To the casual observer, Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that occurs around Christmas-time and has something to do with lighting a menorah-like candelabra, which somehow relates to some important event that occurred a long time ago in Jewish history. Some Bible teachers even claim that Hanukkah is pagan-based holiday that somehow honors the demonic sun god of antiquity. But as we shall see below, there is a hidden truth behind the Hanukkah holiday that the devil doesn’t want people to know about. In fact, by the end of this study, you will hopefully see that Hanukkah celebrates the truth of the Messiah’s incarnation better than Christmas ever did and without all the pagan trappings. You’ve probably never heard this before and wonder how this could be. Stay tuned.
Anyone who has barely scratched the surface of Christmas’ origins realizes that they are profane and unbiblical. Christmas is the Christianization of some vile pagan traditions based on celebrating the winter solstice in honor of the demonic sun god through lewd and drunken orgiastic satanic rituals. Though the tradition of the Christmas tree came later, it is rooted in pre-Christian sex worship rituals that come straight out of demonic sun god worship, and something the Bible in many places condemns and forbids the saints from practicing.
Hanukkah, on the other hand, doesn’t share Christmas’ pagan origins. Rather, this holiday links back directly to one of YHVH’s seven commanded biblical festivals. Though Hanukkah isn’t a commanded biblical holiday, and is of man’s creation, it still has prophetic implications that are worth noting. What’s more, it doesn’t carry the pagan baggage the Christian holidays like Christmas, Easter, Lent, All Saints Day (i.e., Halloween) and the others all do.
In our study of the origins of Hanukkah, let’s first prove that there is a link between the biblical fall festival of Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:33–43) and Hanukkah. How is this? Interestingly, both Hanukkah and Sukkot along with the Eighth Day last for eight days. According to the intertestamental Book of Maccabees, Hanukkah was a second, belated Feast of Tabernacles (Heb. Sukkot and the Eighth Day (Heb. Shemini Atzeret; see 1 Macc 4:44–59; 2 Macc 1:7–9; 10:1–8). After the Jews defeated the Greeks’ attempt to destroy Judaism and the Jewish people, the Jews had to cleanse and reconsecrate their temple from pagan defilement before worshipping YHVH there. The temple wasn’t ready to be rededicated at the biblically prescribed time of Sukkot in the seventh month of the biblical calendar (in Sept/Oct), which is when Solomon dedicated the first temple (2 Chr 5:3; 7:8–9). Instead, the Jews rededicated the cleansed temple roughly two months later in the ninth month (in December), and they celebrated a belated or second Sukkot roughly two months later after the temple was finally cleansed.
Moreover, the lighting of giant menorahs was a major aspect of Sukkot’s joyous celebration (The Temple, p. 224ff, by Alfred Edersheim). Yeshua seems to make reference to this light celebration going on in the temple on the last great day or seventh day of Sukkot (called Hoshana Rabbah). At this very time, Yeshua refers to himself as the (true) light of the world (John 8:12 cp. 7:12).The lighting of an eight-branched candelabra at Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, reflects this Sukkot tradition of lighting menorahs. It also speaks of the miracle of the light of YHVH’s truth being preserved in Israel despite the heathen’s attempt to stamp it out.
Interestingly, the timing of Hanukkah also relates to Yeshua who is the light of the world (John 8:12). There is strong biblical evidence to suggest that Yeshua was born at the biblical festival of Sukkot in the early fall. If this is the case, Yeshua would have been conceived in the virgin Mary’s womb by the Spirit of Elohim nine months earlier at the time of Hanukkah. The Bible teaches that human life begins at conception (Exod 21:22; Ps 139:13–16; Jer 1:5; Luke 1:15, 41, 44), not at birth as we in the West typically view it. Therefore, Yeshua’s life really started when he was conceived in Mary’s womb, not when he was born. Therefore, in Hebraic thought, Christmas isn’t really celebrating the beginning of Yeshua’s life or incarnation. Hanukkah does!
Despite the fact that Christmas misses the mark in celebrating the beginning of Yeshua’s life, Hanukkah and Christmas share something in common. They both celebrate the coming of Yeshua, the Word of Elohim from heaven to this earth to be the light of the world to show man the way to the Father in heaven. Sadly, Christmas is the Christianization of some horrific pagan holidays to arrive at this truth. Hanukkah, however, carries none of this ungodly baggage, as we have attempted to demonstrate so far in this short study.
