Why Celebrate Chanukah?
(When we write the transliteration for Chanukah, it can be written as "Channukah, Chanukkah, Chanuka")
Unlike a Chanukiyah (8/9
branched candelabrum) the 7-branched "Menorah" is
described in the Torah. The Menorah was a prominent feature in the Set apart
Place of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness as also of the Jerusalem Temple. It
became the primary symbol of ancient Israel. It also is described in Rev 1.
On the left hand side at the back of this photo
above, is a 7 branched Menorah of which all seven branches are
busy burning. The rest of them are all Chanukiyahs and not Menorahs. All
8/9 branches of a Chanukiyah will burn on the 8th and last day of Chanukah.
Today the Menorah (seven branched) is
sometimes confused with the Channukiyah which is not a 7
branched but an 8 branched candelabrum with a ninth one called the
servant branch which is used only during and specifically for the festival of
Chanukah. The Jewish tradition for the lighting of the candles are that
on each night of the 8 nights during Chanukah, an extra candle gets lit by the
"servant candle" called the "chamash" in Hebrew, which is
normally in the middle of a chanukiyah or at the one side of the chanukiyah
(placed lower, higher or backwards on the chanukiyah). The lighting procedure: on the first night the "servant
candle" will be put to light and with it you light one candle (for the
first night) on the far right side. Then the servant candle will be put into
its place and burn with the first candle (both will burn). The 2nd night the
servant candle will be used to light the
2 candles that were placed on the far right side of the chanukiyah. All 3 will
burn. (2 for the second night plus the servant candle). The tradition is that
the lighting takes place now every night from left to right. (The newest
one gets lit first) but the candles are placed each night from right to left.
The third night the middle one (servant
candle) plus the far right 3 candles (3 for the third night) will burn and so
it goes on untill the last night when all of the 8 candles (plus the servant
candle) will burn on the 8th and last day of Chanukah. Every night the
"chamash"/ “servant candle” will be used to light the rest of the candles
from left to right. (The candles get placed from right to left though) and all
the candles that are lit for that specific night will burn untill finished.
This is all done according to the ancient tradition and it must be noticed that
it is NOT a Torah commandment. It is a tradition.
This tradition of
the 8/9 branched Chanukiyah was brought in for the specific
purpose of celebrating Chanukah.
Chanukah/Feast of
Dedication begins on the 25th
of Kislev (The Ninth Scriptural month) on the Scriptural (Biblical) calendar
and lasts for eight days. It usually falls in December or late November. (Take
note that it is 25th of Kislev, the Ninth
Scriptural month, and not 25th December which
is the 12th Gregorian month.
Chanukah is a Hebrew word that means "dedication." This
Feast is celebrated in memory of the rededication of the Temple unto YHVH
(Yahveh/Yahweh,Yahuveh, Yahuah), after the miraculous victory of the
small Maccabee army over the mighty forces of the Greek ruler Antiochus
Epiphanes.
Chanukah is not one of the Torah-commanded Feasts
of YHVH, but it is a Feast
that is mentioned in the Scriptures and kept since the victory of the Maccabees
and the rededication of the Temple by the Yuhadim/Jews and we have confirmation
that even Yahshua was during this Feast of Dedication (Chanukah) found in the
Temple, in Solomon’s porch: “It was the Feast of Chanukah (most
English translations would have translated "Chanukah" with
"Dedication") at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Yahshua was
walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.” Yochanan/ John
10:22-23.
In Scriptural terms, Chanukah (Purim too) would be classified as a Yom
Simchah, a day of joy (days of joy in Chanukah’s case).
Bemidbar/Numbers chapter 10 verse 10 talks about
blowing the silver trumpets "on your days of joy, on
your appointed times, and on your new moons". In
modern times, the Jewish People observe a number of days of joy such
as Jerusalem Day in commemoration of the liberation of Jerusalem in 1967 and
Independence Day in memory of Israel surviving an invasion by several Arab
armies in 1948-1949.
The implications of an anti-messiah-type is referred to in a number of
places in both the Tenach (what was known to us as OT) as well
as the Apostolic Writings (what was known to us as NT)
and this Feast of Dedication (Chanukah) has a lot
of Prophetic end time significance for Israel and thus also for us who are the
“wild-olive-grafted-in ones” that Rom 11 speaks of; The ex-Gentile believers
who are now citizens of the commonwealth of Yisrael.
