Jewish festival, lasting eight days from the 25th day of Kislev and commemorating the rededication of the Temple and the miracle of the menorah staying eight nights in 165 BC by the Maccabees after its desecration by the Syrians.

The earliest written account we have of Hanukkah being celebrated is found in the New Testament. In the Gospel of John.

John 10:22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.

The Jews here are at a time of being under the government of Rome. They hunger for independence. Hanukkah reminds them that miracles are possible and freedom can be achieved. At the time they remember the deliverance of Maccabees, they ask Jesus, “tell us, are you the Messiah?” The Jews sought political freedom, yet Jesus tells them that is not why I am here. I have answered that question already, yet you do not answer? It is because you are not my sheep. My sheep hear my voice and come.

During this season of Hanukkah, the great shepherd Yeshua calls out to us. He bids us come unto Me. Come, and you will find rest for your souls.

My prayer is that during these next eight days, you do find the rest that can only be found in Messiah Jesus Christ. Just as the light of Hanukkah shines through the darkness of night, so the light of Christ shines through the darkness of the sin in our hearts.

 The Hanukkiah is put by the left side of the front window and lit after sunset.
1. Watch the devotional video on our Instagram or Facebook.      
 2. Read the devotion for the day.
3. Light the candles. (light the center candle(The Shamash)   and use it to then each candle adding a candle beginning   on the right each night until night 8 when all candles are lit.)
4. Meditate on scripture and light.

The Shamash Candle is the center candle used to light the other candles. Shamash means The Servant. A picture of Christ who came as a servant to redeem mankind.

Phil 2:6 – 8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Just like the Shamash brings light to the Hanukkiah, bringing light to the darkness, Jesus also tells us to look unto Him, the light of the world who has come down.

John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life.”

The Light of the Hanukkiah comes from the lighting of the Menorah. The Menorah was to be a command. This Light was to burn forever.

Leviticus 24: 2 – 3 “Command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the Light, to make the lamps burn continually. Outside the veil of the Testimony, in the tabernacle of meeting, Aaron shall be in charge of it from evening until morning before the Lord continually; it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.

The Maccabees rekindled that Light again during the miracle, but the temple was then destroyed in 70 AD. The Jews believed when they light the Hanukkiah they continue this commandment. This is why Hanukkah is so important to the Jews and added to yearly feasts. To them, the Light represents God and the Torah. As Christians, we know that Jesus is the Light of the world.

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of life.”

In John 3, He also tells us, He is the Light that has come down. The Light of Christ reminds us that no matter the circumstances, no matter how dark our surroundings get, His Light will shine. Hanukkah reminds us of Jehovah Ori – The Lord our Light. His spiritual Light is everlasting, and nothing will ever quench it. May we all be encouraged by this truth this holiday season.

Part of the Hanukkah story is the major battle this band of Hebrews won. The word Maccabee comes from the word Hammer. Judah was given this name because of his impact and strength in battle. But here is the thing, these men were not soldiers. They came from the priestly line. They were students of the word, not trained warriors.

The word Maccabee can have another meaning. It is the acronym for – Who among the gods is like you, Lord? The strength of these men came from the knowledge of their God. He is the Lord of Hosts – Heaven's armies who went before them and fought the battle.

There is another story in the bible where a descendant of David is trying to help bring order back to Jerusalem. He is facing overwhelming circumstances. The prophet Zechariah gives him this word.

Zechariah 4:6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts.

These couple of years have been full of overwhelming situations. Disease, job losses, deaths of loved ones, through it all may we remember He is where our strength comes from.

Psalm 121:1 – 2 I will lift my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

This season let's remember the victory doesn't go to the mighty and powerful. God is the triumphant One. He is the faithful One, and just as He stood with the Maccabees, He will stand with us.

By these men coming to restore the Temple, the healing of the land began. Unfortunately, many priests had become corrupt, but the Maccabees would purge the land from idolatry.

