FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS – Hanukkah and the Light of the World • A teaching on Hanukkah | Messianic Sermon

Introduction to Hanukkah

This Bible teaching from Founded in Truth Fellowship, delivered by Matthew Vander Els, focuses on the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, exploring its historical roots, its evolving significance, and its connection to the teachings of Yeshua (Jesus) about being the light of the world. The speaker notes the fellowship’s packed worship and the blessing of children before transitioning to the study of Hanukkah. He expresses the intention to delve into its history and find relevant applications and lessons related to the calling to be the light of the world, urging listeners not to hide or diminish their light.

The Historical Context of Hanukkah

The teaching begins by establishing the historical backdrop of Hanukkah, around 160 years before the birth of Yeshua. Judea and its Jewish inhabitants were under the oppressive rule and torture of King Antiochus IV, who reigned over the Seleucid Empire, a part of the former Greek Empire established after the death of Alexander the Great.

The speaker explains that these empires, as is typical of such powers, engaged in power struggles and exploitation, often with Judea becoming a contested territory due to its strategic location connecting Egypt and Mesopotamia. Eventually, the Seleucid Empire gained control over Judea, and Antiochus IV asserted his dominance through a show of force. He marched into Jerusalem and the temple, seizing significant religious artifacts like the menorah, the altar of incense, and the table of showbread. Furthermore, he desecrated the temple of God, turning it into a temple dedicated to the Greek god Zeus, introducing unclean sacrifices, temple prostitution, and idol worship.

Antiochus IV also pursued a policy of Hellenization, aiming to unify his empire by forcing all its diverse peoples to abandon their traditions and adopt Greek faith, identity, and culture. This posed a severe challenge to the Jewish people, whose core practices like observing the Sabbath, circumcision, studying the Torah, and worshipping Yahweh were forbidden under penalty of death. While some Jews were drawn to the popularity of Greek influence, many resisted fiercely. Stories of martyrdom emerged, highlighting the brutal persecution faced by those who upheld their religious convictions.

The Maccabean Revolt and the Rededication

Amidst this oppression, a priestly family known as the Hasmoneans rose in resistance. One member of this family rallied those zealous for God’s Torah and covenant, initiating a Jewish insurgency against the Seleucid Greek occupiers. This small Jewish army remarkably began to win battles, eventually pushing the Greeks out of Jerusalem and reclaiming the temple.

Upon retaking the temple, the Jewish forces removed the idols, destroyed the defiled altar, and built a new one. They meticulously cleansed the temple in preparation for its rededication to God. Approximately two to three years after the temple’s desecration, on the 25th of Kislev, the same day it had been dedicated to Zeus, the Jewish people rededicated it to Yahweh. This rededication was marked by an eight-day festival, and it was decreed that this celebration should be observed annually to commemorate their stand against oppression and the enduring possibility of renewal and God’s presence, no matter how dire the circumstances.

Sources and Themes of Hanukkah

The speaker mentions several sources that provide details about Hanukkah, including 1 and 2 Maccabees, the writings of Josephus, sparse mentions in the New Testament, and the later Mishnah and Talmud. He notes that 1 Maccabees primarily focuses on the dedication of the temple, with the Hebrew word for dedication, “Hanukkah,” giving the holiday its name. The book of 2 Maccabees, presented as a letter to Jews in Egypt, emphasizes the miraculous aspects of God’s intervention during the revolt and associates Hanukkah with the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), suggesting a kind of “second Sukkot” due to the missed original dedication during Solomon’s time.

The central themes of Hanukkah are identified as the endurance of the Jewish people through opposition, the resistance to assimilation, rededication, the presence of God, God’s miracles, and pushing back darkness with light.

The Festival of Lights

The first-century Jewish historian Josephus, in his work “The Antiquity of the Jews,” offers a slightly different perspective on the reason for Hanukkah, referring to it as the “Festival of Lights.” Josephus suggests that this name arose from the unexpected restoration of their ability to worship freely, viewing it as a hope brought to light in a time of darkness. Interestingly, Josephus doesn’t explicitly mention the miracle of oil that later became a prominent tradition.

The Talmud, written several centuries after the events of Hanukkah and the Roman exile, introduces the well-known tradition of the miracle of the oil. It recounts that when the Hasmoneans rededicated the temple, they found only one cruise of undefiled oil, enough for a single day, yet it miraculously lasted for eight days. The speaker suggests that this shift in focus, from revolution and rededication to a miracle of light, likely occurred during a period when the Jewish people were under Roman oppression and exile, offering a message of hope and God’s enduring presence despite their circumstances.

Yeshua and the Light of the World

The teaching connects Hanukkah’s theme of light to the teachings of Yeshua in the New Testament. In Matthew 5:14-16, during the Sermon on the Mount, Yeshua tells his followers, “You are the light of the world.” He emphasizes that a light is not meant to be hidden but to be placed on a stand so that it gives light to everyone. Similarly, believers are called to let their light shine through their good works, so that others may see them and give glory to God.

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Application for Everyday Life

• Be Present: Engage with the people in your life and community, even those you find challenging or disagree with. Do not isolate yourself based on perceived spiritual superiority.
• Let Your Light Shine Through Actions: Reflect God’s love, patience, mercy, and forgiveness through your deeds and interactions. Your “good works” are the primary way your light is seen.
• Embody the Beatitudes: Cultivate the qualities of the poor in spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger for righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, and peacemaking. These are the characteristics that should shape your actions.
• Build Community: Recognize God’s desire for a unified community, not one defined by exclusionary labels and divisions. Work towards building bridges rather than creating barriers.
• Seek Connection Over Conversion (Initially): Prioritize genuine connection with people, following Yeshua’s example, rather than immediately focusing on doctrinal correction or forceful evangelism.
• Endure and Persevere: In challenging situations, choose to endure with the qualities of meekness, patience, and kindness, reflecting God’s light even in darkness.
• Rededicate Yourself: Like the rededication of the temple during Hanukkah, be willing to rededicate yourself to God’s calling, pushing away darkness and embracing the light.

Conclusion

The speaker concludes by emphasizing that the festival of lights, Hanukkah, reminds us that even in the darkest times, hope can be brought to light. He encourages listeners to reflect on where God is calling them to be the light in their own lives and to act with the strength and the Holy Spirit they have been given. The ultimate weapon against darkness is the shining of God’s light. The teaching ends with a prayer for empowerment and rededication.