Jesus Celebrated Chanukah? You’re kidding! No, I’m not.
John 10:22-23 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus Walked in The Temple in Solomon’s porch.
The Feast of Dedication is Chanukah, Hannukah, Hanukah!
Chanukah is the celebration that commemorates “the great miracle” that happened when the Maccabees fought the Syrian pagans who had taken over The Temple and won. The pagans had been worshipping their pagan gods in The Holy Temple.It was considered “defiled” and “unclean.” Pigs and other things were sacrificed to Zeus there. It needed a thorough cleansing and rededication to The One, True God, Jehovah. Interestingly, when Jesus/Yeshua Cast the demons into the pigs and they ran over the cliff, He Won a Great Victory that day, too. Those pigs would have been sacrificed to Zeus, too.
They needed enough oil to light the 7 branch Temple Menorah, but there was only enough for 1 day. It took 8 days to make a new batch of holy oil. Miraculously, that one day of oil lasted the eight days necessary to make the new oil! Chanukah is celebrated with 9 candles. The center one is the Shamash, or servant candle. It is representative of Yeshua, Who Came to Serve and Give His Light to others. Together, we are His Light in the darkness.
John 1:3-4 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
The Chanukah victory over the Syrians is also prophetic of the history of the Jewish peoples, and of the world. Through sins, we are often defeated and feel separated from our God. In the end, The Lord Wins the Great Victory over evil and we will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Remember that Jesus Is/Was/Always Will Be Jewish. The Feasts that are celebrated in Judaism are The Feasts of The Lord. Chanukah is also the celebration of freedom from oppression, and freedom to celebrate the religion of choice. It’s good winning over evil, taking back the night,
“Yes, but that was Old Testament!” God Is The God of Precision and Pattern, of Symbolism, Types and Shadows. The Bible Becomes a Comprehensive Whole as you study the deeper meanings and symbolisms.
Are we wrong to celebrate The Feasts? If it was good enough for Yeshua/Jesus, it’s good enough for me. Everyone needs to make their own decisions. As for me and my house, I am honoring God, Yeshua and Holy Spirit and Everything They Represent. I am thoroughly FASCINATED with them, studying God’s Precision and His Word continually.
Celebrating Chanukah, I think about how many, many times God Has Provided when I seemingly had nothing. Suddenly! Something I needed was 90% off at a store He Directed me to go to. Suddenly! That little bit of food seemed more than enough. Suddenly! I would find an extra $5 or $20 in my wallet that I KNEW hadn’t been there hours before. Suddenly! He’s Made a Way where there was no way. Suddenly! Unexpected help arrives. Suddenly! A bill I couldn’t pay is wiped out! Suddenly! An unexpected check arrived the day before the electric was to be shut off when I was raising young children. Suddenly! He’s Taught me just to be still and let HIM BE my God. I don’t have to do it all, after all. I just have to believe in His Love for me. I just have to sit at His Feet and love Him back. He Does the rest while I’m focused on Him.
Should Jewish people and Messianic participate in the Worldwide Waves of Praise on CHRISTMAS Day?
Of course! We worship the SAME GOD. HE DESERVES to Be praised EVERY DAY!
How do we celebrate the lighting of the menorah? We say these blessings, from www.jewfaq.org:
| Blessing over Candles |
  Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe |
 asher kidishanu b’mitz’votav v’tzivanu Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us |
 l’had’lik neir shel Chanukah. (Amein) to light the lights of Chanukkah. (Amen) |
| Blessing for Chanukkah |
| Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe |
 she’asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim haheim baziman hazeh. (Amein) Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time |