Hanukkah, An Antithesis To Christmas

For the sermon today, I would like to cover an observance that is pertinent to this time of the year in which we find ourselves. We're nearing the middle of December, and the neighbors have the lights up on their house and a tree in the living room. As you turn on the television, the Christmas commercials are running, the Christmas songs are broadcasting on the radio.

And yet, in the middle of this period of time, there's another observance, and one that often finds itself unfairly labeled within the same category as Christmas. And I say unfairly labeled because, honestly, this observance is a far cry from representing the things that Christmas has tied up with it. Today, I would like to talk about that. As a church of God, we understand that the Christmas celebration is one that predates Jesus Christ, at least a lot of the origins of the traditions that are mixed in with that observance. In fact, many of the customs of the holidays go back to things like Mithraism, which was the worship of Mithra, the sun god, and the worship of the invincible god, or the invincible sun.

The days are short, the darkness is long, and it's bring back the light, bring back vitality to the earth, and it's this worship of the sun god. Many of the customs, as well, are tied into the great eulph-feast of the Norsemen, as well as the Roman Saturnalia. And so, Christmas is a holiday at best, which is a blend of pagan customs with, at least, a pretense, in some cases, of worshiping God.

But when you blend those things, you come up with what is known as syncretism, and it is something that God hates, something that He recognizes and looks on as false worship. In fact, you can go back to Mount Sinai, the golden calf, and see what His response to that blending and syncretism is. Now, Jesus Christ Himself stated that God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. And so, that's our standard. That's the standard of the people of God, to worship Him according to the truth that He gives us. Now, again, in the general timeframe of Christmas, this other observance often gets unfairly lumped in with Christmas.

You can turn on the television this time of the year, and I've seen movies that sort of wrap up at the end. It's sort of this warm, fuzzy feeling. The snow is falling, and in one house they're sitting by the Christmas tree with the presents, and in another house is a Jewish family, and they're lighting candles, and it's sort of lumped in together as sort of the same festivity in some ways.

And, in fact, this other observance is often called the Jewish Christmas. But the reality is, once again, its meaning stands for the exact opposite of pagan worship and syncretism. In fact, the Jewish observance, in its original intent, commemorates true worship according to God's command. It's not a festival, as in Leviticus chapter 23. It's not a holy day that we observe in that sense. But it is there, and it is a Jewish national festival based on a set of events that took place in the history of the people of Judah.

And during that eight-day festival, the Jewish community customarily lights candles in observance of that time. This may be a no-brainer, but can anybody tell me what observance I'm referring to? Hanukkah. Hanukkah, right? Hanukkah actually comes by a couple other names as well. Any other names come to mind for that observance? Festival of Lights. Festival of Lights. Okay, Hanukkah, Festival of Lights. Can anyone think of a name that it's given actually in the Bible?

Is Hanukkah in the Bible? Is it mentioned? Is it referenced? I won't give my wife the shortcut here. She knows the answer. The Feast of Dedication. The Feast of Dedication. We'll look at that in a little bit. Again, Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Dedication, also known as the Feast of Lights. Hanukkah is a Hebrew word. In Hebrew, it means dedication.

So you can actually go back through the Old Testament. You can find places where something was dedicated. Ezra dedicated the wall that was rebuilt around Jerusalem. The wall was Hanukkah to God. It was dedicated, and that is what the word means, dedication. This year, Hanukkah began on this last Thursday, December the 10th, that sundown, and it carries on through this next Friday, December the 18th. It lasts for eight days. What is the source behind this observance?

What does it represent and portray? What is its significance to the Jewish people? And what can we in the Church of God learn from the history surrounding the Feast of Hanukkah? I'd like to look into those things today and hopefully find an answer that, for all of us, shows the importance of God's desire to be worshipped in truth. I'm going to do something a bit different today.

Let me give you my title first. My title is Hanukkah and Antithesis to Christmas. Okay? Hanukkah and Antithesis to Christmas. Don't lump it in with the same. And today I'm going to do something a bit different. I'm going to be reading extensively from a Jewish historical source from the Book of Maccabees. The first book of Maccabees, in fact.

The Book of Maccabees is not scripture per se. It's not in our Bible canonized record. It is actually in some Bibles. If you have a Catholic Bible, oftentimes the Book of Maccabees is in that. But it is not recognized in the sense of holy-inspired scripture. But it is recognized as authoritative Jewish history and recognized as so by the Church as well. So I will be reading today quite a bit from the first book of Maccabees.

