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Hanukkah the Story
The Hanukkah story begins with the rise to power of Antiochus IV, a Seleucid Emperor. Described as restless and energetic, Antiochus was also greatly opinionated and without any emotional balance. He could not stand being contradicted, and was totally undisciplined. His aides, in fact, had to constantly disentangle him from situations caused by misjudgment. His greatest miscalculation was his ignorance of God's covenant with the Jewish people. He underestimated the commitment of righteous men and women devoted to that covenant, which ultimately led to his downfall.
Antiochus instantly became an enemy of the Jews when he deified himself by declaring himself to be god in the flesh. He issued terrible decrees against them and against their worship. Finally he defiled the Temple by sacrificing pigs, considered to be unclean animals. When he could no longer be ignored, the people were forced to choose whom they would follow: the emperor or God.
SELF-DEIFICATION
Antiochus considered that he was a god and gave himself the nickname "Epiphanes" which means “god in the flesh,” or “god manifest.” When he demanded worship, the Jews quickly gave him another nickname, "Epimanes," which means madman.
HIS DECREES
Antiochus’ decrees against the Jews were motivated by extreme arrogance, anger and frustration. As had the other Seleucid emperors before him, Antiochus continued the war against the Ptolemys of Egypt. Israel was the geographic buffer between the two kingdoms and was always the loser's scapegoat.
After a particularly ignominious defeat against Egypt, the madman unleashed his fury on Israel. Disgusted that his attempts to Hellenize them had failed, he issued decrees determined to wipe out any residue of Judaism and faith of the God of the Bible. To that end, he decreed persecution and death for anyone found disobeying his orders.
1. He forbid the practice of Judaism including:Sacrifices of burnt offerings in the sanctuary.
Keeping of the Sabbaths and feasts.
Keeping of the dietary laws.
Circumcision. In fact, if a male child was found circumcised, the child was killed and the dead body was hung around the mother's neck until she died as well.
Reading of the Tenach, the Hebrew Bible. Anyone found in possession of a Torah, was condemned to death and the torah was taken, torn into pieces and burned.
2. He built altars and shrines for idols.
3. He demanded the sacrifice and eating of swine, unclean animals.
DEFILEMENT OF THE TEMPLE
To understand the significance of Hanukkah, one must understand the importance of the Temple in the hearts of the Jewish people.
Although God did not and could not be confined within a building, the Temple was a visible symbol of God's presence and faithfulness to the Jewish people. It was also a symbol of their unfaithfulness - where once God's shekinah glory had filled the Holy of Holies, it was now dark. But God's promise to return was kept alive by the eternal and everlasting light of the golden lamp stand.
Both the Temple and Jerusalem have always been geographic landmarks for the people and their faith. Even during their exile, the Jews still sent their yearly Temple tax to Jerusalem. Still today, many Jews come to Jerusalem for the three pilgrim feasts. This pilgrimage expresses national solidarity. So the Temple remains the heart of the faithful religious.
On the 25th day of the month of Kislev (approx. December) in 168 BC Antiochus erected a statute of Zeus in the Holy Place. Not surprisingly, the statue looked remarkably like he did. Adding insult to injury, Antiochus brought swine, which are strictly forbidden as unclean, into the Temple and sacrificed them on the great altar. The Greek soldiers performed sexual rites in the Temple precincts. As prophesized in Daniel 11:31, Antiochus desecrated, desolated and abominated the Temple.
Consequently the defilement of the Temple and Jerusalem could not be ignored. The Jews demanded a response.
DECISIONS DETERMINE DESTINY
Decisions had to be made. Each person had to make a decision, which would determine their destiny and the destiny of the people. Would they obey God or Antiochus?
Daniel in chapter 11, verse 32, predicted the situation: “With flattery he (referring to Antiochus) will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.”i
History does not record the decisions of those who violated the covenant and forsook their God, but it does remember those who stood firm and faced persecution and death.
Eleazar was the first martyr. A righteous man of 90, Eleazar was much respected. Antiochus wanted to use him as an example and threatened to torture him unless he ate pork. His friends and family suggested that he just pretend to eat and save his life. But instead, Eleazar chose a torturous death. He was afraid that if he compromised his faith, he would lead the younger men astray.
When Antiochus could not penetrate the religious through the respected leaders, he tried to influence the women and the youth. Hannah was a woman of remarkable courage and dedication. She had seven sons. Each son was commanded to eat pig or die. One by one the boys stood firm and refused to eat the pork. Hannah was forced to watch as each of her sons were tortured and died a martyr's death. Finally she too was killed.
The final showdown took place in a small town outside of Jerusalem called Modi’in. The opponents were Mattathias and Appelles. Mattathias was from a priestly family and Appelles was from the king’s lineage.