Why did the Jews choose the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month on which to rededicate the temple? Did this timing have something to do with the winter solstice as the December 25 timing of Christmas does and as some Bible teachers suggest? Absolutely not. There is actually a connection between the timing of Hanukkah (which by the way falls well before the winter solstice) and an important historical event that occurred in Israel’s history. It also relates to a Messianic prophecy having to do with the coming of the promised Messiah into the world. This we see in the biblical Book of Haggai. This tiny book records that on the day just before what would later become known as Hanukkah or the Feast of Dedication (i.e., the twenty-fourth day of the biblical ninth month, which is called Chislev or Kislev), the cornerstone to the second temple was laid (Hag 2:19). This is the same temple that the idolatrous Greeks would desecrate some 350 years later. Therefore the Maccabeean Jews had solid biblical precedence for choosing the date of Kislev 25 to start celebrating the eight day holiday of Hanukkah or the Feast of Dedication, for this was the day after the prophetic decree went out to lay the cornerstone for that very temple 350 years earlier. Therefore, the Maccabeean Jews merged the timing of the commencement of the second temple’s construction with the idea that the Solomon’s temple was dedicated on Sukkot, and they celebrated a belated Sukkot-type celebration in the ninth month starting on Kislev 25, which became known as the Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah.
Furthermore, when Haggai the prophet records the laying of the cornerstone for the second temple, he also speaks about the Desire of All Nations — another name for Yeshua the Messiah — coming to that very temple and filling it with his glory (Hag 2:7). This is the greater reason why this temple had to be built! The Messiah needed a temple to come to, so that many biblical prophecies could be fulfilled. Moreover, in verse nine, Haggai prophesies that the glory of the second temple would be greater than that of Solomon’s temple. How is this? From a physical perspective this is hard to understand, since Solomon’s temple contained billions of dollars worth of gold alone. The second temple could hardly compare to the glorious and extravagant riches of the first temple. Yet considering that this would be the temple to which the Messiah, the Son of Elohim would come, YHVH through the prophet could predict that “the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former” (Hag 2:9).
Finally, John, the Gospel writer, in a sense, confirms Haggai’s prophecy when records a curious double entendre statement that Yeshua made. While at the second temple, Yeshua predicted the temple’s destruction and its raising up again in three days. Those around him thought he was referring to the destruction and rebuilding of the actual physical second temple. John, however, informs us that Yeshua’s prophecy was instead referring to the temple of his body, which would be destroyed and raised up or resurrected after three days in the grave (John 2:19–22). As the cornerstone for the second temple (the very temple to which Yeshua came on the Feast of Dedication in John 10:32) was laid at Hanukkah time, so Yeshua who is the Rock of our salvation (Deut 32:15; Pss 62:2; 89:26) and our Chief Cornerstone (Eph 2:20; 1 Pet 2:6) was miraculously conceived at this very time by Elohim in the womb of the virgin Mary. He was then born nine months later at Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles. It was at Sukkot that Yeshua the Messiah or Immanuel (or El God with man) was born in human likeness and came to dwell or tabernacle with men (1 John 1:1, 14). This then is the greater and glorious story behind the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah that has been hidden for millennia!
brother Natan… Great connection…The foundation of the Temple being laid on the date of Hanukkah..
I think you have a typo here in your blog..
You have “the cornerstone to the second temple was laid (Hag 2:19).”
I think you meant as you say in your video and as it is written one of the following three verses: Hag 2:10, Hag 2:18 or Hag 2:20.
Again awesome connection.. thank you for sharing..
WOW and Praise to The Light of the world.
I am not completely “on board” with this particular holiday (yet) and have to work thru everything that I think about it. I disagree or at least am unsure that I agree…….with some of what you said in your recent article. I have NO problem with what anyone else sees or feels led to do and am merely walking thru this in words to talk it out, so please nobody feel offended!!! I am just sorting. Only doing it here because the article was sent out. So these are my thoughts…………………
While Passover was so important to keep, Father implemented a second Passover for those who could not participate in the first. No such thing happened w/Sukkot, so I am kinda lukewarm on this connection.
