A look at Amos 2:6-3:8 and John 10:22-23

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

AMOS 2:6-3:8   

The prophet preaches “judgment on Israel” (because they sell the righteous for silver), and for many more evil deeds, they have turned away from God and are behaving like the heathen, that know not the LORD.  Yosef was righteous, and he sold for 20 pieces of silver, Yeshua was/is righteous, and was sold for 30 pieces of silver.  Israel has traded a “Torah” (30-20=10) walk for an “unrighteous” walk and lifestyle, trouble is ahead, judgment is coming, and it came, God used Babylon, Greece, Antiochus, and Rome, as instruments of judgment, yet Israel prevailed, through YHVH's grace, goodness, righteousness, and through a “few gallant men” who fought the fight of freedom.   

MATT 14:1-15:39 , JOHN 10:22-23 , ACTS 7:9-16 
 

“Yeshua blesses the crowd” We see that Yeshua went to a place alone, perhaps to mourn the death of his cousin, Yochanan the Baptist, yet the crowd found him, he had compassion and healed the sick, and he fed them when he multiplied the 5 loaves and 2 fish.  Interestingly enough, when we add 5 and 2 we get “7” the perfect number, the number of Holiness, we have the “Bread (loaves) of Life” and he who makes “fishers of men” (fish). Also, the symbol of the “fish” was used in early messianic believers.   

     In John, we see that Yeshua attends the Feast of Hanukkah, the “dedication.” The root word for “Hanukkah” is “Chanakh” which, in Hebrew letters is;  Chet, Nun, Kaf.  It means to “initiate, discipline, dedicate, train up, habituate (being accustomed to doing something).

     So, “Hanukkah” is “re-dedication of the temple”.  It was in the temple where the Jews gathered on the Sabbaths to be “trained up” and “disciplined in the teaching/learning of the Torah”.  Today, our bodies are the Temple where the Holy Spirit reigns, to teach us, discipline us in the ways of the Torah, getting us accustomed to serving our Savior and Redeemer.

     Yeshua, at this time of Hanukkah, takes this opportunity to tell the Jews, “I AM the Messiah....yet you do not believe” The choice to believe, is always OURS.  

     In Acts 7:9-16, we read the account told by Stephen, the first martyr, of Yosef who was sold into slavery by his brothers, went down to Egypt, yet with “Adonai “ was made to be elevated, thus saving Egypt and close by nations from starvation.

     When we look at this account from the Hanukkah perspective, we might see Israel as a type of Yosef, who was oppressed and enslaved by “Antiochus” (Egypt), yet as Adonai was with Judah Ben Mattityahu (The Maccabee) He triumphed over Antiochus and brought deliverance to Israel and restored the Temple again

     Adonai likewise, was with Yosef, who was transformed from slave to “associate King” bringing a blessing to Egypt and other nations when starvation and famine were at the door.   Israel received a Spiritual blessing when Antiochus was defeated. 

    One last item.  During the 8 days of Hanukkah, we use the 8 branch menorah, the "Hannukiah"   The middle candle is the "servant" candle, or the "Shamash"  It is a bit more elevated than the other candles or candle holders.  Why? when we read Isaiah 52:13, we read;   

"Behold!  My servant will prosper.  He will be HIGH and LIFTED UP and greatly EXALTED"   

The middle candle/candle holder symbolizes Yeshua, who is the Servant who has been lifted up and exalted.  The other candles are lit from the servant candle.  We receive our light from Yeshua.  Another symbolism is when we start to light the candles, there is little light, but on the 8th day, the last candle is lit and now there is "full light and illumination".  It can be compared with "Exile to Redemption" (Galut to G'ulah)  

Before trusting in Yeshua, we are "exiled" from fellowship and unity with God, when we trust in the LORD as our personal savior, we experience "Redemption" We are "born again" in that moment, yet we need to grow in faith, and that takes a lifetime, so we go through all 8 lights, and finally, at death, we experience complete and full redemption, we are no longer tied to the physical body which is sinful in nature.  

Another example is the "Children of Israel" who were in "exile" in Egypt.  Moses came and showed, "the first light" hopes of redemption. The lights of redemption grew brighter and brighter as God threw plague after plague down to the Egyptians.  Finally, they were led out of Egypt and experienced their redemption at Sinai.  

Judah the Maccabee offered the "first light" towards redemption from Greek-Syrian exile. (exiled in their own land, exiled from the freedom of worship the true GOD).  The three-year war brought redemption to Israel and the temple re-dedicated on the 25th of Kislev.  So, we honor the tradition of lighting 8 lights on the special Menorah.