Feast of Dedication

Tonight starts the first night of Chanukkah for our family and many others.  I am excited about this night with my family.  I am excited about what I have learned about this holiday and what the Lord is speaking to David and I as to why we will be celebrating Chanukkah with our family. 

The story of Chanukkah is that in 200 BC Antiochus Epiphanes tried to Hellenize Israel and appointed a man that was not a Levi priest over the Temple and then desecrated it.   The Maccabbees of the tribe of Levi refused to be Hellenized and revolted against Antiochus.  The  Maccabbees lead the revolt and as the story goes they called to all the Israelites that those who were zealous for the Torah ( the word)  that they follow them to the mountains and that remnant of Israel eventually led the overthrow of Antiochus and the re-dedication (Chanukkah in Hebrew) of the temple.

We will be lighting the candles and saying the blessings but we will be like those that followed the Maccabbees and be zealous for the word this season and re-dedicate ourselves its study.