This man was so bad that he forbade the Jews from observing the feasts that God had told them to celebrate. He burned their scrolls of sacred scripture and threatened them with death if they worshiped Jehovah, the Lord.
When the very faithful Jews refused to obey his orders, Antiochus’ soldiers marched to Jerusalem where they defaced the holy temple. They destroyed the homes and set fires in the streets of the City of David. Many thousands were tortured and killed. It was a very sad time for the Jews as their people were in danger of extinction.
His masons chiseled towering stone statues of the Greek gods which were erected in the villages around Israel. Zeus and other gods were to be now worshiped.
The cruel acts of this man were an abomination to the God of Israel. Once he even brought the raw flesh and blood of pigs to God’s sacred altar for sacrifice to unreal gods.
One day the chariots and armored men of the king arrived in the sheep herder’s town of Modi’in. There, they demanded that the frightened townspeople bow for idol worship. One brave grey haired man, Mattathias, and his five able sons refused. In defense of their beliefs, the small group drew swords on the soldiers then fled to the distant mountains to hide. From that day on, they rallied the Jews to fight for their God and their faith.
After many battles the rebels led by Mattathias’ son, Judah called Maccabee, began to have victory against the strong troops of King Antiochus. The good and gracious God of Israel gave success to the loyal Maccabees as they raided the camps of the King, slowly driving them back.
Finally, after many years of fierce fighting, there was peace in the land. The Israelites had defeated their enemies. At once, the Maccabees set out to cleanse and restore the temple. The beautiful courtyards and porticos had become overrun with weeds. The marble stones were stained with the blasphemous blood of swines.
Golden vessels and furnishings were crafted to replace those carried off by King Antiochus. The final and most important event would be the lighting of the eternal flame of the golden lampstand. As the flickering flames burned, the people knew that God was present. God had commanded that the wicks stay trimmed, the oil should never run dry, and the lights be kept lit.
The people’s hearts sank when they found only enough purified olive oil for the lights to burn one night. It would take seven long days to produce more pure oil, but their festival had begun and they needed it right then.
It was one hundred and sixty-five years later that Jesus stood at the same temple celebration. Christ told the crowd that met in the temple yard that He was the light of the world that the Lord had sent to save His people.
The Apostle John wrote about Jesus when he said in John 1:1-5 “Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it.”
When Christians think about Hanukkah, we should remember the miracle of the oil as well as the faith of the Maccabeen sons of Israel. They had hope that God would bring them victory. Their strength preserved a nation and a people. Our victory is in Jesus because He is the light of the world.
Today, the Jews celebrate a “Festival of Lights” for the rededication of the temple known as Hanukkah. The center, servant candle, is used to light first one, then two, up to the entire eight candles on the menorah. Scripture is read as they remember how a brave group of men kept their ancestors from being destroyed long ago.
As you spin the dreidel, whose name means “turn”, remember the miracles. The Hebrew letters on the dreidel’ s sides are NUN, GIMEL, HEY, and SHIN. They stand for the first letters in the Hebrew words: Nes Gadol Hayah Sham meaning “A Great Miracle Happened There”.
Before you spin the dreidel, put a piece of candy or nuts in the center of the table. As you spin, follow the directions of the letter by Doing Nothing on NUN, Getting All on GIMEL, Taking Half on HEY, and Sharing One in on SHIN.
Enjoy your dreidel as you remember to praise the Lord for the miracles studied here today and the miracles He continues to perform for the people who love, serve, and have faith in HIM. He is the ONE God and His son, Jesus, is our savior. He is THE LIGHT of the world. Never Forget!
Scripture References:
John 10:22-24 (NIV) 22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
First Book of the Maccabees 1: 21-24 (Revised English Bible) “In his arrogance he entered the temple and carried off the gold altar, the lamp stand with all its fittings, the table of the Bread of Presence, the libation cups and bowls, the gold censers, the curtain, the garlands. He stripped the gold plating from the front of the temple, seized the silver and gold, the precious vessels, and whatever secret treasures he found, and carried them all away when he left for his own country.””
First Book of the Maccabees 1: 41, 45-46 (Revised English Bible) “The king issued an edict throughout his empire; his subjects were all to become people and abandon their own customs. 45 Whole-offerings, sacrifices, and drink-offerings were forbidden in the temple; Sabbaths and feast days were to be profaned, 46 the temple and its ministers defiled. 47 Pagan altars, idols, and sacred precincts were to be established, sacred precincts were to be established, swine and other unclean beasts to be offered in sacrifice.”
First Book of the Maccabees 1: 41, 48-50 (Revised English Bible) “The Jews were to leave their sons uncircumcised; they had to make themselves in every way abominable, unclean, and profane, and so forget the law and change all their statues. The penalty for disobeying the royal command was death.”
First Book of the Maccabees 1: 41, 56-57 (Revised English Bible) “Every scroll of the law that was found was torn up and consigned to the flames, and 57 anyone discovered in possession of a Book of the Covenant or conforming to the law was by sentence of the king condemned to die.”
John 1:6-9 (NIV) 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
First Book of the Maccabees 4: 36, 49 (Revised English Bible) “Judas and his brothers said: ‘Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up to cleanse and rededicate the temple.’ 49 New sacred vessels were made; the lamp stand, the altar of incense, and the table were brought into the temple. 50 They burnt incense on the altar, and they lit the lamps on the lamp stand to shine within the temple.”
Leviticus 24:1-4 (NIV) 1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. 3 Outside the curtain of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron is to tend the lamps before the LORD from evening till morning, continually. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 4 The lamps on the pure gold lamp stand before the LORD must be tended continually.
Psalm 132:17 (ASV) 17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
John 10:37-38 (TLB) 37 Don’t believe me unless I do miracles of God. 38 But if I do, believe them even if you don’t believe me. Then you will become convinced that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."
Luke 2:28-32 (NIV) 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
John 12:36 (ASV) 36 While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light. These things spake Jesus, and he departed and hid himself from them.
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