Eph 2:11 Therefore remember that you, once gentiles[1] in the flesh,
who are called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called ‘the circumcision’ made
in the flesh by hands, Footnote: 11 Cor. 12:2.
Eph 2:12 that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the
citizenship of Yisra’ĕl and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
expectation and without Elohim in the world.Eph 2:13 But now in
Messiah יהושע you who once
were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messia
Eph 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the set-apart ones and members of the household of
Elohim,1 Footnote: 1Rom. 11:17-24, Isa. 14:1.
Eph 3:6 The gentiles to be co-heirs, united in the same body, and
partakers together[1] in the promise in Messiah through the Good
News, Footnote: 1Rom. 11:17-24, Isa. 14:1.
Both Daniel and Zechariah describe prophetically
the Chanukah story. But most important of all are the very significant end
time, prophetic references to Chanukah in many places, like
in Matthew 24, Mark 13, 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13. One
of the main figures in the Chanukah story, Antiochus Epiphanes, is
the clearest picture we have in the Scriptures of the coming anti-messiah (antichrist).
Chanukah is the story of victory over apostasy and
lawlessness. We believe that it is therefore very
important for us today. Hebrews 11:33-38 includes people like
the ones involved in the Chanukah story in its list of the heroes of faith,
“..who through faith conquered kingdoms,
administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of
lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword;
whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and
routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life
again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they
might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while
still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed
in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and
goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of
them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the
ground.”
The Chanukah Story
Let's take the back ground story to Chanukah from
the beginning: In 332 BCE, the armies of Alexander the Great defeated the
Persian ruler Darius III at Issus. Only three years later Alexander's swift
armies had conquered the entire then-known world from Europe to India. His
mentor was Aristotle, and Alexander used Greek culture to unify his vast
Empire.
After a very short career (he reigned 12 years),
Alexander died at only 33 years of age and his empire was divided between his
four generals into four different kingdoms. Two of the superpowers, the Syrian
and the Egyptian kingdoms referred to in Daniel chapter 11 as
the king of the North and the king of the South, became bitter rivals with
little Israel constantly caught in the middle.
The book of Maccabee says: 1Ma 1:10 And
there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of
Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the
hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. In 171
BCE, Antiochus IV ascended the throne in Syria (Dan 11:21). He
was a very evil ruler, full of pride, and he took the name Antiochus Theos
Epiphanes, or Antiochus Epiphanes (meaning "God manifest"). He worked
hard to "Hellenize" his subjects by forcing them to adopt the Greek
culture and religion.
As a result two parties developed in Yisrael/Israel. The first wanted to
adapt to the Greek influence, while the second was committed to stay pure and
faithful to the covenant. The High Priest’s own
brother was among the Hellenists, and he even
changed his name from Yeshua to the Greek name Jason. By offering Antiochus a
bribe, he received his help to become High Priest instead of his brother,
eventually killing his brother. The apostasy described in Daniel 11:32 was
in full swing in a first fulfilment. “With flattery he will corrupt those
who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their Elohim will
firmly resist him.”
The apostate Jason went on to build a Greek
gymnasium in Jerusalem, where the men performed nude according to Greek
fashion, and a temple to the Greek false mighty one (god) Phallus. He also
enrolled the people of Jerusalem as citizens of Antioch, the capitol of Syria.
An even more fanatical Hellenist named Menelaus,
paid an even larger bribe to Antiochus to become High Priest instead of Jason.
Menelaus was not even of a priestly family and in order to pay his promised
bribe he had to sell the golden vessels from the Temple.
At this time the ambitions of Antiochus Epiphanes
had grown, and he set out to conquer the world and revive the entire empire of
Alexander. Eventually Rome stopped him in his tracks, and in anger he began to
turn against the Jewish people, destroying Jerusalem and killing thousands.
Daniel had prophetically foretold almost 400 years earlier exactly what
happened.
