An event in the History of the Jewish people
THE FEAST OF HANUKKAH
by James Carpo
In the year 167 B.C., the worship of God in Judea was on the
edge of extinction, ready to be wholly swallowed up by pagan
Greek worship being forced on the people by the powerful ruler of
Syria and Judea, Antiochus IV, also known as Antiochus
Epiphanies. This title meant "Illustrious," but his rule was more
gruesome than glorious, as he inflicted intensely cruel
punishments and death on any Jew who remained faithful to the
worship of God. But God would prove faithful to those among His
people who remained loyal to Him. He had foretold through the
prophet Daniel that great troubles would come on the people of
Judah, but He also foretold their deliverance in one of the most
detailed and astonishing prophecies recorded in the Bible!
THE STORY BEGINS
In preparation for an attack against Egypt, King Antiochus
had to unify and strengthen his vast territory, especially his
southern border of Judea, which would be the staging area for a
push into Egypt.
Part of his plan involved a Jew named Menelaus, who had
bribed his way into the office of high priest of the Jews with
the promise of high tribute payments and the assurance that he
would assist the king in "hellenizing" the Jews; that is,
encouraging them to adopt the Greek (Hellenistic) culture.
Though the Jewish leaders at first thought they could
hellenize their community while still retaining their unique form
of worship, the people perceived pagan Hellenism as a threat,
while many in leadership positions within the Jewish community
were quick to adopt the trappings of Greek culture, the general
populace was slow to follow.
The king grew frustrated, needing to act quickly against
Egypt and having been misled by this corrupt high priest to drink
the people would accept hellenization.
TRAMPLING ON GOD'S LAW
The apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees, a helpful historical
resource even though not part of the Hebrew canon of the Old
Testament, records events of this tumultuous period. It tells us
that Antiochus "wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one
people, and that all should give up their particular customs. All
the Gentiles accepted the command of the king.
Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they
sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath" (1 Maccabees
1:41-43, New Revised Standard Version).
Antiochus' edict prohibited observing the weekly Sabbath day
and the other biblical feast days. Reading the law of Moses was
outlawed. And all copies of it were ordered to be burned. Temple
sacrifices were forbidden; circumcision was outlawed. The penalty
for disobedience was death.
Many Jews chose to die rather than comply with Antiochus'
unholy commands. Angered by resistance to his odious laws, and
misled into thinking it was just a small group of radicals
creating trouble, the king intensified his persecution and
cruelty. If an infant were found circumcised, Antiochus decreed
that his family and the person who did the circumcision would be
put to death and the infant would he hung from the neck of his
dead mother (verses 60-61).
Then, on the 25th day of the month Kislev,167 B.C
(corresponding to late November or early December of our modern
calendar), Antiochus profaned the temple of God in Jerusalem.
Ordering an end to the morning and evening sacrifices offered to
the true God, he rededicated the temple to the pagan Greek god
Zeus and apparently set up an altar bearing the image of this
pagan god over the temple altar. Then, in spiteful sacrilege to
the Jews, he had swine sacrificed on the altar.
REVOLT AGAINST ANTIOCHUS' RULE
Meanwhile, in the mountains 17 miles to the northwest of
Jerusalem, a popular revolt was brewing. In the town of Modin,
the aged priest Mattathias had refused to offer the pagan
sacrifice that was being required of him. He slew an apostate Jew
who was about to do so in his stead, killed the king's
commissioner, pulled down the altar and fled into the hills with
his five sons.
Faithful Jews began rallying to this family of priests. They
soon began to wage a guerilla war against their oppressors - a
David-and-Goliath battle with the small band of faithful
loyalists taking on the military might of the Syrian army and
their traitorous Jewish collaborators. The Jewish historian
Josephus records in his 'Wars of the Jews' that Antiochus sent an
army of horsemen, elephants and 50,000 foot soldiers against
them.
During the war, Mattathias died. Leadership fell to his
third son, Judah or Judas, who was called "Maccabeus" - from the
Hebrew word for "hammer." A cunning military strategist, Judah
led his followers in bold, hard-hitting attacks that routinely,
routed the larger and better-equipped Syrian forces. Judas' title
of "Hammer' was soon transferred to the entire family of
priest-warriors, and the war came to be known as the Maccabean
Revolt (These "Maccabees" were also known as the Hasmoneans.
after Mattathias' great-great-grandfather Hasmoneus.)
After three years of battle, and against seemingly
impossible military odds, the Baccabees succeeded in recapturing
the temple and most of Jerusalem in December 164 B.C. Anxious to
reestablish the worship God, Judah ordered the loyal priests
who had not collaborated with Antiochus, cleanse the temple and
erect a new altar. The date was 25 Kislev, 164 B.C., three years
after Antiochus had defiled the temple and made it an
abomination.
Now they were free again to worship God in peace! The
Maccabees fought on until they drove the Syrians from Judea and
finally gained political independence from Syria, as well as
religious freedom.
With their victory, the stage was set for the prophesied
first coming of Jesus Christ to His people. God blessed the
efforts of the faithful few and preserved the Jewish nation, the
temple and the people for Christ to come to - as prophecy
required. God proved faithful to His Word, and to those who put
their trust in Him.
THE HANUKKAH CELEBRATION
According TO Jewish tradition, at the re-dedication of the
temple only one undefiled container of oil could be found to use
in the golden lampstand in the temple - enough to burn for only
one day. Miraculously, though, the flame in the lampstand
continued for eight days - long enough for a new supply of oil to
be prepared for this holy use!
In commemoration of these events, many Jews today celebrate
Hanukkah (which means "dedication"), also known as the Festival
of Lights.
While it is NOT a festival commanded in the Bible or one
that God expects Christians to observe, since the days of the
Maccabees many Jews have observed the Feast of Dedication as a
national celebration of deliverance from the oppression of the
tyrant King Antiochus. As July 4th is the day Americans celebrate
the independence of their nation, Hanukkah is a time when many
Jews celebrate their independence and deliverance.
By the time of Christ, the Jews were again a subject people
- this time to the Romans - and they were again looking for a
leader, the Messiah, to deliver them. And it was during this very
festival that the Jewish leaders asked Jesus if He was that
promised Deliverer!
Notice John 10:22-28: "Now it was the Feast of Dedication in
Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in
Solomon's porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him,
'How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us
plainly.' Jesus answered them, 'I told you, and you do not
believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear
witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My
sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand'."
Jesus pointed them toward a much greater deliverance than
that of Judas Maccabeus! It wasn't the answer the people wanted
to hear, but it was the answer they needed to hear. Jesus Christ
would deliver His sheep, those who would listen to Him and obey
Him, not from Rome, but from the slavery of sin and death. He
would lead them to eternal life in the Kingdom of God!
What Judas Maccabeus did for the Jews, Jesus Christ
will do for the whole world when He returns a second time,
delivering humanity from an evil ruler and from sin itself....
...............
From "The Good News" November/December 2003, a publication of the
United Church of God.
