On some level most people know the story of Chanukah.

Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Biblical calendar and lasts for eight days. Chanukah is a Hebrew word that means “dedication.” This Feast is celebrated in memory of the rededication of the Temple unto God, after the miraculous victory of the small Maccabee army over the mighty forces of the Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes,

Antiochus forbid circumcision, Sabbath observance, Torah studies etc, with punishment of death. Greek culture was introduced in Jerusalem and the Temple was desecrated as Antiochus slaughtered a pig on the altar of God, and brought the blood of the pig into the Holy of Holies.

One priestly father and his five sons decided to go against the ungodly decrees, and obey God’s Word rather than man. It started an insurrection that eventually completely overthrew Antiochus and all of his forces.

The story goes on to tell that although they only found enough oil to light the eternal light for one day it lasted for 8 days so they could make enough oil to have the light stay on continually.

The holiday today has become a time of gift giving probably in competition with Christmas. The story is told as a historic celebration of a war won. Interestingly enough, that war was won on the same hill that the Arabs fled during the famous “Six Day” war because they saw so many tanks that they felt they would be defeated. Truth is, there were no tanks. A modern-day Miracle!

So what has it to do with today’s followers of Christ. It’s a Jewish thing right? Well maybe not. Maybe we have just been misinformed. Let’s look.

Looking at the clues God gave us in the Word we can see that Chanukah the season called the “Festival of Lights” today and the “Feast of Dedication” (John 10:22) in Bible times is very possibly the time that Yeshua was conceived.
(John 10:

[22] At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; [23] it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon).

Here are the clues:

The birth of John is a Key
First Chronicles tells us the Levitical priesthood was divided into 12 divisions. Josephus
( historian) tell us that each division served for one week starting at Nisan and all 24,000 priests served during the Spring Feasts of Passover, Pentecost( Shavuot) and Tabernacles(Sukkot)
Luke 1:5 tells us John’s father Zechariah was in the division of Aviyah. His term began early spring. The following weeks started the Spring Feasts so he would have served through that time.
Luke 1:23 tells us he finished his Temple duties and returned home and Elizabeth conceived shortly after his return.
Gabriel’s announcement is also a clue
Gabriel tells Mary that Elizabeth is in her sixth month.

We know that Yeshua was conceived when Mary went to visit because the baby in Elizabeth’s womb recognized Yeshua . This puts Mary’s conception at the end of Kislev during the Chanukah season.
Interesting thought that the Light of the World was brought into the world during the
Festival of Lights and Mary was dedicated for that purpose during the Feast of Dedication.

I would really like to call it the Feast of Re-dedication because that is what the Maccabees did. They cleaned and re-dedicated the temple. They preserved the Jewish line. Had they not fought to do so would there have been a cancellation of God’ s plan to bring Yeshua through the lineage of the people group He created through Abraham?
Remember Abraham was a pagan and God called him out to be the Father of the Hebrews through which He promised to bless the world.

[12:1] Now the LORD said to Abram,“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;[2] And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
[3] And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Satan has been trying to make God out to be a liar since the Garden of Eden. Every attempt to wipe out the lineage of God’s Chosen People is the continuation of His delusion that he can be greater than God.

What was the importance of the Eternal Light that today is central in its celebration?

My studies have shown me that eternal light was actually to represent the Menorah that was in the Tabernacle. A seven branched lamp stand, that God told Moses to recreate exactly as he saw in heaven. It is a picture of Heaven’s Worship. It was the only light in the Tabernacle. It shown on the show bread, which is called the bread of His presence. It is a picture of Yeshua and the Church, Yeshua being the center shaft and the six lights coming from that center as representing man. The Menorah is one piece of beaten gold. The true unity of His bride embracing the work of the Holy Spirit being molded together as one in purity. It is a symbol of Heaven touching earth.

This is the season of rededication. We are now the Temple of His presence. We are the only light in this world which Yeshua can shine through. Should we not re- think the mind set that Chanukah is just a Jewish Celebration? It is a true celebration of the entry of our King of Kings to this planet and a time for us to be re-dedicated to His purposes here.

Choose to be His light so we can be like the Menorah in the tabernacle. Let our light so shine before men so that others may see Jesus in us and receive the bread of life, Yeshua.

Happy Holidays !!!!