IN THE MIDST OF WINTER
I MUSE ON CHANUKKAH
(THE FEAST OF LIGHTS)
is observed in December. Let us consider the history of this
feast.
168 B.C. Antiochus, the Syrian King, tried to force
the Jews to leave the worship of Jehovah. He filled Jerusalem
with desolation and the Temple with Greek idols. He burned the Scriptures and killed those who tried to save them.
A man named Mattathias lived in Modin with his five
sons. He defied the orders of the King and called upon the Jews
to follow him. For years they battled and vexed the Syrian army
by guerrilla tactics. Each time a Syrian host was sent to destroy
the Maccabeans, they were routed and defeated.
At last Judah and his band made their way to Jerusalem,
determined to rededicate the Temple. They cleansed and prepared the Temple and all the altars. When it was time to LIGHT THE TEMPLE CANDLEABRA (The Menorah) they found only one small cruse of sanctified oil to use, enough to last only one day.
Preparing more would take a week. However, they lit the lamp
in order to dedicated the Temple, and according to what is told us,
by those who were there, the small supply of oil lasted for the ENTIRE EIGHT DAYS.
Accordingly, HANUKKAH (Chanukkah) is celebrated
for eight days to commemorate the "miracle" of God's provision
at that time.
They were looking to that wonderful DAY when
Nahum chapter 2. 7 - 9 would be fulfilled.
"And I will shake all nations, and the desire of nations
shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD
of Hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD
of Hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of
Hosts."
The DREIDL is a part of Chanukkah. It is a small
square top with the Hebrew letters N, G, H, and S on
the sides. These letters, I understand, stand for
GADOL HAYAH SHAM
A GREAT MIRACLE HAPPENED HERE
In the Jewish home, the symbolism is found in
the lighting of the candles of the special
HANUKKAH menorah with nine branches,
instead of the traditional SEVEN of the Temple.
Either the parents or the children, toward evening
will light one candle the first night; two candles the
second night; three candles on the third night; on
the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth, each
succeeding night adding another candle to light.
In doing so, the CENTER light of the Hanukkah
menorah is used to light the other eight. The
center candle is called the SHAMMAH = servant
as it is served to light the others. This shows a
REAL HELPFUL MEANING in that it symbolized
that man may give of his love to others without
losing anything of himself.
Traditional songs and hymns are sung,
one of which is THE ROCK OF AGES
IN JOHN CHAPTER 10.22
JESUS WAS PRESENT AT THIS FEAST OF LIGHTS
Let us now look at the "context"
for "context" can tell
us a lot
if
we just look at it.
In my previous post, I talked about
Jesus as he spoke out
at the FEAST OF TABERNACLES
Now I wish to talk about
Jesus as he was there at
the FEAST OF LIGHTS.
AS A LIGHTHOUSE GIVING LIGHT
TO SEA GOING VESSELS
I AM WRITING YOU
FROM MY LIFE TO YOURS
THAT THE LIGHT I HAVE
MAY BE SHARED WITH YOU
THAT IN TURN
YOU
MAY SHARE THE LIGHT
WITH OTHERS.
Jesus had earlier that week dealt with
the matter of a woman caught in "adultery" -
They brought the woman to Him, but where
was the man? also caught in the act? He
quietly wrote in the sand, and then, told
the scribes and Pharisees, "He that is without
sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
John 8.7. Then he quietly wrote in the sand
again. Looking up, there is none but she and
he said to her, "Woman, where are thy accusers?
hath no man condemned thee?" And she said,
"No man, Lord." Then Jesus said, "Neither
do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more."
It is THEN THAT JESUS DECLARES,
(verse 12 of John chapter 8) I AM THE
LIGHT OF THE WORLD, HE THAT
FOLLOWETH ME SHALL NOT WALK
IN DARKNESS, BUT SHALL HAVE
THE LIGHT OF LIFE."
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THE LIGHT HAS TO BE PLUGGED IN
BEFORE IT CAN GIVE LIGHT.
