HanukkahThe Feast of Dedication

Intro
Shalom! Its a privilege to be here from CPM to speak to you about Jesus, the Light of
the world. And I cant think of a better way of describing this truth, than in view of the
Jewish holiday, Hanukkah, the Feast of Lights. You might ask, What does Jesus have to
do with Hanukkah? Hanukkah is Jewish. Well, so is Jesus! Jesus celebrated Hanukkah.
And as we learn about this festival, I think well clearly see that for Jesus, Hanukkah was
the perfect time to tell the Jewish people who he is:
Jesus oftened taught us things about himself using everything around him:
-He used common items for illustrations:
-mustard seeds, sheep, fig tree
-He used common language
-Blessed are thee (Baruchahs)
-He used Holdays
-Passover, First fruits, Shavous (pentacost)
-Now he is going to use Chanukkah
1.
2.
3.

Light
Miracles
God is one

1. The lights of the dedicated Temple for not just Jews but the world
Y'shua dedicated for not just Jews but for the world
2. Miracle at Chanukkah - Y'shua did miracles
3. A man can not be God - However God came as a man

I
They asked him, HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP US IN SUSPENSE, IF YOU
ARE THE MESSIAH, TELL US PLAINLY
He replied: I TOLD YOU
HE replied: I SHOWED YOU
HE replied MY BOLD-ness
But, before we look into the teachings, we need to understand the background of Chanukkah
before we can fully realize what he wants us to know. Which is:
History of Hanukkah (167-164 BC, Antiochus, Mattathias and his sons led by Judah
Maccabee the Hammer)

In the third Century BC, A few hundred years before Jesus birth Greece was the
dominant empire and all commerce and cultural exchange was done in Greek. Unlike
the previous rulers, the Persians, The Greeks were not content to merely have
financial gain from the nations they ruled, they also believed these nations should
adopt their culture. They saw the Greek culture as superior, they sought to
enlighten the lands they controlled with it. This influence is known as the
Hellenization of the world. Israel had always been a bit of a thorn. They had
always seen their religion not just a cultural phenomenon, but as the true worship
of the creator of the universe. They would not adopt Hellenism so readily.
By the 2nd Century, the Greek Empire, after Alexander the great, had been split
up in to four, and was increasingly fighting among themselves. Israel was caught in
the middle. Their rulers became more insistent on their coming into line with
everyone else. At this time a very wicked King came to the throne in the Syrian
kingdom which controlled Israel. His name was Antiochus IV; he called himself
Epiphanies, which means, the visible God and was in power from 175BC-164 BC.
As the pressure increased on the Jews to become Greek, many Jews began wearing
togas, and adopting Greek names. A Gymnasium was set up and Greek games were
instituted, which are done naked by the way. The High priest Joshua took on the
name Jason. The hellenists and Antiochus in particular had nothing but disdain for
the Jewish religion.
He set out to force Israel into conformity. People who practiced Judaism were
considered barbarians and enemies of the state. The Jewish religion was outlawed.
He forbade worship on the Sabbath, and offering the temple sacrifices. He
ordered the all copies of the Scriptures destroyed. Any mothers who circumcised
their babies were killed and made to hang their dead babies around the necks as
the rest of the whole family was killed as well. He had numerous altars erected
around Jerusalem, in which the Jews were commanded to sacrifice Pigs and to eat
pork, something they were forbidden to do in the Torah. A great many Jewish
people slain, the Holy temple was defiled.
Ultimately Antiochus offered up a pig on the holy altar, desecrated the Holy of
Holies itself, and declared himself, Zeus epiphanies. The manifestation of the God
Zeus incarnate. He even demanded worship of himself in place of the almighty God.
Quite a horrible scene.

As Jews were scattered, many still refused to conform. The rebellion began
under a Priest Mattatius and his sons. The most famous of which was named Judah
Macabee, the hammer. After 3 years, this rag tag bunch of rebels rebelled the
mighty Syrian army. God had delivered his people Israel. They then re-dedicated
the Temple.
I Maccabees 6:52-59: It was designated as "Chnukkah" - The feast of Dedication
of the Altar
The tradition of Chnukah is to light a menorah is memory of this event.
Why? The traidition is this:
1.
2.

3.

4.

5.

