Message of Hanukkah
The Abomination of Desolation and the Assault Upon G-d
“Whosoever is
zealous for the Torah, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me!”
1Maccabees 2:27-28
”Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My
wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among
them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore
say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace.’”
Numbers 25:11-12
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”
Revelation 3:19
Introduction
There appears to be a constant assault upon our values these days. This is not new…
As believers, how should we respond? Do we need to differentiate between “cultural” or “tradition” vs. “G-d-mandated”? Many simply merge them into one “family values” heading.
One area that this assault is evident is during this season is the discrimination against believers – even by promoting Hanukkah. What many believers do not know is that Hanukkah is not a secular celebration… It is about this very issue, and it is very Biblical.
History of Hanukkah
After the Greek Empire was divided in 323 BCE when Alexander died. His Empire was divided into 4 parts. The Seleucid Empire was to the north of Israel, and the Ptolemy Empire was to the south.
These “northern” and “southern” kingdoms took turns dominating the Land of Israel.
nIn 168 BCE, the Seleucids (north) were in control of Israel and were “Hellenizing” it with the Greek language and culture.
Even the High Priest in Jerusalem embraced this “advanced culture”.
The king, Antiochus Epiphanes began to force Hellenization upon Jews, and in 169 BCE he entered Jerusalem and sacked the Temple.
On the 25th, of Kislev in 167 BCE in honor of the Greek G-d, Kronos (Saturn in Rome), he sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple in Jerusalem, having earlier put a statue of Zeus in the Holy of Holies.
He forbade Jewish men from circumcising their sons (killing the babies that were), and outlawed the reading of G-d’s Word, and the celebrating of Biblical feasts.
Most Jews went along willingly. Even many priests and Levites did not protes Until a Levite named Mattityahu (Matthew) in the village of Modin refused.
When the Greeks came to Modin to force them to sacrifice a pig, Matthityahu said, “Though all the nations that are under the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments: Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. G-d forbid that we should forsake the Torah and the ordinances. We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.” (Mac 2:19-22)
Mattityahu left and went with his sons to the mountains and started a revolt against the Greeks.
After Mattityahu died, his son Judah became the leader. Judah was also known as HaMakabi (the Hammer), and hence the revolt is called the Maccabean Revolt. It established Israel’s independence until Rome took over in 37 BCE.
Judah HaMakabi captured the Temple Mount on the 25th of Kislev in 164 BCE and rededicated the Temple.
With all the “nationalistic” implications around this history – don’t ever let anyone tell you that Hanukkah was about “national pride”. It was about obedience to G-d’s commands.
Prophecy of Hanukkah
Daniel 11:21-33: Antiochus Epiphanes is the “king of the North”. His actions in 170-167 BCE were prophesied of by Daniel – 370 years earlier.
Daniel 11:31: This “abomination of desolation” was setup by Antiochus on the 15th of Kislev in 167 BCE, in the Temple in Jerusalem – just as Daniel had foreseen.
Daniel 11:32: “but the people who know their G-d shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” is speaking specifically of the “Maccabees”.
Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 11:31 point to the fact that Antiochus is a “type” of the coming man of Lawlessness – the one Jesus foretold would come at the time of the end.
Hanukkah = Dedication
The word “Hanukkah” is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. It means “dedication”. It is usually associated with dedicating the altar in the Temple. It is the same root for the name “Enoch” which means “dedicated to G-d.”
On the 25th of Kislev, when Judah rededicated the Temple, since they had previously been denied the celebration of the G-d-mandated feast of Sukkot (feast of Tabernacles), they celebrated it late – for 8 days like Sukkot, and it became known as “Hanukkah”.
Hanukkah for centuries became symbolic for zeal for G-d’s Torah, and for His commands. It symbolized a resistance against the tide of paganism that assaulted the Word and Person of G-d.
The numerous miraculous battles in the revolt against the Greeks point to a previous time, when Israel was obedient and took the Promised Land as G-d had commanded.
Zeal for G-d
In the book of 1Maccabees, Mattityahu and his sons are compared to Phinehas.
Numbers 25:1-12: The immorality was not simply against the people, or their “culture” – it was an assault against the very Person of G-d – at the door of the Tabernacle.
Phinehas showed the same zeal for G-d that Mattityahu and his sons did.
John 2:13-17: Jesus could not tolerate an attack upon the nature of G-d.
Jesus and Hanukkah
John 10-17-25: Jesus used the Feast of Hanukkah to answer the question: “are you the Messiah?”
Hanukkah points to the dedicating of that which is reserved for G-d. The Tabernacle/Temple represented the Person of Jesus, and to His people as His dwelling place.
Hanukkah represents a time for G-d’s people to repent, and turn again to His ways – and to dedicate themselves solely to Him – rejecting paganism that assaults His character.
The dating of Jesus’ birth at Sukkot makes the timing of His conception around the eight days of Hanukkah…
Summary
Resist the culture all you can… compromise on nothing related to G-d’s Word or His commands.
Know that G-d upholds those who are zealous for Him and for His Word.
Hanukkah is not the assault upon Jesus as some today would pattern it… it is a celebration of obedience. It is a celebration of Jesus.
Dedicate yourself anew to Him. Repent, for the time is near.