John 8:12 doesn’t seem to fit here for purposes of making a point or connection. That verse is not associated as far as I can tell with the holiday.
I celebrate birthdays and don’t have a problem with that as long as a bunch of pagan stuff isn’t a part of it, but we certainly are not commanded to do so. There are precious few references in Scripture to celebrating a birthday…………most of them didn’t turn out so well!! At any rate……….the idea of celebrating a conception seems a bit “off” to me, and…….I am not at all convinced that Yeshua was born at Sukkot anyway. I think it much more likely that he was born in the Spring for a variety of reasons I have studied previously (we know the age diff of Yeshua and John the Baptist and that John was conceived after his father completed a tour of priestly duty but given there were 2 tours per year, the birth could have been 6 months either way). So IF he was born in Spring at the time of the spring feast when we remember His first coming, then he surely wasn’t conceived at Hanukkah. Given we do not know for sure when He was conceived or born and that we are not told to keep His birth as a moed, it seems like a stretch to justify the holiday with the conception or birth of Yeshua. It seems to make celebrating on Hanukah no better than the Christians who assume the Dec 25 date. It is based on………….nothing we know or are told to do. Connecting to a conception bothers me a bit likely due to my Catholic background and the memory of “The Feast of the Immaculate Conception.”
So as for celebrating the re- dedication of the temple…………Do we celebrate the first dedication? Why celebrate the re-dedication if we don’t celebrate any other temple dedication? It is making it seem like a stretch again……..to justify keeping a tradition.
I am not on page with youhere. I am prepared to admit I am wrong if I learn that I am. I do not wish to cause an issue with anyone who sees it as you do, I am just sayin’……………..my little pea-brained thoughts as I am working thru this.
Beyond those things that you touched on, I have a few other things swimming around in my head………………….
Most use the “altered Menorah” at Hanukah and that seems to be saying that we needed to improve on Father’s model. That menorah in the temple is pretty special and I am not so sure He would like us changing it to suit a tradition based on a story of 8 days of oil that cannot even be proved.
By adding a holiday, are we adding to or taking away from father’s Moedim? I know that we keep other holidays such as Thanksgiving and 4th of July, but we have not attached it in any way to Scripture.
One of my greatest concerns is personal………………..We have yanked Christmas out from under our children and they are ok with that. I have explained the whys and some agree more than others…….who do not agree at ALL!!! But……..if some of our justification for taking away a family tradition because it’s not in Scripture , we dare NOT add in another that is also not in Scripture!!! It makes it look like we are picking and choosing according to our desires and not those of Father. We do not choose to give any of our children reason to think that we are not really following that Scripture that we claim to be following! Given how many people wrongly see this as a “Jewish Christmas” …………………we need to be careful. I do not want to cause anyone to stumble.
Yeshua MAY have kept this. Scripture says He was there at the Feast of Dedication in the winter but we do not know what He did or even what they did back then.
I agree with and LIKE the idea of cleansing our temples during this time and always. Actually other feasts seem to be indicating we should do this, so again…..I wonder if Father thinks that WE think that the times He said to get out the leaven, etc……..were not enough so that we had to add another specific time?
I like the idea that this is prophetic.
I like the additional fellowship opportunity :<)
Nothing wrong with remembering an important event…………………
In considering all of the commanded moedim…………..all of them are specific to Yeshua and point directly to Him. I am not sure I see this holiday doing that in any way that Father has not already created a feast for……………….?
So……………….for now, I may light a single candle to recognize Yeshua as the light of the world and my life, or maybe even 2 candles for 2 house……or maybe I won’t. I hafta figure it out. I have been asking Father for a long time to help me with the Shabbats and the feasts and feel like I am closer than ever before, but so far……….I don’t have a definite from Him about this. So for now…..I hope everyone who is celebrating has a great time and a meaningful time as I collect my thoughts and wait for any new revelation or conviction!!!!
What you have written is excellent, and I can’t disagree with too much of what you have said. Some things we’re just totally sure about, and I can see the validities of both sides of the argument, though I may swing in one direction more than another. These aren’t major doctrines, much less hills I’d die on fighting over.
