Lessons
from the Wilderness, Volume 45: Today, on the Eve of Chanukah, I am reposting
my thoughts on Chanukah and the miracle of the eight days. This is a post originally
published in 2014, updated in 2020, and now, I update it once again – for it is
still as timely as it was seven years ago…
…Alone
in the Dark, Revisited…[i] [ii]
[iii]
[iv]
[v]
[vi]
[vii]
Amos 5:8-20 (NASB95)
8 He who made the aPleiades and Orion And bchanges deep darkness into morning,
1Who also cdarkens day into
night, Who dcalls for the
waters of the sea
And pours them out on the surface of the earth,
The eLord is His name.
9 It is He who aflashes forth with destruction upon the strong, So that bdestruction comes upon the fortress.
10 They hate him who areproves in the 1gate, And they babhor him who
speaks with integrity.
11 Therefore because
you 1impose heavy rent
on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them,
Though you have built ahouses of
well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them;
You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will bnot drink their
wine.
12 For I know your
transgressions are many and your sins are great,
You who adistress the righteous and accept
bribes And 1turn aside the
poor in the 2gate.
13 Therefore at 1such a time the
prudent person akeeps silent, for
it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live;
And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, aJust as you have said!
15 aHate evil, love
good, And establish justice in the 1gate!
Perhaps the Lord
God of hosts bMay be gracious to
the cremnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore thus
says the Lord God of hosts, the
Lord,
“There is awailing in all the plazas, And in all
the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
They also call the bfarmer to mourning And 1cprofessional mourners to lamentation.
17 “And in all the avineyards there
is wailing, Because I will pass through the midst of you,”
says the Lord.
18 Alas, you who are longing for the aday of the Lord, For what purpose will the
day of the Lord be to you? It
will be bdarkness and not light;
19 As when a man aflees from a lion And
a bear meets him,
1Or goes home,
leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.
20
Will not the day of the Lord be adarkness instead
of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it? [viii]
From school
shootings to wars, to riots in the streets, to those who practice lawlessness
for justice. To murder, arson, and looting, to the relations between the races,
to politics, to the rise of Militant Islam (ISIS, the Taliban, Al Qaeda); to the rise of
fascism (born in the politics of socialism, Marxism
and communism and using the 'Rona' bug-a-boo as a cover for the march to totalitarianism); couple all that with the upswing of Anti-Semitism throughout the world, and one can see we are
surrounded by darkness.
Pick up a paper – mothers killing their children, children killing their parents, police killing citizens, citizens killing police… Abuse, rape, trauma, theft, murder, lawlessness. Gunfights in the malls, in the streets, in our homes and the thin blue line, ever thinner than before, is ordered to stand down or to arrest those who dare to complain...
Parents concerned for their children are called terrorists, and the DC gulag holds political prisoners without the protection of their constitutional rights.
Romans 1:18-2:11 HRB
For the wrath of YAHWEH from heaven is
revealed against all the iniquity and wickedness of men, who unjustly suppress
the truth. (19) because the thing known of YAHWEH is clearly
known within them, for YAHWEH revealed it to them.
(20) For, from the foundations of the world, the
invisible things of YAHWEH are clearly seen and understood, in the things He
created, even His eternal power and divinity; so that they might be without excuse,
(21)
because they knew YAHWEH, and did not glorify Him and give thanks to Him as
Elohim,
but became vain in their imaginations,
and their unwise heart was darkened.
(28) And as they did not determine within themselves to know Elohim, YAHWEH has given them over to a vain mind; that they might do what they ought not, (29) having been filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, iniquity, covetousness, malice, being full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, evil habits, becoming whisperers, (30) slanderers, haters of YAHWEH, insolent, proud, braggarts, inventors of evil things, weak minded, disobedient to parents, (31) without discernment, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful, (32) who knowing the righteous judgment of YAHWEH, that those practicing such things He condemns to death, not only do they do them, but they also associate with those who practice them.
(6) He "will give to each according to his deeds:" (Psa. 62:12)
(7) everlasting life truly to those who with patience in good work seeking glory and honor and immortality; (8) but to the ones who are stubborn, and do not obey the truth but obey iniquity, He will render anger and wrath, (9) trouble and pain on every soul of man that works out evil, both of Jew first, and also of Gentile. (10) But glory and honor and peace will be to everyone working out good, both to the Jew first, and to the Gentile.
(11) For there is no respect of persons with
YAHWEH.[ix]
16 But I say, awalk by the
Spirit, and you will not carry out bthe desire of the flesh.
