Shabbat - December 25, 2004

All sermons are exclusive property of Rabbi Mark Shulman and are not to be reprinted in whole or in part without the express written consent of Rabbi Shulman . If you have heard a sermon that you would like him to make available, or if you would like to submit a question / comment on any of his sermons, please click here .

LIGHT WARS

At this time every year, much of the world embarks on a roller coaster of holiday joy. Or confusion? especially in America “the reason for the season” is all but plain. Today we live in culture of instant satisfaction, where joy and blessing is measured by the ticket price of a “gift” or the sheer quantity of “stuff” that we can fit under a tree or a menorah.

We live in a “Judeo-Christian” culture that in many ways has lost the ability to “express exactly what we are trying to express”. Does that make any sense? Oh what has been lost from generations taking ha-Shem out of the “reason for the season”. Jews and Gentiles in and out of the body have strayed from God's word, creating an atmosphere of wall building, distrust and intolerance on where they stand on Chanukah and Christmas. Many Jews and Gentiles in their hearts have drawn a line of rejection or acceptance on how these holidays should be accepted and embraced, OR NOT. We will not have the definitive word on this till Messiah returns!

What I want to share today is the connection the Lord has shared with me regarding what I call the season of light . I think we all would agree that the theme of this season whether we embrace Chanukah or Christmas or maybe both, that the real story is the light of God. So we face not only Good Vs Evil, but Good Vs Good. In a galaxy very close and near (ours), in a time not so far away (5,765 years ago) . Ha-Shem created our favorite hero story, LIGHT WARS the trilogy of truth (imagine the opening music from star wars to set the tone).

The trilogy format ( Hey, it worked for Spielberg!) , used by Star Wars, is a guide to frame “LIGHT WARS” , a glimpse of the world's struggles, the heavenlies and powers and principalities battle over God himself, Messiah and the Light of God (the Spirit of God), which shines through in us and in the events of this world Amen? Just as events in the Star War's trilogy represented events bigger than the characters or places, so this world seen through the word, deed and manifestation of God is bigger than people or places past, present or future, for the events of this world are all shaped by God, an intimate player in our world from the beginning and to its fulfillment. And the ultimate purpose of all these events? That Gods Glory is revealed, and that the Light of God is released into the world!

Let's begin by reviewing some of the early Episodes:

Part one Episode I: In the beginning: We have Good

And we have Evil

Part one Episode 2: Moses Strikes Back

And we have

Part one Episode 3: Early Warning Babylon I

The Lord has encouraged me through prayer and study to focus on Part 2 episodes IV and V of the trilogy. We are looking at events leading up to this season we struggle with, the Holiday season, Christmas and Chanukah, a season of light, a season of struggle, a season of freedom, ( a season of God?)

Neither Xmas (the birth of Messiah) nor Chanukah is mentioned in scripture. But there are prophetic words for both found in the Bible. A promise of a Messiah in Genesis, the seed of women Genesis ( 3:15 ) will crush the head of the serpent, and in Isaiah of a virgin birth. Daniel (chapter 8 and 11) are chock full of prophecy pointing directly to the events of Chanukah.

• The angel Gabriel appears to Daniel in 8:13-14 “Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking
• “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?” And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
• Daniel 8:16 After 2300 evenings and mornings then the sanctuary will be properly restored. After the sacrifices are taken away they were restored.
• Daniel 8:12-14 Has its partial fulfillment in the time of the Maccabees.
• Daniel's prophecy is a picture of what will also happen in the last days. Revelation 13:15 with the image of the beast being worshipped and Matthew 24:15 : “Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.”
• This prediction is totally fulfilled in the end times but was partially fulfilled in the time of the Maccabees as prophecy sometimes has repetitive patterns.

  And what does the Hebrew Testament predict for Messiah?

And how does Messiah come into this world?

Philippians 2:5ff explains the mystery of the incarnation

Now to the heart of what I believe the Lord desired I share today.

Part 2 Episode IV and V The Dedication, Return of the Light

For approximately 200 years, Israel had not heard from God. Many failed leaders and broken promises by the chosen people, what could have been, what should have been. Israel had come out of bondage, 70 years in exile. In the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, the Temple was rebuilt; it took over 100 years of toil and trouble. It didn't take long for it to fall on hard times again.

But when and by whom was Chanukah Established?

The first Chanukah was celebrated a year after the victory. Judah Maccabee and the Sanhedrin established Chanukah. The Sanhedrin is the highest Jewish court, its judges were the most respected and most observant Rabbis of the time. They proclaimed it be celebrated every year. ( 1 Macc. iv. 59 )

The Sages of the Sanhedrin instituted that on Chanukah we thank G-d with praises, joy, and Torah study, and that we light the Menorah each night . T he Menorah gives light, and light is a euphemism for the Ruach, and the Menorah represents God.

