Celebration of Light

By Sue Thurston

You say Hanukkah, I say Chanukkah. Both pronunciations are correct. The initial Hebrew character is a gutteral sound with no English match. Hanukkah occurs on the 25^th day of the Jewish month Keslev. The Genesis (1:5) account of creation pronounces the evening and the morning as the first day, and the Jewish calendar follows suit beginning Hanukkah at sundown the evening before. Hanukkah means dedication. It is also celebrated as the festival of lights.

Many Jews had adopted the culture, lifestyle, and even the gods of the Greeks. They were called Hellenists. During the 2^nd century BCE King Antiochus IV ruled the region of Israel/Judea. He oppressed or killed Jews who had not assimilated, desecrated and destroyed the temples, and established a Hellenist priesthood. The Maccabee family rallied Jewish believers to stand against Antiochus and the Jewish Hellenists. The 20-year revolt was costly, but miraculously prevailed under Judah Maccabee’s leadership. But Hanukkah observance does not lie in the victory of battle.

As the Maccabees rededicated the desecrated temple in Jerusalem in December of 164 BCE there was only enough consecrated oil to burn the menorah for one day. Replenishing the oil involved an eight-day journey to bring a supply from the Gallilee. The menorah was lit – and continued to burn for eight days. The eight-day "festival of lights" commemorates the provision of oil and the burning of the menorah lights – a miracle and affirmation from G_d.

Hanukkah is observed by saying blessings and lighting the menorah candles, one candle added to the menorah each night from right to left, but lit from left to right with the shammus, or servant candle. Hanukkah recipes use much oil in acknowledgement of the miracle.

?Biblical scripture refers to Yeshua as the light of the world, and asks believers to walk in the light. The light of Yeshua is the life of men Jn. 1:4. Believers are one with Yeshua, and He instructs them in Matt. 5:14 "You are the light of the world. . . . let your light shine before men." In the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25: 1-13), Yeshua warns wise believers to keep oil in their lamps – to remain spiritual for the coming of the bridegroom. He provides the oil of the spirit to keep the light burning, and asks us to walk in His light. His words are the light to guide our feet. What special significance to the believer is a celebration of the Light of the World!

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