In the context I want you to notice
what happens next is that he
heals a man born blind
JOHN - CHAPTER 9 - KJV HOLY BIBLE
1. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from birth. So he is asked by his disciples, Is it because of this man's sin he is blind? or did his parents sin? He says "No. Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God might be manifest in him. He then says "AS LONG AS I AM IN THE WORLD, I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD." Chapter 9. verse 5 Then he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. How is that for a POULTICE? He has declared before He did it, "that I must work the works of him the sent me." (v. 4) And now he tells the man to "GO, WASH IN THE POOL OF SILOAM. In my last post about the Feast of Tabernacles you saw that it was from the POOL OF SILOAM that the priests took water from it to DO THEIR CELEBRATION OF LIGHT AND WATER PROVIDED FOR ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. Here Jesus is declaring that He was sent by the Father to do HIS WORKS not to destroy GOD'S WORD but TO FULFILL IT. 
the man does just that.
He cannot see - but
I can imagine he asks
everyone as he goes
"show me how to get to
the Pool of Siloam"
And when he gets there
he washes the clay off
and
he can see.
NOW, as he goes on his way,
everybody
I mean
EVERYONE
knew
WHO HE WAS
and
that
THOUGH HE WAS
BLIND
NOW
HE CAN SEE.
Here it happens that the man
is questioned, and the authorities
question him again,
and
the man insists
I was blind, but now I can see.
What did he do?
He put clay upon mine eyes,
and I washed,
and do see.
John ch 9.verse 15
When Jesus finds the man later, after
he has been cast out of the synagogue,
He asks the man, "Dost thou believe
on the Son of God?"
The man responds,
"Who is he, Lord, that I might believe
in him?"
verse 37 "And Jesus said unto him,
Thou hast both seen him, and it is he
that talketh with thee."
verse 38
And he said, Lord, I believe. And
he worshipped him.
verse 39
And Jesus said, For judgment I am
come into this world, that they
which see not might see;
and that they
which
see might be
made blind.
We do not know what this blind man
looked like
but we know
he was now happy
He had found not
only SIGHT
BUT
the SON OF GOD - THE MESSIAH.
LOOKING AT ALL THIS NOW
LET US LOOK AT THE CONTEXT
AGAIN
The Pharisees were there when Jesus
found the blind man who could now see
at least some of them were there. And
they ask, hearing what Jesus said,
ARE WE BLIND ALSO?
ooooh.
Here is God manifested in the flesh
and DECLARING
GOD IS LIGHT
AND THAT
HE, JESUS, IS THE LIGHT
AND
THAT
HE HAS COME TO
MAKE THE BLIND SEE
AND
THE SEEING
TO
BECOME
BLIND.
MY NEXT POST WILL BE ON HOW
HE DEALS WITH THOSE THAT
ARE BLIND AND THOSE THAT CAN SEE.
Hanukkah - (Channukah) is next
It all is connected. All one has to do
is READ AND BELIEVE AND KNOW
THE ONE WHO CAME TO GIVE US LIGHT.
The Lord Jesus came as a Jew.
His Promise to ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB
STILL STANDS.
Moses declared:
The LORD Thy God shall raise
up unto thee a Prophet from the midst
of thee, of thy brethren,
like unto me,
unto him ye shall hearken.
Notice in this passage from
Deuteronomy 18
that THE RULE OF KNOWING
THAT A PROPHET WAS FALSE
WAS IF ANYTHING HE DID
FAILED TO HAPPEN,
OR SOMETHING HE SAID
DID NOT OCCUR.
Check it out.
SEE FOR YOURSELF.
READ GOD'S WORD
AND DISCOVER
WHAT HE SAYS
ASK YOURSELF - HOW IS MY SPIRITUAL EYESIGHT?
I RECOMMEND THIS SITE TO YOU
ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE JEWISH. THIS WEBSITE
IS OPEN TO SEEKERS OF THE HEBREW FAITH
TO FIND OUT FROM THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT Y'SHUA MESCHIACH ADONAI.
CHECK OUT THE FACTS.
This was a photo of my mother Vida May
she married Harry Hunter Donato
when they were just 17.
Here is a photo of my Dad and Mother
holding me. He had just graduated
High School, on the day I was born -
and then went to be with Mother
I was born in 1933
I EXTEND MY HAND AND HEART TO THOSE
OF YOU WHO SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST
FOR I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY DIED IF
I HAD LIVED ANYWHERE ELSE BUT
IN AMERICA
My father on construction work
with me and my little brother
watching. Worcester MA
in 1938 I was 5 years old.
My next post will be
on GOD'S SHEEP
AND HIS FOLD
Spoken by Jesus just before he
went to the Feast of Lights.
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