Hanukkah 2012

4 The Hammer and his soldiers “over turned” the enemy.

a The first thing they did was lit a make-shift menorah/oil lamp from their spear heads.

aa Their spearheads were hollow, pour oil in and use as an oil lamp.

bb The weapons used to secure their liberty, overcome the enemy became the source of light on the temple. (Light represented the Shekinah glory/manifest presence of God!)

cc It wasn’t their weapons, skill, determination that won back what the enemy had stolen from the Chosen of God but it was the Lord that was the source of their victory!

dd However, it wasn’t “kosher” to bring weapons into the Temple so it became a top priority of The Hammer to construct a new menorah (Using Gold/Silver) so they put away their weapons.

b The first three things that The Hammer did over a period of a month was . . .

aa Tear down the statue of Zeus, house of prostitution, dedicated a clean temple, altar . . . light the menorah!

bb On the 25th of Kisliv, The Hammer dedicates the cleansed Temple, furnishings, menorah . . . bad news is there was only enough of the consecrated oil to burn for one day. (Took 7 days to make up a batch of acceptable/sanctified menorah oil to meet the Temple’s exacting specifications)

cc For the next 8 days the small amount of oil just kept burning until more could be prepared. “A miracle happened there”

dd The Menorah built by Judas Maccabees is probably the one depicted on the Arch of Titus/ paraded down the streets of Rome after the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.

c After the miracle, Hanukkah was established.

aa Hanukkah means “dedication” (AKA Feast of Lights)

bb This feast was established before Jesus was born in Bethlehem & Jesus himself observed this feast. (I doubt if He calls it a “minor” feast.)

C 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. John 10:22-23 (NASB)

1 Jesus didn’t only observe the Torah feasts but also post Torah festivals too. (God was in/down with the festival. Shouldn’t we?)

a The three major elements of the account are:

aa Jesus observed Feast of Dedication/Lights.

bb Jesus was the Temple (Ground Zero for the miracle of light, where the Servant Candle takes center stage.)

cc

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