Coming out of darkness

         Throughout my home is a sundry collection of items passed down to me by my Jewish family. My father's prayer shawl and yarmulke are stored for safe keeping. A Hebrew bible and a crystal dreidel (a top that spins) stand in a glass-fronted bookcase. There are also menorahs, candlelabras with places for nine candles. One place stands off to the side or higher than the other eight. The candle that burns in that particular place is called the Shamas, the leader. The menorah is used in the celebration of the joyous Jewish holiday of Chanukah.

          Last night was the first of the eight nights of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. This eight-day holiday celebrates the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century BCE. The history of Chanukah begins when Alexander the Great had conquered Syria, Egypt and Judea. Alexander allowed the conquered to continue to practice their faiths and so the Jews were content to practice their faith while they integrated into the Hellinistic culture of the ruling Greeks. However, more than a century later, Antiocus Epiphanes followed in the line of successors to Alexander the Great and rose to power. Antiocus had no patience for the Jews. He took over the Temple and desecrated it, demanding that pigs, considered by the Jews to be unclean animals, be slaughtered on the altar of the Temple. Eventually , groups of Jews banded together and led by Judas Macabee, formed an army that reclaimed the Temple. Now, above the Ark of the Covenant is a light called the Ner Tamid, the everlasting light. According to the Talmud, that light is to burn continuously. However, the Ner Tamid had burned out days after Antiocus took control of the Temple. The Jews, while cleaning the Temple in preparation for its rededication, found a small amount of oil to put in the Ner Tamid, though it was enough to burn only for a few days. A runner was sent to secure pure oil for the light. Miraculously, the small amount of oil in the lamp burned for eight days, the number of days it took the runner to go and return with the new oil. 

          On each night of Chanukah, the lead candle, the Shamas,  and one more candle are lit to commemorate  each night of the holiday. On the first night, the shamas and one other candle is lit. On the second night, the shamas and two candles are lit and so it goes for each of the eight nights.

          Chanukah reminds the Jews of a time when God prevailed over evil, when out of the darkness came light- a miracle from God. In the dirt and desecration of the Temple, enough oil was found to keep the everlasting light lit until new oil could be found. Chanukah reminds the Jew of God's perpetual watch-care over His children.

          As I sit here listening to the joyous strains of Messiah, I think about Advent and our time of preparation and expectation as we await the celebration of the miracle that happened that night- the birth of the infant Jesus, the time when out of the darkness came the one true light, Jesus. Just as God allowed the Jews to prevail over evil during the time of the Macabees, so God  allows us to prevail over the evil that besets us through the love of Christ Jesus , born that Christmas night when the light of God came into the world.

          As we enter into these last days of Advent,  may we use this season to prepare our hearts and our souls for the birth of the Son of God and may we rededicate ourselves to the honor and glory of his holy name.