We have entered the final month on the Hebrew calendar in the year 5786. And quite a month it is because there is so much encouragement coming our way! Yet, it is also a time of preparation for the new year. The name of this month, Elul, is associated with the Hebrew letter YOD, the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Its curved position depicts humility and means that mercy is appointed from the hand of God. The forty days from Elul 1 to Tishrei 10 (Yom Kippur) have been assigned as days of repentance and restoration.
 
The beauty of this month is that it is a time when God wants to meet us in a special way. He comes to help us prepare for being in His presence. The Jews say of Him: "The King is in the field." By making Himself more accessible, He helps in our everyday affairs. As we wait upon Him, He reminds us of His loving kindness. The forty days until Yom Kippur are called Teshuvah. The word essentially means we return, repent, and turn our faces toward the Lord.
 
Psalm 27 is a significant Psalm for the days of Teshuvah. The Jewish people believe that hidden within it are references to the festivals they will celebrate in the month of Tishrei. According to the Midrashim (Oral Torah), the words light and salvation in verse 1 refer to Rosh Hashana (The Festival of Lights) and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). "The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Verse 1 - NKJ) The secret place of His tabernacle in verse 5 refers to the Feast of Tabernacles. "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock."
 
The expressions of David in Psalm 27 are what every Christian needs to adopt. "One thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple."  (Verse 4 - NKJ) "Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies." (Verse 11 - NKJ) "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!" (Verses 13 and 14 - NKJ)
 
Waiting on the Lord is exactly what we want to do, especially during Elul when the barrier between heaven and earth becomes thinner. Let us embrace this time of reflection, redemption, and renewal as we prepare for a new year of walking with the King of kings. 

​As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation, I cannot think of a better Scripture to embrace than Psalm 33:12. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance." (NKJV) Our nation has been blessed by God. This is so because our Founding Fathers honored and sought God. If we want that blessing to continue, we will need to welcome His presence.
 
May I suggest that the freedoms we enjoy are God-given but do not come without expectations. In fact, the story of the Israelites and their freedom from Egypt became an inspiration for our Founding Fathers. We can find the Ten Commandments, Scripture quotes, and artwork depicting Biblical scenes in our United States Capitol, the Supreme Court, federal buildings, and in many of our State Capitols. Our United States Constitution was modeled after Old Testament concepts of covenant with an agreement between the people and our government.
 
The Bible was the most important book in the founding of our nation and was used as a textbook in schools from elementary to college level. I ran across an interesting story about a Bible shortage in America during the War for Independence. A committee from the Continental Congress saw that the "Bible is so universal and its importance so great” that they recommended that the Committee of Commerce import 20,000 Bibles. The order was given on September 11, 1777. The Bibles were delivered to America with most of them coming from Holland and Scotland.
 
The citizens of the United States have a similar mandate to the Israelites who were set free to be a nation that shared the love of God with the world. The formation of our nation is rooted in Christianity. We share a moral framework and cultural inheritance with the Jewish people. Our founders, George Washington and John Adams, understood that a free government requires a morally and religiously guided populace. The Declaration of Independence draws on Biblical principles of justice and human worth, and the United States Constitution was modeled on Old Testament concepts of covenant.
 
I must express my concern for the road on which our nation is traveling. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, authored an article on June 20 entitled "If we Forget our Story, we Lose our Identity.” Our nation is rooted in Christianity, and the Bible is the foundational document of America. Tony writes, “As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity not merely to commemorate our history but to recover it.”
 
Benjamin Franklin made a statement that should make all of us stop and think about our heritage: "I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without His aid?" I think not. It is time for us to acknowledge our God-given heritage and to return to our Christian roots. The anti-Christian and anti-American sentiment that is rising in our nation will destroy it. Only God can restore us and set us back onto the right track. We must cry out to the Lord for national repentance and revival. 2 Chronicles 7:14 should be our mandate. "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Amen!

​Governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee, signed a resolution declaring that June will be "Nuclear Family Month" in his state. He says, "The Nuclear family is God's perfect design for humanity and is aligned with the long-held traditional values of Tennessee." The resolution commends those who seek to protect and strengthen traditional values. It also presents statistics documenting "the harm to children caused by being raised in fatherless homes." These children, it reports, are "ten times more likely to abuse chemical substances," and include "sixty percent of youth suicides, seventy-one percent of high school dropouts, and eighty-five percent of youths in prison."
 