When the Temple cleansed and the temple service had been
restored, the oil to light the Temple Chanakium was desecrated.
Only one flagon was discovered to be pure. Sealed with the very
signet the high priest, and was enough to supply one day's worth
of lighting the sacred candlestick
The Miracle, was the candlestick was continually replenished
during 8 days of lighting until a fresh supply could be brought
from Thekoah
In memory of this, it was ordered the following year, that the
Temle be illumined for 8 days on the Anniversary of the
Dedication (25th of Chislev)
The lights were not only light in the Temple but in every home,
and today that practice continues as you see here

Again: IF you are the Messiah tell us plainly:

He did

1.
Solomon portico: in front of the beautiful gate which formed the principal
entrance to the Court of the Woman

1.

It was close to this same location just a few months prior that Jesus used
the Menorah from Sukkot, to explain he was the Messiah by saying..I
am the light of the World

2.

Jesus is standing in the Temple on the anniversary of its dedication, so that

generations could come and see what was taking place. The Temple was
for all people (Court of the Gentiles)

3.

Why? Come to the God of Abraham , Isaac and Jacob

Learn about Salvation in the temple

4.

We deciate ourselves today of these same priciples, especially when it

comes to salvation and through Messiah

Lights
1.
I am the Light of the World
-This was Jesus speaking Bible talk
-Where would he have gotten this talk from
-Is 42:1
-Behold my servant who I uphold, my chosen one in who my soul delights
-Is 42:6
-I am the Lord , I have called you in righteousness..and I will appoint
you as a covenant of the people, as a light to the nations
-VERY MESSIANIC Statement -Light of the World
-In Talmud they ask: What is the name of messiah?
-Shoot, Peace, Shiloh but
-R Biva of Srungyana said: "Nehira" (light) is his name for it is
written for the "light' dwellest with him (Daniel)
-Is 60:1

Also later in Isaiah it states this

"Arise shine for you light has come, and the glory of the Lord
has risen upon youNations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of
your rising"
-They didnt believe him them, and again he is telling them he is
Messiah, and they dont hear him now

2. I am the Shepherd of the sheep

Ez 34:22-24
Therefore I will deliver my flock, and they will no longer
be a prey and I will judge between one sheep and the other. Then I will set over them one
shepherd, my servant David, and he will feed them
-Very Messianic, and he is telling them plainly
-What a time to explain to our people how Jesus as messiah is coming to
protect his flock
-Chanukah is all about how the Lord is sovereign and our protector. He is
our Shepherd and as Antiochis tried to destroy the Jewish people and our faith, we can always
count on him to keep us.
Yet- they didnt listen again
-He told them you are not of My sheep, my sheep hear my voice
-Interesting the Sheep of Israel is not listening to their messiah
-Is 60:1 "I permitted myself to be sought by those who did not ask for me" I said
"hear am I, hear am I"
Listen to these words aginst this backdrop
-"MY sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life to
them, and they will never perish, and no-one will snatch them out of my hand>" The words of
the Shepherd of Israel, the Messiah to not only Jews but to all nations who would hear his
voice"
3. We are lights of the World
I am and you are one of those sheep who have put your faith in the
"Light of the World"
As we kindle the Hanukkah lights were also reminded that we are lights of the
world: Matthew 5:14, You are the light of the world. Ephesians 5:8 tells us,
You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of
Light.
As the rabbis light all the other candles from the Shamash "The servant" candle, it
passes its light to all others.
What an illsutration to follow him as our Servant Messsiah, the Light of the World
- Light the Menorah

II

Miracle
II

If you are the Messiah tell us!!!!!..The works that I do prove it

o Not only Chanukkah reminds us of lights, it reminds us of miracles, which
is another backdrop to a very crucial teaching by Jesus

As I stated prior, the miracle associated with Chanukkah is the sacred oil was enough
for one day and it lasted 8 days.
Our
God is the God of MIRICLES:
He parted the red sea
Joshua stooped the sun
A tree burned without being consumed
a. He now delivers us with a small rag tag group of men against the great and mighty
Antiochus, the Syrian dictator
b. The miracle deliverers were called the Macaabees: (not their names)
-Acronym for: Mi Chomaca ba'elim Adonai
-Who among the mighty is like Thee, O Lord
-This was the battle cry of those men, who believed in the fact that our
God can perform miracles
c.

This is Jesus battle cry!

Who among the almighty is like Thee

1.
1
2.

The works that I do in my father's name testify about me

3.

When John the Baptist sent his dicsples they asked

-Are you the Expected One----The Messiah?
-Go and report:
-blind receive sight
-the lame walk
-the lepers are cleansed
-the deaf hear
-AND the poor have the Gospel preached to them

What works or miracles would these men have seen?

