The only mention in the Bible of Hanukkah is in John 10:22-23. Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the Temple in Solomon’s porch.” It doesn’t say Hanukkah but that was the real name of this festival. Jews celebrate this great festival today with gifts and gathering with friends.
This seemingly unimportant event had great meaning in the days of the Messiah. But why does it impact Christians today? What is this festival all about?
Without searching the net I will make it easy for you. During the inter-Testamental period…that is the time between the Old and New Testaments, the Greeks had taken over Jerusalem as part of their conquered territories. They viewed the Temple as a place to worship their deities and the infamous general, Antiochus Epiphanies had even sacrificed a pig on the altar. Of course this was a supreme offense to the Jews. There was an uprising among the Jews and they waged a successful war against these pagans. The Jews had to purify the Temple menorahs (candlesticks that used oil). The menorahs used in the Temple had eight branches……the middle branch called the “servant” light which was used to light the others one day at a time. The miracle of the story is how the oil in the lamps didn’t run out. Can you see the symbolism of Jesus as being the “servant” branch that would light the world?
At the opening of Matthew we find that Romans now had come as conquerors. However, they allowed the Jews to continue to maintain their religious festivals in the temple as long as they didn’t provoke uprisings against the authorities. The Jewish people wanted Jesus to be the Messiah that would raise an army and defeat the hated Romans just as the Jews had done before to the Greeks. Jesus didn’t come for that purpose.
During the festival of Hanukkah that year, Jesus was teaching in Jerusalem in the outskirts of the Temple proper. He always attended every feast and this was no exception. He took every opportunity to teach how the commandments of God impacted their lives. He told the crowds about the teachings of the prophets and how the story of Hanukkah related to himself.
While reading the Gospels we miss so much of the Messiah’s teachings because we simply don’t know the stories behind His words. But it was during the festival of Hanukkah that He spoke some of his most memorable teachings.
During this festival the great Temple was lit with four huge giant menorahs….the blazing light could be seen throughout all Jerusalem. How appropriate that Jesus chose this time to tell his followers…”I am the light of the world. He that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Although the sayings of Jesus don’t seem to follow in the order we expect, these words are true. We moderns, expect everything to be written in the context of the passage given but early writers often wrote his teachings as they remembered them. Therefore the teaching of John 8…..comes before the mention of the Feast in John 10. Be assured that Jesus used every opportunity to teach a lesson about His authority.
Jesus, our Messiah, like the great lights of the menorah, sends His Spirit to ignite us so that we can shine His light in a dark world. The Hanukkah’s story of a lasting light is predicted in Isaiah 49:6…..it is from the Jews that the light will come. “I will make you as a light for the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus becomes that light that shines through our dark world. His light does indeed bring the light of life into the darkness of men’s souls.
Last Sunday in Bible Class we discussed Matthew 21:18-22 and the fig tree that bore no fruit. Jesus cursed the fig tree. It withered and died. The fig tree bore no fruit and therefore wasn’t productive. It was worth nothing because the tree didn’t fulfill its purpose, which was to produce its fruit. He also mentioned faith. Faith is needed to produce fruit.
John the Baptizer also told his hearers… that they should bear fruit worthy of repentance.(Matt 3:9) Of course the fig tree was simply a metaphor for the disciples who followed the Lord. They were expected to bear fruit. This meant they were to do good works as well as making disciples. Doing good works, giving alms, healing the sick etc. were also expected of those early followers. But what about repentance? Why is that important in the life of a disciple? Can’t we just apologize and go on? Surely what we do for others really counts, right? And what is repentance anyway? More than you think.
Is there such a thing as a “lifestyle” of repentance? Perhaps we are missing something important here. Many think of God as a judgmental tyrant who is out to extract vengeance on the disobedient. Other’s view Him as a kindly old man who turns a blind eye to the moral condition of his children. In fact, God is neither.
Psalm 51 is a powerful prayer of David, after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed in battle. How could he approach God after that?
True repentance is based on an understanding of God’s character. God wants truth in our “inner” parts and a humble heart. David understands God’s character. He knows that God is merciful and gracious in His forgiveness. If we really understand what sin is then we can more fully live a life of repentance.
