December 2006

CELEBRATE  CHRISTMAS

     The convergence of Christmas and Hanukkah each December is a time for double celebration.

             Since time immemorial people have celebrated a winter festival. These celebrations have always expressed the religious views of the culture around them. Where the culture is pagan they express pagan values, where the culture is secular they express secular values and where the culture is religious they express religious values.

For Bible believers Chanukah celebrates the recovery of Jewish sovereignty of the City of Jerusalem in the days of the Hasmonean (Macabee family) 189 BC.

The elders of Israel mandated this as a perpetual celebration. No doubt the ancients understood that the City of Jerusalem would continue to be a place of conflict until the end of history. The struggle to usurp Jewish dominion people over the city of Jerusalem continued from the days of David until Roman times. 

Now in these end days the struggle has revived, as Islam, in collusion with the appeasing secular powers, seeks once more to prise Jerusalem from Jewish control. The struggle for Jerusalem is a collision between God’s Kingdom and man’s. It is a clash of kingdoms and, in the words of Victor Schlatter, ‘the showdown of the gods.’ Chanukah is an annual reminder that the struggle for Jerusalem is no ordinary struggle but a part of the plan and purpose of God.  In these days when the world powers still rage to get sovereignty over Jerusalem it is fitting that all who love Jerusalem and God’s purposes for world redemption should celebrate Chanukah.

 

Jesus & Chanukah

      Jesus, as He grew up in Nazareth, celebrated Chanukah and it was during Chanukah that the events recorded by John in chapters 9 and 10 took place. During this festival Jesus made it publicly known in Jerusalem that He was the Good Shepherd – the Messiah (John 10:11). “It was the feast of the Dedication (Chanukah) at Jerusalem. .. So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness to me” (John 10:22-25)

 Just as His actions at Passover permanently changed the meaning of Passover, so His words at Chanukah have permanently lifted Chanukah to a new dimension. Chanukah becomes  the day of the revelation of Jesus as the Messiah,  King of Israel and rightful heir to the throne of Jerusalem. And so for New Testament believers Chanukah is not just the celebration of our solidarity with God’s purposes for Jerusalem but our celebration of Jesus as the Messiah. In Chanukah and Christmas (Messiah day) there is therefore a perfect convergence.

It is of course unlikely that the birth of Jesus took pace at this time. But is it not  wonderful to celebrate at Chanukah that the Messiah has come and has accomplished His mission as Savior?  And is it not right that we should invite the whole world to the party: to receive her King?  Joy to the world Let earth receive her King!

We do not believe that Christmas is a pagan Feast. It certainly is not for us! It is a Christian celebration of the presence of the coming and revelation of  Jesus Messiah. In the outpouring of affection and caring that takes place at Christmas we have a practical outworking of  Jesus’ New Commandment “love one another as I have loved you.” In spite of all the craziness and commercialism that  goes on in our world,  His work of redemption and message of love is more relevant  today than ever before. . After 2000 years it has lost none of it power to inspire  hope and to generate love. “Of the increase of His government there will be no end.”