December 16-24, 2014
"I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of
life." (John
8:12)
On the Hanukkah menorah (called a hanukkiah), the shamash
(servant candle) sits higher than the other eight candles and is used
to light them. What a wonderful representation of Yeshua, the
Light of the World, and how He gives us the "light of life," through
the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit).
The Jewish People will be lighting
their hanukkiahs (Hanukkah
menorahs) in
remembrance of the miracles that God performed
about 2,200 years ago in the Holy City of Jerusalem.
The first miracle was God's deliverance.
For many years, the Jewish People had been oppressed by the Syrian/Greeks, who desecrated the Holy Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar. They enforced idolatry and forbade Jews from reading and following the Torah.
God delivered the Jewish people through a Jewish priest named Mattathias and his sons. They led a small group of Jewish men to rise up against the 25,000 soldiers of the Syrian/Greek army.
When the Jewish priests entered the Temple to re-dedicate it and light the Menorah, only one small bottle of oil was found—enough to last one day.
Miraculously, that tiny supply of oil lasted eight full days.
This second miracle gave the priests enough time to create more sanctified oil to keep the Temple Menorah burning, as it had to remain lit 24 hours a day.
The first miracle was God's deliverance.
For many years, the Jewish People had been oppressed by the Syrian/Greeks, who desecrated the Holy Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar. They enforced idolatry and forbade Jews from reading and following the Torah.
God delivered the Jewish people through a Jewish priest named Mattathias and his sons. They led a small group of Jewish men to rise up against the 25,000 soldiers of the Syrian/Greek army.
When the Jewish priests entered the Temple to re-dedicate it and light the Menorah, only one small bottle of oil was found—enough to last one day.
Miraculously, that tiny supply of oil lasted eight full days.
This second miracle gave the priests enough time to create more sanctified oil to keep the Temple Menorah burning, as it had to remain lit 24 hours a day.
Over 100 years later, Yeshua
was at the Holy Temple on Hanukkah when He was asked
directly, "Are you the Messiah?"
"Then came the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) at Jerusalem. It was winter and Yeshua (Jesus) was in the Temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.
"The Jews gathered around Him, saying, 'How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.'” (John 10:22–24)
"Then came the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) at Jerusalem. It was winter and Yeshua (Jesus) was in the Temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.
"The Jews gathered around Him, saying, 'How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.'” (John 10:22–24)
Let us rejoice together in the miracles of
Hanukkah and the
miracles that God is doing today in our lives.
May your holiday season be illuminated with the
Light
of the World—Yeshua HaMashiach.
-Messianic Bible
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