Oppression gave way to all-out persecution in the second century B.C.E., when Antiochus IV ruled over Judea. Under his reign, the king tried to eradicate the distinct culture and religious practices of the Jewish people.

When it didn’t work, he intensified his efforts by forcing Jewish people to worship his idols. Those who refused endured brutal violence and even death at the hands of the mad king’s soldiers. Antiochus took control of the Jewish Temple and forbade Jews from worshiping there. He sacrificed a pig on the altar, desecrating the Temple.

Chanukah in the history of Israel

Persecution weighed heavily on the backs of the Jewish people, and a small group known as the Maccabees rose up in revolt. They refused to worship other gods. Vastly outnumbered, it seemed impossible they could achieve any kind of victory.

But God was on their side, and the Maccabees took back the Temple in a miracle of deliverance.

The people rejoiced and wanted to purify the defiled Temple as quickly as possible. They could find only one day’s worth of consecrated oil for the menorah that was to burn continually in the Temple. It would take eight days to make and purify more.

In faith, they lit the menorah, and the oil lasted for the full eight days. It was a miracle of provision, a miracle of light.

Chanukah today

Chanukah commemorates the miracles God did for His people. Messianic Jews – along with the Jewish community around the world – celebrate the eight-day festival with joy, gift giving, special foods, candle lighting and prayer.

The gifts we give begin small and often increase in value night by night. We light an additional candle each evening at sunset using a “servant candle,” which sits in an elevated position on the nine-branched candleholder called a Chanukiah. By the end of Chanukah, all eight candles burn brightly to remind us how God made one day’s oil last eight days.

Messianic Jews Celebrate Chanukah

As Messianic Jews approach Chanukah, we are deeply moved by the fact that Yeshua (Jesus) called Himself the Light of the World (John 8:12). The Messiah of Israel came so that people walking in darkness would see a great light (Isaiah 9:1). “Those sitting in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16).

This refers to all of us, for “we all like sheep have gone astray. So, Adonai has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

John chapter 10 mentions Chanukah, and it was at this time when the leaders of Judea challenged Yeshua to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah. In response, He gave us one of the most significant assurances of our faith (John 10:27-29):

My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life! They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Yeshua then answered their question by declaring, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

Messianic Jews and Rededication

Chanukah is also called the Feast of Dedication. It’s a time for us to rededicate our lives to the God who does miracles and provides for His people. As Messianic Jews, we take the opportunity to search our hearts and rededicate ourselves to God as the ancient Jewish people rededicated the Temple to His service and worship.

We remember what Yeshua has done for us, as the Messiah Who was promised in the Holy Scriptures, and we renew our gratitude and devotion to Him.

We wish you a joyous and meaningful Chanukah season as you reflect on the miracles God has done for us.

• He has protected and delivered His people throughout the history of Israel.

• He has worked miracles to show Himself the one true God.

• He has declared His love for us by sending the Light of the World to lead us out of darkness.

• He has drawn us near to Him and redeemed us through Messiah Yeshua.

May your Chanukah celebrations be filled with light, love, and rededication to the God of Israel, who loved us and sent His Messiah to us?

Do Messianic Jews celebrate Christmas? Is it OK for Christians to celebrate Chanukah?

It may help to clarify some definitions first.

What is a Messianic Jew?

Messianic Jews are Jewish by heritage and believe Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah promised in the Holy Scriptures. Messianic Jews are Jewish by blood, having either a mother or father who is Jewish. The Messianic Movement, however, also includes many Gentiles who embrace the belief that the New Covenant the roots of faith in Yeshua are Jewish. These are Messianic Gentiles.

Chanukah and Christmas commemorate two different historical events, but they align well. with each other.

Chanukah and Christmas – a better fit than you might think

Chanukah celebrates the liberation of the Jews from the Greco-Syrian Empire in 165 B.C.E., and the miracle that occurred as the Jewish people rededicated the defiled Temple.

Antiochus Epiphanes had oppressed the Jews and forced them – by the sword – to worship idols. He desecrated the Temple with a statue of Zeus and sacrificed a pig on the altar. The Maccabees, a small group of Jewish revolutionaries, miraculously overcame the greatest empire in the world at that time and took back the Temple.

Afterward, the Jewish people set out to purify and rededicate God’s holy dwelling place. They could only find enough oil to burn for one day in the Temple menorah, and the process to make and consecrate more took eight days. God provided another miracle by making the small amount of oil last the entire eight days.

The word Chanukah means consecration or dedication, so the holiday is also known as the Feast of Dedication. Because of the miracle of light, it is also called the Feast of Lights.

Christmas, of course, celebrates the birth of Yeshua who is the Light of the World. John chapter 10 reveals that Yeshua Himself observed Chanukah. When Messianic Jews light the chanukiah (the Chanukah candelabrum), we celebrate Messiah Yeshua’s coming as Light to bring us redemption.

