What does the Bible say about the festival of Hanukkah

[ZNP]

I just did a quick review of the entire book of 2 Corinthians. Chapter 1 shows that the New Testament ministry is an answer to the Lord’s prayer: “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”. Chapter 2 lays out the basic principle that obedience to the Lord will always result in victory. Chapter 3 we learn that the goal of this ministry is that we would all be the Lord’s letter of commendation with the word of God engraved on our hearts. Chapter 4 talks of us being transformed into a weapon of warfare as a result of our renouncing evil. I liken this to tempered steel. Chapter 5 sums up the ministry in a single word, reconciliation. We have the ministry that reconciles man to God, God to man, and man to man. Then in chapter 6 the battle begins and Paul compares this to the festival of dedication known as Hanukkah. “Come out from them and be separate”. Hanukkah is a celebration of light and there are eight days to this celebration. The last eight chapters of 2Corinthians beginning with chapter 6 give us this light. In chapter six we see the fair exchange. You exchange your life of service for an eternal salvation. But the key point in the rebellion of the Maccabees was to “come out from them and be separate”. Chapter seven we learn that we must heed our spirit and not walk by sight. In chapter eight we see the privilege of participating in God’s move. Satan would threaten us, but all he can do is to cast us out. If we have already come out and become separate there is nothing he can do to you. In chapter nine we get the historical viewpoint, the bird’s eye view of what is going on and realize “we don’t want to be on the wrong side of history”. In chapter ten we learn what it is to “weaponize free speech”. The enemy will insult and slander because he has no case. It turns out that the fact checkers working to censor material on Youtube are connected to Mainland China and financed at least in part by China. We cannot be ignorant of Satan’s devices if we are going to stand up for the Lord and bring in the Kingdom. But once you see through that device you can then see the counterfeit apostles, the pseudo apostles, and learn how to discern. Again, it all stands upon the word to “come out from them and be separate”. You can’t compromise your stand. Then in chapter twelve we see the Lord’s second coming and we see that there are three categories of saints. There are those who were able to receive the light in the previous chapters, they are raptured first to the third heavens. Then there are those who were stumbled by the counterfeit apostles and the weaponized speech. They will need to take a repeater class for about seven years. Finally the Lord comes a third time where we will all appear before the judgement for the things we have done. The age of grace, the age of the New Testament ministry, is likened to the warfare the Maccabees had to “come out from them and be separate” and is prophetic.

 

[ZNP]

What other verses refer to Hanukkah in the Bible.

John 10:22 At that time the [g]Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem.

This is the feast of Hanukkah.

23 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple [area] in [h]Solomon’s portico. 24 So the Jews surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense? If You are [really] the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), tell us so plainly and openly.”

The Lord is walking on earth in His disciples. He is hidden, He is invisible to them, but at the rapture and the Lord’s second coming they will see Him plainly and openly.

25 Jesus answered them, “I have told you so, yet you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name testify concerning Me [they are My credentials and the evidence declaring who I am].

The works that the Lord does is not referring to hospitals and soup kitchens. It is referring to people who have been transformed. Paul said that the work of the ministry is to inscribe the word of God on our hearts so that we would be letters of commendation of the Lord. The Lord’s people that He has transformed, they are His credentials, His letter of commendation.

26 But you do not believe Me [so you do not trust and follow Me] because you are not My sheep. 27 The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.

Very interesting, the word for rapture is translated here as snatch. The idea is that we are snatched up similar to someone being snatched out of the way of a speeding car. But this reference is of “no one” being able to snatch the Lord’s believers out of His hand. This reference to the rapture is of an attempt to first snatch them out. This is similar to the Lord’s word to watch and make sure the house is not broken into by a thief. The Lord’s hand is part of the Body of Christ, His hand will prevent anyone from breaking into His house to snatch (steal) his believers.

29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

The church expresses Christ and Christ expresses the Father.

30 I and the Father are One[in essence and nature].”

All of this is in the context of the feast of Hanukkah. That feast commemorates them standing up to Antiochus who wanted to “snatch them out of the Lord’s hand”. A priest and his sons said no, they fought, and against all odds they won. It was an attempt to cancel their culture and replace it with the greek culture. We are seeing this very same attempt take place today. The word of God is under attack and we are those standing for God’s word.