Christmas is not a biblical holiday, but let's use it to the
glory of God. Hanukkah is a biblical holiday, and let's use it also to
the glory of God.
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus even though he was almost certainly not born on Christmas day (see below if interested in that story).
If today, during this season, much of the world is remembering the night of Jesus' birth, singing, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come!" then I will choose to join them, praying that tens of thousands around the world will suddenly realize who this "Emmanuel," this "God with us" man is, and will accept Him not only as the promised Messiah of Israel, but also their personal Redeemer and the Savior of all mankind!
Granted, it's quite confusing mixing Rudolph, Frosty and Santa in there, but let's peel back the games, and get to the one who is Truth.
Jesus was in Jerusalem during Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22). Hanukkah celebrates one of those times (there have been many) when the Jewish people were being threatened with extinction. The prophet Daniel had predicted a Greek king whose empire would be broken into four (Dan. 11:4), bringing a "contemptible ruler" (Dan. 11:21) who would "desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation" (Dan. 11:31), "but the people who know their God will firmly resist him" (Dan. 11:32).
That Greek king was Alexander the Great, whose kingdom was divided among four generals. Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) ruled over Israel, and demanded that Jews give up the uniqueness of their faith and join the world in worshiping the gods.
A statue of Zeus was placed in the Temple in Jerusalem, and a pig was offered on the altar. Torah observance was outlawed. Sons could no longer be circumcised according to the covenant. It was a time of "join the enemy" or be killed.
But a priestly family in Modi'in just outside Jerusalem refused to bow to the gods. Mattathias and his four sons led the revolt that overthrew Antiochus' forces, took back Jerusalem and began to cleanse the Temple. Son Judah became the leader and was known as the "Macabee"—the "hammer."
The story goes that they could find only enough oil for one day, but it would take eight days properly to purify oil. The Menorah was lighted, but the oil miraculously lasted the full eight days. Thus the eight days of celebration, and thus also the saying, "Without Hanukkah, there would have been no 'Christmas.'"
Let us use this biblical holiday to glorify the God of deliverance and to resolve never to compromise our faith in the one true God and His Son, Yeshua the Messiah.
Don Finto is the founder of The Caleb Company (calebcompany.com), a prophetic fathering ministry named after Israel's fearless warrior whom the Bible describes as a man with a "different spirit," who was still conquering territory into old age and whose descendants inherited the land. Don was pastor of Belmont Church in Nashville, Tenn., for more than 25 years where, during the height of the Jesus movement, his own personal encounter with the Holy Spirit enabled him to be a leader for many who were turning to Jesus during that time, including some of the early contemporary Christian music artists and Jewish young people.
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