Your approach in conveying your questions and objections is very reasonable, balanced, respectful and humble. Such a demeanor engenders an atmosphere of honest and loving dialog as we are all trying to figure our this Hebrew roots thing.
We certainly in no way want to lift Hanukkah up to any place in importance anywhere near the biblical feasts. It’s not even on the radar screen. It is simply a manmade holiday — nothing more or less. However, I feel that I have presented some evidence that could give it more credibility that it does within a traditionally rabbinic Jewish ethos. However, if one doesn’t agree with my postulates, that’s fine. One is under no obligation to do Hanukkah. No skin off my teethe or YHVH’s either.
Frankly, in our family, we do nothing to celebrate Hanukkah. In our congregation, we have a quickly put together Hanukkah party after Shabbat services, and that’s it. Besides a brief history lesson and a quick teaching on keeping our spiritual temples clean by staying undefiled from the pollutions of the world, it’s all fun and games for a couple of hours.
drbetsill
I am not here to tell what you to do, nor do I claim to know everything, but as I read your post a few things popped in my mind..
You seem sincere in your search for the truth so I thought I would share what came into my mind as I read your response…Take them for what ever they are worth to you..
You said “I am not at all convinced that Yeshua was born at Sukkot anyway. “
I see strong evidence that He indeed was born at Sukkot. One piece is the following verse.
Joh 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and did TABERNACLE among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth.
You said “the idea of celebrating a conception seems a bit “off” to me”
What if it’s the Immaculate Conception? And we also know from scripture that life begins when?
Who is the most important person that has ever been conceived? It was important enough for an angel to tell Mary. and here is another part and this really ties in farther down in my response.. At conception is when Yahshua for the first time changed his body into a human form..
I personally would celebrate His conception especially if there already is a connection of it to a Feast.
And yes I did say Feast. I believe we have strong evidence of Hanukkah being an added Feast.
Joh 10:22 At that time the Ḥanukkah (Feast of dedication, the Feast of Lights) came to be in Jerusalem, and it was winter.
Joh 10:23 And Yahshua walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
While looking at those verses we see that Yahshua was in Jerusalem at the Temple..
We know if there was something going on at our Father’s house that was wrong He was sure to bring it to our attention..
I think it says a lot when we know that we are commanded to go Jerusalem for the 3 pilgrimage Feasts. Where do we find Yahshua at the FEAST OF DEDICATION? Not only in Jerusalem, but also, in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
I also find it very interesting that the Spring Feast is 8 days long; Unleavened Bread 7 days plus the 8th day of Shavout and the Fall Feast is 8 days long; Tabernacles 7 days plus the 8th day the Last Great Day.
So 8 days for the FEAST OF DEDICATION matches perfect with Yahshua being in Jerusalem for the FEAST and it matching 8 days the same duration of time for the Spring & Fall Feasts..
You said “In considering all of the commanded moedim…………..all of them are specific to Yeshua and point directly to Him. I am not sure I see this holiday doing that in any way that Father has not already created a feast for……………….?”
Do any of the other Feasts speak of a miracle??
Again I think one of the strong points about The Feast of Dedication/Lights is it points to a miracle.. the Maccabees defeat of the Grecian army was a miracle and the birth of Yahshua is a miracle.
Last point and I think this is a very strong point..
Hanukkah is also associated with the olive harvest.
It has been noted that the Festivals of Yahshua are connected to the harvesting of the biblical seven fruits which Israel was famed for.
Pesach is a celebration of the barley harvest (firstfruits)
Shavout of the wheat harvest
Sukkoth of the figs, dates, pomegranates & grapes
And Hanukkah of the olives (oil )
The olive harvest is in November and olive OIL would be ready in time for Hanukkah in December.
Take a look at these verses that verify the Fruits with the FOUR different pilgrimage feasts..
Hag 2:18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was laid, consider it.
Hag 2:19 Is the SEED (barley & wheat) yet in the barn? yea, as yet the VINE (grape), and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the OLIVE tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.
1Sa 8:14 And he will take your FIELDS (barley & wheat = spring Feast), and your VINEYARD (grapes = Fall Feast), and your OLIVEYARDS (olive oil dedication, light Hanukkah), even the best of them, and give them to his servants
After Trumpets we will have our new bodies I believe of light just as Yahshua’s current eternal body is a body of light..
