Blessings,

Steve Shultz
Founder, ElijahList and ElijahRain magazine
www.elijahlist.com

Jeris Cribbs: History of Hanukkah

The Feast of Hanukkah celebration begins tonight at sunset, December 4th (the 25th day of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar), and is celebrated for eight consecutive days. Oftentimes misunderstood as a "Jewish Christmas," Hanukkah, which means, "dedication, consecration, or inauguration" in Hebrew, is also referred to as the "Feast of Dedication," or "Festival of Lights." It is celebrated in commemoration of the rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem after a victory in 165 B.C., when the Jewish people, led by the Maccabees, defeated the army of the Greek Seleucid ruler, Antiochus IV Epiphanes.[@more@]

Antiochus had set out to destroy the Jewish religion, issuing decrees forbidding the practice of the rituals of the Laws of Moses, even to the extent of destroying copies of the Torah. Decrees were made against the observance of the Sabbath, the Feasts and circumcision. Antiochus also set up an altar in the Temple to the Greek god, Zeus, with offerings of the flesh of swine. These actions sparked the Maccabean revolt, led by the priest, Mattathias and his sons, where after three and a half years the armies of Antiochus IV were at last defeated by these heroic Jewish forces.

Three years to the day from when the Temple was desecrated, on the 24th of Kislev, 165 B.C. the temple was cleansed and rededicated. As part of the Temple rededication, holy consecrated oil was needed to light the great Menorah, but only one small cruse of the sacramental oil was found, enough to last just one day. Knowing it took eight days to prepare more holy oil, they nevertheless lit the great Menorah with the little oil they had. Miraculously, the oil burned for "eight days"–a witness of the Lamp of God–the Light of the world–Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ–The Light of the World

Jesus Himself, the Light of the world, is recorded in John 10:22-23, as being at the Temple in Jerusalem and walking in Solomon's Porch during the Feast of Dedication:

"…the Feast of Dedication (of the reconsecration of the temple) was taking place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in Solomon's Porch in the temple area."

In celebrating Hanukkah, a special menorah is used as a symbol of the miracle of the oil. Unlike the Temple menorah having seven branches, the Hanukkah menorah has nine. Eight branches which signify the eight days the oil burned in the Temple, and the ninth branch, the Shammas or Servant branch, located either above or set in the center, holds the candle from which all other eight candles are kindled.

The original seven branch menorah given to Moses during the Exodus, symbolized the promise of the illumination that was to come through God's Anointed One–Jesus (see Exodus 25:31-40 and 37:17-24).

The Hanukkah menorah not only symbolizes illumination through Jesus, but adds the eighth branch, the branch of new beginning, plus the ninth branch, the Shammas or Servant branch (Jesus) which lights all eight branches. Jesus is indeed the eternal Light of the world who lights the way for a new beginning for all who come to Him.

Zechariah not only prophesied the rebuilding of the Temple in 520 B.C. as did Haggai (see Haggai 2:18-19), but he also prophesied of the additional two branches added on to the traditional seven branch menorah, creating the nine branch Hanukkah menorah in Zechariah 4:

"Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep. 'What do you see now?' he asked. I answered, 'I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl.' Then I asked the angel, 'What are these, my lord? What do they mean?'

'Don't you know?' the angel asked.

'No, my lord,' I replied.

Then he said to me, 'This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel's way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: "May God bless it! May God bless it!"'

Then another message came to me from the LORD: 'Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven's Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand.'

Then I asked the angel, 'What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?' 'Don't you know?' he asked. 'No, my lord,' I replied. Then he said to me, 'They represent the two heavenly beings who stand in the court of the Lord of all the earth.'"

Moving from the Finished Cycle to a New Beginning

The number seven symbolizes completion, fulfillment, or finished cycle through God's Anointed One, Jesus Christ. This year as we light the eighth candle of the Hanukkah menorah representing, a new beginning, remember that the year 2007 is ending in just a few weeks–the Jewish year 5767, has already past as we celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year in September–prophetically passing through a time of completion.

So, be encouraged! We have stepped into a divine season of leaving behind the past and are moving forward into a new beginning–the next phase of our destiny.

When we observe Hanukkah, we not only reflect on a momentous event in history–an uprising resulting in religious freedom for the glory of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob–but we look on it as truly a time of a celebration of Light. The Light of the world, Jesus Christ, illuminating the world with a promise of a new life, a new beginning for all who come to Him!

