Newsletter: 2006-16a A Season to believe... pt.1

Season’s Greetings from HomeWorship 101™

Sometimes people will ask why I do not list the year ending holidays of Chanukah (or Hanukkah), and Christmas on my website. The focus of my book and website is - nonreligious - Biblical teaching only. Technically speaking, Chanukah and Christmas are “traditional” or “national” religious holidays based on Biblical stories. Discounting the characterless mass-marketing, I don't have a problem with righteous themed holidays as long as they do not replace the Biblically - YHWH - ordained Holy Days or Holy Convocations of Lev.ch.23.

As a matter of fact both holidays do have Biblical references although there is not 100% agreement amongst the faithful as to how the verses should be interpreted. Some Christians would say Chanukah is a Jewish Christmas and has nothing to do with them. And some of the Messianic faithful say Christmas has pagan roots and should not be observed. So what is a believer to do? Personally, I wait for the day when we all will be wishing each other merry Christ’s-mass during the Biblical Holy Days of Tabernacles, but that ain’t gonna happen until the 2^nd coming. I’m getting ahead of myself, I’ll cover more of Christmas in my next, part II, newsletter. Today, let’s talk Chanukah. Yahshua/Jesus observed it, so it stands to reason that it should also be important to His followers? Let’s review without the religious mishegoss.

“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem,
and it was winter.
And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.” – John 10:22

Most Bible readers know the story of Chanukah, or the Feast of Dedication. After the Jews returned from their captivity in Babylon, and finally rebuilt their beloved Jerusalem Temple, they had a big problem. They only had enough consecrated lamp oil for a day. The oil for the golden 7-branched lamp stand of the Temple, (called the Menorah in Hebrew), required special preparations, and it took several days to complete the process. Never-the-less, the Temple light, supplied with only one days worth of oil, burned in the Temple for about eight days until the new oil was ready. Amongst the chaos of their life, it was a Heavenly sign that gave them hope. The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah celebrates this miraculous event. And the meaning behind the bold miracle is that in spite of Satan being the god of this evil world (2Cor.4:4), our CREATOR's Light will shine for the faithful.

The Divine lesson being taught here is that unfortunately the dark side is always trying to extinguish GOD’S Light, and Chanukah also commemorates a hard-won victory for religious freedom gained by the faithful against overwhelming odds. This is important today just as it was thousands of years ago; no matter who or where you are, you have an individual right to seek GOD's Light and Wisdom for your own personal enlightenment.

There is another hidden meaning to this holiday that would be important to Christians – the conception of Yahshua of Nazareth.

The Scriptural hint of this begins with the Gospel of Luke (1:24-27) and the birth of John by Elizabeth. Yahshua was conceived six months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Verse 27 notes that Elizabeth was barren and mention is made of YHWH taking away her reproach from men. In the Bible times, people would laugh at, or put women down who were without child. Thus she says, “YHWH has taken my reproach away,” since now she will get an heir. The month of pregnancy mentioned is third Biblical month, around May/June.

The Apostle Luke continues in 1:34-41, “Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” Luke 1:36, “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.” Luke 1:56-57, “And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.”

Yahshua was born six months after the first month when John was born at Passover. The popular scholarly opinion is that He was born in the seventh month during the Feast of Tabernacles. If we count back nine months from Tabernacles we discover that he was conceived about the time of Chanukah, as YHWH’s Light of the world!

“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.” - John 8:12

Yahshua was in the Temple at the Feast of Dedication. Since Yahshua called Himself the Light of the world in the above verse, was He conceived at Chanukah also called the Festival of Lights?

Chanukah is the Hebrew word meaning dedication, and is celebrated for eight days in the ninth Biblical month beginning on the twenty-fifth day. It is not a Biblically mandated Holy Day, but it carries a timeless message of dedication, re-dedication, and commitment to the ways of YHWH, because HE keeps HIS Covenant promises with us! Scriptures state Yahshua showed His respects at the Temple when Chanukah began, it doesn’t say anything about Him lighting candles for eight days. In my humble opinion, it would it would seem reasonable to think the Christ faithful could at least say a prayer of thanks to YHWH at the start of Chanukah for the blessing of the Messianic Covenant which is about to be fulfilled, and was fulfilled in the life of Yahshua – lighting 8 candles is optional.

Enjoy the journey of learning…

Please remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for all those who stand with Israel (Ps.122).

Take care. Blessings, Errol.
**********************************************
Errol Mueller, chronicler extraordinaire
e-mail: errol@homeworship101.com
website: www.homeworship101.com
**********************************************
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#WSC Newsletter 2006-15a, posted 12/15/06.
=================================================
*If you have received this message in error, return an email with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
----------------------------------------------------------
**To be added to our mailing list, send an email with the word subscribe in the subject line.
=================================================

Back to index. Previous newsletter

A season to believe... part 1

Season’s Greetings from HomeWorship 101™