There's five of them, I believe, in total. And I'll be specifically reading from a portion of the book that covers a three-year period from 167 B.C. to 164 B.C. It's a specific period of time that falls during the inter-testament periods, where in our Bibles the Old Testament ends. You have about a 400-year gap before the New Testament record begins that we have.

This took place in that inter-testamental period during the reign of King Antiochus IV. A short run-up to 167 B.C. in terms of history. By 330 B.C., Alexander the Great, we've all heard of him, a great conqueror, one who dominated much of the world.

Alexander the Great conquered all of Asia Minor, basically modern-day Turkey. He conquered as well the Middle East, which also included the land of Israel. After Alexander died in 323 B.C., the Seleucid dynasty based in Syria and descended from one of Alexander's four generals, because, as you recall, when Alexander died, he left his kingdom. It was split to his four generals. So you come down from one of his four generals then to the Seleucid dynasty. It ultimately ruled the Holy Land by one of the Seleucid kings, who was King Antiochus IV.

Now, Antiochus IV was not friendly to the Jews. He ruled over that area, but he, in his reign, instituted through military campaign the end of the religion of the Jews. At least, that is what he was trying to force by his military domination. He tried to force them into the adoption of the Greek pagan culture. So, under the onslaught of Antiochus IV, Judaism was outlawed. The worship of the true God was outlawed. The temple was closed down. The people of God were assaulted.

And many other things took place during that time. So this brings us to 167 AD in the events contained in the first book of Maccabees, which I'd like to read from today. I'm going to be reading from the World English Bible Translation of the book of Maccabees. And so, from that extent, it is public domain. You can go out and find it. You can read from it. You can quote from it. So I'll just give that to you up front. I want to begin reading today in 1 Maccabees chapter 1 and verse 41.

Again, this is not what we would consider necessarily inspired scripture, but it is the historical record. 1 Maccabees 1 verse 41. And it says, So you have to understand a little bit what's happening at this time. Antiochus had gone down, fought a battle in Egypt, had won, kind of came back through the Holy Land, pillaged the temple, and extended some abuse towards Judah at that time. But then he was planning once again to invade down in Egypt for a second time, but he needed to solidify things at home. He needed to get all the nations that he ruled over bound together in one religion, in one language, one culture, which was Greek, because that would solidify his hold at home and would strengthen him for his conquests moving out from there.

So we have the people of God and Judah under his authority now getting wrapped into this. Verse 43 says, A number actually went along with it and compromised on their beliefs.

And I want you to notice why. Number 49 says, And I want you to notice why. Number 49 says, He's just going to Hellenize the Jews and sweep away any vestige of their religious observances. Verse 50 says, City by city. From the people who were gathered together to them were many. Everyone who had forsaken the law, and they did evil in the land. They made Israel to hide themselves in every place of refuge which they had.

And so not everybody capitulated. There were actually those who fled, who got out of Jerusalem, got out of the cities, and ran for the places of refuge in order to hide themselves. Verse 54 says, This is in the temple of God in Jerusalem. So what was the abomination? Well, historical sources indicate that Antiochus literally set up an image of the Greek god Zeus over the altar in the temple of God.

And he instituted pagan worship in the temple. And Antiochus himself actually replaced the face of Zeus with his own face upon the altar, so that he was worshiped as God. Again, 167 B.C. Antiochus ascribed the title to himself, Theos Epiphanes. You've probably often heard him described as Antiochus Epiphanes. Well, there's Antiochus Theos Epiphanes, is what he ascribed to himself. Theos is not his middle name. If you know a little bit of Greek, hopefully we all know just a little bit, Theos is what? God, right? So he ascribed to himself the title Antiochus God Manifest. God on earth. God manifest, and he put his face on Zeus in the temple at the altar of God to be worshiped.

Verse 54, on the fifteenth day of Kislev in the 145th year, they built an abomination of desolation upon the altar, and in the cities of Judah on every side, they built idols and altars. At the doors of the houses and in the streets, they burned incense. So wherever you turned, at the gates, at the temple, at the houses, it was to be set up as a shrine to Zeus and to Antiochus, and again, false worship dedicated to them.

