December 23rd is the First Day of Hannukah or Chanukah, The Festival of the Rededication of the Temple from the Maccabean era. It commemorates a miracle where the Menorah in the Second Temple had nof sufficient oil, but burned for nine days without oil. For us Christians Hannukah is not particularly a holiday we venerate, since the Second Temple was destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D. and we no longer need a temple because God does not dwell in temples of stone, “However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands,” (Acts 7:48), and we Christians are now the temples of God Almighty, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?,” (1 Corinthians 3:16), “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own,” (1 Corinthians 6:19), “so that, if I am delayed, you will know how each one must conduct himself in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth,” (1 Timothy 3:15), and “But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.” (Hebrews 3:6).
However, our Lord God Jesus Christ did do something major at Hannukah:
“Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God
22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.[d] No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”
33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”
34 Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures[e] that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’[f] 35 And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ 36 why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. 37 Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. 38 But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”
39 Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. 40 He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile. 41 And many followed him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.” 42 And many who were there believed in Jesus.” (John 10:22-42). In this passage Christ our Lord tells us his sheep that we shall be given eternal life (John 10:28), and that He will never let go of us (John 10:28-29), and that He is one with the Father (John 10:30). At the Feast of Dedication Christ in his human temple (John 2:21), reveal Himself to the world! One could argue that for us Hannukah is a time closer to Theophany, that The God of Israel showed himself in the person of Jesus Christ!
Hannukah lasts nine days, and overlaps our Christmas holiday. A way we can celebrate is to read the passage above and mediate on it; sharing that Jesus our Lord gives eternal life to his followers and never lets go.
Another way to celebrate is to take these nine days of celebrating a miracle of oil and instead focus on keeping our oil and lamps lit:
“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids[a] who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’
7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’
9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’
13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.” (Matthew 25:1-13)
That is how we Christians can use Hannukah. To fixate on Jesus and learn a lesson from the parable of Virgins (Bridesmaids). Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment