Chanukkah

C h anukka h

Introduction Chanukkah, the Festival of dedication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the month of Kislev (Nov – Dec). The Hebrew word "chanukkah" (say "chah-noo-kah) literally means "dedication" and it is translated as “The Festival of Dedication”, also known as the Festival of Lights. The only religious observance related to the holiday is the lighting of Menorah and the rededication of the Temple. The ceremony took 8 days to rededicate the Temple. Tradition teaches of the miracle of oil that took place to light the Menorah. Where did this Feast come from and why do we celebrate it?

Appointed Times and the Work of the Messiah This festival one of the minor festivals that are not one of the seven main Festivals found in Leviticus chapter 23. Chanukah in its original concept is free from pagan trappings and makes it safe to celebrate. The Feasts of YHVH, note, not Jewish Feasts, are called “mo-ed” or Appointed times where YHVH has an appointment with man to do His work, the Work of the Messiah. Chanukkah or Feast of Dedication has a prophetic significance when the third Temple in the Last Days will be build and this is why it is significant for us to celebrate as Believers as part of our preparation for Y’shua’s Second Coming. (4th Temple will be during 1000 year period). This Feast is not found in the Torah (first 5 Books of the Scripture) but it is prophesied in the Book of Daniel in chapter 11 and also referred to in the Book of John in the Brit Chadasha (New Testament). During this Festival, Y’shua stood on the stones in the entrance of the Temple and declared Himself as the Messiah, fulfilling a pre-requisite in the Talmud taught by the Pharisees. 1

They said that the Messiah had to stand on the stones in the entrance of the Temple and declare that He is the Messiah, and that was what He did and still they did not recognise Him as the Messiah. Joh 10:22-30 At that time the Feast of Dedication (Chanukkah) came to be in Jerusalem, and it was winter. (23) And Y’shua was walking in the Set-apart Place, in the porch of Solomon’s Temple. (24) So the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, say to us plainly.” (25) Y’shua answered them, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s Name, they bear witness concerning Me. (26) “But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. (27) “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (28) “And I give them everlasting life, and they shall by no means ever perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. (29) “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. (30) “I and My Father are one”(31) Again the Jews picked up stones to stone Him. Y’shua said that He has told them already and they have not believed Him as well as saying that He and His Father is One (echad) and this implies that He is the Messiah and that is why they wanted to stone Him. The Stones Y’shua Stood on: The stones of the Altar were the original stones which the twelve tribes carried into the Promised Land under leadership of Joshua. These stones had the names of the twelve tribes engraved in it and it was used to build the first Altar. This was the Altar the Romans defiled by sacrificing pig on it when they defiled the Temple in the time of the Maccabees. After the rebellion and victory over the enemy the Priests did not want to throw these stones away because of its historical significance and used it as paving stones at the entrance of Solomon’s Temple when they rededicated the Temple.

The Link Between C hanukah , Matthew and the End Times In the next section we will see that the prophecy in Daniel 8 and 12 were fulfilled by the event that happened in the time of the Maccabees involving the defilement and rededication of the Temple. Y’shua referenced this same prophecy but this time refer to a future event that will involve His second Coming thus making Daniel’s Prophecy being fulfilled twice. What this also means is that this prophetic pattern that was fulfilled in the time of the Maccabees gives us insight into the detail that we can expect because of their prophetic significance it holds for the future event that we are still expecting. Studying the Book of the Maccabees, (removed form the Bible) and the Feast of Chanukah will prepare us for the future event regarding the prophetic words spoken by Y’shua when they asked Him when the time of the end will be. Mat 24:3-14 And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world? 2

