Should Hanukkah Be Important To Christians?

Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, our gift of salvation. But… 

Should Hanukkah be important to Christians too? 

I didn’t know much about Hanukkah until I began researching for this devotional. Today, the entire world is acutely aware of the unbridled hatred of Hamas against the Jewish people as evidenced by the October 7, 2023, brutal attack staged on a Jewish holiday, 50 years after the Egypt-Syria surprise-attack that sparked the 1973 Yom Kippur war. The shocking world-wide outpouring of support for Hamas has horrified me. I was reminded of the thousands of years of malicious persecution endured by the Jewish people. 

It was a wake-up call for me to be reminded of God’s glorious promises and purpose for the Jewish people. 

In fact, just over a year ago I was in Israel with Lon Solomon—a Messianic Jewish preacher—and had the opportunity to see the Bible through his eyes. It gave my faith in God an entirely new dimension. I began seeing even more—the importance of Israel to God—NOW and—in the future. So, I wondered…

“What is Hanukkah; and should it matter to me as a born again believer in Jesus?“

I am grateful for God’s Word and His promises to teach us the truth and how to love. I am grateful for the opportunity to stand in solidarity with the Jewish people by celebrating Hannukah this year! 

*********************************

The word “Hanukkah” is the Hebrew word for “dedication.” This annual celebration is known as the “Feast of Dedication,” or the “Festival of Lights.” Hanukkah is not referenced anywhere in the Old Testament. In fact, the events which gave rise to Hanukkah happened in the 400-year period of God’s silence between the Old Testament and the New Testament. 

What happened? 

What follows are some excerpts from the Life In Messiah website:

The story of Hanukkah is not recorded in the Bible but it is recorded in the Apocryphal books of 1-2 Maccabees. In 168 B.C. Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian emperor, came from the north and defeated Egypt. Before he could enjoy the spoils of his victory he was compelled by Rome to withdraw. Angry at this reversal, he came against the small country of Israel. He set out to destroy Judaism by making its observance illegal. He also wanted to move against Israel since its location was strategic, as a land bridge joining Africa, Asia, and Europe. The one who dominates Israel often has a strategic point of control in the Middle East.

Antiochus Epiphanes was one of the most anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, anti-God rulers in history-he became a ruler in 175 B.C. There were several Syrian kings named Antiochus. This particular man chose the title Epiphanes to distinguish him. This is Greek for God “Manifest,” which indicates the extent of his arrogance against the one true God.

In the fashion of many of his contemporaries, Antiochus was obsessed with delusions of deity. His enemies mockingly referred to him as Epimanes, meaning “madman,” in response to his cruelty. Antiochus tried to Hellenize Israel. He looked on Hellenization as a way of integrating the Jews into his empire socially and therefore unifying the empire. In Antiochus’ attempt to destroy the worship of the one God and the Levitical sacrificial system, he:

• sent an army to Jerusalem to dedicate the Temple to the gods of Olympia and Zeus in December of 168 B.C. (some say 167 B.C.).
• organized an attack on Jerusalem on the Sabbath, knowing the Jews would not fight.
• destroyed much of the city and slaughtered men, women and children.
• defiled the Jewish Temple by offering a pig on the altar to Zeus and Olympia and sprinkled its blood in the Holy of Holies. The swine’s broth was poured on the Holy Scrolls of the Law. The Scrolls, containing the word of God were then ripped in pieces and burned.
• enslaved & murdered many Jewish people.
• ordered mini-altars to be erected in every town. His troops then ordered all local communities to worship and eat the flesh of pigs to prove their conversion from Judaism. The alternative to eating pig was death.
• forbid all Jews from practicing their faith including circumcision, observance of the Sabbath, and sacrifices.
• had a bearded image of Jupiter placed in the temple in Jerusalem.

His goal was to defeat Israel’s armies and humiliate their God, thereby assimilating them into Greek culture (1 Macc 1:41-64; 2 Macc 6:1-11).

The Maccabean revolt began when a delegate of Antiochus attempted to force Mattathias Maccabee, a priest, to sacrifice to a pagan deity. Mattathias refused, but another Jew volunteered to perform the sacrifice. Outraged and overcome by righteous anger, Mattathias pulled out his sword and killed both the delegate and the errant Jew upon the altar, and thus the Maccabean revolt began (1 Macc 2:1-48).

