Hanukah is foreshadowing of the coming of the AntiMessiah. It is not in the Old Testament. It happens around 167 BCe, after the OT was completed, but it is prophesied in detail in Daniel 8-9 almost 400 years before it happened. This is a great proof of the truth and supernatural origin of the Scriptures.
Greece under Alexander the Great had conquered the world and Hellenized, or tried to bring all nations under, Greek culture and religion of Greek idol worship. After his premature death his kingdom was divided among his generals. They and their successors ruled different parts of the empire and fought among each other.
Greek Syrian king bribed Israel with materialism and flattery to compromise. He killed those who taught Torah or worshipped true Gd. He sacrificed a pig on the altar of the Temple, set up idol of himSELF and forced the Jews to worship it. This was a foreshadowing of the “Abomination of Desolation.”
Enemy has defiled our temples. Bribed us to COMPROMISE. He fools us into setting up idols of Materialism and SELF. Make unholy sacrifices. He says “bow to me and I will give you kingdoms of this world”
The priest Mattathias, the Father, refused to compromise. The SON, Judah Maccabbee, the Hammer, led 300 men in 3 year battle to TAKE BACK THE LAND, until the 50,000 man Syrian Army retreated in defeat. They cleansed and rededicated Temple to G-d. But, the story goes, they could only find oil for 1 day. The oil for 1 day, however, lasted 8 days, the number of NEW BEGINNINGS.
We need oil (of Ruach HaKodesh-the Holy Spirit) each day to keep our light burning.
We must Rededicate and Cleans our temple.
When we Return and Rededicate our Temple to G-d, He TRANSFORMS our temple. No matter how strong we think the enemy is, if we ENTER the BATTLE with dedication, G-d will bring Victory.
Idolatry desolates temples: Selfishness, Self absorption, idolatrous distractions.
The opposite of SELF are the 9 fruit of spirit in Gal 5:22.
ALL fruit come from the fruit of LOVE.
It is the LOVE of the Father that sent the SON. His love for us moved Him to lay down His life for us while we were yet sinners. His love in our hearts moves us to ask him to bring forth fruit in our lives. The fruit of His love in our lives brings others into the Kingdom of His Love.
LOVE CAME DOWN.
Just as we take down the SHAMAS, the higher candle called the SERVANT, to light each of the other candles, His LOVE made Him the SERVANT, and and it is the servant that lights each of the other fruit in us. The fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. But the GREATEST of these is LOVE, because without love there could not be any of the fruit.
With the Menorah we rededicate. We welcome in HIS LOVE, in the form of His refining fire, that burns up all the FLESH, the SELF and distractions of materialism in this world. As we practice His Love, He grows His 8 other fruit in us. As we battle the idol of SELF, we light one extra light each night, His fruit grows, our light grows, His character grows in us, so the world can see HIM through us. As world sees HIM in us they know He is REAL, and come to Him. The light of His Kindom spreads and becomes brighter each day. AS long as we seek His Spirit with DEDICATION, his OIL never runs out.
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,