(4) And Y’shua answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Messiah, and will deceive many. (6) And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must occur; but the end is not yet. (7) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. (8) All these are the beginning of sorrows. (9) Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name's sake. (10) And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another. (11) And many false prophets will rise and deceive many. (12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold. (13) But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come. All of these things mentioned here are the “beginning of the end” but not yet the End it self. All these things will take place to establish the foundation of the Anti-Messiah so that he can set up his kingdom where he will rule and deceive the world. I call this the “Pre-Tribulation Time” or the time prior to the Tribulation. When will the Tribulation begin? We read on in Matthew: Mat 24:15-26 Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand). (16) Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. (17) Let him on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; (18) nor let him in the field turn back to take his clothes. (19) And woe to those who are with child, and to those who give suck in those days! (20) But pray that your flight is not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day; (21) for then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be. (22) And unless those days should be shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. (23) Then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Messiah! Or, There! Do not believe it. (24) For false Messiahs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders; so much so that, if it were possible, they would deceive even the elect. (25) Behold, I have told you beforehand. (26) Therefore if they shall say to you, Behold, He is in the desert! Do not go out. Behold, He is in the secret rooms! Do not believe it. Sign of the Great Tribulation – Sign of the Anti-Messiah: The time of the Great Tribulation will be signaled by the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation as prophesied in the Book of Daniel. This will be a time prior to the coming of the Messiah and a lot of people will be deceived by false prophets and miracles, that will lead them away towards the Anti-Messiah. There will be a sign showing the coming of the Anti-Messiah and there will be a sign for signaling the coming of the real Messiah. Mat 24:27-31 For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man. (28) For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered. 3

(29) And IMMEDIATELY AFTERR THE RIBULATION of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. (30) And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory. (31) And He shall send His angels with a GREAT SOUND OF A TRUMPET, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Sign of the Real Messiah’s Coming: Things that will happen prior to His Coming; there will be destruction and the eagles will feed on the dead. This will happen after the Tribulation when the sun will not give it’s light. There will be earthquakes and stars will fall from heaven. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear like lightning that comes from the east to the west and there will be the sounding of a great trumpet (shophar). Do not be Deceived: We saw two signs; the last is the sign of the Messiah signaling the end of the Tribulation and the first sign pertaining to the Antichrist, signaling the start of the Great Tribulation. Scary thought is that the Church is expecting the Messiah at the beginning of the Tribulation but that is when the Anti-Messiah will appear to deceive many. Q - Were else in Scripture do we see these signs? Dan 12:11-12 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the DESOLATING ABOMMINATION set up, a thousand two hundred and ninety days (1290) shall occur. (12) Blessed is he who waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days (1335). Dan 8:13-14 Then I heard a certain holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that one who spoke, Until when shall the vision last, concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression that astounds, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled? (14) And he said to me, For two thousand, three hundred evenings and mornings (2300). Then the sanctuary shall be vindicated (blameless). We see the same terminology used by Daniel as well as Y’shua in Matthew; the Abomination of Desolation set up, but not only that, we also see that there will be sacrifices again and these sacrifices will be stopped. This gives us Two Witnesses confirming the (truth) starting of the Tribulation. In order to sacrifice, there must be an Altar and the plans for rebuilding of the Temple. All of this is happening in our day; the Temple Institute in Jerusalem has made all the art effects; the corner stone and they have started to construct the Altar. This shows us that the fulfillment of this prophecy is closer to than you think. Daniel gave us three time periods; 1290 days, 1335 days and 2300 mornings and evenings.

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Q - What do these time periods mean in relation to the timing and fulfilling of end time events as taught by Y’shua in Matthew 24? To unravel this mystery, we need to go back prior to the coming of Y’shua to see what happened in the time when the Temple was destroyed and profaned in the time of the Maccabees. Why? The reason for this is that most of the things prophesied by Daniel has already been fulfilled and will be fulfilled again at the end of time as Y’shua suggested. This is called a Prophetic Pattern that can be fulfilled more than once. The fulfillment in the time of the Maccabees set the blueprint for end time events and will clear up any misconception and we will fit the detail of these events into the outline of Daniel and John’s (Revelation) prophesies to get a clear picture without any confusion and misunderstanding regarding the end time events. This makes the celebration of Chanukah of great significance for believers in Jesus / Y’shua today in order not to be deceived.

