Hanukkah and Yeshua

Last night, at sundown, we lit the first light on our Hanukkah menorah.  If my plans go through, and Hashem wills it to be so, I will celebrate Hanukkah in Israel this year.  I love this holiday, and look forward to celebrating Yeshua as the Light of the World.

(You can learn more about the history of the holiday here on my blog.  You can learn more about how we celebrate during this season by clicking on the label Hanukkah on the left of my blog.)

As Messianic Jews, we see and celebrate Yeshua in all of the Feasts and Festivals becuase they are pictures of Him.  We celebrate and we remember, because remembering is important.  I challenge you to do a search in your Bible for that word.  G-d tells us over and over again to remember.  He also says there is a penalty / consequence when we don't remember.

Most believers in Yeshua don't remember Hanukkah, and they are missing out on a great blessing.  Yeshua, himself, remembered and observed the holiday, as recorded in John 10.  He also declared himself to be "the Light of the world" in John 9:5.  Don't you think it is appropriate to celebrate as He did? 

Recently, I did a study about Yeshua as related to the Feasts and Festivals, and discovered it is possible, and most probable, that He was conceived during Hanukkah. The history recorded in Luke 1, tell of Yeshua's conception, and also the conception and birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias, a priest, and his wife Elizabeth, who was Mary's cousin.

Writings by rabbis during that time show that a division of Abijah served as priest during that time period, and Zacharias was in that division.  The Abijah division served during the second half of the fourth month on the Jewish calendar.  Elizabeth conceived in late June.

Luke 1:24-26 tells us that Mary conceived Yeshua in the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, which would have been Kislev, or December on the Jewish calendar.  So, if Yeshua was born nine months later, he would have been born during the High Holy Days, most likely during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).

So, we will light the candles during Hanukkah in remembrance of the Light that lasted eight days, and of Yeshua who is that Light of the world.  All through the month of December, we celebrate His coming and remember that we are to let His light shine through our words and actions.

*** L-rd willing, I leave for Israel tomorrow, so please pray for me, and my friend Shelby as we make aliyah.