17 For athe flesh 1sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, bso that you may not do the things that you 2please. 18 But if you are aled by the Spirit, byou are not under the Law. [of sin and death]
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident,
which are: 1aimmorality,
impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, asorcery, enmities,
bstrife, jealousy,
outbursts of anger, cdisputes, dissensions, 1dfactions,
21 envying, adrunkenness,
carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have
forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not binherit the
kingdom of God.
22 But athe fruit of the Spirit is blove, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, aself-control; against such things bthere is no law. 24 Now those who 1belong to aChrist Jesus have bcrucified the flesh with its passions and cdesires.
25 If we live by the
Spirit, let us also 1walk aby the Spirit.
26 Let us not become aboastful,
challenging one another, envying one another. [x]
5 Since you already know all this, my purpose is only to remind you that Adonai, who once delivered the people from Egypt, later destroyed those who did not trust. 6 And the angels that did not keep within their original authority, but abandoned their proper sphere, he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for the Judgment of the Great Day.
7 And S’dom[xi],
‘Amora[xii]
and the surrounding cities, following a pattern like theirs, committing sexual
sins and perversions, lie exposed as a warning of the everlasting fire awaiting
those who must undergo punishment.
8 Likewise, these
people, with their visions, defile their own flesh, despise godly authority,
and insult angelic beings. 9 When Mikha’el[xiii],
one of the ruling angels, took issue with the Adversary, arguing over the body
of Moshe, he did not dare bring against him an insulting charge, but said, “May
Adonai rebuke you.” 10 However,
these people insult anything they do not understand; and what they do
understand naturally, without thinking, like animals — by these things they are
destroyed!
11 Woe to them, in
that they have walked the road of Kayin[xiv],
they have given themselves over for money to the error of Bil‛am[xv],
they have been destroyed in the rebellion of Korach.
12 These men are filthy spots at your festive gatherings meant to foster love; they share your meals without a qualm, while caring only for themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; trees without fruit even in autumn, and doubly dead because they have been uprooted; 13 savage sea-waves heaving forth their shameful deeds like foam;
wandering stars for
whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
14 Moreover, Hanokh[xvi],
in the seventh generation starting with Adam, also prophesied about these men,
saying, “Look! Adonai came with his myriads of holy ones
15 to execute
judgment against everyone, that is, to convict all the godless for their
godless deeds which they have done in such a godless way, and for all the harsh
words these godless sinners have spoken against him.”
16 These people are grumblers and complainers, they follow their evil passions, their mouths speak grandiosities, and they flatter others to gain advantage.
17 But you, dear friends, keep in mind the words spoken in advance by the emissaries of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 18 They told you,
“During the acharit-hayamim[xvii] there will be scoffers following their
own godless passions.”
19 These are the people who cause divisions. They are controlled by their impulses
because they don’t have the Spirit. [xviii]
We see in the pulpits today men and women who are self-appointed “apostles”, “Prophets” and “Prophetess”. There are those who wear the title of “Reverend”, “Rabbi”, “Pastor” and other titles that God never gave them, use the Church, and the Word as means of gain. These are as Ezekiel said:
34 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say to them: This is what the Lord God says to the shepherds:
Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding themselves! a Should not the shepherds feed their flock? 3 You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fatlings, but you do not tend the flock. b 4 You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost. c Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty. 5 They were scattered for lack of a shepherd; d they became food for all the wild animals e when they were scattered. 6 My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. f They were scattered over the whole face of the earth, and there was no one searching or seeking ⌊for them⌋.
7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear
the word of the Lord. 8 As I
live”—the declaration of the Lord God—
“because My flock has become ⌊prey and⌋ food for every
wild animal since ⌊they⌋ lack a shepherd,
for My shepherds do not search for My flock, and ⌊because⌋ the shepherds
feed themselves rather than My flock, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the
word of the Lord!
10 “This is what the Lord God says:
Look, I am against the shepherds. g I will demand My
flock from them h and prevent them from shepherding the
flock. The shepherds will no longer feed themselves, for I will rescue My flock
from their mouths so that they will not be food for them.
11 “For this is what the Lord God says: See, I Myself will search for
My flock and look for them. [xix]
Now, what does all this mean? Darkness is upon the land, but is there hope?
Jewish resistance began in the village of Modiin, near Jerusalem. Greek
soldiers forcibly gathered the Jewish villages and told them to bow down to an
idol, then eat the flesh of a pig – both practices that are forbidden to Jews.
