"The Feast of Dedication, The Festival of Lights"
Hanukkah in history:
It is the Hellenistic period around 167 B.C.E. The Jewish people were living under oppression (as usual). Alexander the Great brought the Greeks to world power as he unified the ancient world into one common government and culture called Hellenism.
Alexander's untimely death brought about a political scramble between his four generals, which resulted in a division in the Hellenistic empire. The Ptolemies took the south (including Egypt), The Seleucids took the northern area around Syria. Judea was caught in the middle. Eventually the Seleucid/Syrians (Antiochus IV) took power and controled the provinces.
Antiochus, in an attempt to unify his holdings forced a policy of assimilation into the Hellenistic culture. And, of course, this was without regard for the culture or beliefs of captured peoples. The Seleucids required complete submission in all aspects of life...language, the arts, and certainly religion...all to uphold the Greek way of life.
The Greeks were actually very respected for their way of life and many had no problem submitting to it...even many Jews in Judea. However, there were a significant number of traditional Jews who refused to "convert" to the Hellenistic culture. Antiochus enforced his way of life by declaring that all Jews give up their distinctive customs (Shabbat, kosher laws, circumcision, etc.) or die! And, to prove his point, Antiochus, desecrated the Temple. The altars, the utensils, and the golden menorah (lampstand) were all defiled or torn down.
Worst yet, Antiochus ordered that a pig be slaughtered on the holy altar and he erected an image of the Greek god, Zeus as the new point of worship! Antiochus also insisited on being called "epiphanes" or "god manifest"....repulsive to devout Jews (Antiochus came to be known as "epimanes" or "crazyman" by the Jews).
A revolt was started by a godly priest, Mattathias, and his five sons. One of the sons, Judah became known as "Maccabee" (the hammer) when he emerged as the leader. The Maccabees turned to their knowledge of the hill country and drove out the Syrians and recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem.
When they returned to the Temple they did everything they could to restore it by cleansing the altar and repairing the holy furnishings. One of the most important items to them was the broken menorah, which symbolizes the light of G-d. There was a problem...it would not light and as they searched for oil they found that they had only enough to burn for one day. They needed eight days to travel to retrieve more oil. They lit the menorah anyway and felt that they should let G-d's light shine forth even if only for a day. But, a miracle happened! The menorah stayed lit for eight days until more oil was available!
The Temple was restored and rededicated to the glory of the G-d of Israel and the eight day festival was established, which is called Hanukkah (Hebrew for Dedication). Every year, starting on the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the Jewish community recalls the miracle.
Hanakkuh in the New Covenant:
"Then came Hanakkuh in Yerushalayim. It was winter, and Y-shua was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo's Colonnade." (John 10:22-23)
The most clear mention of Hanakkuh is in the NC. The people who tend to not celebrate this holy time have the most profound biblical reference to it! Why should Christians celebrate this special time? Because J-sus celebrated it! Not only did he celebrate it, but he celebrated it in the very Temple that had been cleansed and rededicated! Hanakkuh is a celebration of deliverance, and with this understanding Christians can more fully appreciate...where Y-shua reveals himself as M-ssiah during his Hanukkah message (John 10:25-39)!
This time represents cleansing of idolatry and restoration of G-d as the L-rd of our lives...let us all commemorate this festival this year! Jews and Christians can unite as one and celebrate just as our L-rd, Y-shua did and we can remember G-d's reign and salvation!
Many blessings to all of you!
Shalom, Renee
*My thanks to Rabbi Kasdan for teaching me about the history of the Jews, some of the things I have shared are a paraphrase from his written testimonials.
Renee's journal on life, G-d and everything in between.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Friday, November 26, 2004
Thoughts on War
Thoughts on war...
Joshua was given these instructions: "Be strong and resolute, for you shall apportion to this people the land that I swore to their fathers to assign them. But you must be very strong and resolute to observe faithfully all the Teaching that My servant Moses enjoined upon you. Do not deviate from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Let not this Book of Teaching cease from your lips, but recite it day and night, so that you may observe faithfully all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful." (Joshua 1:6-8)
The L-rd never said go into the land and commit herem (complete destruction) against all the men, women, children, and livestock of Jericho. YHWH commanded Joshua to study Torah, and when he studied Torah he would, then, know what to do and what not to do. The entire "liturgical act" outside the walls of Jericho was just that...liturgical (led by the Priestly tribe of Levi and following the Ark of the Covenant...the very words, in which it held, "THOU SHALL NOT KILL"), this was not meant to be a military action. We know from Rahab's story to the spies that the people of Jericho were already terrified of the Israelites who were led by G-d out of Egypt! And, the trumpets and marching brought the city walls down...so, why the killing? Why the complete desecration of men, women and children? The L-rd promised the land....all Joshua had to do was study, meditate, recite Torah..."THOU SHALL NOT KILL"....he learned nothing from Moses (the man he so desperately wanted to follow). Joshua...a man of courage? Joshua...a man of faith? Joshua...a murderer?