The Feast of Dedication may very well be the time when we dedicate our new “light” body, our new house..
1Ki 8:63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto Yahweh, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel DEDICATED (H2596 chânak = chanuka or Hanuka) THE HOUSE of Yahweh.
Deu 20:4 For Yahweh your Elohim is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Deu 20:5 And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath BUILT A NEW HOUSE, and hath not DEDICATED (H2596 chânak = chanuka or Hanuka) it? let him go and return to his HOUSE (the temple in Jerusalem), lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
Again I am not saying thus saith the Lord.. These are my thoughts..
Hi Kirt! As usual….I don’t know anything about anything (!) but am sharing thoughts as you are and sometimes as I do this with folks, revelations come forth, so in that interest……..here goes…………
To me John 1:14 in context is speaking of Yeshua becoming as YHVH in the flesh and dwelling among us, not really as a time of tabernacling for a feast. When I first came into this walk, I was told that the spring feasts were about Yeshua’s first coming and the fall feasts were about His second coming. So IF I am going to continue to consider that, the it makes more sense that He was born (first coming) during the spring feasts………..the Lamb of YHVH being born in lambing season! The shepherds would have surely been in the fields at night in the spring but maybe not so much of a possibility in the fall due to the weather. They would have been tending large flocks due to the Passover moed ……
Father said that we are not to worship Him in the way they (meaning the pagans and the world) worship him. The only people I know of that celebrate a conception are the Catholics who celebrate The Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec 8 each year to commemorate the conception of Mary whom they pray to and seemingly worship. So I don’t know that I am comfy with giving much attention to a possible conception time……. I am also considering that Yeshua was “flesh” previous to this. Many times in the OT, we read of people “seeing” YHVH and yet we are told that no man can see Him and live, so I believe that it was Yeshua who appeared to those people. Given John 1:1, we must believe that He has ALWAYS been making a conception less of an issue.
Agree that Yeshua was there at that time, but nothing says what he was doing aside from teaching which He did all the time:<)
Scripture doesn't always state when something is done wrong! I can see that if what is being conveyed in that writing was concentrating on something specific so that nothing is said about the issue of right/wrong. It can be background info.
Lots and lots of miracles in Scripture but we don't have feasts for them all!
A foundation being laid and a re-dedication do not equate to the same thing in my mind. I would think that f Father wanted a feast for re-dedication that He would want them for dedications as well! Seems like a missing piece………….
Regardless, I appreciate the points you have brought out…..the olive harvest, bodies of light. I have new things to consider:<) Iron sharpens iron……..I hope I have offered something of value to the discussion!
A Happy Hanukah to you as you celebrate:<)
Check out a video that Dr. Dombek (my associate) did laying out the biblically-based reasons why he believes that Yeshua was born in the fall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKmNu-Vhn94
Frankly, it really doesn’t matter to me when he was born — just that he was born. This is a debate that I personally don’t involve myself in. I’d rather focus my energies on developing a spiritual relationship with him. That’s what is most edifying spiritually and where the river of life is. Knowing when he was born never saved anyone, resurrected anyone, healed anyone, set anyone free from sin or brought eternal life to anyone. Knowing him, though, does.
Bottom line: we can all admit he wasn’t born on December 25. Understanding this is part of coming out of the paganism of Babylonianism. Have established this, let’s move on to a deeper spiritual, anointed, life-giving, Spirit-empowered walk with our Master, while becoming connected to the Torah roots of our faith.
Natan, I absolutely agree that when is not important. My only reason for brining it up is that I can see room for just not knowing for sure and esp given we are not commanded to keep the conception or birth of Yeshua that I don’t feel comfortable using any of these dates that may or may not be right to justify keeping a tradition and linking it to something of Father. As far as the Like passage Kirt………..my translations all say “dwelt” and it is not the same as from Lev according to Strong’s (which can be wrong!). I cannot agree that manger and sukkah are the same thing:<)
I agree with you Dr. Betsill.
