|
Teaching Ministry
Chanukah - The Festival of Dedication
Written by Rav/Sholiach H. Shemu’el & Rebbetzin/Sister Almah
Dombek
Chanukah is mentioned in the King James Bible in Yahchanon/John
10:22 where
Yahshua was in Yerushalem at the Temple for the Festival of Dedication.
Maccabees tells the story of the Desecration of the Temple
After the death of Alexander the Great
(323-BCE) his four generals divided his Kingdom. Antiochus the son of one of
the generals inherited his fathers’ share and gave himself the surname
Epiphanes meaning “Elohim Manifest”. He required that everyone
in his territory, including the Hebrews, practice Hellenism- the Greek way
of life.
These Syrians/Greeks made Yerushalem a Sanctuary for their religion . On
the 15 th of the 9 th month (Nov/Dec) 168 BCE they set up the “abomination
of desolation” in the Holy Temple. A statue of Zeus that looked strangely
like Antiochus. (He was a type of the Anti-Moshiach/Christ) Moreover, the Apocryphal
Book, 1 Maccabees reveals: Now the 25 th day of the 9 th month they did sacrifice
upon the alter idols, they sacrificed a pig a ceremonially unclean animal (Vayiqra/Lev.
11:7). What is worse, they wanted everyone to participate.
This was a terrible thing for the Hebrews, who were Yahweh fearing people.
One of them were Mattathias a (Levite) Temple Priest who refused to participate
in the desecration, saying,
Yahweh forbid that we should forsake the Torah/Law and all the Ordinances .
Mattathias was inflamed with Kodesh/Holy indignation and righteous zeal during
this sacrifice and slew the priest and attacked the King’s Commissioners,
pulling down Antiochus’ alter, he cried out, “Whosoever is Zealous
for the Torah and Maintains the Covenant, Follow Me”! Mattathias and
his sons battled the much larger armies of Antiochus to purge Paganism from
the Holy Land.
Following Mattathias death, his son Yahudah/Judah assumed command of the
zealous band . All his brethren rose up to help him. When Yahudah and his brethren
saw that miseries were multiplied, and that forces did encamp themselves in
the borders, they said let us restore the decayed fortune of our people and
let us fight for our people and the Sanctuary. They fasted, put on sackcloth
and cast ashes upon their heads, rent their clothes and laid open the Book
of the Torah/Law. Yahudah told them to remember how their fathers were delivered
in the Red Sea, when Pharoah persued them with an army. Therefore let us cry
unto heaven, if peradventure Yahweh will have mercy upon us and remember the
Covenant of our Fathers, and destroy this host before our face this day: that
all the heathen may know that there is One who delivereth and saveth Israel.
After it was over, they went home and sang a song of “thanksgiving” and “praised
Yahweh” in Heaven: because “ His mercy endureth forever!” (Halell – Psalm
113-118)
The Dedication of the Temple took place on the same date as the desecration
sacrifice. They kept eight days with gladness as in the Feast of Tabernacles.
The ancient writings say one days worth of oil miraculously lasted for eight
days!
The Spiritual Significance of this:
The word Chanukah is translated “Dedication”. The Hebrew root
is Khanak- (Strongs #2596) which means to narrow, to discipline, to train up,
to focus upon.
When we begin a relationship with Yahweh, we focus on Him, we ask Him into
our Hearts, we ask Him to forgive us, because of our sins. (which are transgressions
to His Torah/Laws – 1Yahchanon/John
3:4) and we ask Him to train us in
His Ways!
Yahshua ha Moshiach said, “Go in through the narrow gate ; for the wide
or broad road , would lead to destruction. (Matt. 7:13)
From the start we need to narrow , to focus , to train & dedicate
ourselves to Yahweh!
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Know ye not that ye are the Temple of Yahweh and
that the Ruach/Spirit of Yahweh dwelleth in you? If any man defile the Temple
of Yahweh, him shall Yahweh destroy, for the Temple of Yahweh is Kodesh/Holy,
which Temple ye are”. 1 Corinthians 6:19 “What,
know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Ruach Kodesh/Holy Spirit, which
is in you, which ye have of Yahweh, and ye are not your own?
(20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify Yahweh in your body
and in your spirit which are His.”
2 Corinthians 6:16 “And what
agreement hath the Temple of Yahweh with idols? For ye are the Temple of the
Living Elohim; as Yahweh hath said, “I will dwell in them and
walk in them and I will be their Elohim and they shall be My People”.
(17) “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith Yahweh,
and touch not the unclean thing (unclean meats, seafood, nicotine, etc. Vayiqra/Lev.
11) and I will receive you”. (18) “And I will be a Father unto
you and ye shall be My sons, (and daughters) saith Yahweh the Almighty.” (We
need to discipline ourselves)
2 Corinthians 7:1 “Having
therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of
Yahweh.”
We should be separate from all worldly Paganism ways, so that we no longer
desecrate these Temples of the Ruach Kodesh that we live in.
Paganism – is customs, traditions, and religions of the world/nations
that do not keep the Covenant of Yahweh . The New Covenant is mentioned in
Yer. 31:31-34 & Heb. 8:8-13
Yer. 31:31-34 “I will make a New Covenant (Websters & The Hebrew
meaning is - Renewed ) with the House of Israel and with the House of Yahudah/Judah.
(32) Not according
to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them
by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which Covenant they broke,
although I was an husband unto them, saith Yahweh .