Ships of the western coastlands [Rome] will oppose
him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against
the set apart covenant. He will return and show favour to those who forsake the
set apart covenant. His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple
fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the
abomination that causes desolation. (Dan 11:30-31)
On Kislev 15 (15th of the Ninth
Scriptural month), 168 BCE, Antiochus Epiphanes erected a statue of Zeus, but
with his own face, on top of the set apart altar in the Temple. Ten
days later, on Kislev 25, he offered a pig on this altar. He sprinkled its
blood in the Most set Apart place (Holy of Holies) and poured out its broth
over the Torah scrolls before he cut them to pieces and burnt them. The Temple
was converted to a shrine to Zeus (the ‘sungod’).
Antiochus then went on to issue a death sentence
over anyone who:
- observed the Shabbat,
- kept the Scriptural
dietary laws,
- was circumcised
- or even studied the
Torah.
It now became a legal requirement to offer unclean animals and offer
incense to the emperor. Sadly, many Jews obeyed these laws and turned away from
the Torah of Elohim. They denounced their brothers who remained faithful to the
Covenant.
Whole families were put to death. Babies were hung around their mothers'
necks and they were thrown from the walls of the cities, as thousands became
martyrs for their faith. One of them said before he died, "It is good,
being put to death by men, to look for hope from YHVH to be raised up again by
him." (2 Macc 7:14)
Hebrews 11:35 says, “Others were tortured and refused to be released, so
that they might gain a better resurrection.”
The Deliverance
Eventually the deliverance began with one righteous
and Elohim-fearing father.
Daniel 11:32 says, With flattery he will
corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their
Elohim will firmly resist him.
Or as it also can be translated, “…the people
who know their Elohim shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”
When Antiochus’ soldiers came to the little town of
Modin, close to Yerushalayim/Jerusalem, they built an altar to Zeus. Then they
assembled all the townspeople and ordered an old priest named Mattathias to
offer a pig on it. Mattathias refused. But an apostate priest stepped forward
in his place in order to perform the abomination. In rage Mattathias grabbed
the sword of the closest Syrian soldier and killed him. He then rushed forward
and also killed the apostate priest upon the altar. In the commotion that
followed his five sons followed his example, and overpowered the other Syrian
soldiers killing all of them.
The people fled to the mountains to avoid
Antiochus' revenge. The revolt, however, spread. The old priest Mattathias died
of exhaustion and sickness after one year, but Yahudah (Judah), one of his
five sons, who was nicknamed “the Maccabee” or “the Hammer”, because of
his military might, succeeded him. After three years of hard guerrilla warfare
the small band under Yahuda/Judah the Maccabee and his brothers was able to
throw out the Syrian forces after two stunning victories in open battle.
I will rouse your sons, O Tzion, against your sons,
O Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword. Then YHVH will appear over them;
his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign YHVH will sound the trumpet;
he will march in the storms of the south, and YHVH Almighty will shield them.
They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. (Zec
9:13-15) – we believe in the end times this will still have a final fulfilling
The meaning of Chanukah is one
of dedication, commitment, and devotion.
We
may not be called to bear arms, "for we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12), but in every
generation we are called to persevere under persecution. The
Apostle Paul calls us to "not be conformed to this world"
(Romans 12:2). Our Master taught, "blessed are those who are persecuted
for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mathew
5:10). May we all remain steadfast in our faith in YHVH and our Master Yahshua
by the strengthening of the Set apart Spirit (Holy Spirit) of YHVH.