With regard to Yeshua taking on flesh and dwelling with humanity as per John 1:14, the Greek word for “dwell” is skenoo. I favor the idea that this Greek word derives from the Hebrew word for tabernacle which is Mishkan, which comes from the word shakan meaning “to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.” I am partial to the idea that the Gospels were originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic, the main language of the Jews of the day in the land of Israel (not Greek!). If this is the case, there is likely an etymological connection between skenoo and shaken in the three letter consonantal root skn that makes up the Hebrew word shakan. We see these three letter Hebrew roots coming down into many words in numerous of our modern languages that all go back to the original pre-Babel language of the earth, which was proto-Hebrew. Issac Mozeson, the Jewish linguistic scholar, a pioneer in the study of Edenics (the idea that all languages came out of ancient Hebrew), demonstrates this in his monumental, catalog sized work, “The Word” which he published a few years ago.
All this is to say that John 1:14 skenoo back to mishkan/shakan speak of Yeshua tabernacling with humanity by putting on human flesh. The sukkah at Sukkot is a tabernacle and in Jewish thought represents frail human flesh. So many things line up perfectly in the Bible to form a beautiful picture pointing to the Messiah. The more I study the Bible, the more I see this and am amazed as it strengthens my faith. Likewise, the possible conception of Yeshua at Hanukkah, and his being birthed at Sukkot in the mishkan/shakan of human flesh really lines up for me and how I see things in the Scripture dovetailing together and this witnesses to my spirit.
Having said all of this, it’s always good to remain open-minded about non-essentialthings such as this just in case we didn’t quite put all the pieces of the puzzle together correctly. What I’ve said above is my sense of things, but I wouldn’t die on this spiritual hill defending this belief.
When u asked, do we celebrate the first dedication? In 2 chronicles 7 and in 1st kings 8 king solomon dedicates the temple and turns it into a feast. Starts the day before day of atonment and ends on the last great day of sukkot. I observe that feast along with the day of atonement and sukkot. I was able to connect the ending of the feast with the last great day. 2 chronicles 7:9-10.
drbetsill,
If you don’t mind we continue to sharpen each other.. 🙂
1) The terminology for Yahshua’s birth is the exact terminology used for Sukkot NOT the spring time or Passover.
I don’t beleive the word TABERNACLES in Joh 1:14 is used by accident.. Remember Tabernacles is the joyous time of the year..
Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of GREAT JOY, which shall be to all people.
AND
Yahshua was born in a Sukkah a manger.
Luk 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a MANGER (Sukkah); because there was no room for them in the inn.
Not sure why you think the weather would be a problem in early fall around Bethlehem. Lots of people are out in their Sukkahs at this time..
True.. lambing season is in the spring, but did you know they are born in the fall??
the interesting part is fall born lambs are rare ..And take a look.
“IT ALMOST SEEMS AS THOUGH THE STARS NEED TO LINE UP JUST RIGHT for breeding to occur in the ewe flock to get “fall born lambs”.
http://sheep.osu.edu/2008/06/20/how-do-i-get-fall-born-lambs-from-my-sheep-flock/
I don’t worship the conception I worship who was conceived.. It’s a memorial of that time along with the miraculous military victory to preserve the Torah.. There is no paganism involved in that..
Yahsua did appear in the old Testament many times.. He was in his incarnate state..
He did not actually take on flesh AND blood till he was miraculously conceived by the Holy spirit with timing fitting perfectly 280 days before Tabernacles..
Solomon did dedicate (Hanukk) the temple
1Ki 8:63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto Yahweh, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel DEDICATED (H2596 chânak = chanuka or Hanuka) THE HOUSE of Yahweh.
Again I am not telling what to do only showing you points to consider brother.. 🙂
Thank you for the Happy Hanukkah
Dr. Betsill.
You gotta love the respectable back and forth 🙂
I really do enjoy the digging back and forth on our Messiahs’ word.. so I don’t take offense to your responses.. 🙂
When you look up the Greek meaning of the word “dwelt” it is G4637 skēnoō which has the following meaning;
“From G4636; TO TENT OR ENCAMP, that is, (figuratively) to occupy (as a mansion) or (specifically) to reside (AS GOD DID IN THE TABERNACLE OF OLD, a symbol of protection and communion): – dwell.”
Key words in that definition “TO TENT OR ENCAMP” which is what we do at Tabernacles. We are in tents or booths or a temporary dwelling.
