Hanukkah celebrates god's faithfulness
The Jewish Feast of Hanukkah begins tonight, Dec. 14, and goes for eight days until Monday, Dec. 22. It is one of the major celebrations for our Jewish brothers and sisters.
Judea was conquered by Alexandria the Great. When he died, the many nations that he had conquered were divided up into three and distributed to three of his generals. Judea became part of the Seleucid Kingdom. Generations after Alexander, a particularly cruel emperor came to power, whose name was Antiochus IV. He forbid the practice of the Jewish faith, insisting that parents not circumcise their children, that they eat pork, and other practices that defiled the Jewish religion.
Most people went along with these practices to avoid torture and killing by the Greeks. One family, the Maccabees, refused and formed a guerilla army to do battle with the Greeks. Eventually, against all odds, the Jewish people were successful at overthrowing the Greeks and driving them out.
The Jewish people restored the Temple, which had been shut down and had been desecrated. Then they prepared an eight-day celebration and reconsecration of the Temple. All went well, but they realized at the beginning of the eight days, that they only had enough oil to burn the menorah for one day. They lit the candle, and miraculously it continued to burn for the full eight days.
Since that time the Jewish people celebrate the Hanukkah with special foods, music, and the lighting of the eight stemmed menorah over the eight days of the festival.
Judea was conquered by Alexandria the Great. When he died, the many nations that he had conquered were divided up into three and distributed to three of his generals. Judea became part of the Seleucid Kingdom. Generations after Alexander, a particularly cruel emperor came to power, whose name was Antiochus IV. He forbid the practice of the Jewish faith, insisting that parents not circumcise their children, that they eat pork, and other practices that defiled the Jewish religion.
Most people went along with these practices to avoid torture and killing by the Greeks. One family, the Maccabees, refused and formed a guerilla army to do battle with the Greeks. Eventually, against all odds, the Jewish people were successful at overthrowing the Greeks and driving them out.
The Jewish people restored the Temple, which had been shut down and had been desecrated. Then they prepared an eight-day celebration and reconsecration of the Temple. All went well, but they realized at the beginning of the eight days, that they only had enough oil to burn the menorah for one day. They lit the candle, and miraculously it continued to burn for the full eight days.
Since that time the Jewish people celebrate the Hanukkah with special foods, music, and the lighting of the eight stemmed menorah over the eight days of the festival.