Light in the Darkness

Shalom Beloved

Tonight is the seventh night of Chanukah. I wanted to share some things that stand out to me in this season, that I hope will bless you and be revelation to you as well.  Chanukah means dedication; it is called the Festival of Lights. In the days of the Maccabees in the intertestamental time, the Jewish people miraculously defeated the invading Greek army and drove them out of Jerusalem and out of Israel.

The Holy Temple had been defiled and had to be cleansed and restored and dedicated once again.  When they went to light the Golden Menorah, they found only enough oil for one day; they lit the Menorah anyway and it burned for eight days, not just one.

Yeshua makes the claim “I AM the Light of the World”…He then tells us, “you are the light of the world”. We as Christians understand our place in this world to be salt and light, to bring truth to those who walk in darkness.  It is customary when we light the Hanukkiah in our homes during the days of Chanukah, to place it in a window so the light can be seen.

Chanukah does not always fall at the same time, last year it began on Thanksgiving!  This year, Chanukah ends on Christmas Eve.  However, tonight is the seventh night of Chanukah and it is also the new moon. The new moon is the darkest night of the month and we just had the winter solstice which is the darkest day of the year, the least amount of daylight.  Nature itself is proclaiming darkness on the earth right now.  December 22 is also significant, for the number 22 means "LIGHT"!

Light is used twenty-two times in the Gospel of John. The 22nd time John uses the word, he quotes Jesus: "I have come as a light into the world . . ." (John 12:46). Christians are to walk in the light of Christ (John 3:21), and be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14 - 15).
The apostle Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews, written to Greek-speaking Jews and Gentiles, is the 22nd book of the New Testament.
 http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/22.html
 

Our menorah is almost complete, and the brightest it will be, at the darkest time.  Now I see this through the eyes of prophecy…

Isa 60:1  Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.  60:2  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.                 

So, my dear friends I am not going to write a long, deep teaching…just a reminder to look up.  For the days are dark, the spiritual darkness is the worst it has been perhaps since the days of the holocaust.  Even worse…for it is not just the evil of ruthless men who want to conquer; but it is a deep rooted godlessness that is growing daily- exponentially.  But!  The Glory of God is coming to us who love God, who love Yeshua/Jesus our Messiah and have trusted Him and are waiting for His appearing. 

So let this night be a reminder in the darkness….let the Light of Yeshua shine bright within you…like the Menorah in the window, shine for all to see Him who your soul loves…JESUS CHRIST is Lord, God and KING….HALLELUJAH!!!!

60:3  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

He is coming quickly, hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown… Maranatha…till next we meet.