DEVOTION AND LIGHTS

DEVOTION AND LIGHTS
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
John 8:12

This year something odd will take place. Chanukah and Thanksgiving will be celebrated at the same time. While Thanksgiving won’t come until tomorrow, Chanukah begins tonight. For the Christian it has true importance, as this is the season of miracles. Expectations grow high, and my expectation is that you will see a miracle in your own life. But let us first take a moment to break down any misunderstandings about Chanukah. Chanukah is not the Jewish version of Christmas. While at Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ, it is a Chanukah we celebrate the miracle of a people and nation saved. Chanukah has other spellings, but it also has other names. Some call this holiday Hanukkah, some the Festival of Lights, and others the Feast of Dedication. However, the custom of decorating our homes with Christmas lights is derived from Chanukah, as again, it is known by some as the Festival of Lights.
To the surprise of many, Chanukah is named in the Bible and was celebrated by Jesus, Himself. John 10:22-23 reads, “Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.” Let us focus for a moment, though, on the word ‘Dedication. In simply looking into the life of Enoch, we see how his name is translated in the Hebrew as CHANOWK, which means dedicated. Chanukah is derived from this same root word, meaning dedication. It was during this Feast that the Jews recalled the victory of the Maccabees over their enemy, and the provision of God to allow the menorah to burn for eight days when there was only enough oil to burn for one night. This was the provision of God, and a celebration of His miracle working power.
But why do we find Jesus walking in Solomons’ Colonnade during the Feast of Dedication? For that answer, let us look at the verses that follow. The Jews gathered around Jesus to ask for a blunt response - are you the Christ or not? Jesus responded simply, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me.” The relationship between the miracle that God did for the Maccabees, cross-referenced with the miracles Christ was doing currently, should have been enough for the people to link a connection. The season and the hand of the One doing the miracles was staring them in the face.
The burning candles on the menorah are a reminder to us all, not just the Jews, of God’s provision and the victory won by the Maccabees. But as we are talking about dedication, I want to bring our attention to a passage we probably are not familiar with. It is in 1 Maccabees 2:19-22 that we read, “Mattathias answered in a loud voice, ‘I don't care if every Gentile in this empire has obeyed the king and yielded to the command to abandon the religion of his ancestors. My children, my relatives, and I will continue to keep the covenant that God made with our ancestors. With God's help we will never abandon his Law or disobey his commands. We will not obey the king's decree, and we will not change our way of worship in the least.’"
Mattathias, a priest in the Jewish village of Modein around the year 165BCE, along with his sons, saw the evil Syrian King’s officers coming their way and working to enforce pagan rules on God’s people. Faced with the option to forsake God and embrace the Greek ways of life, or die, Mattathias chose to take a stand for the one true God. His dedication was undeniable; his mind made up. Even with death starring him in the face, he would not forsake or denounce his God.
Countless times throughout the Bible we read of men and women who faced disaster and hardship. Yet as we also see, those who stood up for God’s truth and justice were those who received God’s miracles. As we launch into this season, I want to encourage you to stand up for God’s truth and justice. The enemy will find ways to try to knock you down and take you out. He will work to snuff your flame and deplete you of the oil needed to burn for God. But do not lose heart. Do not stray from the ways of God. Your miracle is coming, and the Light of the world will overcome the darkness at hand. Take your stand, my friend.
Happy Chanukah to all.