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn's June newsletter tells a story that illustrates the need for fathers in a family even in the animal kingdom. He reports that animal-care personnel at a wildlife preserve in Africa discovered rhinoceroses that had been killed by wild, young male elephants. Elephants are not known to be killers, so the park overseers began to research how the elephants grew up. It was discovered that they had grown up without fathers so had no one to model proper elephant behavior. They were drawn into violent behavior. The fascinating answer to their dilemma was to ship elephant father figures into the preserve who could demonstrate proper behavior to the juvenile delinquent elephants. Before long, the young elephants stopped attacking.
 
This elephant display of the need for fathers should be taken to heart by our own society. In a recent sermon at Bethel Church in California, Pastor Kris Vallaton talked about the deconstruction of the family in America. He quoted a staggering statistic that fifty-one percent of children in America are born without a dad. He claims that the United States is the most prominent fatherless nation in the world. Because of this orphan spirit, children are growing up with a mindset of abandonment, rejection, and emotional isolation. The feelings that come from a lack of a loving father on earth make it difficult for these children to connect with Father God, and instead of viewing Him as a loving father, they view Him as a distant and demanding god.
 
The Church must be involved in helping young people break free of an orphan spirit. I believe that the greatest curse on earth today is our fatherless generation. Romans 8:19-22 tells us that even creation groans as it waits for the manifestation of the mature children of God. Most definitely, the ills of our society can be traced to the feeling of alienation that children have from earthly fathers and Father God. We need a demonstration of Father’s love by the men of the Church who have received the Spirit of God and know their sonship so that they cry, "Abba, Father!" (Romans 8:15) To our fatherless generation, the Church must make available to them opportunities to develop a personal relationship with Father God through prayer and worship and studying the Word of God that defines their identity and declares the truth. The community of Believers must support and encourage those who have the orphan spirit so that they can replace the lies with truth.
 
Everything that God does is for love's sake as He is love! He loved the world so much that "He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) We have a promise in Malachi 4:6 that God "will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers." This verse is repeated in Luke 1:17. Let us pray it in!

​Two hundred fifty years ago, on May 17, 1776, the second Continental Congress met to observe what was called "A Day of Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer." This nationwide event was meant to be a time to pray to God for forgiveness of sins, divine guidance, and wisdom. The day before the Congress had passed a resolution introduced by the delegate from New Jersey, William Livingstone. It asked citizens to "confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions" and to seek God's protection against the "hostile designs" of the British. On the anniversary of this event, President Trump planned a national prayer gathering to rededicate America as "One Nation Under God." Thousands of Americans gathered on the Mall in Washington D. C. to pray, worship, and give thanks to God. They were inspired by many of our nation's leaders and pastors as they remembered our history as a nation of faith and talked about defining moments in the forming of our country.
 
2 Chronicles 7:14 was read by our President: "If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear them from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." This is what the Lord said to Solomon on the night after he finished building the temple. He went on to say, "Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." (Verse 15) The web site established with the details for the day of rededication listed three "Pillars" for the speakers to include in their talks. Pillar #1 - "The Miracles that Made Us." (Honoring the faith of our founders and God's providence throughout 250 years.) Pillar #2 - "The Miracles Still in our Midst." (Personal testimonies of God's healing in our lives and for our land.) Pillar #3 - "A New Birth of Faith and Freedom." (Times of collective expression of gratitude for 250 years of freedom and ones to rededicate our nation, asking God's blessings, guidance, and grace for the next 250 years.)
 
TBN Network was present for the entire day and reported as different speakers and worship leaders took the stage. They commented that the Spirit of the Lord was tangible in that place. They also spoke of how blessed we are that the idea for the entire event was born from the top of our government. Below are some of the highlights of the event:
 
Pastor Samuel Rodriguez opened the rededication with a prayer to "remember and rededicate" our nation to God and to "reflect on history and realign our future." Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, commented that the soul of our nation has always been rooted in "an ancient faith." Pastor Franklin Graham reminded us that our nation was born in a struggle and continues to struggle today. He observed that there has been a moral decline, and there is little understanding of Biblical truth. We need to humbly pray, confess our sins and call on the name of Almighty God. Former HUD Secretary, Dr. Ben Carson, declared that our rights come from God. He sees that we have drifted away from common sense and must appeal to God for protection. Speaker of the House, Michael Johnson, offered a prayer as he rededicated our country as "One Nation, Under God in Jesus' Name."
 
