Chanukah is a historical feast of Israel, about the events that took place in the inter-testamental period (the 400 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament).
But it also brings spiritual insight into the conflict between light and darkness, a war that takes place mainly in the minds and hearts of men.
HISTORIC BACKGROUND
After Alexander the Great conquered the known world, he died and his empire was divided among his generals: Ptolemy, Seleucus, and Lysimachus. All of them propagated the Greek culture, which they considered superior to all other cultures. But they found an exception: the Jewish culture, which was advanced and educated. However, the Hebrew mindset was in many cases the opposite of the Greek culture, and there the conflict began between Greeks and Jews.
In the beginning, the Greeks tried to subdue the Jews the easy way: by “educating them” in the Greek customs and traditions. They managed to do it in part, and many Jews were Hellenized (lit. become like a Greek). But there was also a remnant that was opposed to this, formed mainly by the priests, who were aware that many aspects of the Greek lifestyle went against the Biblical order.
**In this post, we will turn our attention to the prophetic transcendence of Chanuka (the Feast of Dedication). But for a deeper historical analysis, I recommend that you visit the following links:
* Chanukah I: Introduction
* Chanukah II: Historic Background
* Chanukah III: Hellenization
* Chanukah IV: Books of the Maccabees
* Chanukah V: Mattathias and His Sons
* Chanukah VI: Stroy of Hannah and her 7 sons
* Chanukah VII: Temple Desecration
PROPHETIC FEAST
Chanukah is not just a historical celebration, but it is also prophetic. That is why it is important to understand what happened… because it will happen again in a similar fashion on the last days.
Daniel prophesied about the “abomination of desolation”, which is when the Temple in Jerusalem was profaned by the hands of a pagan leader (Daniel 8:9-14). This prophesy was fulfilled in the days of the Maccabees and Antiochus IV, when the Greeks had control over Israel. However, Jesus revealed that this prophesy will have a double fulfillment, because it will happen again on the last days.
This double fulfillment should not surprise us because it has happened several times in the Bible. The first fulfillment comes as a shadow for the second one. For example, the Passover Lamb in Egypt is the shadow of the Lamb of God who died on the cross on that very date and hour. Isaiah the prophet explains it like this:
(Isaiah 46:9-10) remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
(Isaiah 41:22) Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come.
The Feast of Chanukah will have a double fulfillment, and we know this because Jesus said it clearly (Matthew 24 and Mark 13):
(Mark 13:14) But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
When Jesus said this, the first “abomination of desolation” had already happened with Antiochus IV, but he pointed out that this will happen once again, in the context of the last days (Mark 13:19-20; Mark 13:23-31).
Daniel also understood that the vision was a revelation for the last days. After seeing the “little horn and the abomination of desolation”, he remained intrigued, and his curiosity led him to search for more revelation…
(Daniel 8:15-17) When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”
[Note: The angel of the Lord explained even more things to Daniel about what would happen, but that is a subject for another discussion].
Biblical prophecy says that the antichrist will sign a peace agreement, and Israel will have the right to build the Temple. But as soon as it is finished, the antichrist will go into it, and he will sit there as a direct challenge to God. This will be the final fulfillment of the “abomination of desolation”. This will happen halfway through the Tribulation, when the antichrist will be governing.
(Daniel 9:25-27) Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
Today, the events of the world are aligning for this to happen, and Islam seems to fill all the descriptions that are written about the antichrist. According to Islamic eschatology, their messiah (arab, Mahdi) will sign a peace treaty, and all the world will submit to his government, which will last for seven years. At the end of that time, an “anti-mahdi” will rise who will try to dethrone him. Isn’t this the same biblical story, only in inverse? It is no coincidence that the muslims are obsessed with occupying Jerusalem and specifically the Temple Mount (even though the most important places of worship for Islam are the Mecca and Medina). This attention to Jerusalem is interesting, since the word "Jerusalem" is not mentioned even once in the Koran, the holy book fo the muslims (yet it appears 811 times in the Bible, and it is referred to as “the place where God chose to put His Name”--1 Kings 14:21; Deut. 12:5-7).
Paul also writes about the manifestation of the antichrist:
(2 Thessalonians 2:3-8) Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.
Chanukah has both historic and prophetic importance. There are patterns in history that are useful to recognize, in order to be warned and avoid making the same mistakes of the past.
THE ONLY BIBLICAL REFERENCE
The only Biblical reference to the Feast of Chanukah is found in the New Testament, when Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate it. Many don’t see it because the name is translated as "Feast of Dedication" (Chanukah (in Hebrew) means literally: “dedication”)
(John 10:22-23) At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.
If the Lord celebrated it, shouldn’t we do the same?
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