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HANUKKAH THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights
Theme: Hanukkah is a celebration commemorating the light of the world, Jesus Christ.
Text: (John 10:22-23 NLT) It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah. {23} He was at the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon's Colonnade.
Introduction: Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication, or the Festival of Lights, is an eight day festival that begins on the 25th day of Kislev, of the Jewish calendar. This corresponds with November & December of the Gregorian calendar.
This festival commemorates the cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem and the liberation of the Jewish people, by Judah Maccabees in 167 BC/BCE, from the tyrannical Syrian dictator Antiochus.
So you may be asking why we would be encouraging Christians to celebrate, or study what is traditionally a Jewish Festival. For the sake of review, let’s examine three very good reasons for observing this festival.
1. Jesus, Observed Hanukkah
(John 10:22 NLT) It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah.
· Jesus was a Judean, and His primary ministry was in this region. For Him to travel 3 to 5 days to Jerusalem during the time of Hanukkah is significant.
2. While we may not be Jewish by birth, we have been engrafted into the family of the people of Israel.
(John 4:22 NKJV) "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
(Romans 11:17-18 NLT) But some of these branches from Abraham's tree, some of the Jews, have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, were grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in God's rich nourishment of his special olive tree. {18} But you must be careful not to brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. Remember, you are just a branch, not the root.
(Romans 1:16 NKJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Gentile or nations).
3. Hanukkah is rich with both spiritual, and prophetic significance.
· Hanukkah means dedication, and reminds us to take this time to allow the light of God’s Word to examine our lives in order that we might cleanse our lives from anything that might defile God’s temple.
· Jesus used the story of Hanukkah to warn us of the great deception that will come upon the earth in the last days.
I. Hanukkah, Celebrating the Light of the World
A. While the Hanukkah means dedication, it has come to be called the Festival of Lights.
1. The Hanukkah Menorah has nine candles Menorah whereas the Menorah in the temple had seven branches.
· The middle candle is the one that is used to light the other eight candles.
· Traditionally this is to commemorate how the oil of the Menorah lasted for eigh days, when there was only enough for one day.
· There are several other possible significant symbolic applications to these eight days as well.
B. Light represents the Messiah, (Jesus Christ).
1. Jesus, is the light of the world.
(John 8:12 NKJV) Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
(John 9:5 NKJV) "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
2. The first light to enter the world was the divine light of God.
(Genesis 1:1-4 NKJV) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. {2} The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. {3} Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. {4} And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
· This was not natural light, but rather the spiritual radiance of none other than God’s righteous, holy light, as the sun, moon and stars had not been created.
(John 1:1-14 NKJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {2} He was in the beginning with God. {3} All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. {4} In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. {5} And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. {6} There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. {7} This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. {8} He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. {9} That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. {10} He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. {11} He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. {12} But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: {13} who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. {14} And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
B. We see the divine light of God revealed in the creation of the world.
(John 1:3-5 NKJV) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. {4} In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. {5} And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
1. It is believed that Adam and Eve were actually clothed in the divine righteous light of God, and when they sinned they lost this glorious righteous covering.
(Genesis 2:25 NKJV) And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
(Genesis 3:7 NKJV) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
2. When sin entered the world the divine light was hidden from the eyes of sinful man.
(John 3:19 NKJV) "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
3. The light of creation will once again shine in the restored earth.
(Habakkuk 2:14 NKJV) For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.
(Revelation 21:22-27 NKJV) But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. {23} The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. {24} And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. {25} Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). {26} And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. {27} But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
C. Jesus, the Messiah, the light of the world came into the world to show forth the light of God in our hearts.
(2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT) For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
(John 8:12 NKJV) Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
(John 9:4-5 NKJV) "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. {5} "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
D. Just as the divine light of God that came into the world at creation was hidden from man when sin entered the world. The Messiah Jesus was hidden from in the bowels of the earth, latter to be revealed at the resurrection.
1. While Jesus is the light of the world, His light is hidden from the eyes of sinful men who refuse to turn from the darkness to the light.
(John 3:16-21 NKJV) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. {17} "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. {18} "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. {19} "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. {20} "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. {21} "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
II. Just as the Light of Creation was Revealed, Concealed, and Will be Revealed Again,So Too Jesus, the Messiah has Been Revealed, Concealed, and will be Revealed Again.
(Colossians 1:26 NKJV) The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.
(NLT) This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to his own holy people.
(Matthew 24:30 NKJV) "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
(Hebrews 9:28 NLT)…He will come again but not to deal with our sins again. This time he will bring salvation to all those who are eagerly waiting for him.
(Revelation 19:11-16 NKJV) Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. {12} His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. {13} He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. {14} And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. {15} Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. {16} And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
III. During the Eight Days of Hanukkah We Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the World.
A. Eight Menorah Candles
1. The middle candle is used to light a new candle each night. The middle candle represents Yeshua the Messiah, the light of the world, that brings the light to all who believe on Him.
· We light a new candle from right to left each night until all the candles are lit on the eighth night.
2. The light of the Menorah grows each night, just as God’s divine light of creation continued to grow until He ceased or rested from creating on the seventh day.
3. The light that Messiah brought into the world began with John the baptizer, and has continued to grow until His kingdom will fill the whole earth.
(John 1:6-9 NKJV) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. {7} This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. {8} He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. {9} That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
(Matthew 5:13-16 NKJV) "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. {14} "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. {15} "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. {16} "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
(Revelation 11:15 NKJV) Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
4. There are nine candles in all.
· One representing the Anointed One (the Messiah).
· Seven representing the days of creation.
· The final candle representing the kingdom which is to be revealed at the appearing of Jesus at His second coming.