The Altar and the Sledgehammer - Hanukkah 2017

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The Altar and the Sledgehammer - Hanukkah 2017 The Altar and the Sledgehammer - Hanukkah 2017
Understanding Hanukkah: Dedication and Restoration

In this teaching, Hanukkah is explored as a season of dedication and remembrance of a significant event in Judea's history. The story begins around 323 BCE after the death of Alexander the Great, whose kingdom was divided among his generals, leading to conflicts between the Syrian Greek Seleucid Empire and the Egyptian Greek Ptolemaic Empire.

Judea, caught between these empires, eventually fell under the control of the Seleucid Empire. While the Judeans initially appreciated many aspects of Greek culture, tensions arose when Antiochus of Epiphanes became king. Antiochus challenged core Judean practices such as circumcision, Sabbath observance, and feast days, which were integral to their covenant with God.

The Seleucid Empire, under Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the temple in Jerusalem by sacrificing a pig on the altar and committing other unspeakable acts. This desecration was a pivotal moment, as the temple was considered the meeting place between heaven and earth, a place to experience God's presence and harmony.

The Maccabean Revolt and Rededication

In response to the Seleucid Empire's actions, a small group of priests known as the Hasmoneans revolted against the massive Seleucid army. After numerous battles, the Hasmoneans drove the Seleucid army out of Judea. Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the temple after this revolt. The altar was rebuilt, and the temple, representing the central hub where heaven and earth met, was revitalized.

Judas Maccabee led the effort to cleanse and rebuild the sanctuary. The priests tore down the profaned altar and constructed a new one from unhewn stones, as directed by the Torah. The temple was rededicated on the 25th day of Kislev, the same day Antiochus Epiphanes had defiled it, marking a new beginning.

Symbolism of the Altar and Personal Transformation

The act of destroying the old, defiled altar is presented as a symbol of personal transformation and spiritual renewal. Just as the Maccabees destroyed the altar to remove the shame of its desecration, believers are called to address the shame and guilt in their lives that hinder their relationship with God.

Paul's teachings in Ephesians 4 are referenced, encouraging believers to put off the old self and renew their minds in the spirit, putting on the new self created in righteousness and holiness. This involves consciously rejecting the past and embracing the new creation offered in Christ.

Hanukkah and the Light of Yeshua

Hanukkah is framed as a reminder that even in the darkest times, there is a new dawn coming. God is greater than the challenges and shame in our lives, offering reconciliation and a fresh start. The rededication of the temple symbolizes the restoration of the meeting place between heaven and earth, and believers are invited to walk in the joy of God's kingdom.

The teaching connects Hanukkah to Yeshua (Jesus), highlighting a passage in John 10:22 where Yeshua is present at the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem. This is linked to the messianic overtones of Hanukkah, a time when the land and people were suffering, and God provided the strength to overcome their enemies.

Yeshua is presented as the ultimate fulfillment of the messianic hope, the one who fully restores God's kingdom on earth. Just as Antiochus Epiphanes proclaimed himself to be God manifest in the flesh, Yeshua was the true Theos Epiphanes, God manifest in the flesh, present at the Feast of Dedication.

While the physical temple no longer exists, Yeshua is greater than the temple, representing the place where heaven meets earth. As followers of Yeshua, believers are charged to show forth the kingdom of God, reflecting His light and destroying the defiled altars of shame in their lives. Matthew Vander Els encourages believers to embrace this opportunity to be ambassadors of Christ, proclaiming the power of Yeshua to destroy the defiled altars in people's lives.

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Application for Everyday Life

• Identify and confront sources of shame: Recognize the areas in your life where shame and guilt from the past are hindering your relationship with God.
• Embrace the new creation in Christ: Believe that you are a new creation, and your past does not define you.
• Confess and receive forgiveness: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• Destroy the old altar: Make a conscious decision to tear down the altars in your life that remind you of your past sins and failures.
• Reflect the light of Yeshua: Embody and reflect the light of Yeshua to the world.
• Proclaim the kingdom of God: Embrace your role as an ambassador of Christ, sharing the message of hope, restoration, and salvation with others.

References

• Ephesians 4
• 1 John 1:9
• Isaiah 43:18
• John 10:22
• Ezekiel 34
• Matthew 12:6

Resources

• Psalm of Solomon
• Apocrypha
• Works by Josephus
• The Bible

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