12 22 25 – Rearview Mirror

Hanukkah—the Feast of Dedication—where Yeshua declares Himself as the Good Shepherd during this December season (Jn. 10:22, 26–28). Now, it is officially in the rearview mirror. The question is, regardless of your perspective on a holiday like this, will you continue to live your life dedicated? Will you let your light shine in the midst of an ever increasingly dark society? The answer that just flashed through your mind was, "Yes, I will!" 

With hindsight, what if there are hints to this non-moedim holiday throughout the Tanakh (the Old Testament: Torah, Nevi'im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings like Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Psalms, etc.)? What if these hints occurred long before the Maccabean zealotry began? What if there is a prophetic significance to the date associated with the winter solstice? It stands to reason that from the God who declares the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10), and since God is the maker of heaven and earth and all that is therein, He would give us something that would hint to a life of dedication—Hanukkah. What if Hanukkah isn't only a Jewish celebration, but one that should be—and, prophetically, is intimated closely with—the Gentiles? Ah, so many questions!

Very few individuals would doubt that Yeshua is the three-faceted Shepherd who will regather the flock that is and the flock that is not, until they all become one (echad) (Isa. 40:11; Eze. 34:13–23; 37:22–24; Mic. 5:4; etc.). Please take the time to look up these verses and contemplate their reality here on the second day of the week, 12/22/2025 :-).

Hence, Yeshua's statement to Peter after His resurrection: "Do you love Me?" three times, followed by the language "pasture and shepherd the lambs and sheep" (John 21:14–17). Prior to this conversation, we see Yeshua addressing the issue of shepherding in John 10:1–30, at the time of the Feast of Dedication—Hanukkah (John 10:22)—and the focus of His ministry toward the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Jer. 50:6; Matt. 10:6; 15:24).

The Jews of Yeshua's day were very savvy about the one Shepherd and one flock (Eze. 36:33–38), but they were not too keen on including the sheep that were exiled into the nations—namely, the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" and those who would identify with Messiah from the pagan nations (that's us :-). Why not? Take into consideration the lost sheep's dispersion, the bloody conquest by idolatrous Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome—that didn't leave much time to consider people outside themselves. I don't blame them, honestly. This is, in part, one of the reasons why Yeshua never associated with the Roman government (John 18:35–37); He had bigger fish to fry and a bigger plan to implement (Acts 1:6–8).

The commission of Peter and the other disciples, including you and me—followers of Yeshua—is to shepherd both lambs and sheep by leading and feeding flocks of men to a covenant relationship with the Most High God, the Stone of Israel (Gen. 49:24). This is to be done in such a way that all the sheep, young and old, can rest in one fold. Lambs are attached to mama for processed nourishment, and sheep have matured and are independent from mama because they can process food themselves. Both still need a shepherd, as the Tanakh and Apostolic writings (the New Testament) clearly reveal.

It is this identity of the Shepherd that links the work of Messiah and the festival of Hanukkah, which in tradition carries the expectation of Micah's prophesied seven shepherds who defeat the enemies of Israel. Zechariah adds that the plan is not just about gathering men into one flock, but it is also about kicking hiney on the enemy. This helps us understand why Yeshua did not call down the armies of heaven to defeat the Romans.

Zechariah also helps us understand why Hanukkah is vital to the goal of gathering sheep who know the Great Shepherd's voice. Add in prophetic utterances from Haggai, and we begin to see that prophetically, Hanukkah is equally important to the Jew as to the non-Jew. When Yeshua was challenged to reveal His identity at the Feast of Dedication, His answer could not have addressed the question more poignantly for that Jewish audience—regarding the seventh Shepherd who would defeat the Evil One (Mic. 5:5–8). Both question and answer are directly embedded into Hanukkah.

This is not just a topic for the believing or unbelieving Jew of Yeshua's time, but for anyone who claims to hear His voice (Jn. 10:28). To understand Hanukkah is to understand the role of the Shepherd: the Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:10), the Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20), and the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4). Winter is a very significant time for hearing the voice of the Shepherd. Those who hear His voice will follow, and those—as in Yeshua's day—who claimed to be of His flock but were not, will not. Pray that your flight will not be on the Sabbath or in winter (Matt. 24:20).

Have an amazing shalom-filled day!

Alan

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