Sin is “missing” the mark that God expects of His children. We say to ourselves, “Well, nobody is perfect.” Few of us today think of repentance as a lifestyle. We promise in our prayers that we will never do hurtful things again……and we mean it. After all, none of us has really committed a serious crime or deliberately hurt another person. Many things seem like repentance but really are not. Each falls short because we still hold onto many of the sins which will always be there.
David knows that true repentance is ultimately a supernatural work of God. That’s why David prayed ”Create within me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Only a Creator God can do what David is praying for. This cry for forgiveness can only come from God himself.
Yeshua’s (Jesus) once and for all sacrifice for sin is ultimately how we can find forgiveness. Repentance is possible because He took our sins upon himself.. God’s greatest demonstration of love is found in Him. It is God’s gift to us through Him.
For all who have received this gift, a lifestyle of repentance is a blessing. It reminds us daily of God’s relentless love and forgiveness for us. That in turn makes us a more loving and forgiving people.
The sexual revolution is here…..whether we agree, disagree, like it or not. The “closets” are now empty and those who believe they were “created” as a certain gender have declared themselves free of sexual restraints or inhibitions. Those who declare themselves to be LGBTor Q and have become part of a church community, feel that God loves everyone just as he/she/it declares themselves to be. They want confessing Christians to accept their decision or wear a label which identifies them as bigots…… narrow minded and without love of others. After all, Christ died for all sinners, didn’t He? Are you without sin in your life? Can’t you accept their lifestyle with love and just go on with “things as usual.” Should we keep up the charade that all is well? Should Christians close their eyes to this problem and just believe that God is in His heaven and all is well in the world?
The strength of this transgender movement has been its ability to intimidate and bully opponents. Also they have succeeded in their capacity to warp the truth of God’s words. The “gay theology” has become a deceptive siren song capturing hearts and minds even with the one bulwark that had remained standing firmly against the movement……..the church.
More and more, Christians, churches, and even entire denominations will have to decide whether they will remain faithful to the teaching of Scripture or capitulate to the spirit of the age. They also will be forced to decide if they are willing to endure the harsh criticism that will inevitably explode against them if they stand for scriptural fidelity. So what should Christians be doing in preparation for the assault that is certain to accelerate?
We need to be armed with the teachings of God that affirm these deviant lifestyles are an affront to God’s will for man. Generationally, the news is worse. A recent study by the Pew foundation found that among the Christian Millennials is the belief that homosexuality should be accepted by society. Are they reading the same Bible I am? Has this God of ours become so lenient that He now has laid aside any previous commandment and now He simply says “they can’t help it?” No repentance necessary. I am what I am!!
That being said, we are to open our hearts to those who are in this type of life style. Satan has told his lies before now. Those who are deceived live in a type of spiritual darkness. Many are without real love and understanding. Perhaps they come from broken homes or have missed the foundation of solid Christian teaching.
I realize that many of these individuals come from loving and caring families. They declare it must be genetic and yet that assumption has not been proven. Just like other sins……..God does still loves them and only wants the best for their lives. This type of life style is false and deceptive and separates them from coming to a full faith in their Creator.
Certainly standing for biblical truth in the public square is not for the squeamish. Moral cowards in the church have already found an excuse not to get involved. Christians who venture forth into battle will face a withering backlash unlike anything they’ve ever experienced. Yet God is with us. He loves us and He loves them. Hold to the truth…….expect persecution.
I have been teaching a class on the Hebrew Scriptures. You might call them the Old Testament although they aren’t really old because most of what we read and understand in the New Testament really comes from the Old. The Lord used most of His words and thoughts from what God had given to His people Israel. Paul, the disciple to the Gentile world, based his teachings on what he had learned from the Old Testament…. of course, not binding certain obligations on the Gentiles that were given only to the Jews.
