The celebration of Hanukkah began this week all over the world. This is the “festival of lights” in Judaism. On eight consecutive nightfalls, Jews gather with family and friends to light one additional candle in the menorah, which is a multi-branched candelabra. This holiday commemorates the Maccabean victories over the forces of the Selecuid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reigned 175-164 BCE) and the rededication of the Temple on Kislev 25, 164 BCE. In John 10, Jesus is in Jerusalem during Hanukkah or the Feast of Dedication, walking in the temple.
Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade (vs. 22-23, NIV).
As the lights on the menorah begin to be lit, the darkness fades away. One of the songs that is sung during this celebration is called Banu Choshech Legaresh- “We Came to Drive Away the Darkness” or Illumination overcomes darkness!
This reminds us of the words of John about Jesus:
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:4-5, NIV).
The Greek word for “light” in John 1:4 is “phos”. This word phos means luminousness- fire, light. Some of the meanings derived from the word metaphorically are “deliverance”, “happiness”, “victory”, and “glory”. This word light or “phos” is used four times by Jesus in the book of Matthew including, “you are the light of the world”, (5:14, NIV). As children we learned to sing “This Little Light of Mine”, taken from this passage. In the gospel of John this same word is used ten times, including the famous statement of Jesus in chapter 8 where he says, “I am the Light to the world, and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness” (vs.12, TPT). Brian Simmons writes in The Passion Translation, that the Aramaic is “they will never be driven (pushed) by darkness.” Now I don’t know about you, but at times it definitely feels like the darkness in the world is pressing in on us. Counselors often see an increase of people who struggle with depressed mood this time of year as the days and darkness get longer. So when we begin to recognize and believe that the same light that radiates from Jesus, is the same light that illuminates us, Wow! What an amazing promise that we have in joining our life to the Light that illuminates the whole world! Just as quickly as the light pushes out the darkness, when we walk into a room and flip a switch to turn on a light, we can walk into our home, school or even our neighborhood Wal-mart and push out the darkness, by the illumination that we carry into that place. The light of Jesus that we carry, shifts atmospheres inside us, and throughout our sphere of influence. So this holiday season, as you see all of the beautiful lights, think about the power of the life-giving light that we carry and with intentionality, bring the illumination that the world is needing to drive out the darkness all around us.
Steps in Pursuit
- Meditate on John 8:12. Ask God to show you, any dark spots in your heart that could use some light of love. Picture the light of Jesus, filling those places and driving out hurt, pain, and unforgiveness.
- Light some candles this holiday season, and practice thanking God for this amazing gift of life-giving light, that brings happiness and glory to others around us.
- Practice being intentional as you shop and run errands this season to illuminate the places you enter with the light you carry. You may be surprised at how others around you respond!
“This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine…”
Continue the Pursuit,
Denise