Verse 56, they tore the books of the law, which they found in pieces, set them on fire. Anyone who was found with any book of the covenant, and if any consented to the law, the king's sentence delivered him to death. Thus they did in their might to Israel to those who were found month by month in the cities. On the 25th day of Kislev, they sacrificed upon the idol altar that was on top of the altar of burned offering.

They sacrificed unclean animals. They sacrificed swine at the altar, at the temple. The abomination had been set up, the profane sacrifice had been altered, and it was an all-out attempt to stamp out religious worship of God and the customs and the practices of the Jewish people. But you see, it didn't stop there. It wasn't enough just to try to Hellenize them and make them somewhat Greek, but allow them to continue to be Jews.

This had to be a total conversion. Verse 60 says, they put to death women who had circumcised their children according to the commandment, and they hung their babies around their necks. There's actually accounts in some of the books of Maccabees. I don't want to go down that line too far, but they killed the baby, they hung them around their mother's neck for a period of time. You can know where that takes you. They also at times took women, killed their babies, hung them around their neck, marched them through the city as an example of those who would defy the order, and then push them off the cliff.

So it was a very difficult time for the people of God, the covenant people of God, living there in that time. Again, hung their babies around their necks, and their houses. They killed their families, their household, and those who had circumcised them. Many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat unclean things, and they chose to die that they might not be defiled with food, and that they might not profane the holy covenant, and they died exceedingly great wrath came upon Israel.

You know, maybe we kind of, in our little corner of the world in this day and age, bemoan what it is that maybe we think we have to put up with. As the Church of God today, it is nothing compared to what the people of God have gone through in history.

It was an incredibly dark time now that it ascended upon the people of Judah, and although this wasn't included in the Biblical account as part of the string of Scriptures, it doesn't stand completely independent from Scripture either, because you can go to Scripture and see the fingerprints of this being prophesied as it would take place, as we've just read. Daniel 11, I will have you turn there, Daniel 11, what happened with the Jews at the time of the Maccabees, fulfilled prophecies that were given and revealed to Daniel, and he recorded here for us. Daniel 11 is quite a string of prophecies.

It covers the continuation of the Persian Empire from Daniel's time forward. It covers the rise of Alexander the Great, as well as Alexander's successors, all the way down then to Antiochus the Fourth. Daniel 11, we'll see how this actually fits, this prophecy, how it fits with the book of Maccabees. Daniel 11, verse 21, coming down to the time of Antiochus, and it says, "'And his place shall arise a vile person.'" Vile person was Antiochus Sepiphanes, "'to whom they will not give the honor of royalty, but he shall come in peaceably and shall seize the kingdom by intrigue.'" The Jewish people didn't say, oh, you're our king.

They recognized he was pagan, but he still ruled over them, and by intrigue, he actually came in, and with bribery and other things, the high priest went along with what it was that Antiochus was doing. And he compromised and essentially sold his people out for the bribe. Verse 22, it says, "'With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him, and be broken, also the prince of the covenant.

And after the league is made with him, he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people.'" The Jews, again, essentially, some of the Jewish leadership made league with him, actually opened the door, allowed him in. The high priesthood could be bought, and it was bought, and alliance was made. Verse 22 through 28 gives us some history of Antiochus going to war with Egypt. He was victorious again the first time. But if we come back now to verse 29 of Daniel, chapter 11, it says, "'At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south, but it shall not be like the former or the latter.'" Antiochus was going to go to war again against Egypt, and he wanted to solidify Judah, because that would be his southern launching point into Egypt.

But he was going to meet resistance this time. Resistance at Egypt, verse 30, says, "'For ships from Cyprus shall come against him, therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage. So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.'" Verse 31, "'And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress.

Then they shall take away the daily sacrifices and place there the abomination of desolation.'" Again, just as we read in the book of Maccabees, Antiochus here is prophesied to defile the temple of God, to set up the abomination of desolation, to pull down and destroy the covenant people of God. But there's more to the story. Verse 32 says, "'Those who do wickedly against the covenant, he shall corrupt with flattery.' But the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits, and those of the people who understand shall instruct many.

Yet for many days they shall fall by the sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help, but many shall join with them by intrigue." So there's going to be Judean resistance to the oppression of Antiochus Epiphanes. A comparably small band of Jews is going to wage guerrilla warfare against them, and by the help of God, they will do great exploits on behalf of the people of God and true worship of God. Back to the book of 1 Maccabees, now chapter 2. Let's look at the great exploits, which will rise among those in Judah.

