Embrace Hanukkah During Christmas

Christmas has always overshadowed Hanukkah at this time of year and it should.  Christmas celebrates the birth of the Savior of the World, while Hanukkah is actually a more minor holiday in the Jewish faith as opposed to Passover or Yom Kippur.

For those of you who don’t know what Hanukkah is about, it commemorates the retaking of Jewish land and the Temple by the Maccabees (Jewish rebels) in 167 B.C. from Syrian-Greek soldiers who had defiled the Temple dedicating it to the worship of false god Zeus.  The soldiers committed other atrocities like forcibly gathering Jews and making them bow before idols and eat the flesh of a pig.  (thoughtco.com)

Once the Maccabees returned to the defiled Temple they were determined to purify it.  They needed to light the Menorah daily but only had enough pure oil for one day.  However, the little oil they had miraculously burned for eight days (the number of branches/candles on each side of the Hanukkah Menorah.  There is also a middle candle which is used to kindle the others for each of the eight days). (Wikipedia)

As Christians we have somewhat gotten on our high horses about Hanukkah and Judaism in general.  Some make jokes and condescending statements about dreidels and paint Jewish customs as corny.

But here’s the thing:  the King we are celebrating on December 25th is Jewish; not was, IS.  So are our Blessed Mother, Joseph and all Christ’s disciples.

Judaism is the head of Christianity, not the tail.  Throughout the New Testament Jesus refers to His people.  His people are the Jews as they are the Father’s chosen people.

Jesus/Christianity is the completion of Judaism, not its opponent.  The gentiles did not receive Christianity until after the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ.

Eh…eh but they don’t accept Jesus as the Messiah and they had him crucified.  Both true Sally (though Messianic Jews do profess Jesus to be the Messiah) but that doesn’t change that they are God’s chosen people.

They will answer to God for that; they don’t answer to us.  I don’t know about you but I have enough on my plate worrying about how I will be judged.  No need to condemn others in my mind; God will decide His justice.

Also, I have a feeling that many Jews and Muslims for that matter know deep down in their hearts that Jesus is the Messiah.  Both consider Him to be an honorable Prophet but not the Son of God.

However, Jesus clearly told Caiaphas that He is the Son of God before being condemned to death.  If this is not true, it would make Jesus a false prophet.  How could they look at someone who commits such blasphemy to be honorable?

Therefore, I believe many Jews are just too caught up in their own tradition, pride, tribalism, whatever to admit what they truly know in their hearts.  Good people know the truth when they are exposed to it.

Buh…buh…but if they are God’s chosen people why have they been so hated and persecuted all over the world throughout history?  For that very reason!

The world belongs to Satan until the Second Coming of Christ.  Jesus himself told us that the world hated Him first, so it must hate His people.  Who would Satan cause the world to hate more than God’s chosen elect?

That is why after a candidate, world leader or prominent figure’s stance on abortion, the next thing I look at is their stance on the State of Israel followed by globalism vs. nationalism.  If a candidate is pro-Israel he is with God’s people even if he is not particularly pious.

If a leader is a globalist he loves the world over his own people.  Borders are prominent throughout the Bible; even between the tribes of Israel.

So, if a prominent figure is anti-Israel or asks for peace with Palestine via Israel sharing (and therefore eventually surrendering) land God gave them, they are not pro-Israel.  If they are not pro-Israel they cannot be pro-God.  If they are not pro-God they can only be children of Satan.

The faker in the Vatican has predictably come out against President Donald J. Trump moving our embassy from the more secular Tel Aviv to the Holy Land of Jerusalem even though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is all for it.  Isn’t it also funny that when Francis visited the Holy Land in 2014 he visited “The State of Palestine” first as opposed to his predecessor who visited Israel first?  (NY Post)

In addition, any of us could be Jewish and not even know it.  There are 10 lost tribes of Israel which God scattered about the Earth.  Native Americans, Asians, Africans, anybody could have Jewish origins.  So be kind to our Jewish brethren by praying for them rather than mocking them during Hanukkah.  Talk soon.

-Marksman

PS:  A terrific way to bless Israel during Christmas is to donate to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (http://www.ifcj.org).  When you bless Israel you bless God’s people, and therefore you bless Jesus.