"A great miracle happened there"
After their victory, they immediately set out
for Yerushalayim/Jerusalem to restore the Temple. On Kislev (the
Ninth month) 25, 165 BCE, exactly three years after the Temple had been
defiled, they rededicated the altar to YHVH. There is a tradition that says
that there was only enough set apart oil for the menorah to last for one day,
but according to tradition the oil miraculously lasted for eight days until new
oil had been produced. (It took 8 days to produce enough oil from olives)
Whether this is true or not *, the Most High had
for sure done a great miracle, in that a tiny nation had overcome the
superpower of the day and gained independence that lasted almost 100 years,
as the saying goes during Chanukah: "Nes gadol hayah
sham." "A great miracle happened there (or
"here" if you live in Israel)." [* see footnote at end of
article]
The miraculous victory over the ungodly
forces of apostasy through the Maccabees, gained religious freedom for the
Jewish people until the Messiah was born. When he was carried into the Temple
by his Elohim-fearing parents to be presented before YHVH, the prophecy of Haggai
had a fulfillment, "'The esteem of this present house will be greater
than the esteem of the former house,' says YHVH Almighty." (Hag
2:9)
Many Messianic believers teach that when Yahshua said in Yochanan/John8:12
"I am the light of the world", that it was when He was in the temple
during Chanukah. But this is not so. If you start reading fromYoch/Jonn 7 you
will see that during the time of Sukkot
(Jhn 7:2) Yahshua also went to the Temple (verse10) first in secret, then later
in the middle of the Feast He went to the Set apart place and started to teach
(verse 14). Then we see in verse 37 how Yahshua cried out on the seventh day of
Sukkot (Sukkot is seven days), called "the great day of the
Festival" (also known as the Hoshana Rabba day
because of the final Water-drawing ceremony), that "If anyone thirsts,
let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink........." Then
after the great celebration during the Hoshanah Rabbah, the seventh day of
sukkot, the people remained in the Temple all night praising Elohim. By now it
was Shemeni Atzereth (the Eighth Day - one-day Feast at the
end of the seven days of Sukkot/Feast of booths or tabernacles). (We see in
Yoch/Jhn 8:1 that Yahshua went to the Mount of Olive and then returned again to
the Temple at dawn –verse 2). We can read in the history writings that the worn
out garments of the priests were dipped in oil, hanged up on big ladders in the
Temple Courts and set on fire lighting up all of Yerushalayim during that
night. Yerushalayim was lit up in the night like a blazing torch (Isa 62:1).
The light could be seen many miles away from Yerushalayim during this night
of Shemeni Atzereth/the Eighth Day assembly after Sukkot . It was
thus on this morning (the morning of Shemeni Atzereth on the 22nd of
the Seventh Hebrew month very possibly) that we read in Yoch/John 8 that
Yahshua returned to the Temple and the woman caught in adultery was brought to
Him. Then after the people who brought her left, Yahshua said to her not to sin
anymore. He then said in verse 12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." During
the previous night Yerushalayim was lit up like a blazing torch.
So, now during Chanukah when we are very aware of all the lights, it is
also appropriate to remember the fact that Yahshua is the Light of the world
and even to quote Yoch 8:12 where He said it, but we must just not make the
mistake to tell people that He, Yahshua said it during Chanukah.
What did Yahshua have to say during Chanukah?
FFOZ answer this well: Though this has been a
time-honored celebration by the Jewish people, the earliest attestation to the
celebration of Chanukah is not from Josephus or the Mishnah, but the Good news
(Gospel) of John. In John 10:22-42, the Master was present at
Temple in Jerusalem during Chanukah. Just like his previous visit during
Sukkot, the crowds were eager for him to announce his kingship as the Messiah. "If
you are the Messiah, tell us plainly" (John 10:24).
Relating
to the story of Chanukah (dedication), the Master points out
that he had already told them, "the works that I do in my Father's
name, these testify of me" (10:25). For both the Maccabees and
the Master, the presence of YHVH's miracles signified his approval of their efforts.
Both sought to uphold the true standard of Torah in the face of opposition. For
the Maccabees, Hellenist Jews and Syrian-Greek persecutors opposed them. For
the Master, unbelieving Pharisees and Sadducees challenged his teaching of
Torah and the Kingdom of Elohim.
In both
situations, the miracles were present for all to see.
Unfortunately, miracles do not produce faith; they sustain faith already
existent. In the days of the Maccabees, the Hellenists refused to remain true
to Torah. In the days of the Master, the unbelievers refused to believe in the
One sent from the Father.
The same
is true in our day. Miracles are there if one chooses to recognize them. The
Amidah prayer (an ancient Jewish prayer that gets prayed every day) expresses
it this way: The Father's miracles are "with us every day"
and his wonders and favors are "in every season." Yet, many
ignore the miracles that sustain us day in, day out. It takes great faith to
acknowledge miracles.” End quote.