1 Maccabees, chapter 2 and verse 1, it says, "'In those days, Mattathias, the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Jorib from Jerusalem, rose up, and he lived in Moden.'" If you pull out a map of the Holy Land, you find Moden, it's 17 miles northwest of Jerusalem, and here you have Mattathias, a priest. 2 He had five sons, John, who was called Sir Gideas, Simon, who was called Thassie, Judas, who was called Maccabees, Eleazar, who was called Averan, and Jonathan, who was called Aepheus.

3 He saw the blasphemies that were committed in Judah and in Jerusalem. 4 And Mattathias said, "'Woe to me! Why was I born to see the destruction of my people, the destruction of the holy city, and to dwell there when it was given into the hand of the enemy, the sanctuary into the hand of foreigners? 5 Her temple has become like a man who was glorious. Her vessels of glory are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in her streets, her young men are slain with the enemy sword.

6 What nation has not inherited her palaces and taken possession of her spoils? Her abomination, her adornment, has all been taken away. 7 Instead of a free woman, she has become a slave. Behold, our holy things, our beauty, and our glory are laid waste. The Gentiles have profaned them. Why should we live any longer?' 8 Mattathias looked around, he saw the blasphemies that happened against God and the people of God and the horrific oppression, destruction, death.

9 He simply just cried out to God and considered even what was the point of even living, if he were to live under such a thing. 10 Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloths, and mourned exceedingly. 11 The king's officers, who were enforcing the apostasy, came into the city of Moden to sacrifice.

12 Many of Israel came to them, and Mattathias and his sons were gathered together. 13 The king's officers answered and spoke to Mattathias, saying, 14 You are a ruler, and an honorable and a great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and kindred, recognized probably as well he was a force to be reckoned with. 15 He says, Now therefore come first, and do the commandment of the king, as all the nations have done, including the men of Judah and those who remain in Jerusalem. 16 You and your house will be numbered among the king's friends, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.

17 Just compromise. Just offer to sacrifice. Just show the people, show the city, that you are compliant. 18 It will be a blessing for you. It will be a blessing for your family. 19 Point was, though, you remember Mattathias was a king. Excuse me, a priest. Right? He was a priest of God. 21 The high priest is sold out. Why would not the other priest? But he was a priest of God, and he was also a faithful man. 22 Verse 19, And Mattathias answered and said with a loud voice, If all the nations that are in the house of the king's dominion listen to him, to fall away, each one, from the worship of his fathers, and have made choice to follow his commandments.

23 He said, Yet I and my sons and my kindred will walk in the covenant of our fathers. Far be it from us that we should forsake the law and the ordinances. We will not listen to the king's words to turn aside from our worship to the right hand or to the left. 24 And we need to finish speaking these words that you came out of the crowd in sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Moden, according to the king's commandment.

25 Mattathias saw it, and so his zeal was kindled, and his guts trembled. I read that phrase, and I guess you can't understate just how upset he was. Somebody would come out of the crowd, defy the living God, sacrifice to this idol in front of all his people. 26 When Mattathias saw it, his zeal was kindled, his guts trembled, and he vented his wrath according to judgment.

And he ran and killed him upon the altar. He killed the king's officer who compelled men to sacrifice, and at the same time he pulled down the altar. 27 He was zealous for the law, even as Phineas did to Zimri, the son of Sallu. He was zealous to stand up for God even when others would simply turn aside. He was zealous.

27 And Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying, Whoever is zealous for the law and maintains the covenant, let him follow me. And he and his sons fled into the mountains and left all that they had in the city. 28 Then many who sought justice and judgment went down into the wilderness to live there, they and their children and their wives and their livestock, because of the evils that were multiplied upon them. 29 There were those in the various cities of Judah who essentially said, We've got to get out of town. They fled into the wilderness. 30 And I have to skip some of this for timing, but essentially the armies came upon them, upon one encampment as well.

It was a thousand men, plus women and children. 31 And they came against them. It was the Sabbath day. And they would not offer resistance. They would not go into battle on the Sabbath day. And they were all slain in the wilderness. 32 Word came to Mattathias. Word came to those who followed them. 33 Verse 42 says, In a company of the Hasidians, mighty men of Israel, everyone who offered himself willingly to the law were gathered together to them, to Mattathias and to those who were with him.

