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Christmas, Hanukkah, and the Anti-Christ Part 4

Christmas, Hanukkah, and the Anti-Christ Part 4

Hanukkah Traditions
We’ve learned a lot in the first three parts of this series. We started in Part 1 with the historical account of Hanukkah, discovering the incredible story of how one man, with God’s help, stood up to evil, triumphed against all odds, and saved an entire people in the process. In Part 2, we learned how the Messiah kept this festival in the first century and how we could calculate His conception as taking place during it, leading to His real birth during the Feast of Tabernacles (our September/October). In Part 3, we discussed the connection to Christmas and the Antichrist and learned where celebrating it on December 25th came from. In this final part, I would like to share some of my family’s traditions with you and discuss how we transitioned into celebrating the Festival of Lights.

Celebrating Christmas was a major focus in my family when I was growing up. From the mistletoe to sitting on Santa’s lap, to waking up on Christmas morning to mountains of presents that buried that little two-inch baby Jesus in His ceramic manger, Christmas was my holiday of choice as a growing boy. But all that changed in the years following 2002 as the Father began to draw me back—past my Protestant roots, past my Catholic roots, past the days of the Roman Emperors, and even past the Gentile Church Fathers—all the way back to my real forefathers, the disciples and followers of the Jewish Rabbi Yeshua. Once I learned about what they did and why they did it, it all began to make sense that somewhere down the line, we Christians had been ripped off in terms of holidays. Hanukkah, in all its beauty, had been replaced by the much more commercialized and popular Roman day of Christmas.

When our family learned more about the Feast of Dedication, the time when Yeshua was conceived, we decided to “rebirth” it in our own family. In doing so, we’ve developed a few traditions that I would like to share.

DECORATIONS

First of all, we decorate our house with white and blue lights of all kinds. After all, the Messiah, the Light of the World, was conceived during this week, and light is the official purpose of this holiday. Just like the menorah lit up the Temple in ancient Jerusalem, we fill our temple home with bright lights and decorations.

We also take pictures of the family each year, print them out, and then put some of them onto stars or snowflakes that we either buy or make. To do this yourself, simply take some pictures and blow them up large enough so they can be cut into snowflakes or stars. You can paint the other side blue or other colors and laminate them to make them stronger. Once we make our stars, we hang them by multi-colored strings from our ceiling in different parts of the house. It’s a lot of fun to pull the stars out each year and revisit those memories all over again.

We also bake sugar cookies in the shape of shofars, hanukkiahs (the nine-branched menorah created especially for Hanukkah), snowflakes, Hebrew letters, dreidels, and snowmen. The kids spend hours decorating them. (When you have six daughters, there’s never a shortage of baking.) We always do craft projects with the little ones that we use to decorate the house, as well. Making placemats for the dinner table and laminating them is also a fun way to preserve memories.

The ideas are endless, and with a little creativity, you’ll begin to see how fun it is to start your own family traditions. Whatever you decide to do will no doubt be passed down from generation to generation.

With this in mind, I would recommend having a family heirloom that can be passed down as well. Maybe it’s a special menorah or a special Hanukkah blanket with everyone’s names embroidered on it that only comes out during this time of year. It really doesn’t matter what it is as long as it’s special to you and your family. Memories and traditions are really important. And because this holiday has so much richness built into it and is laced with so much spiritual depth, I encourage you to make it your own and have fun with it.

THE MENORAH

Our family also has menorahs everywhere. There are two different kinds of menorahs. There’s the normal six-branched menorah that was found in the Temple, and then there’s the eight-branched menorah created especially for Hanukkah, called a hanukkiah. The six-branched menorah is really a six-branched candlestick with a center Shamash (servant) candle (making 7 candles) that is used to light all the other lights. Along with other deep meanings, it represents the six days of creation and the seventh day of rest. Similarly, the hanukkiah is really an eight-branched candlestick that also has a servant candle. The eight lights represent the eight days of Hanukkah, and the servant candle represents Yeshua Himself.

We place various menorahs all over the house, and it’s traditional to place them on every windowsill so everyone can see. Unless your curtains are fireproof, I would recommend the electric ones 😇. There are literally thousands of different kinds available to choose from online.

OUR FIRST HANUKKAH

In an effort to make our first Hanukkah special, I decided to make our main hanukkiah from scratch. We found a really cool base, painted it gold, and then filled it with blue sand. From there, we took plastic oil lamps that we purchased at a craft store and wrapped them in construction paper with the words of what each light represented. It was fun to make with the kids and made for some great memories.

We lit the Shamash candle each night and then one candle for each of the eight nights, until the eighth night when all the candles were lit. Because the entire holiday is about redeeming the light, I decided that I was going to teach my children a different facet of what light is in the Bible each night. I did this by making the eight nights connect to the history of light in the biblical timeline. On each day, I read scriptures that correlate with that topic, along with another scripture or two that have to do with light.

NOTE: The Shamash candle in the middle does not count as one of the candles or nights. It is the servant candle that you light first, and from it, you light each candle each night. Also, these are just traditions that I made up for my family. You can use them or add your own!

What Each Day Represents

DAY ONE: On day one, the first candle we called the Light of Creation. We read from Genesis and showed how the Light of Messiah was brought into our existence and how the physical lights in the universe were also created. We talk about how Adam and Eve were given the first light and how they were supposed to pass it to the next generation. I talk about how from one light will come all the other lights throughout time.