Joshua was given these instructions: "Be strong and resolute, for you shall apportion to this people the land that I swore to their fathers to assign them. But you must be very strong and resolute to observe faithfully all the Teaching that My servant Moses enjoined upon you. Do not deviate from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Let not this Book of Teaching cease from your lips, but recite it day and night, so that you may observe faithfully all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful." (Joshua 1:6-8)
The L-rd never said go into the land and commit herem (complete destruction) against all the men, women, children, and livestock of Jericho. YHWH commanded Joshua to study Torah, and when he studied Torah he would, then, know what to do and what not to do. The entire "liturgical act" outside the walls of Jericho was just that...liturgical (led by the Priestly tribe of Levi and following the Ark of the Covenant...the very words, in which it held, "THOU SHALL NOT KILL"), this was not meant to be a military action. We know from Rahab's story to the spies that the people of Jericho were already terrified of the Israelites who were led by G-d out of Egypt! And, the trumpets and marching brought the city walls down...so, why the killing? Why the complete desecration of men, women and children? The L-rd promised the land....all Joshua had to do was study, meditate, recite Torah..."THOU SHALL NOT KILL"....he learned nothing from Moses (the man he so desperately wanted to follow). Joshua...a man of courage? Joshua...a man of faith? Joshua...a murderer?
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Thoughts on justice
Just thought I would journal my thoughts publicly today...on justice!
After reading David's Psalm 72, I thought about the role of leaders today (and in David's time...they were kings). I wonder if Paul, when he wrote Romans 13, ever thought that governments would develop into what they have today? Israel's king was to be the "mirror image" of G-d's reign. The king was to be just and concerned for the poor, down-trotten, and oppressed peoples. Not exactly what we find in today's leaders.
Psalm 72
Of Solomon.
1 Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 He will [1] judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.
3 The mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 He will defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
he will crush the oppressor.
5 He will endure [2] as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 He will be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days the righteous will flourish;
prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.
8 He will rule from sea to sea
and from the River [3] to the ends of the earth. [4]
9 The desert tribes will bow before him
and his enemies will lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
will bring tribute to him;
the kings of Sheba and Seba
will present him gifts.
11 All kings will bow down to him
and all nations will serve him.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
16 Let grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon;
let it thrive like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
All nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
After reading David's Psalm 72, I thought about the role of leaders today (and in David's time...they were kings). I wonder if Paul, when he wrote Romans 13, ever thought that governments would develop into what they have today? Israel's king was to be the "mirror image" of G-d's reign. The king was to be just and concerned for the poor, down-trotten, and oppressed peoples. Not exactly what we find in today's leaders.
Psalm 72
Of Solomon.
1 Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 He will [1] judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.
3 The mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 He will defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
he will crush the oppressor.
5 He will endure [2] as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 He will be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days the righteous will flourish;
prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.
8 He will rule from sea to sea
and from the River [3] to the ends of the earth. [4]
9 The desert tribes will bow before him
and his enemies will lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
will bring tribute to him;
the kings of Sheba and Seba
will present him gifts.
11 All kings will bow down to him
and all nations will serve him.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
16 Let grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon;
let it thrive like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
All nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Thursday, January 15, 2004
"Perfection" ~ Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
According to Webster perfection means..."completeness in all parts or details, the highest excellence or skill, a quality or thing that cannot be improved, laking nothing, having no mistake, error or flaw".
Yeah, that's me! Not! Perfection is not a word to describe any of humanity; though there are many people we encounter daily who believe that perfection is not only achievable, but is a top ten word to describe themselves.
When I was young my step-father was a major influence in my life...he had designed for me the "plan of perfection" for my life. This plan included high performance academically and on "the team" (this would include basketball and tennis, my sports of choice), cleanliness in the denoted areas of the house according to his chore chart (this included the lawn and pool), attire and speech for the White House (especially when other adults may be present), a disdain for activities that involved pure relaxation (those who might participate in these activities would be considered "lazy", "unmotivated... to their own demise", "couch potatoes").
Have you ever heard of this plan for perfection? My step-father would often remind me (practically daily) that a life that included this kind of attention to detail would lead to the successful and rewarding existence that he had achieved ( He is now working on marriage number four).
My other parents modeled a similar approach to life. My father exemplified his strong Jewish heritage in his greatly measured worldly success. He traveled to many countries, living in a few of them for a couple years at a time while working for a large pharmaceutical company. He continues to "perform" at an even larger pharmaceutical company as its Vice President; he will retire some time next year (he is 57 years old). My mother is a successful, self-motivated small businesswoman (She is working on marriage number four also).
I live each day of my life in turmoil because of the early adolescence programing I received. I no longer measure success in how I "behave"; my parents' idea of a life of perfection has long since failed me, and I look to a new role model for understanding. I know that there is no human means for receiving love, acceptance, peace or joy (all of which I needed and desired from my parents). It is through a relationship with God that I now have the ability to see myself as the sinner that I am and always will be. This is not to say that being a sinner is a state of being where I find comfort, but it is to say that I realize I cannot be perfect.