Pastor Lou Engle called what happened on Sunday, May 17 a "hinge-of-history moment." Pastor Dutch Sheetz named it a "breakthrough day." He declared a "new beginning for America in the mighty name of Jesus." The name of Jesus Christ was boldly proclaimed at Rededicate 250. The core message was our need for repentant prayer and rededication to God. I believe that God has given us a window of grace. It is our responsibility to accept this season by drawing closer to God in prayer and living our lives in accordance with the instructions of His Word. Perhaps He will respond and guide America back to Him through revival. Let’s pray to that end.

​Over the weekend the Jewish calendar turned to a new month, the third month of Sivan. This name is Assyrian and means joy or the month of harvest. There is excitement for the Jewish people as they enter this month because it is packed with events that give them assurance of provisions. Physical provision is evident by the ripening wheat fields. As the children of Israel moved to Mount Sinai, God was preparing to give Moses Torah—the Word of God. During the same period, but years later and ten days after the ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God (Ruach Ha-Kodesh) was poured out on those who waited in the upper room. With these gifts, God was positioning His people to receive power.
 
The stories of these provisions in the Bible should inspire us to position ourselves to be set apart from the world and dedicated to our Lord. He is calling us to Himself and purifying us in holiness and righteousness through the power of the Word and His Spirit as they come together. This month is a reminder that we are God's children of inheritance. He made a covenant with the Israelites and promised to keep that covenant.
 
When the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land, after forty years of wandering in the wilderness, God gave them a history lesson to remind them of how He cared for them. Some of those reminders are written about in Deuteronomy 8. "Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers...Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in His ways and revering Him...When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws, and His decrees that I am giving you this day...Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your forefathers as it is today." (Deuteronomy 8:1, 6, 10, 11, 18)
 
God called the children of Israel to come up as He met them at Mount Sinai, and he called the disciples to come up to an upper room. We are still called to look up to the Lord, The Light of the World. (John 8:12) We are meant to be set apart and anointed as priests before Him. Jesus confirmed this call by identifying us on the Sermon on the Mount. "You are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14, 16)
 
Here is what 1 Peter 2:9 tells us about our identity: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." We are to live in step with the Holy Spirit. In doing so we will impact the world around us. Peter goes on to say, "Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day that He visits us." (1 Peter 2:12)

​In honor of Mother's Day, I want to share with you part of the story of Susanna Wesley's life. She was the twenty-fourth child of Dr. Samuel Annesley, a Puritan minister. Born in 1669, Susanna had a deep desire to learn and had the opportunity to do so through her father's books. At age nineteen, she married Samuel Wesley, whom she met at her sister's wedding. Both came from nonconformist backgrounds and decided to join the Church of England.
 
It is reported that Susanna had nineteen children in a little over twenty years, nine of whom died in infancy. She took responsibility for raising her ten children with a strong Christian and moral education. Their schooling began at age five. A couple were able to read the New Testament in Greek by the age of eight. Susanna took particular interest in her daughters' education.
 
While her husband was in London in 1712, Susanna decided to invite some of her neighbors to what became known as her "Kitchen Meetings" where she preached to her children. Several writers tell us that, at times, over two hundred friends and neighbors joined the Sunday evening meetings. In addition, they say that she had theological knowledge superior to that of many pastors. Her influence on her sons, John and Charles, was evident. In fact, she is remembered as "The Mother of Methodism" since the boys adopted her teaching methods. John wrote that his mother was a preacher of righteousness.
 
It is obvious that Susanna believed and followed the Scripture written in Proverbs 22:6. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it." As a godly mom she went about fulfilling her responsibility to teach her children the importance of having a loving relationship with God.


If we look back to creation, we see that Eve brought life into the structure of Adam's world. She came as a companion and helper. Adam and Eve were dependent on one another to give birth to children. Then it became the responsibility of the woman to be a nurturer of life. May I suggest, however, that the ultimate purpose of a mother is to love God. Everything else will follow this. Godly moms are a product of fulfilling their first purpose in loving God.


My own mother modeled faith to my brother and sister and me. We were blessed to have a mom who had the fear of the Lord within her. God also modeled His care and concern for His children in Israel by teaching them about Himself, providing for and directing them in their relationship with Him. Through the prophet Isaiah, He made a promise to His children. "As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13)


May we all be challenged by these godly examples of care given to children and the obvious results of godly influence on them. Mothers over the years have demonstrated the love of God and helped to impact generations.