Celebrate Chanukah Today
When lighting the candles during Chanukah the
following blessing is read, "Blessed are you YHVH (Jews will substitute
this with Adonai), our Elohim, king of the universe who performed miracles for
our ancestors in those days at this time." Some people say the
blessing over the candles which thanks Elohim for "commanding us to light
the candles" This is something he never commanded and a violation of
Deuteronomy 4:2.
Why should Gentile believers celebrate this feast?
Here are a few reasons:
1.Shaul/Paul calls Israel "our
forefathers" in 1 Corinthians 10:1. Israel's history
is also our history. We have been grafted into YHVH’s covenant people.
…you, though a wild olive shoot, have been
grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive
root. (Rom 11:17)
2. Gentile believers are called to rejoice with
YHVH's people who are the identifiable Yuhadim (Jews) in our time. “Rejoice,
O Gentiles, with his people”. (Rom 15:10)
3. Chanukah has very important prophetic lessons for us living in the end
times. It is the story of victory over apostasy and lawlessness that
will be repeated again in the last days. (Apostasy and lawlessness: “Don’t
observe the Shabbat on the correct day which is the Seventh day; rather observe
it on Sunday”, “don’t keep the Scriptural dietary laws, Jesus has done away
with it”, “It’s not necessary to be circumcised in the flesh anymore, it’s only
the circumcision of heart that counts”. Don’t study the Torah- it is not needed
anymore because Jesus came to annul it when He died.”)
With flattery he will corrupt those who have
violated the covenant, but the people who know their Elohim will firmly
resist him. (Dan 11:32)
4. We are the temple of YHVH and we need to
dedicate our lives to be ready for the second coming of the Messiah.
In him the whole building is joined together and
rises to become a holy temple in YHVH. And in him you too are being built
together to become a dwelling in which Elohim lives by his Spirit. (Eph
2:19-22)
5. We need to remember Chanukah and pray for a
faithful remnant again today in Yisrael.
This is what YHVH says: "Sing with joy for
Ya’akov; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and
say, 'O YHVH, save your people, the remnant of Yisrael.'" (Jer 31:7)
6. We need to pray that the Father will repeat the
miracles of Chanukah again in Yisrael.
On that day, when all the nations of the earth are
gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the
nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. …On that day I will make
the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among
sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but
Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. (Zec 12:3,6)
We are faced with corrupting influences from the world/pagan/Babylon system
working to influence us. When we burn the lights of the Chanukiyah each night
during the eight nights, let us keep in mind: If we accept these corrupting
influences and use impure oil (i.e. without the Torah and the
Set apart Spirit as basis and instead have Babylon paganism mixed with the pure
worship of Elohim) we will shine with humanistic endeavours, i.e. my will, will
be paramount and Torah-less-ness (lawlessness) might start getting the better
part of me.
On the other hand, we can use Pure oil and become a light
to the nations, if our foundation is in the Torah of YHVH and we “shema”
(listen) “shemar “(guard) and “asah” (DO) with the power and help of the Set
apart Spirit (Holy Spirit) of YHVH through Yahshua HaMashiach, the Lamb of
Elohim, to raise our spirituality. Chanukah is days of joy and praise and
thanksgiving - we shall overcome!
May your Chanukah be filled with the remembrance of the
miracles in the lives of our forefathers, the miracles present in our daily lives,
and most of all, the miracle of the salvation made available by the
Almighty One through the One who was sent by the Father:
Yahshua the Messiah, the Light of the World, the Living WORD! May we dedicate
our lives with hearts that desire to be filled with pure oil.
* Footnote
"The historical events surrounding Chanukah are described in two
historical works called 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. These two books were written shortly after the
events took place. Both of these books describe the events in detail and tell the story of the liberation of the Temple. Yet not one of these two books says a single word about the widely accepted assumption that a miracle of the oil took place during that time.
Instead they give three different reasons for celebrating Chanukah for eight days other than the reason that we just all accepted (the menorah that burnt on a little oil for eight days.)
Instead they give three different reasons for celebrating Chanukah for eight days other than the reason that we just all accepted (the menorah that burnt on a little oil for eight days.)
The first reason was a miracle that repeated itself in the
days of Moshe and Shlomo. Both of these times were associated with eight days of dedication:
When Moshe dedicated Aharon and his sons as priests in the desert the ceremony lasted eight days. On the eighth and final day of the dedication, a fire came out of heaven and consumed the sacrifices that Aaron and his sons offered on the altar (Vay/Lev 9:1, 24).