Mattathias and his five sons had left Jerusalem when Jason began building the gymnasium. They ran from the “blasphemy being committed in Judea and Jerusalem, and said, ‘Alas! Why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city and to dwell there when it was given over to the enemy, the sanctuary given over to aliens?’” (1 Maccabbes 2:6-7)ii Now their quiet living was about to be interrupted. The Book of the Maccabees recounts what happened.
Into the village square marched Appelles, carrying in his arms a wiggling, squealing pig. The townspeople gathered around them. Appelles faced Mattathias and said:
"You are a leader, honored and great in this city, supported by sons and brothers. Now, be the first to come and do what the king commands. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of the King and will be honored with silver, gold and with many gifts." (1 Maccabees 2:17-18)iii
Surely a hush must have settled upon the people as the two men faced each other. One a representative from the false god, the other a representative of the true God. Reminiscent of the words spoken by Joshua, Mattathias answered in a loud voice:
"Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him and have chosen to do his commandments, departing each one from the religion of his fathers, yet I and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of our fathers. Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion either to the right or to the left." (1 Maccabees 2:19-22)iv
The tension mounted and another hush blanketed the people. Suddenly a man rushed forward from the crowd and in sight of all, the people sacrificed the pig upon the altar.
“At which Mattathias had a great indignation, and ran upon him violently with his sons, who had swords with them, and slew both the man himself that sacrificed and Appelles….and a few of his soldiers.
“He also overthrew the idol altar, and cried out, ‘If any one be zealous for the laws of this country, and for worship of God, let him follow me’ and made haste into the desert with his sons and left all his substances in the village.”v
Bringing unity to the group was not always easy. The first problem was with those who refused to fight on the Sabbath. Rather than resist, they were burnt alive by the Greek soldiers. (It has been a common practice even today to come against Israel on their holy days). Over 1000 lost their lives.
Mattathias realized the situation, "If we all do as our brethren have done, and do not fight against the Gentiles for our lives and our ordinances they will soon destroy us from off the earth."
Mattathias and his people therefore resolved, not indeed to attack, but at least to defend themselves on the Sabbath day.
This rule continued until the great uprising against the Romans in 66-70 CE.
Today this interpretation of the fourth commandment seems the ‘natural’ one. But it was far from being so at that time.
THE MACCABEAN WAR
Mattathias’ decision began three years of warfare. This was a defining war in Israel’s history. It set Jew against Jew, separating those who were determined to follow God from those who were willing to compromise.
Mattathias and his sons gathered other righteous men and women, who would fight. Their ranks were thin and they were poorly armed. Most of them were farmers using their farming tools as their weapons.
Mattathias' son, Judah was a brilliant leader. His principal strategy was turning his inadequacies into assets and the enemy's advantages into handicaps. While this is obvious to us today, in that day and situation it was an expression of unusual courage and deep faith in the success of their cause.
Try to picture the scene. On a hillside under a clump of trees stand a handful of bedraggled civilian refugees. They are about to challenge a mighty empire. Their own inadequacies loom huge. The enemy’s handicaps seem negligible. In front of them stands their leader, a young villager. To encourage them, he reminds them:
“Remember the deeds of the fathers, which they did in their generations; and receive great honor and an everlasting name. Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?
Joseph,… Phinehas, …Joshua,. . . Caleb,… David, . . . Elijah, . . . Daniel…
And so observe, from generation to generation, that none who put their trust in Him will lack strength. Do not fear the words of a sinner, for his splendor will turn into dung and worms. My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor.”
(1 Maccabees 2:51-64)vi
Night after night his rag tag army would come down from the hills and hammer away at the Greek army. Soon Judah was nicknamed "Judah the hammer" or in Hebrew, "Judah Maccabee." He kept the reason of their battle burning in their hearts. Battle by battle, year by year, Antiochus poured his army and equipment into Israel. The Jews were outnumbered and out-equipped. Yet God gave them the victory.
Accounts of the Maccabean War have been preserved and are fascinating. Judah’s battle plans were so complete and accurate that they are still read by the Israeli army today. Towering above all else, the war reveals God's faithfulness to those who remain faithful to Him. The battle to keep God's people pure and free to keep the commandments of God had been won.
REDEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE
Without hesitation, their victory march went straight to the Temple. The excitement and joy of the warriors turned to a hushed silence. All throughout the City of David were signs of pagan idolatry and licentious living. The wild and wanton ways of the people had left their beautiful city in ruins.
Their hearts broke as they approached the Temple.
One by one the soldiers started the work of cleaning. Finally they came to the great altar. It had been dedicated to God. It had been sanctified to His service. But it had been defiled. What were they to
do? How could they destroy what was God’s? But it was defiled, and could never be used.
Legend tells that that they dismantled the altar stone by stone. They reasoned, "One day Messiah will come and He will tell us what to do with the stones." So they placed the stones in the corner to wait Messiah's coming. Then they built a new altar.
