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| The Word of Messiah Ministries December 2014 Newsletter - eShmooze |
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| Happy Hanukkah! |
The Meaning of Hanukkah
Hanukkah was established in 165 BC as a memorial to the purification and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. This cleansing was necessary due to its defilement three years earlier. In 168 BC, Antiochus Epiphanes, the king of Syria, captured Jerusalem, plundered the Temple treasury, and to add insult to injury, profaned the Temple by sacrificing a pig to Zeus on the Temple altar.
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Hanukkah was established in 165 BC as a memorial to the purification and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. This cleansing was necessary due to its defilement three years earlier. In 168 BC, Antiochus Epiphanes, the king of Syria, captured Jerusalem, plundered the Temple treasury, and to add insult to injury, profaned the Temple by sacrificing a pig to Zeus on the Temple altar. His persecution of and attempt to Hellenize the Jewish people in Judea resulted in what is called the Maccabean revolt. Led by Judah Maccabee, the Israelis resisted and fought against the occupying Syrian army and, after three years, defeated them.
Why Eight Days?
The celebration lasted for eight days and began on the 25th of the month of Kislev (December). Hanukkah is thought by many people to be eight days long because of a legend regarding the oil in the Temple. According to this tradition, when the Maccabees recaptured and rededicated the Temple, they attempted to light the Temple menorah. This menorah, which was to burn continually, represented the eternal light of God. But alas, there was only enough oil to last for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days when the Temple was rededicated. However, the legend of the oil is not historically accurate due to the fact that it developed during the Roman occupation long after the events occurred. Why this legend? Perhaps to avoid the warlike aspects of the holiday, the legend of the oil became popular. After all, celebrating the overthrow of your oppressors would be perceived as politically incorrect by the Roman army and would likely have caused unwanted trouble for the Israelis of that day.
Perhaps a better explanation of why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days is because when the Temple was rededicated for holy worship, the great Feast of Sukkot (or Tabernacles) had already passed. Hanukkah, therefore, was considered an additional second Sukkot for the victorious Jewish army.
Hanukkah Today
Hanukkah today centers on a nine-branch menorah called a hanukiyah, in contrast to the Temple menorah which has only seven branches. The nine branches include the shamash, or “servant” candle, which is used to light the other eight candles. These represent the eight days of Hanukkah. Interestingly, the shamash is usually higher than, or separate from, the other eight candles. As a servant, it presents a beautiful picture of Messiah Yeshua! But as the name indicates, Hanukkah is about dedication, specifically, the dedication of the Temple of God.
Jesus and Hanukkah
Messiah came to dedicate and restore humanity back to God so we could worship Him in spirit and truth. As His temple, at every Hanukkah season we recognize that unless we are dedicated, we simply are not spiritually useful to God; we, therefore, live unfulfilled lives. Dedication is similar to the idea of holy, or kadosh, which means “set apart, to hallow, or to consecrate,” which carries the idea- for God’s use only. So also, Hanukkah illustrates God’s purpose for His Temple to be consecrated and dedicated for worship only. Just as Judah Maccabee came to remove the enemies’ defiling hold over God’s Temple, Yeshua came that we would be “delivered from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son” (Col. 1:13).
The idea of dedication involves “limitation”. If we are truly dedicated to the Lord; we restrict ourselves for His use only. For all of us, spiritual maturity is the result of consistent dedication which is based on a relationship with God. Dedication is not just a matter of a well-rounded education, but rather being properly focused on the Word, as well as practicing consistent application of the Word. Who does God use to free those dominated and ensnared by the enemy? He uses only the dedicated servants (Hanikim). It is not our ability but our availability that counts. The dedicated are spiritually successful and those who completely give themselves to God will share in His victory and glory. Many lives were sacrificed for the cause of liberating and rededicating the Temple. In a similar way, Messiah gave His life as a sacrifice to redeem us as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? "For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Cor 6:19-20)
Dedication is measured by sacrifice. When the Temple was dedicated it fulfilled God’s purpose. When you are dedicated to Him you find God’s purpose for yourself as well. Your heart is His dwelling place, an altar for prayer. This is where we meet intimately with God. If you restrict your life “for God’s use only,” then you will find fulfillment. Our Messiah is the perfect example of a dedicated life.
"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)
He came only to serve. He gave up the glory of heaven to become a Servant and to fulfill the will of God. Yeshua is the Son of God who models for us the Sonship that faith brings. He is the Eternal Sanctuary of the Living God:
"I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple." (Rev. 21:22)
Yeshua died for you. He paid a great price that you might be set free from the bondage of sin and live unto God. Victory is certain; therefore, be a dedicated temple of God. Dedicate, or rededicate, your life to Messiah, and have a happy Hanukkah.
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2014 Fall Festival Outreach Reports
We've been blessed by the Lord's work during the Fall Festival season. In many places we've seen a great response to the Good News of Messiah, present through the Jewish New Year, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Booths. Some of you know I am working with many planters world-wide and I want to share a few abbreviated reports from three new 'local' Messianic congregation plants in Roanoke, VA, Monroe, NC, and Columbia, SC.
We’ve been blessed by the Lord’s work during the Fall Festival season. In many places we’ve seen a great response to the Good News of Messiah, present through the Jewish New Year, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Booths. Some of you know I am working with many planters world-wide and I want to share a few abbreviated reports from three new ‘local’ Messianic congregation plants in Roanoke, VA, Monroe, NC, and Columbia, SC. They’re so new that they do not yet have weekly services, but are in the gathering phase of doing evangelism and discipleship in order to form a core group of about 10-15 discipled families. At these early stages we call them “fellowships” and not “congregations”.