The worship of God is a very exclusive thing, and there are specific ways we approach the holiness of God. But how many times have we, too, like these priests, blurred the lines of our faith for acceptance? In becoming inclusive, we neglect the holiness of God. God in His holiness cries out.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Repentance is the key. God is a God of healing. He wants to restore; look at the whole scripture. The Bible is God’s revelation to us, one word we can use to describe the story in its pages is healing. Just as God began to heal Jerusalem, once these men pledged their lives to Him, so too God wants to heal you. In Isaiah, we are presented with the heart of God and the mission of the Messiah.

Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes, we are healed.

His blood heals us from the cancer of sin. Jesus lived to die so that you may be healed from sin. We, too, pledge our lives to Him, repent, and believe. May this season of Hanukkah be a time of healing and praising God for all He is doing in our lives. 

Hanukkah reminds us that in pledging ourselves to God, we will have opposition. We are told to lift Him as our banner against our enemies. These Jews were living in a time when the King tried to impose his culture on them. Many fell and were seduced, but a small band of rebels resisted. They took a stand and put up God as their banner.

Jehovah Nissi comes from the story of the Israelites facing off against the Amalekites in Exodus 17. Whenever Moses lifted his arms, the Jews would win. Every time Moses dropped them, they would lose. Finally, Aaron and Hur lifted Moses’ arms, and the battle was won that day. In gratitude, Moses built an altar and called the place Jehovah Nissi – The Lord my banner. Moses knew the battle was the Lord‘s. The battle was won by faith. Moses interceded and prayed to God.

God calls us to stand for Him, and at times to intercede for others as well. So many times, we feel that we need a sword in hand to be effective, but all we need is the Lord our banner. He can make more use of our prayer and obedience than hundreds of armies.

2 Corinthians 1:11- You also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

The Maccabees printed coins. The coins served as a seal and banner of their victory. As believers, the Lord is our banner and seal.

Ephesians 1:13 – 14 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

The Holy Spirit seals us for His works. Nevertheless, we face temptations daily to live more like the world around us and abandon our convictions. When these pressures arise, remember the story of the Maccabees. Be encouraged to act as they did and resolve to stand against the culture and obey God, for He is your banner. 

When we look at Hanukkah, a greater miracle is God keeping the Jews as a people. God was keeping His promise to Abraham and mankind. He will have Messiah come and the world will be blessed by the seed of Abraham.

Deut 7:6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

The scriptures tell us the whole purpose of the Jews was to be a light. They were to reveal God to us, and through them, Messiah would come. Unfortunately, the Jews, in their zeal to be set apart, missed Messiah. They focused on sacrifices and Law, but the scripture tells us it is only through Messiah that one can be made righteous.

Hebrews 10: 4 – 7 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ”

Jesus Christ had to shed His blood in order for us to be forgiven. In Jeremiah, we get the promise of God’s faithfulness to the Jew and world.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; Now, this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Christ is our righteousness. Only through His blood do we have access to heaven. Paul tells us that we are grafted into the promises of Israel by Christ. Hanukkah reminds us that in keeping the Jews as a people, God was preparing the way for Jesus Christ - THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Today we are looking at Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You).

Let’s take a moment to understand what the word Hanukkah means and what it tells us about the holiday. The word Hanukkah in itself means dedication. But the word is also made up of two words. Hanu which means they rested and kah which is composed of the letters that correspond to the number 25 in Hebrew. What Hanukkah is telling us is  they rested on the 25. The fighting between the Jews and Greeks stopped on Kislev 25th. It was on this day that the Jews marched to the Temple to worship God. But when they walked through the gates, their hearts were broken. The temple was desecrated and sacked. The temple needed a complete rededication.

When the temple was first erected by Solomon, we see there was a special dedication service, and God sanctified the temple. The Temple needed to besanctified for the presence of God.

2 Chronicles 7:1 – 3 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying:
“For He is good, for His mercy endures forever.”

God accepted the sacrifice of the people, and His presence dwelt in the temple. His shekinah glory rested in the holy of holies. As God communed with His people, He challenged them to walk worthy of their calling as a chosen nation.

