NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT, SAYS THE LORD
(Zech. 4:6)

Yeshua was in the Temple for the Celebration of the Dedication (Hanukka) of the Temple at the time of the Maccabees.

Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Yeshua walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch…“I and the Father are one.”
(John 10:22, 23, 30)

Tomorrow evening, Israel and Jews around the world will celebrate the beginning of the holiday of Hanukkah, which falls this year on the same day Christians celebrate Christmas. [click here to read the article: Christmas and the Jews]

Hanukkah (dedication) is a holiday of miracles. It commemorates the miraculous victory of a small army of brave Jews over the Syrian/Greek much bigger and better-equipped army, and the liberation of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem from the hands of the pagan ruler Antiochus Epiphanes (read more in the article about the historical account of Hanukkah.)

One of the benedictions Jews say when lighting the candles of the Hanukiah (Hanukkah candelabra) is: “We light the candles for the miracles that You have done for our forefathers in days of old, and are still doing today.”

The “dreidel,” or top that children play with, has four sides, each with a Hebrew letter which together says, “Nes Godal Haya Poe,” meaning “a great miracle happened here.”

In the Oral Law that was written in 500 CE, legend tells us (this does not appear in the historical account in the book of the Maccabees) that the Maccabees upon reclaiming and cleansing the Temple discovered that all of the oil to light the Temple’s menorah had been defiled except for one cruse. That cruse had just enough oil to light the Menorah for one day, but by a miracle of God it continued to burn for eight days.  

In all the wars Israel had to fight against her hostile neighbors, many miracles caused the tiny nation to survive and thrive.

Today, Israel is facing fierce and violent enemies from the north to the south whose aim is to wipe Israel off the map. But if God is for us, who can be against us?

The Full Story of Hanukkah

After the untimely death of Alexander the Great, the Greek Empire was divided into four kingdoms, (see also the prophecies of Daniel)

In 174 B.C.E, Antiochus IV ruled the Seleucus Hellenistic empire that included the Middle Eastern territories (what is today Israel, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and Lebanon.)

He was a harsh, arrogant, and cruel tyrant who proclaimed himself a god, and called himself Epiphanies— meaning “the gods’ beloved.”

With the influence of Hellenism – idol worship and the Syrian-Greek lifestyle that emphasized physical human beauty – the Israelites were divided between Hellenistic Jews and Jews who worshiped the invisible God of Israel, obeying His Torah commandments.

Antiochus Epiphanies replaced the righteous High Priest Yochanan with his Hellenistic brother, Jason, to serve in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after Jason bribed the king for the position. Later, King Antiochus replaced Jason with Menelaus, who offered King Antiochus an even greater bribe.

Fearing Jewish rebellion for his actions, Antiochus sent his armies to invade Jerusalem.

The Holy Temple was desecrated and plundered. Antiochus arrogantly entered the temple and stole precious vessels of silver and gold as well as hidden treasure.

An unclean pig – forbidden by Jewish law – was sacrificed on God’s Holy altar which was replaced by an unholy altar to the pagan god, Zeus.

The Jews were forced to bow before Zeus under penalty of death. Syrian soldiers forced the Jews to eat forbidden foods and to engage in other immoral acts.

Antiochus then enacted a series of harsh decrees forbidding Jewish worship, including sacrifices and atonements according to the Law of God; Sabbath rest; the celebrations of the festival days, and the learning and teaching of the Torah. Torah scrolls were confiscated and burned while circumcision and the dietary laws were prohibited under the penalty of death.

Many innocent people were massacred for refusing to eat pork that was forced on them by Antiochus’ men, who went from town to town and from village to village to force the citizens to worship pagan gods.

The Syrians even pursued the Jews to the one remaining refuge area, the hills of Judea with their caves, and many Jews died there too and the survivors were heavily taxed.

Many Jews complied with the king’s commands either voluntarily or out of fear of the penalty of death. However, most God-fearing Jews did not comply with Antiochus’ commands and were willing to take the punishment of great suffering, torment, and death.

They were whipped with rods and their bodies torn to pieces. While they were still alive, they were crucified. 

Women who circumcised their baby sons were strangled and their sons were hanged by their necks. Any Torah books that were found were destroyed and their owners were killed.

The honorable, old priest, Mattityahu the Hashmonite, who lived in the village of Modiin with his sons and brothers, was determined to remain loyal to the covenant of the God of Israel and to obey only His commandments. They refused to offer sacrifices to the Greek gods on the altar that the Syrians had built in the village marketplace.

In his jealousy for the God of Israel, old Mattityahu slaughtered a Hellenistic Jew who approached the altar to offer a sacrifice to the foreign gods.

Then, together with his sons and friends, Mattityahu attacked the Syrian officers, killing many of them and chasing the rest away. They then destroyed the altar.

Mattityahu called with a loud voice in Hebrew: “Mi La’Adonai Ela-eye” (whoever is for our God, let him follow me.)

Knowing that Antiochus would send his soldiers to retaliate and punish them, Mattityahu and his sons and friends fled to the Judean hills. Many loyal and courageous Jews joined them in answer to Mattityahu’s call.

They formed a small army and from time to time came out of their hiding places to attack enemy outposts, and to destroy the pagan altars Antiochus had erected.

Old Mattityahu, nearing his time to die, gathered his sons and urged them to continue to fight in defense of God’s Torah, even at the risk of losing their lives for the cause of keeping God’s covenant.

He appointed his son, Shimon the Wise, as an adviser and his son, Judah the Strong and Courageous, to be the military leader.