In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul states, "All have sinned, all fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23, NLT). Now that I have accepted the fact that I cannot be perfect, the part of this verse that is most troubling to me is the "God's glorious standard" part. I have found that we humans (including myself) have taken it upon ourselves to determine what God's standards are meant to be. We have decided who is guilty, why they are guilty, and how to condemn them for it. I'm not talking about the death penalty (although I completely reject it), I'm talking about every day life, I'm talking about the "Church".
The reason I continuously revert back to my old self (the one who thinks I can be perfect) is because I am made to believe by those around me that in order to even receive an ounce of respect and acceptance I must meet their expectations and more importantly...I must "behave". I think this is why the Apostle Paul writes about, in a post-conversion dialogue, his struggle with sin. He states, "I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15, NLT). Paul's humilty about his own struggle with imperfection should be a more emphasized lesson to the Church.
If our expectation inside the Church is that those who dare to step foot inside its walls must do so prepared to "behave" we are completely dismissing the point of God's sacrifice at the cross. I see "God's glorious standard" as a standard we cannot and will not ever even come close to achieving. We, by human standards, cannot even define it. Yet, many withhold love, respect and acceptance to those around them for the very thing they themselves will never obtain...perfection.
I love my parents very much, with God's help I have been able to extend to them the love and respect they deserve from me. It isn't always easy and often I mess things up; then, I have to start over...I am thankful that God gives me that opportunity. I challenge you to give someone in your life, maybe someone who has really messed things up, another chance! I challenge you to look at yourself before you condemn someone else. I challenge you to accept people as they are...broken and imperfect. I challenge you to accept your own brokenness and seek out the only one who can restore you...Jesus Christ.
Hoping for grace, Renee
Yeah, that's me! Not! Perfection is not a word to describe any of humanity; though there are many people we encounter daily who believe that perfection is not only achievable, but is a top ten word to describe themselves.
When I was young my step-father was a major influence in my life...he had designed for me the "plan of perfection" for my life. This plan included high performance academically and on "the team" (this would include basketball and tennis, my sports of choice), cleanliness in the denoted areas of the house according to his chore chart (this included the lawn and pool), attire and speech for the White House (especially when other adults may be present), a disdain for activities that involved pure relaxation (those who might participate in these activities would be considered "lazy", "unmotivated... to their own demise", "couch potatoes").
Have you ever heard of this plan for perfection? My step-father would often remind me (practically daily) that a life that included this kind of attention to detail would lead to the successful and rewarding existence that he had achieved ( He is now working on marriage number four).
My other parents modeled a similar approach to life. My father exemplified his strong Jewish heritage in his greatly measured worldly success. He traveled to many countries, living in a few of them for a couple years at a time while working for a large pharmaceutical company. He continues to "perform" at an even larger pharmaceutical company as its Vice President; he will retire some time next year (he is 57 years old). My mother is a successful, self-motivated small businesswoman (She is working on marriage number four also).
I live each day of my life in turmoil because of the early adolescence programing I received. I no longer measure success in how I "behave"; my parents' idea of a life of perfection has long since failed me, and I look to a new role model for understanding. I know that there is no human means for receiving love, acceptance, peace or joy (all of which I needed and desired from my parents). It is through a relationship with God that I now have the ability to see myself as the sinner that I am and always will be. This is not to say that being a sinner is a state of being where I find comfort, but it is to say that I realize I cannot be perfect.
In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul states, "All have sinned, all fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23, NLT). Now that I have accepted the fact that I cannot be perfect, the part of this verse that is most troubling to me is the "God's glorious standard" part. I have found that we humans (including myself) have taken it upon ourselves to determine what God's standards are meant to be. We have decided who is guilty, why they are guilty, and how to condemn them for it. I'm not talking about the death penalty (although I completely reject it), I'm talking about every day life, I'm talking about the "Church".
The reason I continuously revert back to my old self (the one who thinks I can be perfect) is because I am made to believe by those around me that in order to even receive an ounce of respect and acceptance I must meet their expectations and more importantly...I must "behave". I think this is why the Apostle Paul writes about, in a post-conversion dialogue, his struggle with sin. He states, "I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15, NLT). Paul's humilty about his own struggle with imperfection should be a more emphasized lesson to the Church.
If our expectation inside the Church is that those who dare to step foot inside its walls must do so prepared to "behave" we are completely dismissing the point of God's sacrifice at the cross. I see "God's glorious standard" as a standard we cannot and will not ever even come close to achieving. We, by human standards, cannot even define it. Yet, many withhold love, respect and acceptance to those around them for the very thing they themselves will never obtain...perfection.
I love my parents very much, with God's help I have been able to extend to them the love and respect they deserve from me. It isn't always easy and often I mess things up; then, I have to start over...I am thankful that God gives me that opportunity. I challenge you to give someone in your life, maybe someone who has really messed things up, another chance! I challenge you to look at yourself before you condemn someone else. I challenge you to accept people as they are...broken and imperfect. I challenge you to accept your own brokenness and seek out the only one who can restore you...Jesus Christ.
Hoping for grace, Renee
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