34 All those who fled from the evils were added to them and supported them. They mustered an army, struck the sinners in their anger, and lawless men in their wrath. 35 The rest fled to the Gentiles for safety. The other people of Judah who had sold out, who had compromised, now they're going to be on the receiving end of the zeal of Mattathias. 36 And they fled to the Gentiles for safety. 37 Verse 45, In Mattathias and his friends ran around, they pulled down the altars.

They forcibly circumcised the boys who were uncircumcised, as many as they found in the coasts of Israel. 38 They pursued the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hand. They rescued the law out of the hand of the Gentiles and out of the hand of kings, and they never allowed the sinner the triumph. 39 Verse 49, The days of Mattathias drew near, that he should die. And he said to his sons, Now pride and scorn have gained strength.

It is the season of overthrow and indignant wrath. 40 He said, Now my children be zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers. 41 Called to remembrance the deeds of our fathers, which they did in their generations, and receive great glory in an everlasting name. 42 Wasn't Abraham found to be faithful in temptation, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness? 43 Joseph, in his time, was distressed, and he kept the commandment of God and became the Lord of Egypt.

44 Phineas, our father, became great because he was exceedingly zealous. He obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. 45 Joshua became a judge in Israel for fulfilling the word. 46 Caleb obtained a heritage in the land for testifying in the congregation, and David inherited the throne of a kingdom for ever and ever for being merciful. 47 Elijah was taken up into heaven because he was exceedingly zealous for the law. 48 Hananiah, Azariah, and Michiel believed, and they were saved out of the flame. 49 Daniel was delivered from the mouth of the lions for his innocence.

50 Verse 61, Thus from generation to generation, that no one who put their trust in him, but their trust in God, lacked for strength. 51 He said, Don't be afraid of the words of a sinful man, for his glory will be dung and worms. 52 Today he will be lifted up, and tomorrow he will by no way be found, because he has returned to dust and his thought his perish. 53 You, my children, be strong, and show yourselves men on behalf of the law, for in it you will obtain glory.

54 Behold, Simon, your brother, who I know to be a man of counsel, always listen to him. He shall be a father to you. He was the brains. That's me. He was the brains. 55 Judas Maccabeus says, He has been strong and mighty from his youth, and he shall be your captain, and shall fight the battle of the people. Again, this is me. He shall be the brawn. Judas Maccabeus is where the term the Maccabeus came from, and it means hammer. It means hammer. And indeed, in the record of the revolt of the Maccabeus, Judas Maccabeus and those who followed him came down like a hammer upon the forces of Syria by the strength of God.

Verse 67, he says, Rally around all the doers of the law, and avenge the wrong done to your people. Repay the Gentiles, and obey the commandments of the law. And he blessed them, and was gathered to his ancestors. Mattathias died in the 146th year, and his sons buried him in the tombs of his ancestors at Moden, and all of Israel made great lamentation for him.

First book of Maccabeus chapter 3, verse 1, says, The son of Judas, who is called Maccabeus, his son, his son Judas, who is called Maccabeus, He rose up in his place, and all his kindred helped him, and so did all those who joined with his father, And they fought with gladness the battle of Israel. He set battles in a ray, protecting the army with the sword.

He was alike a lion in his deeds, and like a lion's cub roaring for prey. He hunted and pursued the lawless, he burned up those who troubled his people. The lawless shrunk back for fear of him, and all the workers of lawlessness were very troubled. Deliverance prospered in his hand. He angered many kings and made Jacob glad with his acts.

His memory is blessed forever. He went through the cities of Judah, destroyed the ungodly out of the land, and turned away wrath from Israel. He was renowned in the utmost part of the earth. He gathered together those who were ready to perish. You go through the remainder of chapter 3 again for time. I can't read it all, but what you find is it describes various battles where Judas, Maccabeus, and his small group, by comparison that followed him, had victory after victory, again against the Syrian forces of Antiochus, by the hand of God, by his strength, and they began inch by inch by inch, reclaiming Judah again.

Chapter 3, verse 16, I just want to read you a portion here because it describes the trust that Judas, Maccabeus, had in God in the face of incredible odds. Chapter 3, verse 16, it says, he came near to the ascent of Betharon, and Judas went out to meet him.

So there was an Assyrian commander coming against him of the army, and Judas goes out with his army to face off. He goes out to meet him with a small company. He says, but when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas, What shall we be able, being such a small company, to fight against so great a strong multitude? For we, for our part, are faint, having not tasted food this day. And Judas said, it is an easy thing for many to be hemmed in by the hands of a few.