Then notice skēnoō (dwelt) is from G4636 skēnos TABERNACLE which has the following meaning;
“From G4633; A HUT OR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE, that is, (figuratively) the human body (as the abode of the spirit): – TABERNACLE.”
Then notice G4636 skēnos TABERNACLE is from G4633 skēnē TABERNACLE which has the following meaning.
“Apparently akin to G4632 and G4639; A TENT or cloth hut (literally or figuratively): – habitation, TABERNACLE.”
Then we take G4633 skēnē tabernacle back into the Hebrew and what do we find?
H5521
סכּה
sûkkâh
sook-kaw’
Feminine of H5520; a hut or lair: – booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent.
Which is found in the Leviticus…
Lev 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto Yahweh seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
Lev 23:42 Ye shall dwell in BOOTHS seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in BOOTHS:
Lev 23:43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in BOOTHS, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your Elohim.
In regards to the word “manger” and the word sukkah.
Luk 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a MANGER (G5336 phatnē); because there was no room for them in the inn.
We see the same word G5336 phatnē used not only for the word manger, but also, for the word “stall” in Luke 13:15.
Luk 13:15 The Master then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the STALL (G5336 phatnē), and lead him away to watering?
In Gen 33:17 we see that Jacob made stalls/sukkahs for his cattle.
Gen 33:17 And Jacob journeyed to SUCCOTH, and built him an house, and MADE BOOTHS (H5521 sûkkâhs stalls) FOR HIS CATTLE: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
So, both the Hebrew “sukkah” and the Greek “phatne” both mean a place for livestock.
I believe all of this put together and more make for an extremely strong case that Yahshua’s birth, a time of joy took place on His Feast known to be the most joyous Feast and on a Feast that has in it’s meaning the word “dwelling” as in dwelling with men took place at Tabernacles.
Brothers and sisters,
Please forgive me if what I am about to ask offends anyone. Is it safe to say that the root of this discussion is what could be useful to understand and let us settle this challenge? Before we continue our journey of allowing the Ruach to flow through the body of Messiah as HE leads this discussion let’s ask our Father in our Messiahs name to guide us. Heavenly Father please bless this midrash and may it bear fruit of light for all who are searching for Your Glory. Your will not ours be done. In the name of Messiah Yeshua. Amen.
Perhaps if we identify the root we will see that both sides of this midrash are true but if we change our paradigm slightly we see that only one side, as I see it today, has the moral high ground. Ultimately, this is what we are all pursuing for the Glory of His Name. Yes, it is true that Abba YHWH commands us on multiple occasions to not add too or take away from His Torah. This is a commandment forever. However, Abba never says anything about Himself, the creator of the Universe, adding too His Torah. Let’s remember, Abba YHWH is the Head of Messiah and hence we are not on His level and nor does He suggest so in His Word. Which leads us to the conclusion that the “you” in these verses Deut 4:32 and Deut 12:32 are referring to the creation and not the creator. However Abba YHWH does put a restriction on His own behavior. Abba tells us through Messiah in Matthew 5 that not one jot or one tittle will PASS from The Torah until all is accomplished but He says nothing about HIM adding to The Living Word within the context of That Living Word. Example of Abba YHWH adding to to His Torah within the confines of The Torah would be the sons of Zadock now being the line to serve the Temple of YHWH. Abba narrows the scope or The Way or the path but does not change the original command. Why is this not changing The Torah? Because the sons of Zadock are Levites. This is identical in many ways to what is being presented in this discussion. No Hanukkah is not a commanded Feast within the seven Feasts of Abba YHWH in the Torah of Moses and we should not treat it as such but we are commanded in the book of Haggai, as pointed out earlier by Kirt, that we are to consider it on the day the dedication actually happened and in the future. This is a command from The Most High and it does not break the guidelines of The Moses Torah because it is not to be put on the same level as His seven moed. This is not a day commanded for us to tithe for but it is a day to contemplate its importance and in doing so we finally arrive at the conclusion of the understanding of Hanukkah that our bodies are the temple and only when all of us treat it as such in every facet possible individually and collectively as the body of Messiah can we shine the pure light of our Creator and bring Him all the glory honor and power forever and ever. Our Messiah Yeshua humbled Himself and became our cornerstone as the Second Adam, a man in every way but born of the divine Spirit of YHWH on this day and Abba leaves it up to us to determine how we are going to consider it and if we love Him we keep His commandments when we learn them. How did Yeshua consider Hanukkah? He went to The Temple of YHVH and taught us to be The Light. He served us truth and understanding by His words and actions. How should we consider Hanukkah? By serving each other and the 70 nations in every way He has given us individually and collectively the ability and gifts to serve. Acts of loving kindness is always a good way to keep the inside of your cup clean making ready the outside to be cleaned as well.