A Greek officer ordered Mattathias, a High Priest, to acquiesce to their
demands, but Mattathias refused. When another villager stepped forward and
offered to cooperate on Mattathias' behalf, the High Priest became outraged. He
drew his sword and killed the villager, then turned on the Greek officer and
killed him too. His five sons and the other villagers then attacked the
remaining soldiers, killing all of them.
Mattathias and his family went into hiding in the mountains, where other
Jews wishing to fight against the Greeks joined them. Eventually they succeeded
in retaking their land from the Greeks. These rebels became known as the
Maccabees, or Hasmoneans.
Once the Maccabees
had regained control they returned to the Temple in Jerusalem. By this time, it
had been spiritually defiled by being used for the worship of foreign gods and
also by practices such as sacrificing swine. Jewish troops were determined to
purify the Temple by burning ritual oil in the Temple’s menorah for eight days.
But to their dismay, they discovered that there was only one day's worth of oil
left in the Temple. They lit the menorah anyway and to their surprise the small
amount of oil lasted the full eight days…” [xx]
This
is where the bit of controversy weighs in... The story of the eight days of oil
has been disputed as being just a rabbinic fable. There are several theories
out there, but none are germane to our discussion today: what is needed is to
look at the deeper issue that the story of the oil purports: are we alone in
the dark?
…The
Jews were forced to sacrifice to the Greek gods. To compel them to follow the
Greek religion, he made them sacrifice unclean animals, particularly pigs, on
the pagan altars. Greek officials were sent throughout the entire nation to
rigidly enforce the "new" religion. The slightest show of resistance
was punished by death. Synagogues were destroyed, sacred scrolls of the Law
were desecrated, and people were massacred by the thousands.
To
top these calamities, the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated to the Greek god
Zeus. A statue of Zeus was set up in the Temple. Pigs were slain on the altar.
This was the horrible "abomination that causes desolation" spoken of
by Daniel:
“...His
armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the
daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.
With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the
people who know their God will firmly resist him...” (Dan. 11:31, 32)” [xxi]
Throughout history, we have seen this sad situation over and over as nations have risen up against the Jewish people; they have stood many times alone in the dark. While the Maccabees were successful in their defeat of the Greeks and their allies, history showed it was a fleeting victory. So, what is the importance of Chanukah for the Jew?
It is
to remind them of the miracle that God preserved His people, against the odds.
Against the dark.
Do we not wonder the same today? The forces that have arrayed themselves against us today appear overwhelming. The evil, the moral decay, the greed, the strident voices that shout down anything that hints at morality based upon a faith in the God of the Bible – all these things weigh in on us, pressing us down. The cry of the world is “Assimilate! Assimilate!” It shouts at us, dares us to be separate, defies our God and brands believers as judgmental, hypocritical, mired in old-fashioned ideas and values. It views the Church (or better, all believers) as homophobic[xxii], misogynistic[xxiii], xenophobic [xxiv] and racist[xxv] and bigoted[xxvi]. Under this constant barrage and withering attacks, is it any wonder that many profess to be believers, yet live their lives so that their belief does not show for fear of being called out?
1Timothy 1:3-7 HRB
Even
as I called on you to remain in Ephesus, as I was going to Macedonia, that you
might charge some not to teach different doctrines, (4) nor to give heed to fables and stories of
endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than build up the faith of
YAHWEH, (5) but the fulfillment of the commandment is
love out of a pure heart and a good conscience, and a true faith, (6) from which some have gone astray, and have
turned aside to foolish talking, (7) wishing to
be teachers of the Torah, neither understanding what they say, nor about that
which they confidently affirm.[xxvii]
Or:
Titus 1:10-16 HRB
For there
are indeed many insubordinate men, empty talkers and deceivers of the people,
especially those of the circumcision, (11) whose mouth you must stop, who overturn whole
houses, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of ill gain. (12) One of them, a prophet of their own, said:
Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. (13) This testimony is true; for which cause
rebuke them severely, that they may be sound in the faith, (14) not
listening to Jewish fables and commandments of men, having turned away from the
truth. (15) Truly, all things are pure to the pure, but
nothing is pure to those being defiled and faithless, but even their mind and
conscience has been defiled.
(16)
They profess to know YAHWEH, but by their works they deny Him, and
they are abominable and disobedient, condemning every kind of good work.[xxviii]
Or:
2Timothy 4:1-4 CJB
I solemnly
charge you before God and the Messiah Yeshua, who will judge the living and the
dead when he appears and establishes his Kingdom: (2)
proclaim the Word! Be on hand with it whether the time seems right or not.
Convict, censure and exhort with unfailing patience and with teaching.
(3)
For the time is coming when people will not have patience for sound teaching
but will cater to their passions and gather around themselves teachers who say
whatever their ears itch to hear.
