by Tom Brennan,
The season of feasts and holidays, those ordained by Scripture and those that celebrate events within the Bible is here. Hanukkah is under way and Christmas coming soon. The events of Hanukkah are significant in preparing for the Messiah’s birth in many ways.
There have been many attempts to exterminate the Hebrews. Pharaoh in Moses’ time sought to reduce the number of males among the Hebrews by ordering the midwives to kill all males born. This mirrors the practices of abortion so prevalent today. The Hebrew midwives obeyed the Noachide Covenant which conflicted with the civil authority. Moses and other males survived to lead the people back to the land given by covenant to Abraham and his people.Haman in Persia plotted to exterminate the Jews and saw a young woman, Esther/ Hadassah, and her wise uncle Mordechai use influence to turn the plot around. Using the civil law against the perpetrator of the intended purges. God saved His people. The Bible states that God’s laws and covenants overrule secular and civil jurisdictions. He uses the humble and lowly to great deeds.
The heirs of Alexander imported their adopted Greek culture (Philip and Alexander were from Macedonia but emulated and conquered Greece) into the lands conquered by the young genius. Most were successful but Antiochus Epiphanes tempted The Almighty by working to eradicate the soul of the people by replacing the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob with the Greek pantheon. The blasphemies and horrors only drove the people deeper into their faith and soon the Maccabees rose up and overwhelmed the Greeks. A Jewish Kingdom once again rose and a move to purify the people and land began. The Pharisees and Sadducees taught practices and initiated the traditions that were much a part of the world into which the Messiah came.
The minds of the first Pharisees were wrought with guilt over the profanities cast upon the Temple and The Land and many of their practices sought to purify and rededicate both. By Yeshua’s time much of this original good intent had migrated into a sectarian form of legalism that He denounced.
The world of the Messiah was a result of the intent to exterminate the Laws and Words and Covenant with The Almighty. We are seeing a resurgence of atheism, secularism and other forces that oppose God’s Word. No doubt, new Maccabees are among us, ready to unsheathe the sword and string the bow. Hanukkah is a celebration of lights, faith and rebirth and worthy of commemoration. Let’s celebrate as we stand with Israel.
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