Channukah?

• Channukah (literally, "dedication") is an eight-day festival that celebrates the restoration of the Temple service following the victory of Judah Macabee and his army over the Selucid Greeks in 166 B.C.E. Each day of the holiday, an additional candle is lit in a menorah , a candelabrum, until on the eighth day all eight candles are lit. They are placed in the window to publicize the miracle of the victory of the few against many and that the only undefiled cruse of oil that could be found burned for eight days rather than one.

So what?

• Israel is a physical representation of the spirit. Look at Israel and you look at the spiritual realm (not always a pretty site).

• So what can we see in the story of Channukah?

1. Channukah is an eternal battle

• After the victory of Channukah, Israel was faced with Rome, the rise of Islam, the “Holy” Roman empire, Russia, the Protestant reformation, the Nazis, the Arab Israeli wars and now, the Interfada…

• There are always battles to fight. Jesus died and was resurrected to ensure our victory of the “Ultimate War”, not to ensure us of the absence of battles.

2. Compromise is NOT an option

• It is impossible to fight on two sides at the same time.

3. Numbers are deceiving

• Israel has almost always been in the minority. G-D’s secret weapon is the fact that He is invisible to our enemies.

4. The priests of G-D overpower the kings of this World

• G-D’s ways are not the ways of this World and when we employ His ways, the World is unpleasantly surprised.

5. Don’t rest after the battle

• Victory is not the end of a battle. You must go back to what the enemy destroyed, rebuild, and rededicate.

6. Let G-d finish the battles

• G-d always has the most spectacular last laughs.

Ephesians 6• 10. Finally, be strong in the L-rd and in the strength of His

might.11. Put on the full armor of G-d, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13. Therefore, take up the full armor of G-d, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.14. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,15. and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;16. in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of G-d.18. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

Happy Channukah!