Hanukkah is celebrated from Thursday, December 7, through Friday, December 15, 2023.
The word Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew.
Hanukkah is an eight-day winter “festival of lights,” which begins each year on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors defeated the occupying Greek armies.
The festival celebrates the triumph of light over darkness and of spirituality over materiality.
This festival commemorates events that took place in Judea more than 2,000 years ago when the Syrian king Antiochus ordered the Jews to abandon the Torah and publicly worship the Greek gods.
This act provoked a rebellion led by Judas Maccabeus, climaxed by the retaking of the Temple in Jerusalem, which the Syrians had desecrated.
The army of Jews won despite their small numbers. In an eight-day celebration, the “Maccabees” cleansed and rededicated the Temple.
According to the Talmud, there was only enough consecrated oil to re-light the candelabra for one day, yet, miraculously, it remained lit for eight days. After the rebellion, the Temple was in ruin, including the altar.
The Maccabees buried the stones of the altar and built a new one. Thus, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple and the altar.
The Christians are the Temple of God since he does not dwell in man-made temples.
Acts 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Acts 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
The price was the blood of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
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