With heaven, it is all one, to save by many or by few. The victory in battle stands not in the multitude of an army, but strength is from heaven. They come to us in fullness of insolence and lawlessness, to destroy us and our wives and our children, and to plunder us, but we fight for our lives and our laws.

He himself, meaning God, will crush them before our face, but as for you, do not be afraid of them. First book of Maccabees chapter 4 verse 26. So the foreigners who had escaped came and told, so you had the battle, and again, multiple battles have taken place in between here, and they're frustrated by Judas. So foreigners who had escaped came and told Lysias, the Greek commander of Syria, all the things that had happened. And when he heard it, he was confounded, he was discouraged, because the things he desired had not been done to Israel, nor had such things happened as the king commanded him.

And the next year, he gathered together 60,000 chosen infantry, 5,000 calvary, 65,000 men, that he might so do them. They came into Edomia and camped at Besserba, and Judas met them with 10,000 men. So they faced off an army of 65,000 battle-trained Syrian troops against 10,000 men of Judah. These men were fighting for their life, and their families, and their way of life. Judas met them with 10,000 men. He says, he saw that the army was strong, and he prayed to God, saying, Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who defeated the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David.

And you delivered the army of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan, son of Saul, and his armor bearer. He says, Him end this army in the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed for their army and their calvary.

Give them faintness of heart, cause the boldness of their strength to melt away, and let them quake at their destruction. Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all those who know your name praise you with thanksgiving. Verse 34, they joined in the battle, and about 5,000 men of Lysias' army fell. They fell down near them, but when Lysias saw that his troops were put to flight, and the boldness that had come upon those who were with Judas, and how they were ready to either live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch and gathered together hired soldiers that he might come at them again into Judea with an even greater army.

Verse 36, chapter 4, but Judas and his kindred said, Behold, our enemies are defeated. Let us go up to cleanse the holy place and to rededicate it. All the army was gathered together, and they went up to Mount Zion. They saw the sanctuary laid waste, the altar profaned, the gates burned up, shrubs growing up in the courts as in the forest or on one of the mountains, and the priests' chambers pulled down. And they tore their clothes and made great lamentation, put ashes on their heads, fell on their faces to the ground, and blew the solemn trumpets and cried out towards heaven.

Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those who were in the citadel until he had cleansed the holy place. Verse 42, he chose blameless priests who were devoted to the law. Again, not everybody was dedicated. Many had turned aside. But he chose those who were blameless, priests who were dedicated to the law. And they cleansed the holy place and carried the defiled stones out to an unclean place. They deliberated what to do with the altar of burnt offerings which had been profaned.

A good plan came into their mind that they should pull it down lest it would be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it. So they pulled down the altar and laid up the stones on the temple hill in a convenient place until a prophet would come to give an answer concerning them. They took the whole stones according to the law. They rebuilt a new altar like the former. They built the holy place in the inner parts of the house, and they consecrated the courts.

They made new holy vessels, and they brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. They burned incense on the altar. They lit the lamps that were upon the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple again. They set loaves up upon the table, hung the curtains, and finished all the work which had been done. They rose up early in the morning on the 25th day of the ninth month, which is the month of Kislev, in the 148th year, 164 B.C.

And they offered sacrifice according to the law on the new altar of the burnt offerings which they had made. If you look at it, if you recall, the timing, 25th of Kislev, 164 B.C., was three years to today following the abomination that had taken place prior in the temple.

Three years to the day did they reestablish and begin this rededication and sacrifices to God. Verse 54 says, With songs and harps and lutes and cymbals, and all the people fell on their faces, they worshiped and gave praise towards heaven, which had given them good success.

They celebrated the dedication of the altar eight days, and they offered burnt offerings with gladness and sacrifice the sacrifice of deliverance and praise. They dedicated the front of the temple with crowns of gold and with small shields. They dedicated the gates and the priest chambers, and they made the doors for them. There was exceedingly great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away. Verse 59, Judas and his kindred and the whole congregation of Israel ordained that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their seasons from year to year for eight days, from the 25th day of the month of Kislev with gladness and joy.

Again, last Thursday, December 10th, began at sundown in the evening, the 25th day of Kislev. It runs through this next Friday. Verse 60, at that time, they fortified Mount Zion with high walls and strong towers around it, lest perhaps the Gentiles might come and trample them down as they had done before.

