Chanukah - Feast of Dedication

by Jesma O'Hara

This is not a biblical feast although it is mentioned in the New Testament as the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22-23).

I have included it in this series because it commemorations the victory of faith in the one true God over Hellenistic humanistic thought and culture and therefore it is very important to Christians.

In the 4th century BC Alexander the Great conquered Israel (Daniel 8:21-22). He had a dream to unite the known world and see it embrace the Greek Hellenistic culture. He did not live to see his dream fulfilled however and after his death at the age of thirty, his empire was split amongst his four generals, with Israel coming under the control of the Seleucids.

In 167 BC Antiochus Epiphanes (God Manifest), a Syrian, was in control and tried to force the people to embrace Hellenism. Keeping the Sabbath and circumcision were outlawed and the worship of Greek gods replaced the worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Temple sacrifice was abolished and Antiochus set up a statue of Zeus and sacrificed a pig in the temple. Gymnasiums were built where the athletes competed naked and there was a great emphasis on beauty and strength.

Parents began to give their children Greek names instead of Hebrew ones and art and culture came under the influence of Hellenism. Thus the great struggle between worship of God and humanism which had begun in the garden of Eden when Satan countered the concept of "God has said" with the humanistic reasoning of "Has God said?" began to shake the very foundation of Jewish belief.

The struggle came to a head when Antiochus came to the village of Modin and commanded the people to sacrifice a pig. Mattathias, an old priest and his five sons began the revolt against the Syrians which lasted three years. After Mattathias died, his son Judah the Maccabee (the Hammer) continued the fight liberating Jerusalem and setting up the Hasmonean dynasty. The temple was rededicated and belief in the one true God was saved from extinction.

Without the revolt of the Maccabees against the Greek Hellenism, there would have been no Jewish people to give birth to the Messiah 160 years later and consequently no Christianity.

Hanukah came to be celebrated over eight days as the Maccabees had been so busy fighting that they hadn't been able to celebrate Succot that year.

A tradition also developed which said that there had only been enough oil to light the temple menorah for one day, and it lasted for eight until more could be made. Hanukah is celebrated on the twenty fifth of Chislev, November/December of our calendar.

It has come to be called the Feast of Dedication or Lights - a time to remember that every part of our lives must be dedicated to the Lord. The Greek concept concerning the separation of secular and sacred has robbed Christendom of the understanding that every part of life is sacred to the Lord.

The Hebrew word for worship is the same as the word for work and everything we do ought to be an act of worship to the Lord.

Hanukah also reminds us of the importance of keeping the flame of religious freedom and truth alight.

It is celebrated in the home and we must make sure our homes are illuminated with the light of kindness, wisdom, hospitality, prayer and bible study.

The Hanukah light also reminds us that we must allow the light of God's spirit to search our hearts and lives to reveal to us how we can make our lives more pleasing to Him.

Events that have happened at Hannukah

1. The foundation stone of the Second Temple was laid in 520bc

2. Temple sacrifice abolished by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168bc

3. Temple recaptured and rededicated in 165 BC

4. Jerusalem freed from Turkish rule 1917

 

Bibliography :

Introducing John & Jesma O'Hara John, a businessman & Jesma have five children, and two grandchildren, Isabella and Asher. Both serve on the Eldership of Hesed Fellowship and are board members of International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem, Australian Branch and Jesma has also been the Editor of their magazine for the past 12 years. Hesed Ministries is involved in supporting a number of projects : Field workers in Israel, Orr Shalom Children's Homes, Kesher Friends of WIZO and Mercy International in Thailand. They also support orphanages and schools for AIDS affected children in Malawi and Kenya. Jesma is Chairman of the Board of Nambour Christian College, co-educational inter-denominational college of over 1200 students, from preschool to year 12. They are also the Australian Representatives of Orr Shalom Children’s Homes. Jesma's Qualifications Masters in Early Judaism and Early Christianity. B A major in Religious Studies Studied in Jerusalem at AMI Jerusalem Centre For Biblical Studies and Research and Educator’s From Abroad Study Course at Yad VaShem.