This miracle happened again when Shlomo dedicated his altar for eight days (2Chr 7:1, 9). The book of 2 Maccabees explicitly mentions this as the reason for eight days of Chanukah.
When Moshe dedicated Aharon and his sons as priests in the desert the ceremony lasted eight days. On the eighth and final day of the dedication, a fire came out of heaven and consumed the sacrifices that Aaron and his sons offered on the altar (Vay/Lev 9:1, 24).
This miracle happened again when Shlomo dedicated his altar for eight days (2Chr 7:1, 9). The book of 2 Maccabees explicitly mentions this as the reason for eight days of Chanukah.
The second reason for eight days was as a sort of
"Second Sukkot". In Bemidbar.Numbers 9 it says that if someone fails to
partake of the Passover/Pesach in the First Month of Aviv, then they can observe a Second
Passover in the Second Month. Now, nothing is said about any other Appointed time that can be kept a month later but the Maccabees had failed to observe Sukkot while
they were fighting the Greeks. So as soon as they liberated the Temple, they decided to follow the example of Numbers 9 concerning Pesach and made up for this with a Second Sukkot, as
2 Maccabees explains:
"And they celebrated
it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the feast of booths,
remembering how not long before, during the feast of booths, they had been
wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals. " (10:6)
Of course, Sukkot is seven days with the Eighth Day- Assembly (Shemini
Atzeret) tacked on to the end, hence the eight days of Chanukah.
The book of 2 Maccabees gives a third, and rather bizarre reason,
for the eight day festival of Chanukah. Apparently this festival existed in
some form or another going back to the time of Nehemiah when it was known as
"The Feast of Fire". 2 Maccabees explains that when Nehemiah first
offered sacrifices on his altar he expected a fire to come down from heaven
just as it had in the time of Moshe and Shlomo. The same miracle also happened
when David first offered sacrifices on his altar (1Chr 21:26) and when Eliyahu rebuilt the altar on Mount Carmel in his challenge to the priests of Baal (1Ki
18:38). So when no fire materialized, Nehemiah was extremely
disappointed. There was a legend that the priests of the 1st Temple hid the
last burning embers of Shlomo's altar in a cave. Nehemiah sent priests to
retrieve it but all they found after seventy years was "thick
liquid". They collected this thick oil and poured it on the altar but
nothing happened. Then suddenly it ignited, it is written in 2 Maccabees:
"When this
was done and some time had passed and the sun, which had been clouded over,
shone out, a great fire blazed up, so that all marveled." (1:22).
Not a single word about the miracle of oil burning for eight days during
Chanukah!
Yosephus also talks about Chanukah and he refers to it as the "Festival
of Lights" but says nothing about the miracle of the oil burning for eight
days. Instead he says:
"we celebrate
this festival, and call it Lights. I suppose the reason was, because this
liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name given to
that festival." (Josephus, Antiquities 12:325)
If the Festival of Lights really had something to do with eight
days of miraculous oil, wouldn't Josephus say this? He obviously was
unaware of this reason for the festival. The story of the eight days of
miraculous oil is also missing from the Scroll of Fasting (a 1st century CE
document that lists all the days of joy of the Jews of that time). The first
time this miracle is ever mentioned is in the Babylonian Talmud (Sabbath 21b)
in a section written over three hundred years after the events.
So it was only made up after the altar was destroyed by the Romans in 70
CE, to give this 'days of gladness' new purpose.
Could it be that we should remember that the real miracle of Chanukah is
the victory of a band of people and priests
defeating a world super-power that had tried to force them to give up studying the Torah; forcing them to eat pork, give
up circumcision and the Shabbat. Could it be that we as believers in Yahshua (Jews and non -Jews) should remind ourselves every Channukah that we also needed to take a stand against the powers that want to keep us away from being Torah observant and that it is the mercy and goodness of our Father YHVH that brought us to this point. Then there is also the fact of the end-time - figure in the form of an Anti-Massiah that will again be like an Epiphanus towards those who want to follow YHVH's Torah and those still alive will have to take a stand and trust YHVH for miracles