It’s so interesting that the Hebrews did not historically preserve the record of the first Hanukkah. It was the Gentiles (the nations) who kept tabs on that history in the Apocrypha books of First Maccabees and Second Maccabees. To me this speaks of how important Hanukkah is to the nations worshipping the One True God with a pure heart.
We are again facing the same type of situations that surrounded the first Hanukkah. Hanukkah’s Antichrist figure was Antiochus Epiphanes IV. He instituted a directive that all the people in Antiochus’s kingdom must relinquish their own customs and religions to conform to the Greek culture and creed. All disobedience was punishable by death. He specifically demanded that the Jews God-given sacrificial service cease in Jerusalem’s Temple. In its place, altars and makeshift temples were set up everywhere where unclean animals were sacrificed. To complete the utter defilement of pure worship in their day, Antiochus Epiphanes IV desecrated God’s Temple in Jerusalem and converted it into a pagan temple. This is when the idolatrous pagan sun god statue was erected on the 15th of Kislev 168 BC, which happened to be Dec. 25th that year. It is also when all things that these Biblical people considered holy was prohibited: Sabbath, dietary laws, the use of God’s name, etc.
This is when two sides were formed in Jewish society, which is a picture for us today. Most people complied with the barbarous orders, hoping to be left alone and live. However, many chose to not desecrate the Name. There was an extremely high cost wrought on true believers. Women who still circumcised their children were hung with their infants tied around their necks. At one point, Antiochus tried to forcibly make everyone comply with a public spectacle where he brought before the all the people Chana and her seven sons. When son after son after son refused to eat pig’s meat, even after being tortured, Antiochus had each of them put to a slow demonically painful death all the while Chana was forced to watch. These noble sons of the One True God were encouraged by their mother to sanctify the Name. When all of Chana’s sons had graduated to glory without complying, Antiochus let Chana go. She was so distraught that Chana climbed onto a roof and jumped so she could be in the better place with her sons.
This is the context for when the rebellion of a small ragtag group began. There was a son of a previous high priest John called Mattisyahu. He had moved his family from Jerusalem where persecution was strongest to a Judean village – Modi’in – that was five miles away. It is wise to try to mitigate the circumstances; however, eventually everyone is required to make a stand and fight. One day the king’s forces appeared in Modi’in to demand that the town sacrifice in the defiled pagan fashion. They chose the most respected man in town, Mattisyahu, to comply (1 Macc. 2:17-18).
As Mattisyahu defiantly refused the pagan “honor,” an unfaithful Jew neared the pagan altar to offer the sacrifice (1 Macc. 2:19-24). Mattisyahu was filled with righteous indignation at this blatant desecration of the Name. The zeal of the Lord consumed him. In the tradition of Phineas, Mattisyahu grabbed a sword and killed the Jewish coward on the altar along with the messenger from the pagan king (1 Macc. 2:24-26). After Mattisyahu tore down the demonic altar of the pagans, he ran through the streets shouting: Whoever is for the Lord, follow me!
“Whoever is for the Lord, follow me!” is actually a paraphrase to what was recorded in First Maccabees 2:27 – “Whoever is zealous for the Torah and is steadfast in the Covenant let him follow me.” However, “whoever is for the Lord, follow me” is the phrase that the Lord gave on this first day of Hanukkah 2024. The Lord is saying, He is slaying the false holiness of Christmas. The Lord is telling His righteous remnant who don’t bow to pigs and pagan sun gods to shout to everyone that has ears to hear: Whoever is for the Lord, follow me!. It’s an all out battle but the reward is out of this world! Be encouraged mighty men and women of valor! Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.
For more about the actual history of Hanukkah, please check out “Related Resources” below.
Three years to the day after Hanukkah’s Antichrist set up the abomination of desolation in 168 BC, the Maccabees rejoiced as they began the rededication of God’s Altar in Jerusalem for eight days: “ ‘Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it, and so consecrate it. When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you,’ says the Lord God” (Ezekiel 43:26-27). We must all purify and consecrate our altars – our hearts – before our light can burn brighter. In fact, the brightness of our light has to do with the purity of our heart.
May your light shine in unison with Messiah Yeshua! Whoever is for the Lord, follow me, as I follow our glorious Beloved Lord, Savior, and King!
Happy Hanukkah all y’all!
Give em heaven!!!
Robin Main
Written December 26, 2024 – Sapphire Throne Ministries – Robin Main. Copyrighted – If you are going to copy this, please copy it right by giving attributions to this source. Blessings!
#SANTATIZING #Christmas #Hanukkah #HanukkahHistory #antichrist #Maccabees #sapphirethroneministries #robinmain
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RELATED RESOURCES:
[1] BLAZING NEW WINE OF HANUKKAH - HISTORY PART I (~20-min video) => https://youtu.be/wdhOh4iRD6c
[2] BLAZING NEW WINE OF HANUKKAH - HISTORY PART II (~20-min video) => https://youtu.be/u-qVfQtUaKA
[3] MELCHIZEDEK MENTORING CLASS 8A (BLAZING NEW WINE – Part 1) longform video => https://youtu.be/IcYcmL7DV2A
[4] MELCHIZEDEK MENTORING CLASS 8B (BLAZING NEW WINE – Part 2) longform video => https://youtu.be/YwhGGOdcVlI
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RESOURCES AVAILABLE:
• ALEF-TAV’s Hebrew Living™ Letters: 24 Wisdoms Deeper Kingdom Bible Study book => https://amzn.to/3NCDXy9
• Dwelling in the Presence of the Divine: A Commonplace Book of the Hebrew Living™ Letters book => https://amzn.to/41y1lCJ
• Set of Hebrew Living™ Letter Flash Cards => https://www.sapphirethroneministries.com/flashcards
• Ascension Manual book => https://amzn.to/3S2Ps4u
• Understanding the Order of Melchizedek: Complete Series book => https://amzn.to/3TNpovn
• MEL GEL Study Guide book => https://amzn.to/3RJnJEz
• MEL GEL Study Guide: Volume 2 book => https://amzn.to/48laNvB
• Blazing New Wine of Hanukkah book => https://www.amazon.com/Blazing-New-Wine-Hanukkah-Understanding-ebook/dp/B010MHNZMK/
• Let There Be Light! Hanukkah Meditations book => https://amzn.to/3voCnK2
• SANTA-TIZING: What’s wrong with Christmas and how to clean it up book => https://amzn.to/3S5AxGG This book was written to fulfill a vow made to Yeshua’s face to tell the Christian Church that “Christmas will be the Golden Calf of America.” It took 10 years of full-time research, a golden scribe angel and the Spirit’s leading to unearthing His Truth in the sands of time.
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