Each one of these groups has a different planting formula: Roanoke is a traditional pioneer work, starting with no one, and reaching people one soul at a time. Monroe is a branching model, with several families leaving the Charlotte Messianic congregation to form a nucleus for outreach and discipleship in another local area. Columbia, SC, is a live-streaming model, where the group leader will be the onsite shepherd, but the message and worship service will be live-streamed into their meeting place; then the leadership will pray, conduct local evangelism, disciple new believers, follow up on visitors, conduct classes, etc. Roanoke has had their first full holiday outreach services; Monroe has had one service for outreach purposes, and Columbia is so new, they are just getting their toes wet. One thing I’m blessed to say, however, is that all of them are led by very godly and committed servants of the Lord.
Messianic congregation plant in Roanoke, VA, under the leadership of Tony and Michelle Mardian:
Our monthly gatherings average 40-50 people with new visitors each time. Over the past year we have added a children’s class utilizing a Messianic Jewish curriculum. Due to families with small children, we are now looking towards nursery care as well. This Fall, the servants' team decided to conduct our own High Holy Day services rather than live-streaming with Hope of Israel Congregation in Charlotte, NC, as we did last year. This was a wonderful test on our current system and our Servants' Team as they were challenged with what weekly services would be like. We were able to see areas of strength, as well as areas of weakness. Hope of Israel Roanoke had forty new visitors for Rosh Hashanah*, Yom Kippur*, and Sukkot*. This opened the door for Tony to hold the first of a series of informational meetings to share the vision, mission, and values of HOI with the many new visitors. We had eight new people attend this meeting and several expressed genuine interest in moving forward with us in the vision of Messianic congregational planting.
Those in the greater Roanoke, VA, area interested in becoming involved, contact Tony at www.hoiroanoke.com , call 540-632-0009, or find him on Facebook: Hope of Israel Roanoke Messianic Fellowship.
Messianic congregation plant in Monroe, NC, under the leadership of Devin and Traci Baucom:
This was a wonderful Fall Feast season. I found myself burdened to share the message of the Messiah found within the Feast Days with the newcomers at our Monroe congregation plant. One is a Jewish man, "J", though born of Jewish parents, he was raised in a non-Jewish family. He lacks the traditional experiences that many Jewish people may take for granted. Another newcomer is a woman, "M", whose grandmother was Jewish but her own parents raised her outside of traditional Judaism. What a splendid time we had exploring the Scriptures and the layers of holiday customs that point straight to Messiah Yeshua and His redemptive work.
For Sukkot* we were blessed at our outreach with more Jewish and non-Jewish visitors alike; we are following up on each of these seeking souls. I live outside the city and my sukkah (booth) was set up away from the house so it would be more visible. It became a conversation starter and a great jumping off point for sharing Messiah, His redemptive plan and His coming return. Yeshua said, “Let your light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16); and that’s what we continue to do. I had a great opportunity this Yom Kippur* and Sukkot* season to share with and get to know another Jewish seeker, "R." I look forward to what the Lord is going to do with his faith-obedience as he becomes a disciple of Messiah. I can’t wait to see what this month holds and I am equally anticipating the Spring Feast days as well. Blessings, Devin
If you are in the Monroe, NC, area and want to get involved, contact Devin thru Facebook at Hope of Israel Monroe or email him at devinbaucom@gmail.com.
Messianic congregation plant in Columbia, SC, under the leadership Lew and Debe Wayburn:
Shalom, we have had wide open doors and a wonderful response to our early efforts here in Columbia, SC. Everyone is so encouraging and those I have spoken with are really excited to see a Messianic congregation getting planted here.
Since we’re just in the “Gathering Stage” by reaching out with the Good News of Messiah, we haven’t had as busy a fall festival season as I’m sure will be happening in the years to come. In fact, we recently held our first “Live Streaming” services. This first ‘service’ was wonderful! We met in an office building downtown, centrally located for folks. The worship service, message, and live-streaming went very well! We had a small Oneg (light refreshments) afterwards and we spent an hour discussing the message and various matters of the Lord.
We have begun discipling one man and there are several others to whom we are reaching out. We are making new friends along the way and praying for God to continue to work in the hearts of people in Columbia, and for Him to lead us to where He is doing that work, so we can join Him there. Please pray for continued growth and protection for our families here! We are experiencing some resistance from the adversary, which though expected, is still challenging nonetheless, yet victory in Messiah is assured!
For those in the Columbia, SC, area who want to get involved, contact Lew Wayburn at Lew@ISBConcepts.com.
Please remember these seedlings in prayer, that the Lord will use each of them to raise up the testimony of Messiah "to the Jew first and also to the Gentile" (Rom. 1:16)
* Rosh Hashanah= Jewish New Year
Yom Kippur= Day of Atonement
Sukkot = Feast of Booths
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Seasonal MP3 Messages
by Sam Nadler
A Season for Miracles (2 MP3 Messages)
- Hanukkah - Learn how Yeshua utilizes Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication, in John 10 to speak of Himself as "The Greater Maccabee"
- The Birth of Messiah - The prophet Micah spoke of Messiah's humble birth, and through it we learn the value of humility
Christmas through Jewish Eyes
- Isaiah 9:1-6 - Walk with a Jewish follower of Yeshua through one of the most striking prophecies of the Old Testament
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