History of Chanukkah and Fulfilment of Daniel’s Prophecy It all started with Nebuchadnezzar’s dream where he saw a great statue with a head of gold, a upper body of silver, a lower body of bronze, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay with ten toes. Then a big rock came and hit the statue at its feet and destroys it. Daniel interpreted this dream as follows:

The statue represents the following kingdoms: Head of Gold – Babylon Breast of Silver – Medo-Persia kingdom Belly and thighs of Brass – Greece Legs of Iron – Rome o Feet with ten toes of Iron and Clay – Rome divided under ten Rulers (kingdoms). o o o o

From the Roman Empire came Ten Kings representing the ten toes: 1. Augustus 2. Tiberius 3. Gaius Caligula 4. Claudius 5. Nero

6. Galba 7. Otho 8. Vitellius 9. Vespasian 10. Titus

We see the prophesy of Daniel being fulfilled and proven by these kingdoms established in history. What is interesting is that the Head, or Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed Jerusalem in 586BC, and Titus, the tenth toe, destroyed Jerusalem about 700 years later on Tisha B’Av ( 9th of Av) in 70AD.

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In the dream the Rock came and destroyed the statue, hitting it at its feet. The Rock grew and filled the whole earth. This is the Kingdom of YHVH that came into being and spread across the World after the First Coming of Messiah and the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. Surely this is not all that can be seen form the interpretation of Daniel. There is also a future application to this vision and it will play out as part of the end time events leading up to the last days as Y’shua suggested. We have seen the meaning of the belly and thighs of Bronze representing Greece, there is yet another vision Daniel saw that represented Greece; the one horn Goat from Daniel 8 Dan 8:5-7 And as I was watching, behold, a hegoat came from the west, over the face of the all earth, and did not touch the ground. And the he goat had an outstanding horn between his eyes. (6) And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran to him in the fury of his power. (7) And I saw him come close beside the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and struck the ram and shattered his two horns. And there was no power in the ram to stand before him. But he threw him down to the ground and stamped on him. And none could deliver the ram out of his hand. Prior to this Goat, he saw a Ram with two horns, one slightly longer than the other. This Ram represented the Medo-Persian Kingdom as we have seen in Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, depicted by the Silver Breast. The Goat with a single horn came from the west (Greece), and killed the Ram. This Goat’s horn was none other than Alexander the Great. Dan 8:8 Then the he-goat became very great. And when he was strong, the great horn was broken. And in its place came up four outstanding ones (horns) towards the four winds of the heavens. This Ram’s horn was broken off and we see in history that Alexander died at a young age after conquering the known world. After his death the kingdom was divided among his four Generals, Antigonus, Lysimachus, Seleuces and Ptolemy. These four Generals were the four horns described in this passage. Later on Ptolemy and the Seleucids fell into war with each other and Israel was right in the middle, which made Israel a very strategic location.

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Centuries later a Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanies arises and we see him as being referred to as the little horn that came into power in 168 BC. He came form Syria and his mission was to replace all the cultures with Greek culture (Hellinising). Hellinising is the process of absorbing everyone into the Greek culture. Dan 8:9-14 And out of one of them came forth a LITTLE HORN, which became very great, toward the south and toward the east and toward the bountiful land. (10) And it became great, even to the host of heaven. And it made fall some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. (11) Yea, he magnified himself, even to the ruler of the host, and the daily sacrifice was taken away by him, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. (12) And an army was given to him against the daily sacrifice because of transgression, and it cast the truth to the ground. And it worked and succeeded. (13) Then I heard a certain holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that one who spoke, Until when shall the vision last, concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression that astounds, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled? (14) And he said to me, For two thousand, three hundred evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be vindicated.