Jeris L. Cribbs, Editor
ElijahRain Magazine
Email: support@elijahrain.net

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One day, Mr. Damrosch was asked by the headmaster of a school to come and talk to the boys and girls. He sat on the platform and the children fidgeted, for he was an old man, and they knew that old men very often make long speeches. The headmaster let him introduce himself. Mr. Damrosch stood up and smiled, but no one knew him. Then he said, "Good morning, my dear children," and immediately the whole room was in an uproar. The children clapped and cheered. Mr. Damrosch said, "And why do you cheer? You do not know me."

"Yes we do, we know your voice!"

And then, a mother of eight children was once asked if she had any favorites. "Favorites?" she replied. "Yes, I have favorites. I love the one who is sick until he is well again. I love the one who is in trouble until he is safe again. And I love the one who is farthest away until he comes home."

Jesus said that is what God is like. God is a Divine Parent whose love never stops, a Parent whose love will never give up. You may stop loving God, but God will never stop loving you. You may run away from God, but you will soon find that your legs are too short. You can't get away from God. And that is not a threat, but a promise! God is out on every road where people, like sheep, get themselves lost, earnestly and tenderly seeking them and calling them back home.

If we are sheep, do we know our Shepherd's voice? Do we know with whom we belong?

Rev. Chuck Bratz, Texas, USA

Because they are busy, we keep our prayers short and to the point, often only praying for 90 to 120 seconds.  Even though the prayer time is short, the impact is huge!  Not a Sunday goes by when we are not told how much our short prayers helped.  I can still remember the morning where we prayed for one of the Worship leaders who had a sore throat.  Her throat hurt so much, she was thinking about not singing that morning.  However, after we prayed, she went on stage and sang beautifully – leading the church into God’s presence.  Just think of what would of happened if we had not followed God’s prompting and prayed for her?  It wasn’t easy – we had to get up early, chase her down that morning and ask to pray for her.  But look at how God honored that commitment.

Then there are the countless times we have prayed with the nursery/preschool director about the shortage of helpers.  Almost every time we pray, God prompts someone to come up and volunteer to help.  What a testimony to the grace of God!  One time God even changed the course of the sermon by giving our lead pastor an illustration to bring home his point.  Because of this illustration, lives were touched for the kingdom.

Why am I telling you this?  Because all too often, we regular Joe Blow Christians, feel that there is no way we can pray for our pastors.  After all, they are the ones God has called upon to minister to us.  Yet, our pastors are human – they have family problems, work issues, health problems, etc.  It is up to us, the congregation, to come along beside our pastors and encourage them; Hit and Run is a simple, yet powerful, way do to this. 

I beseech you to take this concept and start praying for your pastors and ministry leaders before each Sunday morning.  Be aware that at first your pastors will be a little uneasy as they have a lot going on. Tell them the prayer is only 90 seconds long (and stick to 90 sec.!!!), and then you will leave them alone.  After a few Sundays of these Hit and Run prayers, they will began to look for you and eagerly await the prayer.  Try it and see what God does.

Joshua Hopping
A Son of the Most High

If you stop to think about it, the world is a better place because a German monk named Martin Luther didn’t say, “I don’t do doors.”

The world is a better place, because the future founder of the Methodist movement named John Wesley didn’t say, “I don’t do preaching in foundries and fields.”  Or didn’t say, “The world isn’t my parish.”

And the world is a better place, because:

                        Noah didn’t say, “I don’t do arks.”

                        Moses didn’t say, “I don’t do rivers.”

                        Jeremiah didn’t say, “I don’t do weeping.”

                        Amos didn’t say, “I don’t do speeches.”

                        Rahab didn’t say, “I don’t do arks.”

                        Ruth didn’t say, “I don’t do mother-in-laws.”

                        David didn’t say, “I don’t do giants.”

                        Mary didn’t say, “I don’t do virgin births.”

                        John the Baptist didn’t say, “I don’t do deserts.”

                        Mary Magdalene didn’t say, “I don’t do feet.”

                        Peter didn’t say, “I don’t do Gentiles.”

                        Paul didn’t say, “I don’t do letters.”

                        Jesus didn’t say, “I don’t do crosses.”

From the beginning of the Bible to the end, you see over and over the story of men and women who have had servant spirits. To be a part of God’s Kingdom for all of time immortal, one must have a servant’s heart.  To understand how to be a servant of Jesus, one must first understand what it means to follow.

Pastor Chuck Bratz
Texas, USA