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A time for light

Irrespective of when Jesus Christ was born (many put his birth in September instead of December) or when he was conceived of the Holy Spirit (which could have been in December), the light of the world entered. Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 1:4, 5 says, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shined in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." There is so much strife in the world right now. From the Middle East to the Americas, it seems that events are turned upside down and what makes sense is not embraced and what is senseless is celebrated. The world needs light.

From December 16-23 this year Chanukah is celebrated. It is called the "Festival of Lights." On sundown last Tuesday, the first candle was lit on the chanukiah, a special kind of menorah. Each night another candle is added until all eight have been lit. This celebration commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple after it was under Antiochus IV who ordered pigs sacrificed to Zeus and forced the Jews to bow down and eat pig meat. A small group of Jews rebelled and regained control of the Temple in 167 BC. In purifying and rededicating the Temple, pure oil needed to burn through the menorah continuously, but there was only enough pure oil for a day. It took eight days to purify the remaining oil.

Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days until the new oil for the Menorah was made ready.  Henceforth, the eight-day celebration was declared. The only Biblical reference to Chanukah is in John 10. Jesus was in the Temple in Jerusalem, during the "Feast of Dedication," or Chanukah (John 10:22-30). The Jews asked him if he were the Christ. Jesus replied: "I told you, and you believed not: 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...My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me...My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand...I and my father are one." 

Herein, we have the Light of the world in the Temple during the Festival of Lights. It was the season of celebrating miracles, and light that overcomes the world systems. We see today that the world system is darkness. There are many who feed this darkness. And someday, another one as like Antiochus IV will rise up from that darkness and try to overcome the Light in the Day of the Lord. Jesus the Messiah will defeat him. Meantime, Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men..." Like the Chanukah oil, holy and dedicated to Him, and like the Chanukah candles, the light in us will not be overcome by the darkness of this world!