This Little Horn stopped the daily sacrifices and threw the truth to the ground; he was no other than Antiochus Epiphanies who fits the description exactly. He forbids Sabbaths, sacrifices to the God of Abraham, circumcision of children and the learning or teaching of Torah. He ordered that all Torah Scrolls should be burnt as well. If anyone was caught doing any of these things mentioned, they were put to death. 1Ma 1:20-23 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude, (21) And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, (22) And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off. (23) He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found. We see from the prophecy in Daniel 8 that he refers to 2300 mornings and evenings where the sacrifices will be stopped and the Sanctuary and the Truth will be trampled upon and thrown down to the ground. After this time the Sanctuary will be cleansed and restored. Some believe it to be 2300 years and led up to the 1844 date but this is not the right way of interpreting the 2300 mornings and evenings. There were two sacrifices each day, one in the morning and one in the evening, this gives a total of 2300 sacrifices or 1150 days of which the sacrifices had been stopped. This shows that it cannot be used as 2300 days or years and we will soon see the correct interpretation of this number as it unfolds in history and story of the Maccabees as it was fulfilled.

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Q - Does these events fit the criteria of Antiochus stopping the sacrifices? Yes it does. We have the exact date where he set up his Image in the Temple; this was 15th day of Kislev in the year 167 BCE where he defiled the Temple by sacrificing pig on the altar. All we need is the end date to confirm the 2300 mornings and evenings prophecy. The Maccabees fought and conquered the Greeks in various battles and YHVH gave them the victory every time. These battles lasted for three years where after they cleansed and re-dedicated the Temple on the 25th day of Kislev in 164 BCE. This happened 1105 days after the Abomination of Desolation was first erected in the Temple. There is a 45-day discrepancy with the prophetic number in Daniel. When was the sacrifices stopped? Prior to this Antiochus Epiphanies stopped the daily sacrifices and there is nothing that suggests that it did not happen 1150 days before the rededication of the Temple, 45 days earlier. Q - Where do we see another 45 days in Scripture? It is found in Daniel 12:11-12 and is the difference between 1335 days and 1290 days where he talks about the sacrifices that have being stopped and the image set up. Amazing! This proves that the 2300 are the number of daily sacrifices that had been omitted during the period of the Temple's destruction that lasted 1150 days or 3 years confirmed by history. Daniel further describes this Little Horn as the stern faced king, one who exalted himself above YHVH and any other gods. This is the spirit of the Anti-Messiah and of Satan and this spirit will arise again in the end of the age. Dan 11:31-35 And forces will stand from him, and they will profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and shall remove the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the DESOLATING ABOMINATION. (32) And he will ruin by flattery those who do evil against the covenant. But the people who know their Elohim will be strong and will work. (33) And those who understand among the people shall teach many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by exile, and spoil, for days. (34) And when they stumble, they shall be helped with a little help, but many will join them, with hypocrisy (Hellenized). (35) And many of those who understand shall stumble, to refine and purge them, and to make white, to the time of the end. Because it is still for the appointed time (moed). The “mo-ed” or “appointed time” is the festival or rededication that will be celebrated as described by these events by the Prophet Daniel and this fits the history of the Maccabees very accurately. Matt 24:15 speak of these same events and point out to us that it will have a future application as well and that is why it is important to keep the Festival of Chanukkah and teach people about the detail of the Abomination of Desolation and the spirit or character of the Anti-Messiah so that they know and be ready.

