Pondering Hanukah!

1. Pondering Hanukah! Trivia Questions

2. 1. As of December 9, 2007, what day of Hanukah are we in? • First • Last • Second • Fifth

3. 2. Hanukkah lasts for how many days? • One • Five • Seven • Eight • Twelve

4. 3. According to Webster's Dictionary, which is NOT an acceptable way to spell Hanukkah ? • Hannukah • Hanukah • Hanukkah • Chanukah

5. 4. Hanukkah is NOT called this? • Feast of Dedication • Feast of Tabernacles • Feast of Lights

6. 5. What is the Hanukkah candle stand called? • Yarmulka • Latkes • Menorah • Ketubah • Liberace

7. 6. How many candles does the Hanukkah candle stand hold? • Five • Seven • Eight • Nine • Thirteen

8. 7. What Hannuka game is based on an old German gambling game? • Dreidel • Cribbage • Old maid • Go fish • Shmendrick

9. 8. The letters on a Dreidel stand for? • Dedication Feast of the Temple • A great miracle happened there • A great victory happened here • God is Victorious

10. 9. This is NOT served on Hanukah? • Potato Cakes • Dough Balls • Flat Bread • Marshmallow Dreidals

11. 10. According to the Hebrew Calendar, the 25th of Kislev starts Hanukah, so the first was celebrated on, according to a Christian calendar: • December 25th • December 1st • November 30th • December 9th

12. 1. As of December 9, 2007, what day of Hanukah are we in? • First • Last • Second • Fifth

13. 2. Hanukkah lasts for how many days? • One • Five • Seven • Eight • Twelve

14. 3. According to Webster's Dictionary, which is NOT an acceptable way to spell Hanukkah ? • Hannukah • Hanukah • Hanukkah • Chanukah

15. 4. Hanukkah is NOT called this? • Feast of Dedication • Feast of Tabernacles • Feast of Lights

16. 5. What is the Hanukkah candle stand called? • Yarmulka • Latkes • Menorah • Ketubah • Liberace

17. 6. How many candles does the Hanukkah candle stand hold? • Five • Seven • Eight • Nine • Thirteen

18. 7. What Hannuka game is based on an old German gambling game? • Dreidel • Cribbage • Old maid • Go fish • Shmendrick

19. 8. The letters on a Dreidel stand for? • Dedication Feast of the Temple • A great miracle happened there • A great victory happened here • God is Victorious

20. 9. This is NOT served on Hanukah? • Potato Cakes • Dough Balls • Flat Bread • Marshmallow Dreidals

21. 10. According to the Hebrew Calendar, the 25th of Kislev starts Hanukah, so the first was celebrated on, according to a Christian calendar: • December 25th • December 1st • November 30th • December 9th

22. Pondering Hanukah! Old Testament Background

23. Hanukah – for God’s Chosen People • Promise of a Great Nation • Jewish Holidays Started with • “Exodus 12:1-3“The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. “

24. Hanukah – for God’s Chosen People • Here we see two Holidays • New Year’s Day (March/April) • Passover • After the 10 Commandments, further Laws concerning required Jewish Festivals to be observed were established • “Yom Kippur” – Day of Atonement • Sprinkling Blood on the Ark of the Covenant • Able to See by the lampstands (Menorahs) • Hanukah is not noted in the Old Testament

25. Pondering Hanukah! Table Questions

26. Hanukah –Table Questions • Write Down and Discuss with the table those Jewish people that you directly know that celebrate Hanukah • Discuss your opinion on if the reference to “Happy Holidays” and “Happy Hanukah” takes away the focus from Christmas, the birth of Christ. • Discuss what traditions your family does to remember the birth of Christ.

27. Hanukah –Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CTKkdGWQpc

28. Pondering Hanukah! A story of Persecution, Victory, Dedication, the Light and a Miracle

29. Hanukah –Persecution • Persian Empire Ruling at the end of the OT • Antiochus III – Syrian King Marched in (171 to 168 BC) • Jewish People were significantly persecuted • No longer legal to worship God • Mother’s caught Circumcising their sons were Killed • Forced to eat Swine • Caught Reading Scripture – Put to Death/Scripture Burned • Statue of Zeus put in Temple • Treasures in the Temple robbed • Traveling Statue went to each Village

30. Hanukah –Victory • A Rebellion in the village of Modiin (165 BC) • Greek Soldiers request to bow to Zeus and Eat Swine • A Jewish High Priest Mattathias, was asked to Participate but Refused • Another Villager Stepped in • Mattathias, outraged, killed the man with his sword • Turned and killed one of the officers • Mattathiasand his five sons and other villagers fled to the hills and started a rebellion • After Mattathiasdeath, his son Judah Maccabee (Hammer) leads the rebellion • It took 3 years for the few thousand Jews to defeat the estimated 20,000 Syrian Highly Armed soldiers

31. Hanukah –Dedication of the Temple • Judah Maccabee goes to the temple • To Purify, Replace and Cleanse the Temple over Several Months • The Golden Menorah was Broken and had to be replaced • Proclaims the 25th of Kislev • For a Temple re-dedication • Celebration

32. Hanukah –The Miracle of the Light • Only Enough Oil to last a Day • The Eight Day Miracle • Hanukah since, has celebrated: • God’s Deliverance • The Miracle of the Oil and Lampstand • Servant Candle – “Shamash” • And the Dedication to God • Looking forward to the fulfillment of His promises including a coming Messiah!