DAY TWO: The second candle we made became the Light of Noah. Much like Judah Maccabee and his father, Noah was one man who stood up to the evil of his day. The torch was passed from Adam to Noah’s family, as Noah’s father would have been alive during Adam’s life. Pretty amazing to think about! There were eight people in the ark, and I connect it to the eight days of Hanukkah. I explain how the number eight in Hebrew is the number of “new beginnings” and how the eight “lights” in the ark were not meant to stay in the ark but are meant to be shared with the world. We can’t keep our light under a bushel!

DAY THREE: The third light is Abraham, the Father of the people of God. This is where the light was reintroduced to the people of earth, and where obedience through faith really begins to come to the forefront when Isaac is bound to the altar. We read the story of the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22 and talk about how the beautiful picture of Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son is a picture of Yeshua offering Himself as a substitute for all of us.

DAY FOUR: Day four is all about Moses and the commandments. The light was reintroduced to him at the burning bush, which brought about the redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt. We talk about the Exodus story and how it foreshadows our Lord Yeshua, who “Passed Over” us and our sins because we put His blood over the doors of our hearts. Then we talk about how the Light came in the form of the commandments and read and discuss Psalm 119:105 that talks about His Law being a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.

DAY FIVE: The fifth candle is the disciples. They were told to take that light to the rest of the world. We read Matthew 5:14-16, where they were told they were the light of the world and how light is not meant to be hidden under a bushel. We discuss what this passage means and how we can better incorporate it into our lives.

DAY SIX: After the light was given to His disciples and to the Jewish people, the Father then gave the instruction for them to take it to the Gentiles. So the sixth light is the Gentiles. We read Acts 10 and explain how God called Peter to go give the gospel to Cornelius, but how Peter resisted, thinking that the Gentiles were unclean. But God had to show him that the gospel was for everyone who would receive it, and that the light of salvation was open to all people.

DAY SEVEN: The seventh light is the light that lives in us. 1 John 1:7 and Ephesians 5:8 remind us that we are to live as children of light and reflect the light of Yeshua in this dark world. So we read each of those scriptures and take time as a family to talk about how we can incorporate more of the light into our personal lives and as a family.

DAY EIGHT: Finally, on the eighth day, we look to the future—the Millennium. Revelation 21:23 reminds us that in the New Jerusalem, there will be no need for a sun, because the Lamb Himself will be the light of the city. We reflect on His return and look forward to the time when He will reign as the Light of the World.

OTHER TRADITIONS

In addition to the nightly readings and lighting, we’ve come up with other fun traditions. For example, on the night of the fourth light (the Commandments), I turn out all the lights, blindfold the younger children, and give them small flashlights to guide them through the house to their surprise. This teaches them that God’s Word is a light to our path.

We’ve also played flashlight tag with the kids. We turn on blacklights and make signs with special blacklight paint. The kids enjoy running around in the dark following the “signs” to their prize, teaching them to follow the signs of God’s Word and His Spirit.

GIFT-GIVING

In our home, giving small gifts has become part of our Hanukkah celebration. Some people avoid gift-giving in order not to mimic Christmas, but in our belief, there is nothing wrong with expressing love toward one another through one of the love languages of gift-giving. After all, not only did Esther institute gift-giving as a commemoration of Purim (Esther 9:22), but Christ Himself recognized that good fathers on earth know how to give good gifts to their children (Mt. 7:11). In our family, we simply exchange names and give each other one or two small, meaningful gifts as a way of expressing love and encouraging thoughtfulness toward one another.

THE DREIDEL GAME

Another fun part of the holiday is the dreidel game. We give the children chocolate coins to play with, and when the dreidel lands on a certain letter, they either take or give away coins. It’s a great way for everyone to have fun, enjoy sweets, and make great memories.

In the End, Hanukkah is More Than a Tradition

Hanukkah, while not directly commanded in Scripture, is a cherished tradition established by the Jewish people to commemorate God’s miraculous deliverance from their enemies—a testament to His faithfulness throughout history. Although it is a tradition, it aligns beautifully with biblical principles, encouraging believers to live as light-bearers for Christ. For this reason, we find great value in celebrating this meaningful holiday.

Whether or not you choose to embrace Hanukkah as part of your family’s traditions is a personal decision between you and the Lord. Regardless, let us all strive to shine as lights in the world, reflecting His love and truth until the Light of the world returns!

Here are 20 more scriptures about light in the Bible that you can read and discuss as a family:

    1. Genesis 1:3
      “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”
    1. Psalm 27:1
      “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?”
    1. Psalm 36:9
      “For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”
    1. Psalm 119:105
      “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
    1. Psalm 119:130
      “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”
    1. Isaiah 9:2
      “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.”
    1. Isaiah 42:6
      “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles.”
    1. Isaiah 49:6
      “Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.'”
    1. Isaiah 60:1
      “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.”
    1. Isaiah 60:19
      “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.”
    1. Micah 7:8
      “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.”
    1. John 1:4-5
      “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.”
    1. John 8:12
      “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'”
    1. Matthew 5:14-16
      “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
    1. Isaiah 60:19
      “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.”
    1. Matthew 5:14
      “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
    1. Ephesians 5:8
      “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
    1. 2 Corinthians 4:6
      “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
    1. 1 John 1:5
      “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”
    1. Philippians 2:15
      “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

Download Hanukkah Day 4 here:

Jim Staley

About The Author
Jim’s life’s desire is to help believers everywhere draw closer to the Father by understanding the truth of the scriptures from their original cultural context (a Hebraic perspective) and to apply them in faith for today.

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