In 175 BCE, Antiochus Epiphanes IV became the ruler of Syria. He wanted to rule all the world and be worshipped as G-d. Antiochus issued a decree in Israel that all Jews were to stop worshipping in the Temple and cease practicing their religious laws or face death. On the 15th of Kislev, 168 BCE, Antiochus sent his troops to sacrifice a pig on the bronze altar of sacrifice, thus desecrating the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. He dedicated G-d's Temple to his gods.
Two years later, Antiochus sent an official to the town of Modi near Jerusalem to be sure his decrees were being carried out. He ordered an elderly priest, Mattathias, to worship at his altar. Mattathias killed the king's emissary and fled with his family to the mountains.
Mattathias and his five sons joined other fugitives and formed a small army that fought against the king's soldiers. Under the leadership of Mattathias' son, Judah Maccabee, they battled successfully against Antiochus' troops in a town called Emmaus. They returned to Jerusalem to begin the enormous task of re-purifying the Temple and ridding it of the Syrian idols.
When the priests were preparing for the service of re-dedication, they could only find one small cruse of unprofaned oil which would have been sufficient for only one day. On the 25th day of the month of Kislev three years after it was polluted, Judah Maccabee rededicated the Temple and lit the lamps of the Temple menorah using the unpolluted cruse of oil. The small amount of oil miraculously lasted eight days. As a result, each year the Jewish people celebrate an eight-day festival to commemorates this event in Jewish history.
Hannukah, as it is known, comes from the Hebrew word chanak meaning to initiate or begin. It is known as the Season of Miracles and is the Feast of Dedication described by the apostle John in his gospel. During this Feast, in the midst of the giant candelabras (menorahs) on Solomon's porch, Jesus declared that the miracles He performed served as witnesses to His divinity.
"And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of The Dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch." (John 10:22-23)
Hannukah is about two ever-present forces in the world: darkness and light. It is the struggle between two philosophies: serving G-d or being assimilated into the ways of the world. The story of Hannukah reveals the struggle that Israel encountered when the Greek general, Antiochus Epiphanes tried to force the Jewish people to abandon the commands of the One true G-d and to assimilate into Greek culture. Today, believers are still being tempted to abandon G-d by adapting to the [Greek] culture of the world rather than to trust G-d and live by His Spirit.
On an individual level, Hannukah is seen as a time of personal dedication and renewala time to purify ourselves. Our menorahs have replaced that of the temple and we have replaced the Levites and priests. We are to be G-d's priests whose ministry is not restricted to the temple. We are the temple furniture of the Holy Place. It is said that On the Feast of Tabernacles we build a dwelling and on Hannukah we fill it with furniture:
- The altar of incense is our prayers.
- The table of showbread is the labor of our hands and the fruit of our lives.
- The menorah is our spirit that is lit and kept burning by G-d Himself.
The menorah is the key, the light that illuminates the dwelling: our prayers, deeds and the fruit of our lives. The light of the menorah is traditionally supposed to illuminate the world. The giant candelabras in Solomon's Temple were meant to illuminate the whole world to the knowledge of the one true G-d. The oil used to light the candelabras had to be the most pure oil. It was to light the dwelling which was then to light the world. The dwelling was to be the source of light, not its container---not to be contained but to be given out.
It is taught that:
"The light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return. It gives of itself and is yet not diminished. By lighting the menorah, it is said, we ignite the flame in our souls, the spark that cannot be extinguished, that will burn not for eight days but for eternity. Our inner light must shine against the darkness of evil and indifference and must kindle the spirits of our fellow man. The menorah reminds us that no matter how dark life may be, there remains a source of light deep inside of us. The light in our souls reflects and refracts the light from the One who is All Brightness. This Light can accompany us on our way and illumine the darkest path. The plague of darkness is all around us, but the Light of G-d is there for those who continue to fan it into flame."
The Hannukah menorah is sometimes called the Hannukiyah. It is different from the Temple menorah in that it has nine branches instead of seven. The center candle is called the Shammash or Servant Candle. It sits higher than all the others and is lit first. The other eight candles must be lit by the Shammash rather than by a match. The purpose of lighting the candles is to celebrate the eight-day miracle which G-d performed for the Macabees in keeping the lights of the Temple Menorah burning and to remember the miracle of their victory. In the past it was customary to put the Hannukiyah in the window so that passersby could see it and be enlightened. As Believers, the Hannukiyah clearly points to Yeshua as the Servant Candle, the Shammash. He is the Light of the World who brings the light of wisdom and understanding to us so that we can bring light to others, making known to the world the miracle of salvation.
Yeshua said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but [shall] have the light of life" (John 8:12).
The passersby represent the unenlightened world. Our lives, like our menorahs, should be visible for the world to see:
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden...Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)
We are G-d's priests whose ministry is not restricted to the temple:
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood........called....out of darkness into His marvelous light: (1 Peter 2:9)
The oil used to light our menorahs is the most pure oil of the Holy Spirit who fills our temples with understanding and wisdom. He is the source of our light.
Hannukah is an annual foreshadowing of the future coming of the Antichrist in the end-of-the-age as described by Yeshua Himself:
"When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation....stand in the holy place.Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains:" (Matthew 24:15,16)
Many people believe that we are now living in the time just prior to that of which Yeshua spoke. As such, there are many spiritual and practical lessons to be gleaned from this Festival. Its varied themes, for instance, serve as an outline on which to meditate in preparation for the future event to which it points:
Light in the Dark of Winter; Victory When It Seems Improbable; More Than Enough When There Seems To Be Too Little; Few Against Many; Freedom From Oppressive Rule.
As a precursor to an event that promises to shake the Jewish people out of their slumber concerning the antichrist, the Festival points to the time when G-d will initiate another Season of Miracles that will be demonstrated when He pours out His Spirit on all mankind as recorded by the prophet Joel:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit." (Joel 2:28-29)