-John 9:7
"He washed and came back seeing"
-John 9:13
"They brought to the Pharisees"
-John 9:32
"Since the beginning of time, it has never been
heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind
What miracles would these men come to see?
-John 11:14 "Lazarus is dead"
-John 11:42 "So that they may believe you sent me"
-John 11:43 "Lazarus come forth"

4. He clearly was saying this:

-These miracles point to me being Messiah
-quoted from Is again

Transition
Many say Jews for Jesus are we too confrontational. Well that is a good
question? Was Jesus confrontational? Well, we know he was, but just how
confrontational was he? Well with that question in mind, lets go back to our text in
John chapter 10,
Firstly, It does not surprise me that Jesus is in the temple during Chanukah. He
was a good Jew and that is where he was supposed to be. Was Jesus
confrontational:
1.
2.

3.
4.

III

You are not of my sheep

outrageous to hear such a thing. How would you feel if I stood in the
middle of the praise and worship and proclaimed, you who say you are
Christians are not true followers
Wait, it gets better
What would you do if I said
"I am Jesus"! Multiply your feelings by one thousand and you
still dont know what effect this had on his audience. When Jesus said
this
I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE
Jesus is claiming to be who?
God himself

III

Jesus claims to be God.on This Feast

a.

background:. Judaism does not have a creed that all Jews can point to and say, "This is
what we believe." Nevertheless, there is one thing that is the foundation of all we are,
believe and are proud to have offered the world:

b.

Creed:Shma Yisrael Adonai Elohenou Adonai Echad which translated means Hear O
Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One. Already at the time of Jesus the Shema was so
significant that it is traditionally held that it was on the lips of Rabbi Akiva at his
deathbed in the 2nd century.
One God, the monotheistic belief that was our gift to a pagan world. That is what
we cling to. Now look at verse 30. "I and the Father are one" Jesus dares to make
himself equal with God by saying He and the Father are Echad-One.
What Chutzpah! Some 200 years earlier at this is very same time Antiochus walks
into the Temple and declares himself God Incarnate in the same place Jesus is now
standing!

Brothers and Sisters let me review this again. I want you all to see this in your mind. This
is the feast of dedication and in Jerusalem on Temple mount there are thousands and
thousands of people. All are gathered to celebrate the dedication of the Temple. A Temple
which was desecrated by a man named Antiochus Ephimy "Antiochus the Lord in Flesh"
So all these people are there talking about how Antiochus went into the Holy of
Holies and declared himself God. Now while these people are mediating on the
story of Chanukah, here comes Jesus walking in the same path that Antiochus did
toward the Holy of Holies and then Jesus turns around to the crowd and He says
that He is God. Can you imagine their reaction, can you imagine how the people
felt?
c.

The staement:

d.

Reaction:
Vs 31

I am the Father are one

They picked up stones to stone Him

They yelled "Blasphemy"

Vs 32 Why?
Vs33
"You being a man, make yourself out to be God

Their faces must have turned red and as we just read they picked up stones and
wanted to stone Him.
Is that confrontational enough for you? If it was today I can imagine what
people would say to Jesus. They would say Jesus be sensitive, dont say the kind of
thing in the Temple. We respect that you think that you are God. but say it in the
Galilee, not in Jerusalem, besides there is better view there it wont upset the
people so much. And what ever you do, not on Chanukah, pick some other day. It is
the same claim that Antiochus claimed. Do not you know that you are offending
them? What's wrong with you? Do not you know how insensitive it is.
e. But that is just the point.
That is why Jesus made this particular claim at this particular time. He wanted to put it right in
their faces, He wanted to make it an unavoidable issue. I am not advocating shoving the gospels
in peoples faces and being unnecessarily confrontative. Jesus picked his times and ways; many
times he was very gentle with how he dealt with people. But there are times for confrontation.
This was one, especially in light of the backdrop of Chanukah
f.
g.

What do Jews believe today?

Christians believe in 3 Gods

Jews believe in ONE God
How does Jesus teach them about this truth?

-He says that in Psalm 86:6

You are gods

You are sons of the most high

-This is what we call

"kal v'chomer" if a lesser statement is true, how much more for agreater statement..
-If evil men are called "gods" how much does the description fit "God's son.
-if evil men are called sons of God, how much more that Y'shua a good man be called The Son of
God

IV Conclusion
As we remember this passage
As we remember today having Maccabis being dedicated to the Lord
How much more should we dedicate ourselves to these teachings
Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel
Jesus is God
Jason and Amy:
Teach these to your children
Pastor delany: teach these to all who come in these doors
Mitch:
Teach these to the lost Sheep of Israel
Ministry talk