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Chanukah is upon us again, and with it
the traditional customs, but more so the recounting of the Maccabees' bravery
in overcoming the oppressors of the Jewish nation, the purification of the
temple and mainly the altar, the miracle of the crus of oil, and so on. All
this is not without challenging questions as to the veracity of the oil
miracle, the nature and behavior of the Hasmonean family, and the outcome of
the successful uprising, which ultimately failed, etc. Yet should we not be
honoring all those who gave their lives for Zion's sake, the land, Jerusalem,
and for the preservation of our national identity, not only those from the
era of the Greeks but also those who returned from Babylon? This article looks
at Chanukah in a new and more positive light.
May we also, Jew or Christian Zionist, take a stand to preserve what
the Elohim of Israel has begun in the restoration of the whole house of
Israel today. With the celebration serving as a
centerpiece, let us delve into an earlier era, preceding the Chanukah events
of the 2nd century B.C. According to the Hebrew
calendar (being in and of itself another controversial topic that we must lay
aside), Chanukah starts on the 24th of the 9th month
(Kislev). In the 6th century B.C. Haggai, who prophesied during
the return from the Babylonian exile and saw the start of the building of the
second temple, refers to this date three times in his very short book. The
essence of Haggai's message was to scold the people for delaying the construction of YHVH's house. "Go up to the
mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it
and be glorified,' says YHVH" (Haggai 1:8), which is but one example of
Haggai's exhortations. "Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua
the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people,
obeyed the voice of YHVH their Elohim, and the words of Haggai the prophet,
as YHVH their Elohim had sent him; and the people feared the presence of YHVH"
(Haggai 1:12). Haggai's instructions were heeded. But
it seems that the words that YHVH put in His mouth were not only for his
contemporaries but also contained future scenarios, such as: "For
thus says YHVH of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I
will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land, and I will shake all
nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill
this temple with glory,' says YHVH of hosts" (Haggai 2:6-7). Continuing to declare the words of
YHVH, Haggai does so specifically on the 24th of the 9th
month (again, a date that is mentioned not just once but three times!) Two
of these messages are significant but somewhat veiled: "Consider now
from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from
the day that the foundation of the YHVH's temple was laid –" (Haggai
2:18). And, "And again the
word of YHVH came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, ‘'Speak
to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: 'I will shake heaven and earth. I
will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the
Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them;
The horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his
brother. 'In that day,' says YHVH of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel My
servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says YHVH, 'and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,' says YHVH of hosts" (Haggai
2:20-23). Even if these prophecies were partially
fulfilled during Haggai's lifetime or thereafter, which was a season of
restoring Jewish nationalism (sans sovereignty), they cast a more significant vision than for that time. The central place occupied by the people and
nation of YHVH, and their influence over "heaven and earth" and
"kingdoms" cannot be missed in these utterances. At the same time, and touching upon
some of the same issues as Haggai, is the prophet Zechariah. He, of course,
was given many more messages in a variety of ways. Among his prophecies, some
for his day and some for a later time, he dealt with the immediate state of
his people and the emerging restoration of Zionism and nationalism (ref.
Zechariah 8). Zechariah highlights what was to become
one of the main symbols of Chanukah: the menorah. This he does in
his very momentous and familiar depiction of a vision in
which he saw a candelabra flanked by two olive trees (ref. Zechariah 4). The
backdrop of this vision also serves as its context, i.e., the meaning of these
two olive trees. Both the high priest, Joshua, and the Jewish governor,
Zerubbabel, who hailed from the house of David, are mentioned as the
"sons of fresh oil" or "anointed ones" – sons of yitzhar.
This vision is followed, later on, by a promise that the positions of
authority that they represent will be united (and as we know, there is only
One who can hold both these offices). "Thus says YHVH of hosts, saying: 'Behold,
the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall
branch out, and He shall build the temple of YHVH. Yes, He shall build the
temple of YHVH. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His
throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall
be between them both" (Zechariah 6:12-13). We thus see how the vision expands, as
it touches (Chanukah's) 'oil', the 'menorah', and the olive trees that pour
their oil into it (the Menorah). All of this symbolizes the dual authority of the Messiah and that of Israel's two houses. The picture
broadens and increases from 'mere' nationalism and sovereignty to the Kingdom
and its Head (not to mention the emphatic descriptions of the collaboration
of Judah and Israel and their joint tasks in Zech. 9:13-10:12). Another aspect of the Chanuka story is the enemy whose defeat is the "reason for the season". Antiochus Epiphanes and the historical
background that brought him to the foreground are meticulously and
prophetically described by Daniel in chapter 11 of his book. This particular
character and his depiction by Daniel sheds light on what is still to take
place upon the rise of an entity that will be in the likeness of Antiochus.
Daniel is thus granting knowledge and discernment to those who will need them
when YHVH's arch-enemy attempts to take full control of humanity. |
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