The first day of Hanukkah coincides with Christmas in 2024, marking a rare occurrence that has only happened four times in the last century. Although not typically celebrated as a Christian holiday, understanding Hanukkah provides vital insight into the Jewish roots of faith.
At its core, Hanukkah is a celebration of the miraculous. In 168 B.C., Jerusalem was occupied by Syrians who desecrated the temple and set up idols of worship for Greek gods. The Jews came under extreme persecution, given the options of death or religious conversion.
The head priest Mattathias and his son Judah Maccabees became legendary figures in Jewish history, leading the resistance against the Syrian army. The story of their revolt and the miracle of Hanukkah can be found in 1st and 2nd Maccabees, apocryphal books that hold historical significance.
Despite extreme disadvantages, Judah Maccabeus and his followers successfully reclaimed control of the temple. After removing the desecrations, they wanted to rededicate the temple to YHWH as soon as possible, but there was one problem – they didn’t have enough oil to keep the lampstand burning, only enough for one night.
The rituals to purify oneself for making the oil took seven days and then an additional day to actually make the oil. They didn’t have enough, but God had commanded that the lampstand must always be burning. Rather than dishonoring the process God had instructed them to follow, they took a leap of faith and lit the lampstand with the little purified oil they had. Miraculously the lampstand continued to burn for an additional seven nights.
Christians can celebrate the miraculous provision of God. One way is to light a candle as a symbol of the miracle. Another is to follow the traditional scripture readings each day:
Night 1: Numbers 7:1-17
Night 2: Numbers 7:18-29
Night 3: Numbers 7:24-35
Night 4: Numbers 7:30-41
Night 5: Numbers 7:36-47
Night 6: Numbers 7:42-47
Night 7: Numbers 7:48-53
Night 8: Numbers 7:54-8:4
“We no longer go to a physical temple to meet with God, but instead we are his temple as the Holy Spirit lives inside of us,” the website said. “The word Hanukkah means dedication, and this season is a wonderful time to renew our personal dedication to God as the Jews did in the first days of Hanukkah, ritually purifying themselves to make the oil.”
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