(4)
Yes, they will stop listening to the truth, but will turn aside to
follow myths.[xxix]
A careful study of what Sha’ul was referring to does not reveal a pattern against the story of the oil, for this was not even written about until the compilation of the Talmud (the Mishnah in around 200 CE; the Gemara c. 500 CE); though this is not to say that the Oral Tradition was not known in Sha’ul’s time. What Sha’ul was referring to is not precisely known, but whatever it was (be it heresy, Gnosticism, or an attempt to turn the mitzvoth into a work of justification with God instead of faith [trust] in Messiah alone..), the result was the same: “…people end up “majoring in minors,” diverted to speculating about secondary matters and irrelevancies (compare 6:4) instead of doing God’s work, which requires not useless information but ongoing trust in God and his Messiah, Yeshua…” [xxx] David Stern goes on to elaborate on this further by adding:
“…The modern version of
giving attention to myths and speculating instead of doing God’s work
is excessive concentration on God’s plan for the future, so that people
foolishly focus on doomsday and neglect good deeds here and now…”[xxxi]
So here we are, standing in the dark. The Temple is desecrated, the victory hollow in our hearts. It is time for action, for re-dedication of purpose, of renewal. The noise around us is deafening – darkness is not quiet. We hear it all around us, vile, blasphemous words; sexual innuendos; cries of materialism; diatribes against another’s color and against authorities; in days past it was armies of despots. Today the despots are are those issuing threats who are supposed to represent us, but who line their own pockets of greed by forcing an unknown chemical into unwilling bodies. That which is sacred is vehemently denounced while the profane is exalted. No, the dark is not silent. Only that which is righteous can be found in the stillness – and as we look toward the Temple, stillness overcomes our fear of the dark.
Here within the Temple of our heart, we know we are not alone. The small lights of the candles, of the wicks, of the oil have pushed back against the raging darkness. It howls without; without form, without hope; without power, the darkness can only cry and vent its rage at the light. I know now how the Jews felt that night – in the light of the Menorah – in the light of Messiah. Fable? Legend? Or Miracle?
My vote is on the miracle.
16 “For God so aloved the world, that He bgave His 1conly begotten Son,
that whoever dbelieves in Him shall not perish
but have eternal life.
17 “For God adid not send the Son into the world bto judge the world,
but that the world might be
saved through Him.
18 “aHe who believes in Him is not
judged; he who does not believe has been judged already,
because he has not believed
in the name of bthe 1only begotten Son of God.
and men loved the darkness rather than the
Light, for btheir deeds were evil.
20 “aFor everyone who does evil
hates the Light, and does not come to the Light
for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21 “But he who apractices the truth comes to the Light,
so that his deeds may be
manifested as having been wrought in God.” [xxxii]
The
miracle of Chanukah were the victories in war – yet the greater miracle was
God quietly revealing Himself, to let the Jewish people know that they were not alone.
For generations, God had been silent and the darkness roared. But believe what
you will, a fable, a tall tale, or a miracle – on a quiet eve, light returned
to the Temple, and darkness whimpered, and slunk away. Once again, God spoke
with a small, still voice, one disguised in an oil fed flame.
…For
We are not alone…
May
YHVH Adonai richly bless you this day, my beloved, Amein and Amein
[i]Authors note: Use of information from Jewish-themed
websites should not be construed as these sites endorsing or confirming any
thesis introduced by the author of this epistle. I present the information from
their respective sites for instructional purposes only and/or to aid in the
readers understanding of the subjects discussed.
b Job 12:22; 38:12; Is 42:16
1 Lit And He darkened
c Ps 104:20
d Ps 104:6–9; Amos 9:6
e Amos 4:13
a Is 29:5; Amos 2:14
b Mic 5:11
a Is 29:21; Amos 5:15
1 I.e. the place where court was
held
b 1 Kin 22:8; Is 59:15; Jer
17:16–18
1 Another reading is trample
upon
a Amos 3:15; 6:11
b Mic 6:15
a Is 1:23; 5:23; Amos 2:6
1 Lit they turn
2 I.e. the place where court was
held
1 Lit that time
a Eccl 3:7; Hos 4:4
a Mic 3:11
a Ps 97:10; Rom 12:9
1 I.e. the place where court was
held
b Joel 2:14
c Mic 5:3, 7, 8
a Jer 9:10, 18–20; Amos 8:3
b Joel 1:11
1 Lit those who know lamentation
c 2 Chr 35:25; Jer 9:17
a Is 16:10; Jer 48:33
a Is 5:19; Jer 30:7; Joel 1:15;
2:1, 11, 31
b Is 5:30; Joel 2:2
a Job 20:24; Is 24:17, 18; Jer
15:2, 3; 48:44
1 Or Then
a Is 13:10; Zeph 1:15
[viii] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.
