Hanukkah has always been a celebration of miracles and it still is today!! Miracles, those outcomes that are not at all possible in the natural or by our own strength, wisdom, or control – but only with God. With Him, all things are possible! (Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17; 27).
Looking back to the first Hanukkah, in addition to the humanly impossible victory of the small band of Maccabees over the mighty Greek-Syrian army, one of the best known miracles of Hanukkah is that when the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple, the one-day supply of oil that they found for lighting the Menorah miraculously lasted eight days, the length of time it took for new oil to be made. Thus, they were able to fulfill God’s command that the light of the menorah – representing and reflecting God’s eternal presence – should never be extinguished (Ex 27:20).
The Jerusalem Temple menorah was a reflection of the heavenly menorah in the Heavenly Tabernacle. It reflected and revealed God’s presence (“panim,” i.e., face), as “the light of His face.” The fact that He commanded it to be lit continually tells us that the light of His face or presence never ceases. His presence is always with us as believers, He never slumbers nor sleeps, and He never leaves us or forsakes us.
As I gaze at the flames of the Menorah, I’m reminded that light always overcomes the darkness. It always breaks through. He is light and there is no darkness in Him at all (1 John 1:5; Job 12:22; Pv. 20:27; 1 Cor 4:5). In Him, we are victorious over the darkness.
When we open our spiritual eyes to see miracles each day, we see that the light of His face never goes out, it never stops breaking through the darkness. He is always working for good (Rom 8:28; Jer. 29:11), always bringing life (John 10:10), always desiring to heal (Ps 103:2-3; Matt 9:35), to reconcile (Eph 2:14), to renew (Rev. 21:5; Is 65:17), to restore, to rebuild, to love, to rejoice over us with singing (Zeph 3:17; Is. 62:5), to “take us back to the garden.”
In these times of darkness, we must gaze at the menorah and remember — just as the light of the menorah never went out, God’s light, His presence can never be extinguished, and HIS light can still break through ANY darkness! We have this assurance because Yeshua broke through and conquered death itself, the ultimate darkness. (Heb. 2:14-15; 1 John 3:8; 1 Cor 15:54; Hos. 13:14; Rev. 1:18).
Since He has already broken through the ultimate darkness, we can be confident and trust that He can still break through any darkness in our lives and in this world today. Every day He desires to do miracles in our lives. Every day His heart is to heal our hearts. Every day He wants to take us “back to the garden,” to restore His original intent for us — to experience that intimacy with Him when “He walked with us in the garden in the cool of the day.” (Gen 3:8). This is the whole purpose for our existence — to know Him intimately and to make Him known.
What darkness do you need Him to break through in your life? Believe that He can break through ANY darkness, that there is no depth or degree of darkness that His light cannot penetrate. What miracles are you believing for this Hanukkah season? Just last night, I received two Hanukkah miracles in the form of answered prayers that were impossible for me to bring about, situations that looked hopeless on the outside. We need to take our thoughts (and words) captive, that’s right every single one! We need to come out of agreement with the hopelessness or impossibilities we may see. Stand on His promises, and that His character, attributes, and nature never change. Begin to call the things that are not yet in accordance with His Will as though they were (Rom. 4:17). Thank Him now, in advance, out loud, for your miracle(s) that are in agreement with His Will and Word, and receive that special blessing this Hanukkah season!
Happy Hanukkah!
For more information on applying the themes of Hanukkah in your daily life, please check out my STORE under CD SERIES – Applying the Biblical Feasts; or CD SINGLES, Biblical Feasts, Hanukkah
Blessings,
Jeanne