33. Pondering Hanukah! Christ on Hanukah Day (John 10:22-42)

34. Hanukah Day • Hanukah is the setting for John 10:22-42 • John 10:22-24 “Then came the Feast of Dedicationat Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ,tell us plainly.“”

35. Hanukah Day • In Solomon’s Colonnade, they Asked “Are you Messiah?”

36. Hanukah Day –Christ's Miracles • Surrounded & Questioned • Christ Responses: • John 10:25 “Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me”

37. Hanukah Day -Christ's Miracles • Water Made Wine: John 2:1-11. • The Nobleman's Son: John 4, 48-54. • The Draught of Fishes: Luke 5, 1-11. • The Cure of the Demoniac: Mark 1, 23-28; Luke 4, 33-37. • Peter's Mother-in-law: Matt. 8, 14-15; Mark 1, 29-31; Luke 4, 38-39. • The Leper: Matt. 8, 1-4; Mark 1, 40-45; Luke 5, 12-19. • The Paralytic Cured: Matt. 9, 1-8; Mark 2, 1-12; Luke 5, 18-26. • The Cure at Bethsaida: John 5, 1-15. • The Withered Hand: Matt. 12, 9-13; Mark 3, 1-6; Luke 6, 6-11. • The Centurion's Servant: Matt. 8, 5-13; Luke 7, 2-10. • The Widow's Son: Luke 7, 11-17. • The Blind and Mute Demoniac: Matt. 12, 22. • The Tempest Stilled: Matt. 8, 23-27; Mark 4, 35-41; Luke 8, 22-25. • Expulsion of Devils: Matt. 8, 29-34; Mark 5, 1-20; Luke 8, 26-39. • Jairus' Daughter: Matt. 9, 18-26; Mark 5, 21-43; Luke 8, 40-56. • The Woman In the Crowd: Matt. 9, 20-22; Mark 5, 24-34; Luke 8, 43-48. • Two Blind Men: Matt. 9, 27-31. • The Draught of Fishes: John 21, 1-14.  • The Mute Spirit: Matt. 9, 32-34. • Five Thousand Fed: Matt. 14, 13-21; Mark 6, 34-44; Luke 9, 12-17; John 6, 1-15. • Jesus Walks on the Water: Matt. 14, 22-33; Mark 6, 45-52; John 6, 16-21. • The Chanaanite Woman: Matt. 15, 21-28; Mark 7, 24-30. • The Deaf Mute: Mark 7, 31-37. • Four Thousand Fed: Matt. 15, 32-38; Mark 8, 1-9. • The Blind Man: Mark 8, 22-25. •  A Possessed Boy: Matt. 17, 14-21; Mark 9, 13-30; Luke 9, 37-43. • Tribute Money Provided: Matt. 17, 24-28. • The Man Born Blind: John 9, 1-38. • The Mute, Lame, and Blind: Matt. 15, 29-31. •  A Woman Cured: Luke 13, 10-17. • The Man with the Dropsy: Luke 14, 1-6. • The Raising of Lasarus: John 11, 1-44. • Ten Lepers: Luke 17, 11-19. • The Blind Men at Jericho: Matt. 20, 29-34; Mark 10, 46-52; Luke 18, 35-43. • The Fig Tree Blasted: Matt. 21, 18-22; Mark 11, 12-25. • The Servant's Ear Healed: Luke 22, 49-51.

38. Hanukah Day – The Light has Come • John 10:26-30 “but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." ”

39. Hanukah Day –Persecution • These Words were Blasphemy to the People • Punishable by Death (Lev. 24:16) • John 10:31 • ” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him,” • John 10:39 • “Again they tried to seize him,…”

40. Hanukah Day –Victory • Jesus alluded their grasp • Using Scripture as His Sword in defense • (John 10:32-38) • John 10:39 • ” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.” • The Ultimate Victory was to come at the Cross • Christ would not return to Jerusalem until Palm Sunday, entering as a King • That same week, death and the Stone tomb would not keep Him from showing His Glory as God.

41. Hanukah Celebration– for All God’s Children • Jesus is the Light to All • Luke 3:27-32 “When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:  "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,       you now dismissyour servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation,     which you have prepared in the sight of all people,  a light for revelation to the Gentiles      and for glory to your people Israel.“”

42. Hanukah – What Can I Do • Example from “Messianic” Jews • As they reflect on the Rededication of the Temple: • Rededicate themselves to God • As they reflect on the Menorah (light): • Remember the Life of the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus Christ) the Light of this World • The Servant Candle • With enough Oil to Light the Darkness • And the Power of Miracles • Remember We are to be Light • Pray for those that are Rejecting God: • That Jews and Gentiles alike would put down their stones and see Christ and the Good Shepherd