1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[ix] Hebraic Roots Bible. 2nd edition; electronic
version, e-Sword v. 10.2.1 by Rick Meyers. Word of Truth Publications, 2012.
a Rom
8:4; 13:14; Gal 5:24f
b Rom
13:14; Eph 2:3
a Rom 7:18,
23; 8:5ff
1 Lit lusts
against
b Rom 7:15ff
2 Lit wish
a Rom
8:14
b Rom
6:14; 7:4; 1 Tim 1:9
1 I.e.
sexual immorality
a 1 Cor
6:9, 18; 2 Cor 12:21
a Rev
21:8
b 2 Cor 12:20
c Rom
2:8; James 3:14ff
1 Or heresies
d 1 Cor
11:19
a Rom 13:13
b 1 Cor
6:9
a Matt 7:16ff; Eph 5:9
b Rom
5:1–5; 1 Cor 13:4; Col 3:12–15
a Acts
24:25
b Gal
5:18
1 Lit are
of Christ Jesus
a Gal
3:26
b Rom
6:6; Gal 2:20; 6:14
c Gal
5:16f
1 Or follow
the Spirit
a Gal
5:16
a Phil
2:3
[x] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.
1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[xi] Sodom
[xii] Gomorrah
[xiii] Michael, a ruling Arch-Angel.
[xiv] Cain
[xv] Balaam
[xvi] Enoch
[xvii] Literally, “the end of days”
[xviii] Stern, D. H. (1989). Jewish New Testament:
A translation of the New Testament that expresses its Jewishness (1st Ed.).
Jerusalem, Israel; Clarksville, Md., USA: Jewish New Testament Publications.
a 34:2 Jr 23:1
b 34:3 Pr 27:23
c 34:4 Zch 11:16; Lk 15:4
d 34:5 Nm 27:17; 1Kg 22:17; Jr 10:21; 23:2; 50:6; Mt 9:36
e 34:5 Ezk 34:28
f 34:6 1Pt 2:25
g 34:10 Jr 21:13; Ezk 5:8; 13:8
h 34:10 Lit their hand
[xix] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard
version. 2003. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[xx]
http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/hanukkah.htm
[xxi]
http://www.truthorfables.com/Hanukkah.htm
[xxii] Fear, hatred, or mistrust
of lesbians and gay men.*
[xxiii] One who hates or mistrusts
women.*
[xxiv] A person who is fearful or
contemptuous of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or of people
from different countries or cultures.*
[xxv] The belief that race
accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular
race is superior to others; discrimination or prejudice based on race.*
[xxvi] One who is strongly partial
to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who
differ.*
*
Definitions taken from http://www.thefreedictionary.com.
All cites: American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth
Edition. Copyright © 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
[xxvii] Hebraic Roots Bible.
2nd edition; electronic version, e-Sword v. 10.2.1 by Rick Meyers. Word of
Truth Publications, 2012.
[xxviii]…Ibid…
[xxix] Stern, David H. The
Complete Jewish Bible. Electronic Edition -e-Sword v. 10.2.1. Jewish New
Testament Publications, 1998.
[xxx] Stern, D. H. (1996). Jewish New Testament Commentary: a companion
volume to the Jewish New Testament (electronic ed., 1 Ti 1:3). Clarksville:
Jewish New Testament Publications.
[xxxi] Stern, D. H. (1996). Jewish New Testament Commentary: a companion
volume to the Jewish New Testament (electronic ed., 1 Ti 1:3). Clarksville:
Jewish New Testament Publications.
a Rom 5:8; Eph 2:4; 2 Thess 2:16; 1 John 4:10; Rev 1:5
b Rom 8:32; 1 John 4:9
1 Or unique, only one of His kind
c John 1:18; 3:18; 1 John 4:9
d John 3:36; 6:40; 11:25f
a John 3:34; 5:36, 38; 6:29, 38, 57; 7:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 17:3, 8, 18,
21, 23, 25; 20:21
b Luke 19:10; John 8:15; 12:47; 1 John 4:14
a Mark 16:16; John 5:24
b John 1:18; 1 John 4:9
1 Or unique, only one of His kind
a John 1:4; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46
b John 7:7
a John 3:20, 21; Eph 5:11, 13
a 1 John 1:6
[xxxii] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.
1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
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