Our table last year all decorated for Hanukkah. Our family celebrates Hanukkah, the Feast of Re-Dedication, the Festival of Lights, each year since 2006. For us, Hanukkah is a time of rededication and inward reflection. To rekindle our lights to shine, to cleanse the alters of our hearts. To lay down our lives just as Messiah did and be intentional about our wholehearted zealousness for the coming Kingdom.
If you lived back in 1611 you would be very familiar with the story of the Maccabees because it was in the Scriptures then. You would have knowledge of their miraculous battle and of their deliverance from pagan sun-god worship and the restoration of Torah observant communities. Over the next few weeks we will be reading in First and Second Maccabees to refresh ourselves and recall the miraculous victory. May we all embrace the challenge to become modern day Maccabees standing for truth and shining our light, the hope within us, in an evergrowing dark world.
Yeshua Jesus adds meaning to Hanukkah, “the Festival of Lights.” It was at the time of the “Feast of Dedication,” when all of Jerusalem was illuminated with the light of the Hanukkah lamps that Yeshua spoke from the Temple courts: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Hanukkah was amazing this year. It was packed full. We were blessed that Gregory was able to come home from Israel where he is serving in the Zealous project with Bridges for Peace until June 2020. I’m thankful we had time to reconnect our hearts with family and friends.
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