We are in the middle of Passover week. Included in this week is the celebration of First Fruits or the day of the resurrection of Yeshua/Jesus. This is Nisan 16 on the Hebrew calendar. In 1 Corinthians 15:20 He is called "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." The New Living Translation says, "But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So, you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when He comes back." (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
 
For life to spring forth we must first have death. This was demonstrated with Jesus who willingly went to the Cross to take our sicknesses and diseases, pain and sorrow, sin and guilt on His body. During the three hours between noon and three p.m., He felt the pain of His spiritual separation from His Holy Father because of what He was bearing. The first two verses of the prophetic Psalm 22 is a look at what Jesus would say as He hung on the Cross. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving Me, so far from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer, by night, and am not silent." 
 
The "groanings" of Messiah are followed by a statement of truth and comfort in verse three of Psalm 22. In this Psalm there is a move from despair to faith in the truth of who God is. "But You are holy, enthroned in the praise of Israel." (NKJV) "Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the praise of Israel." (NIV) The word "enthroned" or "inhabits" in the KJV is the Hebrew verb "yashab" which means to remain or dwell. God is everywhere! Psalm 139:7-10 makes this clear. "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast."
 
As we contemplate Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, we should see a call to worship the Lord. That message began as Moses went to Pharoah to obtain the release from slavery for the children of Israel. "So, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews says: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.'" (Exodus 10:3) Today our enemy, the devil, does everything he can to stop us from worshiping the One True God. Just as God broke the bondage of slavery for the Israelites, Christ broke the bondage of sin and sickness for us on the Cross. He was resurrected on the third day with a message of victory over death and a call for us to come near to worship Him.
 
Rabbi Jason Sobel tells us that "Passover reminds us that without God's intervention, Israel would still be in bondage." After the Exodus, Moses realized that what is most important for God's people is His presence. Moses said, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here...What else will distinguish us from all the people on the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:15, 16) This question is still for today. We should be defined by the presence of God. That comes as we open our hearts to worship Him. Today we glory in the resurrection of Christ and His promise of eternal life for those who believe in Him. Let us make today and the weeks to come ones of His Presence through extravagant worship! 

​On the same day (Nisan 10) that every Jewish household was choosing their unblemished, spotless lamb for Passover, God brought Jesus into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey to present His Son as the pure, spotless Lamb of God. Large crowds met Him there and "took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!'" (John 12:13)
 
Four days later Jesus joined His disciples in an upper room for a Passover Seder. He was being obedient to the Scripture in Exodus 12:14 that says, "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance." At this Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."  (Luke 22:15) God's plan was for His people to remember how He set them free from slavery in Egypt. He also knew that through the retelling of the Passover story, a connection would be made that His Son, Yeshua, is the Passover Lamb. He shed His blood that would be applied to the doorpost of our hearts for eternity. The blood of the lambs that was applied to the doorframes of the homes of the children of Israel was for protection from the death of the firstborn.
 
There has always been a battle over the power of the blood. It was Emperor Constantine who legalized Christianity but forbid the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus during Passover. The Church in Rome joined the battle and tried to stamp out Passover and pronounced a curse on Christians who celebrate it. Satan hates Passover because he knows the power of the blood. He also knows that it points to Jesus as being the Passover Lamb. The first time Jesus was introduced this way was by John the Baptist who said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
 
On the original Passover night, the head of every household stood at the door of his house with a basin containing the blood of the lamb. He used a hyssop branch to dip into the blood and smeared it on the two doorposts and the lintel over the door. In doing this, he was making the sign of The Cross. The applied blood redeemed each family from the power of the death angel. Deliverance comes by the Cross of Jesus and by His shed blood!
 
At today's Passover feast there are four cups to drink. The first one is called The Cup of Sanctification, which represents the power of the blood to take away sin. The second cup is called The Cup of Judgment. Before drinking this cup, a drop of juice is taken out of it ten times and dropped onto a napkin—one for each plague. We are to remember that by the stripes of Jesus we are healed. The Cup of Redemption is the third one. Jesus said, "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many." (Mark 14:24 - NKJ) The third cup would become the center piece of communion and spoke of the greater redemption and deliverance that humankind would experience through the forgiveness of sin from the Lamb of God. The final cup is called the Cup of Praise and is the one to remind us to rejoice because of our promised future. Truly, the Passover table was the birthplace of the Communion table.
 