 Leviticus 20: 7 – 8 Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

He calls His people to be holy. The Jews were to be held to a higher standard of living. Today as believers God requires us to walk a certain way. Behave a certain way. Paul tells us, we must walk worthy of His calling. John goes on and says, to walk in the light.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul challenges us by revealing to us the will of God for every believer. 
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;

God wants us to be sanctified, to be set apart for His purposes. Today we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and sometimes our temple also needs a rededication.
Hanukkah is a wonderful time to recommit ourselves to the commitment we made to the Lord. No matter what may have happened in our lives during recent months, we can start fresh today. We can rededicate ourselves to serving God, even among the shambles of our lives. We can give ourselves to Him anew, and through Him, become renewed.

Tonight we will see Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There).

The miracle of the nine candles. Hanukkah is best known for the miracle that occurred when one night’s worth of oil kept the Temple menorah lit for that night and an additional seven more nights. You mention Hanukkah and this is what people go to. Something we need to see is that throughout the story we see the presence of God. In the victory that allowed them to reenter the temple, He was there.  In  the finding of the oil for the first night, He was there. In keeping the Jews identity as a people, He was there.  God’s hand was there leading them all along.

Hanukkah is about dedication, rest, miracles, and  light. It reminds us that even in the darkness there can be light. Hanukkah is the only Hebrew holiday that focuses on night, you cannot light the Menorah until it is dark. Also Hanukkah is celebrated in winter the darkest time of the year. Hanukkah reminds of the times of darkness in our lives. Time where we feel neglected, forgotten by God.

As for Hanukkah, we need to remember this story takes place during the silent years, when God stopped speaking to Israel until Messiah came. No prophets, no word of the Lord. These Jews must have felt  anger, sadness, neglected during all this by God. Yet God was there the whole time.

Hanukkah reminds us that God is there, even in the darkness. When you light the candles you just sit in silence and remember the goodness of God.
I’m reminded of Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
So many have had dark times these past two years, it’s important for us to step back and know He is there. My heart goes back to Psalm 23, even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are.

God will not leave or forsake us.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Be content, and know that God is there. This doesn’t mean we have to understand it, or be happy in the circumstances, it simply means we accept it and trust Him knowing He has not abandoned us. You see, that is when miracles happen. When we take that first step of obedience knowing – Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there.
This names comes from Ezekiel when he is measuring the land given to the Jews during the millennial reign. During this time the Lord will be here with us  physically.

Revelation 22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

As we wait for His kingdom, may Hanukkah reminds us that He is there in our greatest hours of need.

On this final night we look at Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)

As we look at the oil in the story of Hanukkah we see the work of the Lord. Imagine the joy these Jews felt at finally discovering a vial of oil. In faith they were obedient and lid the menorah, and God provided the light. If you thought they were joyful to find one vial by the end of the week they must have been overjoyed bursting in praise to Him.
Oil is always a picture  of the Holy Spirit in the scriptures. We see just how the Lord provided the oil needed He now provides for us as well.

In the upper room Jesus said
John 15:26 – 27 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
 
John 16:7 – 8  Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

The Spirit comes to provide – guidance, comfort, teaching, conviction, all essential for the Christian walk.
God always provides what is needed, these Jews needed oil for eight days, God provided, we need a Helper for our walk, the Spirit Himself comes to lead us.

Continuing the thought of the temple, we see Peter tells us that we are a royal priesthood.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Out of the darkness we are called to light. The light in our lives comes from our oil, the Holy Spirit without the Spirit it is impossible to walk worthy of our calling.
The work of the priest was to help with the sacrifices, and to keep the light perpetual light burning we talked about our first night.
Like we said there is no temple now, and if we are priests how do we keep the light going? We know Jesus is the light but how do we have his light shine on those around us?

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

So we are the temple of God, and as His priests today it is our duty to continue to light the light of the temple. We do this by walking in the Spirit. As we walk and others see the testimony of our life, they will see our light amongst the darkness, and want to walk in the light as well. Our life of obedience is that light of the temple burning now today. Look at the words of Jesus.

Matthew 5:14 – 16  “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Be reminded that God provides the Spirit that we may reflect the light of the Son in these dark days. This concludes our time in the season of Hanukkah, my prayer is that this journey together has blessed you.