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The little horn in the Last Days When you read Daniel chapter 7 you read about a new “little horn” that arises. The previous “little horn” as seen in Dan 8 and Dan 11, came form the four horns of Alexanders Empire, who was Antiochus in the time of the Maccabees. In Daniel 7 we read of another “little horn” that arises out from the ten horns that comes from the terrifying beast of described in Revelation. This second “little horn” follows in the pattern of Antiochus and the spirit of the Anti-Messiah and is also the eleventh horn spoken of that came from the fourth beast. Dan 7:7-8 After this I looked in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, frightening and terrifying, and very strong. And it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the rest with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts before it; and it had ten horns. (8) I was thinking about the horns, and behold, there came up among them ANOTHER LITTLE HORN, before whom three of the first horns were uprooted. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. We read about this beast with ten horns in Revelation as well. Rev 13:1-5 And I stood on the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns. And on its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads was the name of blasphemy. (2) And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and its feet like those of a bear, and its mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him its power and its seat and great authority. (3) And I saw one of its heads as having been slain to death, and its deadly wound was healed. And all the earth marveled after the beast. (4) And they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with it? (5) And a mouth speaking great things was given to it, and blasphemies. And authority was given to it to continue forty-two months (3,5 years). The Beast described in Revelation is the “system” that will be given authority by the dragon (Satan) and he will speak great blasphemies and will have authority for the last 42 months (3,5) years as we have seen earlier. The little horn (Spirit of Anti-Messiah) will get it’s final power when three horns are uprooted and that period will be for 42 months or 3,5 years where he will oppress and persecute the Believers in Messiah and Torah as we have seen in the time of the Maccabees. The righteous will be handed over to him to be persecuted for the last “times, time and half a time” or 3,5 years. It is the same time period as we have seen in the history of the Maccabees as well as in Dan 11, given as 1290 days, as confirmed in history. We also see this fulfilled in history confirming the Papacy as the “system” that oppressed the people of YHVH. 9

The beast received a deadly wound (Rev 13:1) and was inflicted on the papacy February 1798 when Napoleon’s general, Berthier entered Rome and took Pope Pius VI captive. 42 prophetic months equals 1,260 years that is the period from A.D. 538 - 1798. This shows rise of the papacy to the Pope’s capture and death in 1798. The Pope died in France and half Europe thought the Papacy was dead. The wound was healed and since its healing the strength of the Papacy has grown and increased until today it is one of the most powerful religio-political organizations and influence all centres in the world. The little horn came from this “system”. Dan 7:25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time (3,5 years). The new little horn (Dan 7:8) from this “beast” (Papacy), sets himself up to change the appointed times or “set times” and “laws”. From a Biblical perspective, when you speak of set times or appointed times, it means ONLY the “moedim” or Festivals of YHVH, His Calendar, His Shabbat and His Holy Festivals. And form a Biblical perspective, when you speak of “laws”, it ONLY means the Torah, the Commandments of YHVH. The Papacy took away the Sabbath, the Festivals or “moedim” and the Torah. Therefore let the reader understand…

The Meaning of Chanukkah The story of Chanukkah is the story of light glowing in the darkness. Wherever there is light, darkness will battle against it to consume it and take it out. The story of Chanukkah is about Hellenism and that of Torah. Hellenism is the language of Humanism, Philosophy and Theology. Torah is the language of Mitsvot (Commandments), deeds and revelation. So there is this battle constantly going on and as the Body of Messiah goes into this battle, we tend to take sides. We do this because of our background and because we were Hellenised, Greek thought, Greek Philosophy, Greek mythology, Greek Paganism and Greek theology. Our upbringing and culture are saturated with Hellenistic ways, deeds and methods. It also came from the Church Fathers, from our seminaries and our pulpits. We have been thoroughly Hellenised right from the time of Antiochus until now. The battle goes on... This spirit, the spirit of the Anti-Messiah was at work even in Paul’s time among the believers. 2Th 2:3 Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away (apostasy), and the man of lawlessness shall be revealed, the son of perdition, What is the apostasy? It is the man who would bring lawlessness or Torahlessness, the son of destruction. When we talk about the Messiah we 10

talk about the Son of YHVH but when we talk about the Anti-Messiah, we talk about the son of destruction. He is the sprit or man with no Torah. If this spirit was actively working among the people in Paul’s time, how much more now as we draw near to the end of the age? Guard your hearts and do not let the spirit of Anti-Torah come into your “Temple” and trample upon YHVH’s holy Feasts, His Holy Commandments and His Holy things, Hellinising you away from YHVH and His Culture. May you have a blessed Chanukkah and may you use this Festival as an opportunity to learn and to prepare yourself for the things that are coming and may you be found worthy in the eyes of Y’shua Ha Messiach, our Master and King. Everything revolves around Him.

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