(33) But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel;
after those days, saith Yahweh, I will
put My Torah/Laws ( 5 Books of Moshe/Moses ) in their inward parts and write
it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim and they shall be My People .
Hebrews 8:8-13 For finding fault
with them (the people, “not” the Torah/Law), He saith “Behold the days
come when I will make a “ New Covenant” with the House of Israel
and with the House of Yahudah,
(9) Not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers: because they
continued not in My Covenant, and I regarded them not, saith Yahweh.
(10) For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after
those days- (which is the very day we are living in) “ I will put My
Torah/Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts”. All around
the world today the lost sheep of the House of Israel & Yahudah are realizing
they have been lost in pagan ways, and not doing according to Yahweh’s
Ways and Commandments, they were deceived by the Pagan Calendar, desecrating
Yahweh’s Sabbaths and Feast Days, even using a Pagan Greek/Latin Name
and Title for our Blessed Savior, Yah’shua haMoshiach whose real title
is Emanuel (Elohim with us) Matt. 1:21. Even calling His Name Jesus, (a hybrid
substituted name) when there were no J’s in any language until the printing
press . “…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect ”.
Matt. 24:24
This is the New Covenant (renewed) not a new religion as Churchianity is
preaching today, that the Laws/Torah are done away with, and it is Love, Love,
Love. Yahshua said, “If you Love Me, you will KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS”.
1Yahchanon/John 2:4 He that saith I know Him and keepeth not His Commandments/Word/Torah,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (7) Brethren, I write no New Commandment
unto you, but an Old Commandment, which ye had from the beginning. The Old
Commandment is the Word, which ye have heard from the beginning. (2:17) But
he that doeth the Will of Yahweh abideth forever. (18) Even now there are many
anti-moshiachs/christs. (Many are anti-Torah/Laws/Commandments today, being
deceived that Yahweh’s Truth is done away, or changed. Even the wording
in the new Bibles are changed and watered down!) Yahshua is the same, Yesterday,
Today, and Forever”. Hebrews 13:8
We need to Rededicate our Temples!
1. We must come to Father Yahweh now through the Blood Sacrifice of Yahshua
ha Moshiach; this is how our sins/transgressions are forgiven. Hebrews 10:26
2. We must be Water Immersed in Yahshua Moshiach’s Name for the remission
of our sins, and then we will receive the Gift of Ruach Kodesh/Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38
3. We must then begin to walk in Yahweh’s Ways! Yahshua is our example;
He walked in all Father Yahweh’s Ways! Yahchanon/John 5:19, 30; 6:40,51,53,54,
There is no other door, no other way or Name that will get us into the Kingdom
of Yahweh or the New Yerushalem. Yahchanon/John
10:7-9 Yahshua spoke this message during the Feast of Dedication/Chanukah in the Temple,
on Solomon’s Porch, (vs.22-23) Yahshua had many conflicts with the Yahudeem/Pharisees,
because of His walk with Yahweh and in Yahweh! He told them “I and My
Father are ONE”.
(Vs. 30) We await the day when there will be “One Fold, and One Shepherd”!
(Vs. 16)
We must prepare now, before it is too late! Yahchanon saw the Tabernacle of
Yahweh coming down from Heaven/Tzion to this earth. Rev.
21:1- 3 When all calamity
and tribulation is fulfilled, this will be fulfilled too! Are you ready to
walk in Yahweh’s Law’s/Torah, no matter the cost? By the Power
of His Ruach Kodesh/Holy Spirit, we can! This will not be a place for the Lawless
Generation
that we see today! Only the Faithful, Obedient & Righteous will be there,
those who observe to do all these Commandments before Yahweh as He commanded
us. Devarim/Deut. 6:25
Chanukah is a week of remembering the “Dedication of the Temple” and
the “Oil that stayed in the Lamps”! We should Dedicate our Bodies/Temples
to Yahweh and no longer desecrate them with unclean foods or Pagan Customs
and Doctrines!
We need to receive Yahweh’s Anointing Oil in our Lamps!
Let us ask Yahweh in the Name of Yahshua ha Moshiach to fill us with His Anointing
Oil/Shemin, to keep us burning and filled/sealed with His Ruach until the Day
of Redemption, (Ephesians 4:30; 5:18); the day He redeems us from this world, the flesh and
the devil!
As Antiochus Epiphene did, there are many against keeping the Laws of Yahweh
today! Many Anti-Anointed Ministries who do not realize that they are already
deceived! 2 Thessalonians 2:10 And
with all deceivableness in them that perish; because they received not the
Love of the Truth, that they might be saved.
(11) And for this cause Yahweh shall send them STRONG DELUSION, that they should
believe a lie; (12) That they all might be damned/judged who believe not the
truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(They will not keep Yahweh’s Sabbaths, Feast Days, Dietary Laws, His
Calendar, etc…)
NOTES:
Dedication: Strongs Greek #1456 Renewal or Religious Services
Hebrew #2598 Khan-ook-kuw – initiation, consecration,
dedication
From #2596 to narrow, dedicate, initiate, discipline, train up
READ: 1 Maccabees 4:53-61, 2 Maccabees 1:18, 35; 2 Maccabees 1:9, 10:6
165 BC the Temple was dedicated on the 9 th month, 25 th day (Hebrew Calendar)
December on our secular Calendar.
Yahchanon/John 10:22 Our Savior Yahshua
did many Miracles as He kept the Feast of Lights/Dedication/Chanukah in the
same Temple that was desecrated and restored!
Hallelu-YAH!
|
