Trinity Free Church Huntingdon

This was also a more recent introduction, dating from only 164BC when the Temple was rededicated after it had been polluted by a Greek named Antiochus Epiphanes. He was a descendant of one of Alexander the Great’s generals who shared out his empire after he died and he ruled Syria and Palestine. An ambitious man he decided to annex Egypt to his rule and although he defeated the Egyptian army he was ordered to withdraw by the superpower Rome who had their own plans for Egypt. Frustrated, Antiochus vented his wrath on poor Israel on the way back, killing and looting and, determined to eradicate Judaism, he sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple and poured the liquid in which a pig had been boiled over the holy scriptures. He then appointed enforcement officers to make the people worship the Greek gods instead of God.

This all became too much for one family called Maccabee who rebelled and led a guerrilla war against the Syrian forces. Gathering support and strength they eventually faced their enemy in open battle and defeated them.

Then came the task of restoring life and worship. The altar was rebuilt and the Temple cleaned and during this operation a small flask of oil was found that was used for the perpetual light in the Temple. Sadly there was only sufficient for one night but to everyone’s amazement the lamp continued to burn for eight days until fresh supplies became available. This was then commemorated in the Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah, to celebrate the rededication of the Temple, by every household lighting eight little candles, one on day one, two on day two and so on to all eight on the last day of the feast.

As this took place in the month of Kislev which corresponds to our December, one might see a resemblance to our practice of lighting Advent candles. It is also worth noting that each Hanukkah candle was lit from a light called the Servant and we remember that Jesus was the fulfilment of the old prophecy of the Suffering Servant, who said He had come to serve, not to be served. And He is the Light of the World who lights faith in our hearts. In His light all others grow pale.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full on His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grown strangely dim
In the Light o His glory and Grace.

Truly, as Isaiah said, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light”!