Hanukkah, Hebrew for “dedication,” is the eight-day Jewish holiday also known as the Festival of Light. It was established to commemorate the rededication of the Jerusalem temple after it was desecrated by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (the “1st anti-Christ”) and his Graeco-Syrian army, and then taken back by the Maccabees led by Yehudah Maccabee in 164 BC.
Legend tells that when the temple was cleansed there was enough sacred oil to be found to light the menorah only for one night. Miraculously it continued to burn for eight days, accompanied by joyous and festive celebrations. Thus it was decided:
“…that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Kislev, with mirth and gladness.” – 1 Maccabees 4:59
The tradition during Hanukkah is to light the special eight-branched menorah, or hanukiah, adding one more candle each night. The candles are lit by a special candle called “shamash,” Hebrew for “servant,” which reminds us of Yeshua Messiah, the “suffering servant” we read about in the prophet Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
The only place we can find any mention of this festival in the Bible is in the New Testament in Yohannan 10:22-23:
“…it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Yeshua walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.”
We read that Yeshua took part in the festival. In another place Yohannan refers to Yeshua as the light:
“That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” – Yohannan 1:9
and
“…the light has come into the world…” – Yohannan 3:19
Yeshua spoke of himself:
“…I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” – Yohannan 8:12
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” – Yohannan 9:5
and
“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness.” – Yohannan 12:46
I also tend to think that the image in Matthew 5:14 was inspired by the sight of Jerusalem, a city on a hill lit with lights during the festival:
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
What else does the New Covenant, Brit Hadashah in Hebrew, say about the temple? We read the prophecy about the destruction of the temple:
“Then Yeshua went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Yeshua said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’” – Matthew 24:1-2
Following the siege of Jerusalem during the First Jewish–Roman War the temple was destroyed by emperor Titus and the Roman army in the year 70 AD. It is still mourned each year during the fast of Tisha B’Av. The Arch of Titus, celebrating the Roman sack of Jerusalem and the temple, still stands in Rome.
The prophet Daniel prophesied about these events:
“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself; And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.” – Daniel 9:26
We also read about the anti-Christ:
“…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as god in the temple of God, showing himself that he is god.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:4
Further we read that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit:
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” – 1 Corinthians 3:17
“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?” – 1 Corinthians 6:19
“And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” – 2 Corinthians 6:16
“in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,” – Ephesians 2:21
Hanukkah this year begins December 12th and culminates on December 20th. Let us joyfully celebrate the Festival of Light, rededicating our “temples” to the Lord. And may the sacred oil burn in us continually!
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