Day 1: “Dedication”
For Christians: Rededicating Ourselves to Commitment and Taking Back Ground
Today officially marks Day 1 of Hanukkah. Today we will be lighting the second candle (or any candle will do).
Hanukkah takes place every year beginning on the 25th day of Kislev, the name of a month in Hebrew on the Jewish calendar, which typically coincides the Christmas season and coinciding this year with December 8th.
Antiochus departed to attack the Egyptians, apparently never considering the possibility of armed resistance from the long-sedate Jews. By 167 BC, when a full-scale revolt erupted in Judea, it had been more than 400 years since an organized Jewish army had taken up arms against an enemy. Antiochus sent his forces into the unfamiliar Judean hill country to finish the task of Hellenization. An officer named Apelles led a patrol into the village of Modein (where the Maccabees lived) and ordered the patriarch, Mattathias, to blasphemously sacrifice a pig to their gods, which Jews regard as an unclean creature. When Mattathias refused to comply, another Jew offered to perform the sacrilege, whereupon the aged holy man whipped out a dagger and killed both the Jewish traitor and Apelles. Idolatry was inconceivable to these faithful Jewish men. They revered God too much.
The reign of Antiochus Ephiphanes brought much destruction to the Jewish people and their religion. As mentioned before, he defiled the temple, forbade circumcision, and even set up altars to his gods. Many Jews went along with the changes, being seduced by the Hellenistic culture and its false comforts and pleasures. However, there remained a faithful remnant. The extreme measure taken by Antiochus actually helped unite the faithful Jews who remained.
As we continue to unpack this story, let's fast forward to the end for a moment, to victory. Don’t worry, we’ll continue to fill in the story as we go. But since this is the first official day of Hanukkah, it might be good we understand “why” we light candles to begin with.
Following one of their victories many years later, the Maccabees eventually made their way back to Jerusalem. What they found reduced many of them to tears. Perhaps it’s best that I read to you out of 1 Maccabees 4:36-60.
At that time Judas and his brothers said, “Look, our enemies have been crushed. Let’s go up to cleanse and rededicate the sanctuary.” All the army gathered together and went up to Mount Zion. They found the sanctuary deserted, the altar treated with disrespect, and the gates burned. In the courts, bushes had sprung up like in an open field or on one of the mountains. They saw that the priests’ chambers were in ruins as well. So they tore their clothes and mourned with great sorrow. They sprinkled their heads with ashes and fell facedown on the ground. When the trumpets sounded a signal, they cried out to heaven.
Then Judas chose some soldiers to fight against those stationed in the elevated fortress until he completed cleansing the sanctuary. He selected priests who were blameless and devoted to the Law. They cleansed the sanctuary and took the polluted stones to a ritually unclean place.They discussed what to do about the altar for entirely burned offerings, since it had been polluted. They decided it was best to tear it down so that it wouldn’t be a lasting shameful reminder to them that the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar. They stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple mount until a prophet should arise who could say what to do with them. They then took unfinished stones, in keeping with the Law, and built a new altar like the former one. They also restored the sanctuary and the temple interior, and dedicated the courtyards. They fashioned new holy equipment and brought the lampstand, the incense altar, and the table into the temple. Then they offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lamp-stand, which illuminated the temple. They placed bread on the table and hung curtains. Finally, they completed all the work that they had started.
They rose early in the morning of the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev. It was the year 148. They offered sacrifice, following the Law, on the new altar for entirely burned offerings that they had made. In the very season, on the exact day that the Gentiles had polluted
it, it was dedicated with songs, harps, lutes, and cymbals. All the people bowed to the ground and worshipped and blessed heaven, which had given them success. So they celebrated the rededication of the altar for eight days and joyfully made entirely burned offerings. They offered a
sacrifice of deliverance and praise. They decorated the front of the temple with gold crowns and small shields. They restored the gates and the priests’ chambers, furnishing them with doors. The people were extremely glad, and the disgrace the Gentiles brought was lifted. Then Judas, with his brothers and all the assembly of Israel, laid down a law that every year at that season the dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and happiness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of Kislev. At that same time the Israelites built high walls and strong towers all around Mount Zion so that the Gentiles did not come and trample them as they had done previously.
One legend says that when they were cleansing the temple, they found one jar of consecrated oil to light the “eternal flame” of the menorah, enough for one day's worth of light - only the oil lasted eight days, not one, which allowed enough time for the consecrated oil to be reproduced. True or not, it is now customary to light one candle a day for the menorah to celebrate the rededication of the temple of God.
Take a moment now and light your shammash, then use the shammash to light the candle furthest to the right, and now the second one next to it. Reflect on your own temple. Where have we have defiled or deceived our own hearts - the holy place where Christ resides within us? Where have the weeds come up? Is your light a bright and burning flame, a small flicker or has it gone out?
The enemy has deceived many of us by stalling or restricting the sacred within. Use Hanukkah as a time to take back the ground the enemy has stolen from you and begin a cleaning of your own temple. Repent of where you have misaligned priorities, or neglected your relationship with Him. Ask for His forgiveness. Today, recommit to a life of holiness and obedience. Let Him direct you by His Spirit and then finish by rejoicing and praising Him for your new beginning.
God Bless You Today.
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