Hanukkah (or Chanukah) - “The Feast of Dedication” is an eight day festival of lights to celebrate the ancient victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians. The Feast of Dedication is popularly known as the “Festival of Lights.” This festival is associated with the miracle in which the lamps stayed lit for “eight” days while the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated, although there was only enough oil to fuel the Temple's lamps for only “one” day.

After the death of Alexander the Great, the Greek Empire was divided among his four generals known as the Diadochi. Nicator Seleucus took control of the eastern provinces. Antiochus IV, a later Seleucid king, named himself Epiphanes which means “god manifest.” He was the prophesied evil monarch from Syria - the ultimate “king of the north” - who came down and defeated “the king of the south” and took possession of Judea (Daniel 11:21-30).

Antiochus had the Jewish High Priest assassinated, and installed a man of his own inclination in his place. He instituted Greek customs throughout the Jewish population and finally ordered the Jewish religion abolished completely and replaced it with his own pagan gods. Anyone who failed to abide by his decrees, he had executed. His forces desecrated the Jerusalem Temple and its altar of worship by slaughtering a swine on the altar and erecting a statue of Zeus with his own likeness in the sanctuary. Antiochus typifies the Antichrist who will set up an abomination (an idol of himself) that causes desolation (those who love the true God to flee Jerusalem).

A revolt started in Modein where Mattathias killed a Jew making a profaned sacrifice and then killed the king's official who enforced such sacrifices. Mattathias fled to the hills with his sons. Seleucid troops from Jerusalem pursued the rebels and slaughtered a group of women and children on the Sabbath. His successor, Judas Maccabee, along with many pious Jews - called the “Chasidim” (pious ones) - joined the revolt. They would descend from the mountains and would strike the Syrians with swift unexpected attacks (Maccabee - “Battle hammer”). After three years of fighting against overwhelming odds, the Maccabees regained control of the Temple.

After cleansing the Temple, the lamps of the sacred lampstand needed to be lit. There was only enough oil found to keep the lamps burning for one day. It would take a messenger a week to bring fresh supplies, but no one wanted to wait that long to rededicate the sanctuary. Miraculously, they lit the lampstand and the oil lasted eight full days!

Then came the Feast of Dedication at 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." John 10:22-24

' The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty. "Haggai 2:9

Solomon's Temple (the former house or first Temple) contained five glorious elements that were missing in the present house (the 2nd Temple rebuilt under Zerubbabel) of Haggai's day:

In addition to these missing spiritual elements, the physical structure of Solomon's Temple was so ornate and elaborate than the 2nd Temple, that those who were old enough to remember it (the survivors of the Babylonian exile) wept aloud when the foundation was laid.

Why then was it prophesied that the glory of the physically inferior 2nd Temple which lacked the Shechinah glory and the Ark of the Covenant, would be even greater than that of The Temple built and dedicated by Solomon? In addition, how did the LORD God give peace in this place (the 2nd Temple) if it was completely destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD? Why did the miracle of Hanukkah last eight days, when the oil could be replaced in seven days?

The latter glory of the second house was greater than that of Solomon's Temple because the glorious Son of God, the “Light of the World” had come into the Temple. Jesus came into the Temple during the Feast of Dedication. The Light of the World who filled the Temple with glory was asked, “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” He had confirmed again and again that He was the Messiah by his signs, wonders and miracles. Even the eight day miracle of Hanukkah pointed to Yeshua the Messiah.

In Hebrew, the language of the Old Testament, as well as Greek, the language of the New Testament, each letter possesses a numerical value. Gematria is the calculation of the numerical equivalence of letters, words, or phrases. And, on that basis, Gematria helps to gain insight into interrelation of different concepts and exploring the interrelationship between words and ideas. Most Christians are familiar with the concept that the value of the name of the Antichrist is calculated to be 666.

By utilizing principles of Gematria, we can determine that the following numerical values can be determined in relation to Jesus:

During the Festival of Lights, the Menorah is lit by a servant candle. Although the “Shamash” is located above the other candles, it must bow low to light them. Jesus humbled himself, took on the form of a servant, and shared his glorious light with us.

The fulfilled prophecy of Haggai 2:9 is only one of over 300 prophecies fulfilled that confirm that Yeshua (Jesus) is truly the promised Messiah of Israel. The probability of one man fulfilling only 48 of the over 300 prophecies is one in 10 to the 157th power. Not only did the miracles that Yeshua performed attest to the fact that He is the Son of God, but the statistical evidence is proof beyond any shadow of doubt that Yeshua is Adonai (Lord).

The very first verse of the Book of Revelation declared to the churches of the first century that something “must soon take place.”