hanukkah/dedicate our lives to a deeper level of consecration?

If you've read this far...I'd say the answer is yes!

Happy 2nd day of the week!

Shalom!