When I read where God ordained the High Priest, once a year, to offer the yearly sacrifice on the Day of Atonement it gave me thoughts of when our Savior was crucified and the cruelty of it all. Unholy men killing the only Holy Man in the whole world! Holy actually means, “set apart” and of course this was why Jesus came into the world. He was “set apart” just for this time. But how does that fit into the Temple services?
Were these unholy men, the High Priest, Caiaphas, and the others involved actually “set apart” for this work? Then I read the scriptures again (Leviticus 16). It was the High Priest, the sons of Aaron, who were ordained to offer the sacrifices. These Sadducees considered themselves the direct decedents of priestly line and therefore had the duty to offer the yearly sacrifice.
It was the duty of the High Priest himself who was ordained to offer up the most holy sacrifice….the atonement by which the nation’s sins were forgiven.
And so it was. The High Priest did offer up the perfect sacrifice. The Messiah himself was offered up by none other than the High Priest. Jesus was the perfect “lamb” given over to the Romans, to be the sacrifice, not only for Israel but for the whole world.
Our world is filled with evil, with the imperfect, and the wrong. But God causes all of these things, to work together for the good of his people The tears, the crises, the heartbreaks, the evil, and all the wrong done by evil men, will in the end, fulfill the sacred purposes and blessings God has ordained for us.
May the Lord bless us through the trials and sufferings we face in our world.
So let us live today, not by what we see, but beyond our seeing, beyond our hearing and beyond our sensing. Live the unseen….by faith.
I am certainly not a Gen Xer.. but this generation has it all wrong.
When in college a group of friends and I wanted lunch in our favorite joint, however, they refused to serve our two black friends. We told the manager, either they stay or we leave and we would tell others not to visit their restaurant. We were served!
All that being said, this was a mild protest on our part. But more is involved here than “civil rights.”
We as Christians are the strongest supporters of social justice. God is the innovator of this idea. However, many young adults have become agnostics because they share the view that God has put restrictions on humans that are unfair or unjust. I am certainly not saying that all young adults are agnostics, but many young believers have been swayed by left wing “theology”. They leave God out of the equation and make their own theology of social justice. “God loves us all, despite our sins.” Indeed He does but He also gave us restrictions on our behavior. Jesus did as well.
So now man’s views on moral behavior replace God’s view. Of course these ideas are based on what humans deem as moral. Does this remind you of our first ancestors? When the Tempter told Eve…..”You will know good from evil and you will become like God” (my paraphrase): the world went downhill from there.
When reading the Old Testament, God spoke to His people through the prophets, continually warning them of their attitudes toward others.
Micah. 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness
and to walk humbly with your God?”
God was warning the “establishment” of their corruption and their lack of morality. Yes, He did indeed set standards for human behavior, because He knows that what man desires for himself leaves the higher standards of God out of the picture. Corruption of society follows.
Christians are somehow viewed as narrow minded and bigoted. Perhaps we have given that impression ….but at least we are trying to make the world a better place. We do this by viewing God’s morality and standards above what man has decided are best for society.
So how do these young agnostics believe that they can make the world a better place? They view their own moral standards as unbiased and without judgment toward others. Certainly, they cannot achieve their “cause” by themselves, so perhaps the government should establish the principles by which we are ruled. Karl Marx and Lenin had the same idea. The result is that now the decision making process of shared morality is taken from its citizens and given over to others to set the standards by which they rule. So much for social justice. The state becomes the arbitrator of right and wrong.
A good book on this subject is “A Reason for God” by Timothy Keller. He has a congregation in New York City teeming with “unconventional” members. It’s a good read.
Although these young agnostics are well meaning…….they are misguided in their view of morality.
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Some are calling it the greatest natural catastrophe to ever hit America. It very well may be. Of course I’m writing about the “great” flood, labeled Harvey. He won’t be forgotten for many years. As I watch TV and worry about my kids living in the suburbs of Houston, I can’t help but complain to God. Why does He allow these terrible tragedies? I don’t want to read about the evils of our society, or Houston deserves this, or they are more sinful than the rest of the country. I don’t want to read blogs that tell me…..”if God is good and loves us why does He allow these tragedies? “
In the fourteenth century, during which the plague killed one third of Europeans, they asked the same questions that many are asking today. We have sinned so let’s find out what to do. Many whipped themselves, used special herbs or secluded themselves away from others. However, neither they nor we will ever solve the problems that affect all of mankind.
