Chanukah

In the fourth century BCE, Alexander the Great ruled most of the known world. He
dominated all of the Near East, which included the land of Israel. During this time, the Greek
(Hellenistic) culture was enforced. Jewish practices, such as the keeping of the Sabbath and
circumcision were forbidden and the Jews were commanded to sacrifice pigs to Zeus in the
Temple. In order to "fit in", many Jews assimilated into the Hellenistic culture: Come, let us
reach an understanding with the pagans surrounding us, for since we have separated
ourselves from them, many misfortunes have overtaken us. Some Jews resisted and upheld
the Torah, keeping themselves separate to YHVH. Many of these were brutally murdered.

In Jerusalem, the Greeks built a gymnasium. Because those who frequented the gymnasiums
did so naked, Jews disguised their circumcision and abandoned the Torah for philosophy,
submitting to heathen rule and the so called "New World Order".

When Alexander the Great died, his kingdom was divided into four parts (Daniel 8:21-25).
Antiochus Epiphanes (god manifests), won rule over Egypt and Israel. The Jews continued
to submit until it was too late - Antiochus broke into the Holy Place in the Temple and stole
the
Golden Altar and Menorah. Two years later, he set himself up as god and supreme ruler in
Jerusalem, putting the following laws into effect:

* All are to be a single people.
* Disobedience will be punished by death.
* Torah study is banned.
* All books of the Torah are to be burned.
* Those who circumcise their children will be flayed alive with their
child.

Antiochus Epiphanes' final desecration was the sacrificing of a pig in the Temple. He forced
the Priests to eat the flesh of swine and then poured the blood on the Altar. A rebellion
began led by Mattathias the Priest and his five sons. This family was respected and influential
and they led the Jewish people into fasting and repentance. During the rebellion against the
Greeks, many Jews were martyred, but many battles were also won. When Mattathias died,
his son Judah took over. Judah was a man of great courage and fully trusted in God - he was
known as Judah Maccabea -the hammer!

Although outnumbered 4 to 1, Judah's army won every battle against the Greeks and turned
many Jews back to Torah. In the last battle, the Maccabim killed over 8000 pagans. On the
24th of Kislev, the Temple was rededicated and purified -exactly three years to the day since
it was desecrated. The Talmud says that a miracle occurred in that while the Temple Menorah
only had enough oil to last one day, it remained burning for eight days. Judah and the
Maccabim decreed that from then on, this rededication of theTemple was to be an eight day
memorial, beginning on the 24th of Kislev, every year. And it has been ever since.

The story of Chanukah is very relevant to the days in which we live. Society and religion have
become very Hellenistic - body worship (through the overwhelming focus on gymnasiums
etc), lawlessness, new world orders, and the pressure to "assimilate". The compromising
Jews of the days before the Maccabim, surely did not want to see their Temple desecrated,
their Torah burned, nor their people killed. Yet,their lack of love for God's Commandments,
their desire to be like everyone else, and disregard for being a people set-apart, all led to the
inevitable consequences which followed. Today we seriously need to make some choices
before it becomes too difficult or too late. Will we obey God or follow the leading of men? Do
we desire acceptance from the world, or of YHVH the Creator?