Judas stationed a garrison to guard it. They fortified Besserah to keep it, that the people might have a stronghold near Ida Mia. This isn't the end of the record of the Maccabean Revolt in their conquest against the king of Syria, but the point is, this is as far as we need to take it today, because the emphasis has been made the dedication, rededication of the temple of God, which took place. Again, the word Hanukkah means dedication in the Hebrew, and it was a rededication of the altar in the temple, which lasted for eight days, which is the reason behind what is today the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

I would say in many ways that we in this country have a Thanksgiving celebration, right? There's a certain day of the year that we give thanks to God for what he accomplished for this nation in Thanksgiving, and we acknowledge him. This is a recognition from the Jews of the dedication of that temple back to God in true worship, casting out of the Gentiles the removal of the oppression upon the people of God. In the Bible, the eighth day has a lot to do with something being wholly given over to God. There's a count and a process whereby something is set aside for seven days, and on the eighth day it becomes God.

And I don't have time to go through a study of that today, but you'll recall that there were the sacrifice or the offering, rather, of the firstborn of the flocks. They stayed with their mother for seven days, and on the eighth day they became gods.

Circumcision on the eighth day, seven days with their mother, on the eighth day, circumcision, the sign of the covenant dedicated that male to God. The eighth day holy day that we observe, coming at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, and then the eighth day, picture a time when everything is dedicated to God and the kingdom of God. So there were eight days that went into the rededication here of the temple following the Maccabean revolt. And there was actually precedence for that in the Bible previously. We're not going to turn there, but in 2 Chronicles chapter 29, verse 16 and 17, the sanctification of the temple at the time of Hezekiah took eight days. Because, you see, King Ahaz had come in and defiled the temple, and they had to go in and clean it up and rededicate it back to God again. It was a process of eight days. 2 Chronicles 29, verse 16 and 17. Also, if you look up the future millennial temple, you can find that in Ezekiel chapter 43. It will again go through the same eight-day process, and it is then Holy God with the sacrifices dedicated to God.

Now, another element to this observance that's not actually mentioned in the historic account is the burning of the menorah in the temple for eight days. According to Jewish tradition, at the rededication of the temple, only one undefiled container of the oil for the light was found. It was special oil. It was used in holy service. Everything else had been defiled, but they found this one container of undefiled oil. It was enough to last for one day, and they lit the lamps within the holy place that was to burn perpetually, and it burned for eight days until more oil and that holy oil could be set apart for that purpose. For eight days, the light burned clearly a miracle from God. That's why it's called the Festival of Lights as well. You see the lighting of lights that take place during this time. It's celebrated customarily with the lighting of candles. One light for the first day, two lights for the second day, all the way up to you have the eight days and the eight lights on that are burning. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the temple to God, and that is full of meaning. And the story we just read through is full of meaning as well, because it also pictures victory over paganism, victory over falsehood, victory over anything that is not God. It pictures removal of false worship and syncretism from the midst of God's people. It pictures God's mercy on a group of people who would not compromise with the truth. And it pictures a restoration of true worship to the one true God. Hanukkah is in no way a Jewish Christmas or anything of the like. In fact, it stands for the complete opposite in meaning and in purpose. It stands in contrast to that pagan observance. Hanukkah is an antithesis to Christmas.

Now, interestingly, the Feast of Dedication, as I mentioned, is in the Bible. We can find it during the time of Jesus Christ. So I would like to take a few moments and at least see what surrounds that, because there was an interaction that took place between Christ and the Jews at the Feast of Dedication. And when you understand the background of what we just read, that interaction becomes so much more significant. Let's go to John chapter 10, verse 22.

John chapter 10 and verse 22. This is where Hanukkah is mentioned in the Bible.