God raised up a band of Jewish guerrilla fighters led by Judah Maccabee, one of Mattathias’ sons. Although completely outnumbered −a handful of men against approximately 65,000 and armed with pitchforks and swords, they attacked at night repeatedly until God enabled them to defeat the overwhelming armies of Antiochus, whose soldiers were the best-fed and best-trained troops in the East. Since the Maccabees were outnumbered and under-supplied, they turned to more creative devices and relied on their knowledge of the hill country and employed guerrilla warfare.

Within three years the Syrian invaders were driven from the land and the focus changed to the cleansing of the Temple. On the 25th day of Kislev (November/December) in 165 B.C. (some scholars say 164 B.C.) exactly three years to the day after its desecration, the Temple and the altar were rededicated. Judah also commanded that the pagan altar be torn down and Yahweh’s altar rebuilt (1 Macc 4:26-61). 

During the three-year struggle for freedom, the Israelites were not allowed to worship or serve YHWH. If caught studying the Torah or praying they would be put to death. The Hebrews thought up a plan to enable them to worship and serve YHWH. Next to their Holy books, they kept little tops, or dreidels. If a soldier came by, they quickly put away their books and pretended to be playing the dreidel game. The dreidel saved many lives.

A “dreidel” is a four-sided spinning top, made of wood, clay or plastic. A Hebrew letter is written on each of its four sides. The four letters on the dreidel include the nun, gimmel, hey, and shin. These letters represent the Hebrew phrase, “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham” (A Great Miracle Happened There.) Dreidels in Israel change one letter to read the phrase “A Great Miracle Happened Here” (“Nes Gadol Hayah Poh.”)

What was the great miracle?

It is believed that after the successful revolt against a tyrannical monarch, the victorious Jewish community could find very little pure olive oil to light the Menorah, only enough for one day. However, the oil lasted for eight days, long enough to purify more oil! Jewish people light a candle on each of the eight evenings in remembrance of God’s provision. They also play games, exchange gifts, have family dinners and attend plays and concerts at synagogues and schools. The lighting of the Hanukkah lamp is to take place between “sunset and until there is no wayfarer left in the street.” The lamp is placed outside the entrance of the house. This placement is to publicly affirm the Hanukkah miracle.

https://www.lifeinmessiah.org/feasts-hanukkah

So maybe you’re saying “so what?” What does the celebration of Hanukkah have to do with me, as a born again believer? Well interestingly, John Chapter 10 indicates that Jesus was found in Jerusalem during Hanukkah. He evidently did not ignore the “Celebration of Lights.” He, who was called “the Light of the World”, likely took great joy in the Festival of Lights as a celebration of hope and justice against the pervasive tyranny experienced by Israel. He called His followers the “light of the world,” and commanded them:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 NKJV

My friend, light IS more powerful than darkness. Joining the celebration of the Festival of Lights demonstrates our solidarity for the people God chose from the beginning to carry the Gospel AND—who will someday be the revived house of witness after the church is raptured at the second coming of Christ. 

The Jewish people brought us our Bible and they brought us our Savior. 

Hanukkah symbolizes the miraculous victory of God working with through a FEW to defeat MANY—despite insurmountable odds. Throughout history God has worked miraculously to sustain Israel and thus, fulfill His promises to Abraham and David. 

Isn’t this a great reason for us to celebrate with them?

My friend, the promises of God came through the Jewish people—to ALL of us—in the birth of Jesus. Their suffering throughout the ages and God’s miraculous care of them—brought us THE Savior we celebrate during Christmas. God told Abraham:

I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Genesis 12:3 NKJV

Through Jesus, the light of the world, ALL of the families of the earth are blessed. Our salvation was purchased by a Jewish man, the Son of God. God’s remaining magnificent promises are yet to be fulfilled for Israel. Showing love and respect for the miraculous history of the Jewish people (including celebrations like Hanukkah) demonstrates solidarity with those whom God loves which is especially important in this time of darkness.

God loves His chosen people and—we are blessed when—we love the ones God loves.

We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.

To learn more about Kimberly Faith and the mission of Faith Strong, click HERE.

Out Now – Essential Faith, Volume II. Find it on Amazon by clicking HERE.

To learn more about Kimberly Faith’s ministry Fostering By Faith, click HERE.