Judah was called “Maccabee” – a word composed of the initial letters of the four Hebrew words Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim YHWH, “Who is like You, O God.” Exodus 15:11.)

Maccabee also means “big hammer” in Hebrew as Judah’s attacks were hard like big hammers.

Antiochus sent his general, Apolonius, to destroy the small army of Yehuda the Maccabee. However, the greater and better-equipped Syrians were defeated.

Antiochus then sent Seron, captain of the army of Syria, to fight the rebellious Maccabees with a greater army, sure that his mighty soldiers would destroy the rebellious, small Jewish army.

Judah, the courageous Maccabee, was ready to face them. However, when his people saw the size and strength of the enemy’s army, they said to Judah: “How can we, being so few, fight against such a great and strong army?”

Judah, in the spirit of King David, answered them with great faith:
“Fear not their multitude, for the success of war is not in the multitude of the army, but in strength from heaven. The Lord himself will overthrow them before us.”

Then, Judah the Maccabee led his small army in a surprise attack on Seron and his army, destroying and killing many of his soldiers. The surviving soldiers fled to the southern coastland.

Enraged by the news of the defeat of his soldiers, Antiochus sent even greater more powerful forces, consisting of more than 40,000 soldiers and seven thousand horsemen to go into the land of Judah to destroy the small Maccabee’s army, sure that this time his two great commanders, Nicanor and Gorgias, could defeat Judah and his Jewish Maccabees.

Merchants from the nations who heard of the great Greek army coming to battle the small Maccabean army, were also sure of the Jews’ defeat, so they came with large quantities of silver and gold ready to buy the Jews for slaves.

Judah and his brothers, zealous to defend the Holy Temple and willing to fight unto death, gathered in Mitzpah, which was a place of prayer (where Samuel, the prophet of old, had offered prayers to God,) to prepare for battle, to pray and ask for His mercy and compassion.

They fasted that day, in sackcloth and ashes, rent their garments, and cried with a loud voice to God in heaven:
“For your holies are trodden down, and are profaned, and your priests are in mourning, and are brought low. The nations are coming together against us with the intent to destroy us. How can we stand up to them, unless you, O God, help us?”

After sending men who built houses home; newlyweds; planters of vineyards and all who were fearful, Judah appointed captains over the thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and tens, and he and his small army left the camp in Mitzpah and camped on the south side of Emmaus.

Facing the big and strong enemy army, Judah prayed to God and said: “Blessed are You, O Savior of Israel, Who destroyed the fierce and mighty uncircumcised giant by the hand of Your servant David. Now give up this army into the hands of Your people Israel. Let their army and horsemen be confounded. Strike them with fear, cause the boldness of their strength to vanish, and let them quake at their own destruction. Cast them down with the sword of the ones who love You, and let all that know Your Name praise You with hymns.”

Then Judah turned to the men that were with him and said: “Fear not their multitude, neither be afraid of their assault. Remember how our fathers were saved in the Red Sea when Pharaoh pursued them with a great army. And now let us cry to heaven, and the Lord will have mercy on us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army before us this day. And all nations shall know that there is One Who redeems and delivers Israel.”

Then they sounded their trumpets, cried out with a loud voice, and marched to battle. The brave Maccabees were ready both to live or die.

Thousands of Syrian soldiers fell. The Maccabees had set fire to the enemy’s camp and the Syrian soldiers were struck with great fear of the Jews and fled.

Judah and the Maccabees returned to the camp to take the spoils of great riches, including a lot of gold and silver. Upon returning home they sang a hymn, and blessed God in heaven, Who is good; Whose Mercy endures forever and Who gave Israel a great deliverance that day.

The victorious Maccabees returned to Jerusalem to liberate the Holy City. They entered the Temple and saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burnt.

The Jews destroyed the odious idols; renewed the sacred vessels and the lampstand, and brought the altar of incense and the table into the Temple.

They decorated the front of the Temple with golden wreaths and ornamental shields, renewed the gates and the priests’ rooms, and fitted them with doors. Then they put the Bread of the Presence on the table and hung the curtains.

They destroyed the altar that had been defiled and threw it out. Then they took whole stones according to God’s instructions and built a new altar upon which they offered a holy sacrifice according to the law (Torah) of God.

On the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev in the year 3622, 164 BC, the same day when the heathens had defiled it, the temple was dedicated anew with music and celebration. And all the people fell upon their faces and worshipped God, and blessed Him for the great victory He gave them.

The joyous Celebration of the Dedication of the Temple (Hanukkah in Hebrew) lasted for eight days, with offerings of sacrifices, praising God for salvation and deliverance from the reproach of the Syrians.

Judah, his brothers, and all the congregation of Israel decreed that the Day of the Dedication of the Altar should be kept every year from the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev for eight days, with joy and gladness. (Kislev is the tenth month of the Jewish calendar corresponding, approximately, to early December on the Gregorian calendar.)

What About Now?

As the Jews celebrate Hanukkah and the Christians celebrate Christmas, Israel is still at war against enemies that surround the small nation intending to destroy the tiny nation and take the Land God has promised to His people Israel.

Let us pray, as Judah did:

“Fear not their multitude, for the success of war is not in the multitude of the army, but the strength that comes from heaven. The Lord himself will overthrow them before us.”

For a “deliverer will come from Zion, “His name is Salvation (Yeshua.)
Pray for a miracle, the safe return of the Jewish captives in Gaza to their homes in Israel.