Everything after Deut until Revelations is The Torah Of Abba YHWH and nothing in it can contradict The Torah of Moses. The Torah of Moses is the homegrown homemade cake, The Prophets are the organic farm fresh frosting, and Yeshua our final Rabbi and those who follow His teachings, are the pure raw fruit on the top. This leads us deeper down the root, renewed covenant or new covenant or both? My vote is for both.
I look forward to expanding my understanding and humbling myself more daily with you all so please feel free to tear this understanding to pieces with the Sword of Truth. I eagerly wait more dialogue. Your fellow servant in Messiah Yeshua.
Robert
Please forgive the many grammatical errors in this comment. Grammar is not my gift but I am working on getting better. Typing on these handheld devices doesn’t help either☺️
Thank you for this thoughtful contribution to this blog.
Agreed that Robert has beautifully expressed and contributed! Thanks:<)
I don't want to lose sight of my original intent which was to say that there's not enough that is known for SURE for ME to make a case for this holiday. That is important to me because I want to be sure that I don't wrongly advise someone that this holiday is somehow involved with the birth or conception of Messiah or even with an oil miracle that cannot be verified because that places us in the eyes of the "Christmas folk" who have accepted a holiday based on things that are not right. Everything about me would lose credibility in their eyes if I merely replace one thing with another and neither is a definte directly from Father.
Lots of "rabbit trails" later……….. I have a few other thoughts to contribute for consideration on one of the rabbit trails…………..If we as this "messy" group of believers are going to continue to say and teach that the spring feasts tell of the first coming of Messiah, and that the fall feasts tell of His second coming…………..we need to stop saying that he was born during the feasts involving His second coming! It makes no sense!!! Or if we chose to believe that he was born during the feasts of Sukkot, then we need to stop saying that the fall feasts tell of His second coming given we are saying that he was born then. We are talking out of both sides of our mouth in order to make it all fit. This is not so unlike trying to make Fri the day of His death and saying that THREE days later he rose on Sunday morning! It does not fit!! Also…………this came to me this morning as I woke………….So if indeed he was born at Sukkot……….Why would all of the inns have been full? Wouldn't all have been dwelling in their Sukkahs? And if they were traveling for Sukkot, wouldn't they have brought something to make a sukkah from? There wouldn't have been enough "stuff" to build all those sukkahs for all those people at one time and they would have known that. And…..they would have to have arrived early so as not to be traveling ON the Shabbat of Sukkot and they wouldn't have passed money or planned to pass money on the Sabbath for an inn. And yet we are told in Scripture that the reason they didn't stay at the inn was because there was no room. So they planned on doing that and I don't see them planning this if it was Sukkot. All of this would have been figured out ahead of time if this was sukkot, don't you think?
Stuff just spinnin' in my head:<)
Happy 2nd day of the week to all…….:<)
I have actually had the same thought in terms of Messiah being born on the first day of Sukkot. I completely understand your concern and your reasoning.
The way I make sense of it, is that the Fall Feasts are the culmination of our marriage to our King of Kings. The trumpets announce the coming Bridegroom, the bride purifies herself for His arrival and finally we have The Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Yeshua being born on Sukkot does not fulfill the Marriage Super of the Lamb aspect of Sukkot hence it is still to be accomplished and we all wait and watch eagerly in the mean time.
There are many awesome connections one can make with His birth being on Day one of Sukkot as pointed out by the other comments but ultimately it is still only our best guess given the information we have available. Your line of reason questions are all thought provoking and ones I have not thought of and have no answer for at this time. Praise Abba for giving us iron to sharpen ourselves with