None of the historical books written in the inter-testamental period mention the miracle of lights for 8 days. The historical books that speak of the Maccabean revolt such as I and 2 Maccabees - make no mention of any such miracle. The story of the miracles Originates with the Talmud. Is it is merely tradition? Or is it fact that is recorded in rabbinic writings.

And what of Yeshua and Hanukah? Yeshua observes the feast, showing that it is legitimate (John 10:22 ), and that is good enough for me! But now we must ask the question, why 8 days? is it the oil, or is there more? This episode is “Dedication, Return of the Light”, could there be more to the light than just 8 lights a burnin?

Many historians and biblical scholars believe that the reason for the eight day celebration was that the first Chanukah was in effect a belated celebration of the festival of Sukkot , the Feast of Tabernacles ( Macc. x. 6 ). During the war Jews were not able to celebrate Sukkot properly. Sukkot lasts eight days, and was a holiday in which the lighting of lamps played a prominent part during the Second Temple period (Suk.v. 2-4). Lights were also kindled in the household, and the popular name of the festival was, according to Josephus ( Jewish Antiquities xii ) is "Festival of Lights" In Hebrew it is known as Hag Haorim.

The Temple was rededicated after the Macabees victory. Three months later than the date commanded by God, Sukkot was celebrated, for it took 3 months to rebuild the Alter that had been desecrated by the Assyrians. But what about the 9 branched Menorah? Known as a Hanukiah, this menorah was to commemorate the miracle that occurred. The rabbi's decided to make this holiday more special so they designed a special menorah in which eight candles plus the 9 th the Shamash candle were represented instead of the usual 7 branch Menorah in the temple. From that came the concept of the eight days of Chanukah , which actuality is shadowing Sukkot. This is why the technical name is not the “Feast of Lights” but, rather, “ the Feast of Dedication”, to mark the rededication of the Jewish Temple Which starts on the 25 th Kislev.

On the first day of Sukkot during temple times, three 75 feet high Menorahs were erected in the Court of the Women. The Court of the Women gave access to all who desired to enter and experience the joy of Sukkot. In fact, it is noted in the Talmud (Sukkot 51a-b), “that one has never experienced joy unless they were at this ceremony.”

The light from these Menorahs “lit all the courtyards of Jerusalem !” The wicks were made from the priests' old garments. At the base of the candles, “Men of piety and good deeds would dance before them with lighted torches in their hands, singing songs and praises. Levites without number with harps, lyres, cymbals trumpets and other musical instruments were there upon the fifteen steps leading down from the Court of the Gentiles to the Court of the Women.”

The end if this Episode had great promise but ended with great disappointment for Israel, setting the stage for Episode V

Part 2 Episode V Brit Milah-The Birth of the King

So now we come to arguably the most important event in human history. Almost everyone in this world who has come or gone in the past 2000 years has been on either one side or another. Yeshua is Messiah, born fully man and God, or it is a great big lie.

Ha-Satan has worked overtime on this one; it is the classic battle of Good and Evil. The enemy has been working overtime since the fall to keep Messiah, the Savior of the world from succeeding, Satan failed to stop the conception or the birth, and he has been kicking himself ever since!

The enemy has been successful dividing people, not only by those that embrace Messiah Yeshua, but those that have been blinded to the truth of the birth of God's only son. The focus of Episode V is on some of the things that have left many in the body of believers divided by a wall within the Body of Messiah (Jew and Gentile). One of the areas that have been used is the Birth of Messiah.

SO WHEN WAS YESHUA BORN?

The Bible does not reveal the day, month or year of Yeshua's birth. It has become tradition through the Christian Body that Messiah's birth was on December 25 th (based on the Roman Calendar the Roman Emperor Constantine embraced), but that is problematic.

The Jewish Calendar is not fixed like the Julian Calendar that we get December 25 th from. All Jewish festivals and appointed times are based on a Lunar cycle.

Historians today agree that, when Dionysius Exiguus, in the sixth century calculated the year of Messiah's birth, he miscounted 4 to 6 years later than the actual date. Since it can be proven that Herod died in the year 4 B.C. of our present calendar, and since Yeshua was born before Herod died, Yeshua must have been born between 6 - 4 B.C.E.

This is not only based on historical records, but based on Daniel's prophecies concerning the Messiah. But since the Holy Spirit did not reveal the day, month or year of Yeshua's birth, then the actual or traditional date should not be a wall builder to fellowship or celebration in varying traditions. Let ALL celebrate as called by God in context of their individual or corporate callings. The great significance (and unifier), should be Yeshua the Machiach was born. In Luke 2:11-14 The angel said, ". . . This very day in the town of David , there was born for you a Deliverer who is the Messiah, the Lord. Here is how you will know: you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feeding trough. Suddenly, along with the angel was a vast army from heaven praising God: “In the highest heaven, glory to God! And on earth, peace among people of Good will!”

