Hanukkah 2024

Hanukkah begins this year at nightfall on December 25th and ends at nightfall on January 2nd. Hanukkah means “dedication”. It is referred to as the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights. It is a minor holiday, but a significant one. The occasion of this holiday occurred between the times of the Tanach and the Brit Hadashah. The story is recorded in the Jewish apocryphal book of Maccabees. It occurred around 168 BCE in the reign of King Antiochus IV. Antiochus was intent on eradicating the Jewish religion. He forbade them from them from keeping the Sabbath, they could not keep their biblical kosher diet, they could not study the Torah, or practice circumcision. He also demanded that pigs be offered to Zeus on the altar in the Temple. He considered himself to be the incarnation of Zeus, hence the appended title to his name, Antiochus Epiphanies.

In 168 BCE Antiochus marched on Jerusalem. Jason the High Priest, who was opposing him, was slain. A statue of Zeus was erected in the temple, pigs were sacrificed on the altar, the golden candlesticks and golden altar were taken, and copies of the Torah were destroyed. Many were killed in the violence and those who were left were forced to bow before the statue of Zeus and pay more taxes. The desecration of the Temple was known as the abomination of desolation (Daniel 11:31, Dan 12:11). Resistance began to surface in 165 BCE when Mattathias, a priest, interfered with the offering of swine and subsequently fled Jerusalem. Pious Jews joined him, and a war began. The Temple was successfully taken back and restored.

Much later, stories began to circulate about a miracle of oil that may have occurred in the Temple. When the priests began preparing to restore offerings only one vial of sacred oil was left that was not spoiled or broken. It was used and continued to burn for eight days until new oil could be made. This story came to be associated with the idea of Festival of Lights. Another major theological theme connected to Hanukkah is freedom from oppression, which ultimately comes by God’s hand, so that people can worship and express their faith.

Yeshua celebrated Hanukkah in John 10:22 when he was questioned about his messiahship. Yeshua also preached about being the light of the world in Jn 9:5-7, Jn 12:35-36 and was compared to light again by John in Jn 1:4-9. It is thought that Yeshua’s birth occurred on the Feast of Tabernacles and if that is true, his actual conception, where the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, may well have occurred during (or around) Hanukkah. During the darkest days of the year, the light of Messiah came.

Hanukkah is traditionally celebrated with the menorah occupying a central role and focus. Each night the shamash candle (the middle candle, also called the servant candle) is lit, taken out of its base, and then used to light the other candles. On the first night, only one candle is lit, and a short teaching is done on a scripture that pertains to light. Prayer normally follows the teaching. The second night two candles are lit. On the third night, three candles are lit, and so on. Each night a teaching on a scripture pertaining to light is done with the family. At the end of the Holiday, all the candles are lit.

Why is this holiday important? It set up the limited autonomy and accountability needed so that the events of the Brit Hadashah could happen. It brought the function of the temple back into focus as a preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

The menorah has become symbolic of many things over the years. In the temple, the menorah was used to give light to the holy place. It was used as a prophetic symbol (along with the olive tree) to affirm that the word of God was sure (Zech 4).  It is symbolic of the inner light of the Spirit in the life of the believer. It has been a symbol of resistance in times of cultural conflict, persecution, and war. On the Festival of Hanukkah, the menorah symbolizes the constant hunger to evict ungodly influences from our lives and focus on complete dedication to God.

Some other activities associated with Hanukkah are the spinning of the dreidel, the giving of gifts (in America), eating fried food like potato latkes (with other fried foods), and jelly donuts (sufganiyot). The most important activity of the season, however, is the discussion of Yeshua our Messiah, the light of the world.