John chapter 10 and verse 22, it says, Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. And you know, I've heard different explanations of this. I would just say, I think it would be a stretch to say dogmatically from the Scripture that Jesus Christ was observing Hanukkah. But he was there. He was there in Jerusalem as this observance was taken place. Normally, he would be back up in the North Country. This wasn't a pilgrimage feast like the Feast of Tabernacles. And Jesus Christ was there. So he very well might have been observing it. He was, after all, a Jew by nationality. Okay, and this was a noble remembrance. But let me just at least say this. I think either way, we can assume that the festival was the reason that he was making himself known in Jerusalem at the time. Because there's significance behind all of this. Verse 24, and the Jews surrounded him, and they said to him, How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Think about what was going through the mind of the Jews at this time. It was the Feast of Dedication. What were they thinking about? What were they looking towards? Well, a part of that process, they would have been thinking about the Deliverer. Right? The Deliverer from oppression, because that is what they're celebrating. A Deliverer in their history, who had thrown off the oppression of the Greeks, and now they were looking for what? A Deliverer to throw off the Roman boot that was on their neck, and to re-establish the dominance and the glory of Israel again. And they come up to Jesus Christ at the Temple, at the Feast of Dedication. They're looking for the Deliverer who would be the Messiah. Right? That's who they're hoping for, and they want to know if He is Him. Verse 25, and Jesus answered them, saying, I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone stash them out of my hand. Jesus was telling them that, yes, indeed, He was the Deliverer. But you see, He wasn't the kind of Deliverer they were looking for. But He was indeed the Deliverer, and He said, by His Deliverent sin would be forgiven, and eternal life would be granted. But you see, they couldn't see it. They were looking for someone else. Right? They were looking for a conquering King and a Deliverer of the likeness of Judas Maccabeus. That's what they're celebrating. That's what they're considering. Verse 29, Did you catch it?

You being a man make yourself God.

Has somebody else done that?

They're keeping the Feast of Dedication. They're keeping Hanukkah. Who else, being a man, made Him self God? Antiochus Epiphanes. Right? Antiochus Theos Epiphanes, meaning God manifest. Again, this was a dedication feast of the Jews, and they were looking for a Savior for a Deliverer. And who did Jesus Christ say He was? Well, they just certainly couldn't seem to accept that, except, you see, in this case, it was true, because He was Emmanuel. He was God with us, and He was the true Deliverer. Rather than the events that we read through, running up to the Feast of Dedication, are not only historical in nature, but the fact is they are a forerunner of a much greater fulfillment that is prophesied to occur yet in the future. So, learn the history, understand what took place and what was prophesied, but also understand what is prophesied to come again, because Antiochus, Epiphanes, Judas Maccabeus, these are all things that took place, but they were a forerunner of something much greater that's coming in the future upon the entire world. Matthew 24, verse 15. Matthew 24, verse 15, the words of Jesus Christ, He says, Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, whoever reads, let him understand. Verse 16, and let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who was on the housetop not go down to take anything out of the house, and let him who was in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days, and pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath day. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has never been since the beginning of the world, until this time known or ever shall be. Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. The abomination of desolation and the ensuing tribulation forced by Antiochus Epiphanes was a forerunner of a much greater, much more difficult time that's going to befall the world yet in the future. This lies ahead of us, still. There's coming a time, brethren, in the future when the temple of God in Jerusalem, there will be a temple, or at the very least an altar, but it would appear a temple as well. But there's coming a time when that future temple of God in Jerusalem will once again be defiled. The Gentiles will once again tread the holy city underfoot, not for three years, as in Antiochus Epiphanes, but for three and a half years, 42 months. It's from Revelation 11 and verse 2. The abomination of desolation will once again be set up as described by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24, 15, and as described by Daniel once again in Daniel 12 and verse 11. The man of sin will again, and in this future man of sin, exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 4.

People say, let's go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, and we'll walk in his path. For us sitting here today, the events surrounding the dedication of the Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah, Festival of Lights, whatever name you would choose for, those events should be a reminder to never compromise, to never draw back, to never compromise on the keeping of God's laws, never compromise on the keeping of his Sabbath and Holy Days, and never compromise on what God has instituted as true worship from his people. Hanukkah is not a Jewish Christmas. We don't keep it as a Holy Day. Again, it's not in Leviticus 23 as a Church of God. We don't keep it as a Holy Day. But I do believe it is, at least, worth remembering. Because it is not a Jewish Christmas. It's just the opposite. It symbolizes the booting out of pagan customs and false worship, and the rededication to worshiping the true God as he has directed. At this time of the year, let us never forget the purity of worship that God desires from us. Let us never fall short, I would say, especially at this time of year, at rededicating ourselves. Because, you see, you and I are the temple of God. Let us rededicate ourselves as the people of God and the temple of God to worshiping Him as He desires, to putting out syncretism, to putting out false worship and false gods, or what may ever arise as an idol in our life. Let us rededicate ourselves, once again, to worshiping God in spirit and in truth.