THE CASE FOR MESSIAH BEING BORN ON SUKKOT

Historical records and the prophesies of Daniel and others make a very strong case for Yeshua being born during the Festival of Sukkot. In the cycle of feasts we, as many Messianic Believers believe that Yeshua will return on Yom Teruah, judge on Yom Kippur and gather His people and the nations on Sukkot. Isn't it just like Abba Father to set Sukkot as the time Yeshua will come, the Season of our Joy, and ingather the faithful.

In Luke 1:9-10, we see that Zacharias the priest is burning incense. This is done in the room of the temple known as the Holy Place . Incense represents the prayers of God's people {Psalm 41:2; Revelation 8:3-4) In Luke 1:11 -13, the angel appeared on the right side of the altar and told Zacharias that his prayer was heard (praying for a child). The person who was to be born in the answered prayers was John ( Yochanan ) the Immerser (Baptist).

(12:5; 15:19 , 24-25) and then going forward nine months puts the birth of John ( Yochanan ) during the festival of Passover ( Pesach ).

Other Evidences of Yeshua's Birth During Sukkot

Yeshua himself framed His ministry and Who he is in the context of Sukkot.

In John 8:12 : While in the temple ( Beit HaMikdash ), In the brilliance of the gloriously lit temple, Yeshua cried “He was the light of the world .", this was done in the temple during the festival of Sukkot.

Yeshua knew his life, death and resurrection would kick start God's final Glorification. Because the King of Jerusalem, the Prince of Peace, will reign in Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4; 52:9-10; 62:7-8, Micah 4:1-3; Psalm 02:18-21; 125:1-2; 137:5-6). The day is coming when a restored and renewed Israel will once again be a light to the nations, for the destiny of Israel is linked to the destiny of the world!

And Yeshua saw himself in Chanukah

Chanukah falls in the winter month of December.  Yeshua went to the temple in Jerusalem , and here Yeshua participates in a feast that is not in scripture. On this occasion, the people remembered some statements that He had made three months earlier (John 8.12, 9.5).  It is her that He claimed to be the light of the world. The passage in John 10:22-39) where Chanukah occurs records much greater miracles:

Yeshua claims “who” he is, but really it is the feast of miracle's which is its real emphasis of John.10:22-24. Yeshua again was challenged to who He said he was. In John 10:25 Yeshua answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.”  He attributes all the miracles to himself. This is to have the people to come to Him and not follow his miracles, the miracles authenticated his person. But the people wanted the show, not the person nor his message. Their reaction to Yeshua saying “I and my Father are one”(verses 31-33) … The Jews took up stones to stone Him. Yeshua answered “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” The Jews finally found a use for the stones of the temple that were desecrated by Antiochus, and put aside when the Messiah would come. They decided to throw them at Messiah, for telling them the truth he was God. The stones torn down because of the temple desecration by an abomination , were then used against the Messiah who was the temple made without hands.

John 1:4-11 says : “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came to be a witness, to bear witness of the light, which all through him might believe.)   He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.   That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

And what do the Rabbi's have to say about Messiah, in the context of Light?

The importance of these Light Wars is the arrival of the Light of God, in Yeshua. The king is in place and the world waits. This is where we leave the story today……. But it is not the end and as with all good sequels, here is a peak at the coming attractions.

Part 2 Episode VI-Shulchan Aruch-the table is set: Yeshua's life

PART 3

Episode VII: Olam ha ba-the kingdom comes: Yeshua's Death and Resurrection

Episode VIII: Satan Strikes Back-it's a mad, mad world: The world yesterday, today and tomorrow

Episode IX: Revelation-The return of the King: The end game

Revelation 21:23 and 22:5 speak of the prophecy of Isaiah looking to the eternal period when the Lord is our everlasting light. In Judaism the future is referred to as “the world to come” and “the days of Messiah”. The Temple Menorah represents Messiah will be the Eternal Light (Ner Talmid) for Israel and the world.

2,000 years have passed since God has unwrapped his gift to us. It is about the Love of God, and it is the love that God has for us that is the motivation behind God sending his son, Yeshua. And it is also about truth, the truth that Yeshua is God incarnate. He's given Messiah free but men and women need to open the package. Humanity must open it's heart to ask for the forgiveness freely given, whether it be on Sukkot, Chanukah, Christmas or all three, it is not about giving gifts of this world, they are about God's gift, His Son, no matter what day or year. Light Wars is a real battle , a battle of powers and principalities, bringing confusion and mistrust and hatred to the world and to the body of Messiah. The Enemy wants to divide us, to kill us, but we can find unity in Messiah Yeshua who is the Light of God and is the Light in “Light Wars”.

AMEN

(Imagine the victory music from Star Wars, Hallelujah!)

.