With the Shamash (SHAH-mahsh), also known as the Servant Candle, we light the chanukiah each night, recognizing that the Holy Scriptures prophesied Yeshua as the “suffering servant” who would take our sin onto Himself (Isaiah 53). During His ministry, Yeshua declared that He did not come to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Interestingly, in Jewish tradition, the Shamash sits in the center of the eight Chanukah candles and elevated. One could even say lifted up.

Christians and Chanukah

Chanukah is a beautiful holiday commemorating God’s power to intervene, rescue, and provide for His people. Like the Feasts of the Lord outlined in Leviticus 23, Chanukah looks ahead to reveal the coming of Messiah Yeshua, and Gentile Believers can freely celebrate it.

Messianic Jews and Christmas

Most biblical scholars agree that Yeshua was not born on December 25th but sometime earlier in the year, perhaps around Sukkot (soo-KOTE) in the fall. The Church adopted the date as a way of providing Believers the opportunity to honor Yeshua and also counter a pagan holiday celebrated at the same time. This, along with the rich symbolism in Chanukah that speaks of Yeshua, leads most Messianic Jews to honor His coming at Chanukah rather than Christmas.

Chanukah and Christmas include miracles, light and dedication. Whether Messianic Jew or Gentile, both holidays point our attention to Yeshua, the Light of the World, and how God intervened to provide our freedom. Each beckons us to whole-hearted dedication to Him.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The President’s decision sets in motion plans to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to that most holy of cities. But it’s also likely to spark further tension in the region. Some pundits say it will delay or derail the peace process, while others believe it may level the playing field and encourage the two sides come to the negotiating table.

The news was carried by major media outlets worldwide.

“Today, we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital,” the President said from the White House. “This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.”

The President’s announcement reverses nearly seven decades of American foreign policy. Since Israel’s founding in 1948, the United States and almost every other nation in the world has declined to recognize Jerusalem as the capital.

That policy, Trump said, has brought us “no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.” He continued, “It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result.”

Recognizing Jerusalem, he added, was “a long overdue step to advance the peace process.”

The President cautioned that his decision should not be construed as the United States taking a position on whether, or how, the city might ultimately be shared.

The announcement was eagerly received by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called on other countries to join the United States in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “The President’s decision is an important step toward peace, for there is no peace that doesn't include Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel,” Netanyahu said.

Possible blowback

President Trump is reported to have called the leaders of major Arab nations in the region ahead of time to tell them of his decision, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordanian King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi and Saudi King Salman.

During his call with Trump, Abbas apparently warned that the action will have “dangerous consequences,” said an Abbas spokesman. He added that “the Palestinian stance is determined and steadfast there will not be a Palestinian state without East Jerusalem as its capital, according to decisions by the international community.”

Jordan’s King Abdullah also warned Trump of the decision's repercussions on Middle East security and stability. He pledged he would thwart any American initiative to renew the peace process and would encourage resistance among Muslims and Christians alike.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman told Trump that moving the embassy is a dangerous step that will inflame Muslims.

In the West Bank, Fatah, the controlling party of the Palestinian Authority, is said to be preparing for marches and rallies. Other Palestinian factions called for three days of rage in response to the announcement.

At odds

While the President’s announcement fulfills a campaign promise, it also puts him at odds with many international leaders – and not just those most obvious in the Middle East. Many of our allies, including Germany, for example, have expressed serious concerns.

Eight countries have called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, including France and the United Kingdom. Additionally, Bolivia, Egypt, Italy, Senegal, Sweden and Uruguay make up the remaining nations requesting that the meeting take place by the end of this week.

But, in his announcement, Trump acknowledged that little progress has been made to advance peace in the region, saying “We are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians” than two decades ago.

The President’s strategy may not be simply, What have we got to lose? But also: What do we do to strengthen the alliance with our most steadfast ally in the region?

The right thing to do

This is the right thing to do. And the right time to do it.

We decided as a country to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to move our embassy there way back in 1995. Since then, for more than 20 years, each President has signed a delay order every six months.

President Trump did not decide to move the embassy. He decided not to sign the delay order any longer. So this is a huge day for America. And I believe it will result in unprecedented blessing for our nation.

Why? Because in the Bible, God says, “I will bless those that bless Israel.”

Jerusalem is clearly important to God. In the gospels, we read of Yeshua (Jesus) weeping for this city. It’s the place where He was crucified, buried and rose again to bring eternal life to those who believe in Him. In Psalm 122:6, we’re asked to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

A call to prayer

I hope that, as this internationally important news story develops further, you’ll pray for Jerusalem. But please also pray for the Jewish people all across Israel…for their safety and, most of all, their redemption in Jesus.

Thank you for your concern to stay up-to-date on the Middle East. As this situation continues to develop, particularly the responses from Arab nations, we’ll definitely keep you posted.

Thank you also for your friendship with Jewish Voice Ministries. Through your love for God’s Chosen People and your support of this ministry, you are having an eternal impact on lives around the world. From humanitarian aid to the all-important Gospel of Yeshua, your compassion and generosity are transforming lives.