8 Gifts of Chanukah - Day 4

 

8 Gifts of Chanukah - Day 4

This post is part of the series 8 Gifts of Chanukah.

Tonight, we light the fourth candle.

Gift #4 of Chanukah - PROVISION
(this is a re-post from 2015)
As I remember the miracle of the oil, I've been meditating on how Hashem met their need for oil.  Plain, old olive oil would not suffice.  The oil for the Temple service was to be HOLY, and had to very specially prepared and consecrated.  The process took eight days.  ADONAI saw the zeal with which the Jews worked to restore the Temple worship.  They were very eager to resume obedience to His will and ways. This was Hashem's desire, too, and He performed a miracle.  He PROVIDED Holy oil that lasted a full eight days until the consecrated supply was ready for use.

One of the Hebrew names of Hashem is ADONAI YIR'EH, which means PROVIDER.  The first reference to this name is in the story of Abraham's preparation of his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice.  (See Genesis 22) 

So Abraham called the place ADONAI YIR'EH will provide.  And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the L-RD it will be PROVIDED'. (Genesis 22:14)

Abraham was on Mount Zion, which is where the Temple was later built.  This is the same place where He performed the miracle of the oil.   He PROVIDED.

The Scriptures say that His eyes are always on that place. I've stood there twice, filled with awe, as I touched those precious stones.  And I will always praise Him that He miraculously PROVIDED the money for both of my trips to Israel.  

In this busy, work-a-day time in which we live, we sometimes forget that everything we have is PROVIDED by ADONAI YIR'EH - our PROVIDER.  Every cell of our bodies was created and functions by His PROVISION.  The moon, sun, stars and the air we breathe all function because of His PROVISION.  

I used to think that my job was the source of my income.  That is, until the day I lost that job, my health, and much more.  A single woman at that time, with no money in my bank account, I lay flat on my back, unable to work.  I learned the wonderful lesson that ADONAI YIR'EH was my source.  Money was given to me  for eight weeks through His miraculous PROVISION.  After He restored my health, He immediately PROVIDED  a new job.  I've never forgotten that lesson, and I praise Him and thank Him daily for the smallest things, because I know they all come from His loving hand.
 
I pray that I, my family, and all believers will always remember that ADONAI-YIR'EH is our PROVIDER.

You can learn more about Chanukah in this series from last year:  8 Days of Chanukah
This is how we combine Chanukah with a celebration of Yeshua's birth:  Christmas Unplugged