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WHAT IS HANUKKAH?
Hanukkah ~ Feast of Dedication
Yeshua used Hanukkah, the winter Feast of Dedication of the Holy Temple (see John 10:22-36), as an occasion to explain how He was sanctified and sent into the world. This feast fits the time of His conception, being nine months before the Feast of Tabernacles when He was born. Through an angel's proclamation, He was dedicated from conception in the womb to be the Temple of God.
Hanukkah (Hebrew for Dedication / Rededication) is related to the Feast of Tabernacles. It occurs nine months prior, and celebrates several dedications / rededications of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, the Holy Temple at Jerusalem, and ultimately, the antitype Yeshua. Its celebration is recorded in various places in Scripture:
Psalm 30 is Biblically titled:
A Psalm for Hanukkah / Dedication of the Temple
Ezra 6:16-17 - And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, celebrated Hanukkah at this house of God with joy, and offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
The apocryphal Book of Macabees contains the best known account of this Festival, showing that it is patterned after the eight day Feast of Tabernacles.
John 10:22-24 - And it was at Jerusalem at (Hanukkah) the Feast of the Dedication, and it was winter. And Yeshua walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews came round about him, and said to him, ‘How long will you make us to doubt? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’
The Tabernacle and Temple were to be built exactly according to the pattern from heaven, because they were temporal pictures of Messiah.
"And see that you make them according to their pattern, which was shown you in the mount." - Exodus 25:4 Since the Feast of Tabernacles is the season of Yeshua’s birth in a Sukkah (see article on Sukkot / Feast of Tabernacles), it figures that Hanukkah, nine months earlier, would be the season of His conception.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came to her, and said, ‘Hail, you that are highly favored, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women.’ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her, ‘Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Yeshua (Jesus). He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.’ Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Spirit of God shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshdow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.’ - Luke 1:26-35And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. - Revelation 21:22
Yeshua was dedicated at conception,
by God through the angel Gabriel,
to be the ultimate Temple of God.
Hanukkah, then, was from creation the time for the Temple of God to be dedicated: the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the Temple at Jerusalem, and the heavenly living Temple of God after which the former were patterned. The oil used in the Temple menorahs (candleabra, a major symbol in the celebration of Hanukkah) is symbolic of the Spirit of God, by which Yeshua was conceived to be the Light of the World. The Hanukkah dreidel, which proclaims "A great miracle happened there," refers to the lasting menorah oil -- and the miracle of the virgin’s conception of the eternal Messiah by the Spirit of God.
After the major Festivals of the Biblical Festival Year comes Hanukkah; following the listing of the Festivals in Leviticus 23, Leviticus 24:1-9 is an apparent allusion to Hanukkah: "Command the sons of Israel that they bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually."
LIGHTING the HANUKKIAH
The hanukkiah (eight-branch Hanukkah menorah) is lighted each of the eight nights and placed where outsiders may see it through a window.One candle (in the center or on one side) is taller; it is called the shamus (meaning servant) and is renewed each night and used to light the branches. It represents Messiah.The eight branches represent the eight days, from right to left. On the first night, one candle is placed on the right branch and lighted. On the second night, a new candle is placed on the right branch and another on the second from right branch, but they are lighted from left to right, the current day's first. On the third night, new candles are placed on the right and second from right branches and another on the third from right branch, and they are lighted left to right, the current day's first. This order is followed through the eighth night. They are lighted after sunset except on Erev Shabbat (Friday night) when they are lighted before sunset -- before the Sabbath candles.
The following blessings are recited: (After the first night, omit the third blessing.)
Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the universe,
Who sanctified us by Your Word,
and taught us to kindle Hanukkah lights.
Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the universe,
Who performed miracles for our ancestors long ago at this season.
Blessed are you, Yahweh our God, king of the universe,
Who has kept us alive, sustained us,
and brought us to this season
DREIDEL GAME
Do you know what a dreidel is? Well, it’s a four-sided dancing dandy top. Give it a twist and it will dance and spin and prance and when out of energy, the dancer will bow and then ever so gently fall -plop- on its Nun, Gimmel, Hay or Shin.
This dancing dancer has a magnificent story to tell. Each of its four sides has one Hebrew letter - Nun, Gimmel, Hay or Shin. These letters stand for the Hebrew words, Nes Gadol Haya Sham: in English this means, "A great miracle happened there.
"Firstly, in Israel over 2,100 years ago, the Syrians conquered the tiny land of Israel and enslaved the Jews. Under the leadership of Judah Maccabee, the Jews fought back and defeated the Syrians. On this date, they recaptured and cleansed the Holy Temple. They wanted to relight the golden Temple Menorah, but, alas, there was just one tiny jar of Holy Oil, enough for only several hours. But, "A great miracle happened there," and the oil burned for all eight days and nights of the Feast of Dedication (according to the Talmudic story).
Secondly, about this date over 1900 years ago, a Jewish girl named Miryam (Mary in English) was visited by an angel. She was told that, while still a virgin, she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit - a child dedicated to be the Holy Temple of God. "A great miracle happened there!""You shall call His name Yeshua (Jesus), for He shall save His people from their sins."The four Hebrew letters make up a sprightly Hanukkah game. Each player places some candies, nuts, or if you’re rich, some money into a kitty. Now, spin the dreidel and follow the instructions. May the player with the best and longest spin win!
Nun means "nisht" or nothing. You win nothing, lose nothing.
Gimel means "gantz" or all of the pot ~ you take all.
Hay means "half" or take half of the pot.
Shin means "shel Tzu" or put one item or coin in the pot.
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Why I Celebrate Hanukkah as a Gentile
