Don’t you enjoy the glow of Christmas lights at this time of the year? I am always fascinated by the various displays and how the lights seem to warm my heart. They remind me that there is still love and peace in this world of chaos and hate.
Although we view the decorations and lights as having a Christian origin, I am brought back to the lights of Hanukkah. Since our Lord, the greatest Jew who ever lived……celebrated the feast of Hanukkah, I had a few thoughts on the significance of this celebration in regards to our Christian celebration of Christmas.
Of course Christmas celebrates His birth, while Hanukkah celebrates deliverance. But then, the Lord’s birth is also deliverance. We who are born with the sinful nature can now be brought in communion with God through the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus.
So where does Hanukkah fit in? You can find the story of Hanukkah on the web so I won’t tell the story now, but basically it’s about light. The Lord used the analogy of lights in several of his stories and parables.
In John 10…most of our Bibles read “the Feast of Dedication”……Our Lord is attending this feast…it is Hanukkah. The people want Him to declare himself as the Messiah……He reminded them of his miracles. They still refused to believe that a mere human could be God…..especially since the Romans were the oppressors of their land. The Messiah was to bring peace and restoration to Israel. Yet this had not happened. But it will….in God’s own time.
Lamps, lights and Kingdom…….all teachings about how God works in the world. How He wants us “to be and to do”.
“As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:4-5)
There is a sense of urgency in this passage. He knows there are only a few days left before His ministry will end at the cross. He urges the people gathered around Him in the temple to “put your trust in the Light. “
Those early listeners knew about light and the lighting of the Hanukkah candles. The Lord relates all of this to Hmself and to His disciples.
“Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good work and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” Can we do any less?
AbideLines 