In our new Community Group (CG) through Mars Hill we had the privilege of celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas. Our leaders, Casey and Kristin, are an amazing married couple originally from California, but currently making an impact in the Rainier Valley. Casey grew up in a home where one parent was Jewish and the other Christian- meaning he celebrated both holidays. He has since continued to celebrate both and shared with our CG why even as Christians we can rejoice about Hanukkah.
History of Hanukkah
The events that inspired the Hanukkah holiday took place during a particularly turbulent phase of Jewish history. Around 200 B.C., Judea—also known as the Land of Israel—came under the control of Antiochus III, the Seleucid king of Syria, who allowed the Jews who lived there to continue practicing their religion. His son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, proved less benevolent: Ancient sources recount that he outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C., his soldiers descended upon Jerusalem, massacring thousands of people and desecrating the city’s holy Second Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls.
Led by the Jewish priest Mattathias and his five sons, a large-scale rebellion broke out against Antiochus and the Seleucid monarchy. When Matthathias died in 166 B.C., his son Judah, known as Judah Maccabee (“the Hammer”), took the helm; within two years the Jews had successfully driven the Syrians out of Jerusalem, relying largely on guerilla warfare tactics. Judah called on his followers to cleanse the Second Temple, rebuild its altar and light its menorah—the gold candelabrum whose seven branches represented knowledge and creation and were meant to be kept burning every night.
The Hanukkah "Miracle"
According to the Talmud, one of Judaism’s most central texts, Judah Maccabee and the other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Second Temple witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival. (The first Book of the Maccabees tells another version of the story, describing an eight-day celebration that followed the rededication but making no reference to the miracle of the oil.)
(taken from http://www.history.com/topics/hanukkah)
So because the Jewish people survived (which really should not have happened, it was only by God's grace)- Jesus was still able to come to earth through the Jewish line of David as prophesied!
On a very different note- Josh and I had a new experience this past Monday morning. I have always been a person who needs to sleep with noise (i.e. a fan) and after 25 years of forming this habit I instantly wake up when my "sleep machine" (as Josh likes to call it) turns off. Well, Monday morning at 4:40 AM I was awakened by the death of my sleep machine. Josh opens the bathroom door (because he had been up since 4 AM...the life of a Starbucks worker...) and informs me that the power went out. We proceed to the window to see the power has gone out in the blocks all around us. We both had the realization that we are in a sense "trapped". The nice part about our building is that it is high on security. Every resident has a key fob to open all doors to the building, amenities inside the building and to make the elevator move. There are no stairs going from the garage to residential floors or from areas that the general public can easily access. The unsettling part about your building- when the power goes out we can't access our car, the garage, or main office. If we went outside, our only hope of getting back in was if someone inside the building was strolling by. Not the best feeling in the world. Josh leaves for work, and sprints half way there...one doesn't stroll to work in the ghetto when ALL power is out. Unfortunately or thankfully? Starbucks still had power. My alarm went off later, and whats a girl to do when it is still pitch black out and no power....sleep more I say! Just as I was about to sit down to a dark breakfast, the power came back on just after 7:30 AM and I am pretty sure I heard a neighbor cheer! One thing to know about Seattle- when the power goes out, a three hour stint is NOTHING. There were other areas that lost power until 3 PM and the locals say its not unlikely for it to be out for days. They even have a Hotline you can call and hear an estimated time on when it will be back on- geesh! Our best guess at why it went out where the high winds that day. All I can say is thank goodness I bought a lighter :)
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| What it looked like, everywhere. |