The deliverance of the children of Israel came at the first Passover in the land of Goshen in Egypt. From this Passover table, a nation was born. The Passover table is a place from which one is sent out and the beginning of an annual reset as this is the time that God ordained to be the beginning of a new year on the Hebrew calendar. Yeshua, Jesus, reminds us of His position as the Passover Lamb at the Passover table and draws us into a new year of intimacy with Him. As Israel used the Passover feast to reset their year, Let us remember that God delivered us from the bondage of sin so that we can pursue a more intimate relationship with Him. Praise the Lamb!

​The "when" of Christ's birth is certainly not as important as the "why," but it is interesting to investigate. Most scholars agree that Christ would not have been born during December. The Bible gives us hints as to the season when His birth took place. Luke 2, verse 8, tells us "there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night." This suggests that Jesus may have been born when the weather was warm and conducive to having flocks of sheep out at night. Shepherds kept their flocks in a shelter at night during Israel's cold, rainy Decembers. Next, we read that Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem for a census. It is likely that the Romans would not have taken a census in the winter when traveling conditions were difficult. Those who traveled in December dealt with cold temperatures and roads that are in poor condition.



We know from Luke 1:24-36 that Jesus was conceived while Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother, was in her sixth month of pregnancy. Zechariah, John's father, served in the Jerusalem temple with the priestly division of Abijah. While he was on duty, burning incense, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, telling him that he would have a son. Historical calculations indicate that Zechariah's service took place in mid-June. He would have returned home immediately after his service. If we assume that John's conception took place at the end of June, he would have been born at the end of March.



Luke 1:35 and 36 tells us that Elizabeth was six months pregnant when Mary conceived. This being the case, it is likely that Jesus was born at the end of September. Perhaps he was born during the Feast of Tabernacles when it is said that Messiah tabernacles with us. However, December 25 was selected as the date for celebrating Christ's birth by the Church in Rome during Constantine's reign. December 25 was the date that the pagans celebrated the birth of the sun, so the Church decided to celebrate the birth of The Son, Jesus, at the same time.



Now let’s look at the “why” of Christ’s coming. The prophet Isaiah makes this clear in Chapter 53, verses 5 and 6. "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Verse 10 of Isaiah's discourse on why Jesus came to earth goes into more detail. "Yet it was the Lord's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life a guilt offering; He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hands." 



Our Messiah came to earth fully human and yet fully God. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulder. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever…” (Isaiah 9:6, 7) This Christmas let us ponder what Christ did for us when He gave up the majestic splendor of heaven to come to earth. He came to give us salvation and reconcile us to God. He came so that we might "participate in the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4) He came to demonstrate the love of God that is beyond comprehension. He came as the Prince of Peace and Immanuel, God with us. He is worthy of our praise and worship. Have a blessed Christmas.

​As Christians, we need to be aware of how Hanukkah and Christmas have similarities. Neither celebration is found directly in the Bible. However, in John 10:22 and 23 there is a reference to Jesus observing Hanukkah or the Feast of Dedication. "Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade." There is a footnote in my Complete Jewish Study Bible that says, "Not only did Yeshua celebrate Hanukkah, but He observed it in the same Temple that had been cleansed and rededicated just a few generations earlier under the Maccabees."
 
Basically, Hanukkah is a celebration of the deliverance of the Jews by God. It also became a time to express their hope of a coming Messiah. Jesus used His time at the Temple during Hanukkah to reveal His identity to the Jews gathered around Him. "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly," the Jews shouted. Jesus gave them the answer in His Hanukkah message. "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in My Father's name speak for Me, but you do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:25-28)
 
Hanukkah recalls a military victory for the Jews. If Antiochus had succeeded in his campaign to destroy the Jews, there would have been no birth of a Jewish Messiah to a young Hebrew couple. The first miracle had to take place for the second miracle to come about—the incarnation of Christ Jesus.
 
Hanukkah demonstrates how God provided the miracle of light in the middle of dark times. Christmas brought us The Light of Christ. He was born into a world riddled with brokenness and darkness. Father God is the One who provided the Light from heaven to shine into our world. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4)
 
It is miraculous that the Maccabees could conquer the Syrian army. Then the miracle of light came about as the Temple Menorah remained lit for eight days with only enough oil for one day. But the miracle of Christmas topped the Hanukkah miracles. We have a virgin birth of the Son of God. That birth brought forth "The Light of the World."
 
At the heart of both Christmas and Hanukkah are miracles from God. He brings us opportunities for new beginnings and for life everlasting with Him. He brings restoration and hope. "...The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5) Why not make this entire season a time for remembering and celebrating the goodness of God? He is The One who brings us victory through the miraculous and The Light of Life through His Son.