The cleansed Temple, evidence of God's victory and faithfulness to His people was to be rededicated to Him on the 25th day of Kislev. It was exactly three years, to the day, that Antiochus had first defiled it.
Although a worthwhile celebration, Hanukkah was not ordained and established by God as a holy day unto Him.vii Perhaps that’s why today the origins and purpose of Hanukkah have been obscured by a plausible but unproven legend.
Tradition teaches that after the Temple were restored by Judas Maccabaeus, the oil was discovered to have been desecrated. Only one flagon was discovered of that which was pure, sealed with the very signet of the High Priest. The supply proved just sufficient to feed for one day the Sacred Candlestick, but by a miracle the flagon was continually replenished during eight days, till a fresh supply could be brought from Thekoah. In memory of this, it was ordered the following year, that the Temple be illuminated for eight days on the anniversary of its ‘Dedication.’viii
While God could have done such a miracle, the ‘oil legend’ eclipses the real rationale behind the observance, veils its spiritual significance and obscures the greater miracle.
The First Hanukkah Celebration
Twice in their history the Jewish people had dedicated their Temple. The first time was by King Solomon and later by Ezra. Both times the Temple was dedicated during Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Thus this third celebration of dedication, designated as the ‘Dedication of the Altar’, was patterned after that Festival.
In fact according to the Book of Maccabees, the celebration was called the Sukkot of Kislev, meaning the Feast of Tabernacles in the month of Kislev.
The probable reason for the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah is based on God’s commandment to observe Sukkot (also called the Feast of Booths) for eight days (Leviticus 23:33-44). During both holidays, the Hallel (Psalms 113-118) was chanted in the Temple eliciting the same response from the people.ix
The lights of Hanukkah also stem from Sukkot. Sukkot commemorated Israel’s journey of freedom from Egypt to Canaan. Soon the holiday became associated with the ultimate freedom promised in the Messianic Kingdom. By the sixth century BCE, through the prophet Zechariah God confirmed that in the age of the Messiah, all nations would come to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot (Zechariah 14: 16) The prophet describes that age:
ZEC 14:6-7 On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime--a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.
Consequently, as they had done several months before during the eight days of Sukkot, the Jewish people again illuminated Jerusalem with lights. The lights symbolized God’s faithfulness during their earlier journey for freedom, His victory in their current struggle for freedom and their longings for the ultimate freedom through their Messiah.
A MIRACLE HAPPENED THERE
During the modern celebration of Hanukkah, children play a little game using a little top, called Driedel. There is a Hebrew letter on each side which stands for the proclamation: A miracle happened there!
Indeed a great miracle happened there. Regardless of the possible provision of oil, the greater miracle was God’s faithful protection of those committed to following Him. Any military mind would quickly concur that there was no reasonable reason for Israel’s victory. But as He has always been and will always be, God is faithful to fulfill His promises to all who will love, fear and obey Him.
Success can only be measured by our unflinching and unfailing obedience to the revealed will of God, regardless of consequences!
iThis prophesy along with others from Chapters 10-12 will have their ultimate fulfillment in the Anti-Christ.
iiThe Oxford Annotated Apocrypha, Revised Standard Version, Ed. Metzger, Bruce, M., (Oxford University Press, New York 1957)
iii. Ibid
iv. Ibid
v Flavius, Josephus, The Complete Works of Josephus Flavius. Trans. Wm Wheston (Kregel Publishers, Grand Rapids, MI 1960, 78, 81) 258
viThe Oxford Annotated Apocrypha.
viiGod’s holidays are described and designed in Torah, Leviticus 23. God told His people to observe these holidays for all generations. Later, recorded in the Book of Esther, another holiday came into being called Purim. Jesus seemed to have observed Hanukkah according to the Gospel of John, Chapter 10:22ff.
viii, Edersheim, Alfred, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Col, Grand Rapids, MI 1971) ii 227
ix The Psalms were chanted antiphonally, or rather, with responses, to the accompaniment of the flute. As the Levites intoned the first line of each Psalm, the people repeated it; while to each of the other lines they responded by Hallelu Yah (Praise the Lord)! But in Psalm 118, the people not only repeated the first line, “O give thanks to the Lord,’ but also these, “O then, work now salvation, Jehovah,’ ‘O Lord, send now prosperity;’ and again, at the close of the Psalm, ‘O Lord, give thanks to the Lord.’ As they repeated these lines, they shook towards the alter the Lulabh (palm branch) which they held in their hands – as if with this token of the past to express the reality and cause of their praise, and to remind God of His promises. Ibid, 159
Hanukkah part 1: The Setting
Hanukkah part 3: The Claims of Jesus At Hanukkah (John 10:21ff)
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