Don’t blame God. At Creation, the world was perfect but we all know what happened then. So why do we have to bear the punishment of Adam and Eve? Makes no sense! The good and evil suffer together. God created the elements of nature which obey certain natural laws. He allows these laws to exist. Without them, we could not live on this earth. Sometimes these laws are negative. Fires, famine, earthquakes, floods. But because we know that God’s love is always there, we can say with Paul, “All things work together for good for those who love Him,” (Romans 8:28). Easy to say, because my home isn’t flooded nor have I lost a loved one.
This is one thing we know and it brings us to making a decision in life. Again we ask this question……”Why does God allow evil and suffering to continue?” and even looking at the cross of Jesus we still don’t know the answer. But we do know that He was willing to take our sufferings upon himself at the Cross, and it is in this that we have deep consolation and strength to face the brutal realities of life.
As the prophet Habakkuk said…(3:17,18)
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet, I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Immanuel…..God with us………..even in our worst sufferings.
The news is horrible. People are filled with hate and violence. Killing each other for what they believe is a worthy cause. It isn’t just happening now. Violence has been part of the human condition since Cain killed Abel. Now we come face to face with the hate and murders while watching any news report. We have almost become desensitized to the beatings and the stone throwing.
I think of the Roman coliseums where the gladiators fought to the death and Christians were tortured. This was part of the culture of the day. Are we too facing violence and hatred with indifference?
We are living in perilous times. “Pay more attention to what we have heard (from God) so that we do not drift away.”(Hebrews 2:1) The Bible warns us about this very thing. Then as now we forget where we are “anchored.” Drifting away can occur slowly. Perhaps some disappointment or tragedy in our life has “cut the anchor” of our faith.
C.S. Lewis once wrote. “The safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot without sudden turning, without milestones, without signpost. “ I might add that our indifference to violence leads us down the same path.
Spiritual danger is just as real as physical danger. It just isn’t as easily seen. The danger today is “go with the flow,” to become numb, to drift away and to die inside to the tragedies surrounding us.. We need to awaken to the truth of reality. God is still in control. He will call for the judgment of all mankind. He will be returning again. There will be a day of reckoning. There are blessings and curses throughout the scriptures.
Each day we must reaffirm our commitment. When Jesus asked the lawyer “What is the greatest commandment?” the lawyer answered him….. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”And he(Jesus) said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live” (Luke 10:27-28}
Loving one’s neighbor is not just an afterthought…but a commandment. Difficult? Yes! Impossible? No! Jesus never asked for the impossible from his disciples, and no more from us.
“And may the love of the Lord be upon you, even as you put your hope in Him. (Ps. 33:22)
People today use the expression “having a good eye “ as being smart at picking out something…..whether it be clothes, matching colors or perhaps something small and insignificant that had escaped the notice of others. I consider myself having a good eye for bargains……I go shopping and compare prices. I haven’t always been successful however. Sometimes my “bargain” turned out to be a bummer!
Yeshua said that “the eye is the lamp of the body” (Matthew 6:22) He explained, “If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” I don’t believe he was using this expression in the same way that we think of having a “good eye”. Well, what did he mean? Can you tell if a person is spiritually healthy by the light in their eyes? Not quite.
Not being familiar with many ancient Hebrew expressions we probably would come to the conclusion that Yeshua was speaking only about the spiritual aspects of an eye that is “good” (spiritually) or an eye that is “bad” (sinful). But there is more to this expression than we imagine.
Although at times the expression could be physical or spiritual. In this case, Jeshua was invoking an old Hebrew idiom for stinginess and greed. The Bible and rabbinic literature describe a miserly person as man with a “bad eye”. In other words the term “bad eye” meant selfishness or greed, while the “good eye” meant being generous and giving.
“Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire his dainty meats. (Proverbs 23:6)
“He that wants to be rich has an evil eye, and considers not that poverty shall come upon him.” Proverbs 28:22)
The sages described a charitable person as a man with a good eye. Yeshua also used the good-eye/bad-eye terminology metaphorically to speak about spiritual blindness. If a person is generous and charitable, he has a good eye. If the “lamp” of his body functions well, filling his body with light, then he has spiritual insight. If the person has a bad eye, meaning he is greedy and selfish, the lamp of his body is not functioning well, and his whole body is filled with darkness—which is to say he is spiritually blind.
So what about our eyes? Do you have that “good” eye?
“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
I certainly can sympathize with those who feel stress in their lives. When I encountered the first major move in my life, I went to the Dr for some “helper” pills. He told me there are three major changes in one’s life that causes extreme stress: the death of a loved one; an unhappy marriage which leads to divorce; and a major move of location…. especially for older people. I fit into the last category.
“Why are you so anxious? Take a lesson from the wildflowers. They neither toil nor spin, yet even Solomon in all his royal glory was not arrayed like one of these. If your Heavenly Father gives such attention to the flowers, surely He will attend to you also.” (Matt. 6:28-30)
When I dwell on these words I realize that Jesus was speaking to those who also had stress in their lives. It is part of the human condition. Sickness, death, anxiety, depression, crushed hopes and ideals……they are with us still. Anyone who says they don’t experience these are either lying to themselves or they have set themselves apart from the real world in which we live.
Jesus never told us that we would be without fear and trembling in our lives but at the same time He gave us hope. For God is eternal and powerful. He is here now….in this world and also in the world to come.
“He is our refuge and strength and a very present help in trouble.” (Ps. 46:1) Do you believe that? If so, then you and I need to hold those words close to our hearts.
The bloom of every flower (that’s us) has a purpose. We are here to be of service to others. We are called to discipleship. That being said, perhaps our anxiety and stress might lead us to helping others who face similar challenges in life. Perhaps we should view these as gifts rather than problems!
I simply hate my anxiety or even my small panic attacks, as anything other than a burden in my life. A psychiatrist listens to your story and then prescribes the appropriate pills, but it takes someone like me and you who offer understanding and comfort.
That what God does for us.
His eye is on the sparrow and every flower in the field. We can say “yes” to the life He has given to us. We take our anxieties and depression to Him. Here might be the greater meaning of our “baptism” as we become “immersed” in God’s care for our lives.
So take a deep breath. God’s love is with you always.
It is all over the news media. Rioting in the universities and colleges. Designated speakers shouted down or booed when trying to address classes in the schools. Kids taking days off to make a protest. Smashing windows or blocking entrances to buildings. Just making noises about anything that is not to their liking or way of thinking or perhaps just being malcontents in general. So is this just happening now? Well think again.
The Israelites complained the whole trip through the desert even with God’s provision for them.
The Bible says, “Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord.” (Numbers 11:1).
God is slow to anger……….usually, however, complaining can incite His swift wrath. The book of Numbers contains several stories of the people’s discontent in the wilderness. In each story as they complain about something, God punishes them.
Humans are prone to complaining. We don’t seem to be happy unless complaining about something or other or when things don’t meet with our approval. We are all malcontents.
Everyday our lives are full of both the good things and the things we don’t particularly like or enjoy. We are critical of other people or what is happening in our lives. I complain to God just like everyone else.
You and I are not alone. David in his psalms complained to God. “Why is this happening to me?” Most of the prophets complained also. However, they knew God was in control and they were committed to doing His will, whatever and however, He would work it out…. in His own good time and in His own good way.
So what’s the antidote to this mindset of complaining? It’s the Big G!
We must find gratitude in life. If we focus on the good and positive things that God has given us and to thank God for His blessings that come our way, then our lives somehow will be transformed.
Do we thank him only for the good things? Paul says to be thankful for all things, “for this is God’s will for you in the Messiah Yeshua.” (1 Thess. 5:18)
How is that possible? We live in an evil and fallen world. But there is hope………!!!
Jesus said, “I havetold you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world.” (John 3:16)
AbideLines 