Chanukkah Is the Opposite of Christ-Mass!

Chanukkah is The Opposite of Christ-Mass!

By Maria Merola

Chanukkah is The Opposite of Christ-Mass! אריאל By Maria Merola © Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, September 2002 http://www.DoublePortionInheritance.com

One of the most misunderstood biblical holidays known as “Chanukkah” is often- times ridiculed as a “substitute” for Christ-Mass and diminished by those within the Hebraic Root’s Community as something that is “extra-biblical.” I, for one have heard all the arguments against Chanukkah where people claim that by celebrating it, we are “adding” to the Towrah (Mosaic Law) in violation of Deuteronomy 12:32.

But you see beloved, just the opposite is true about the Re-dedication of YaHuWaH’s Temple. How can a celebration that is dedicated to the “over-throw” of Zeus worship on December 25th be considered pagan? How can a celebration of the eradication of paganism be pagan? Such logic and rationale defies all common sense, especially when we dig deeper into the scriptures. I am now going uncover the truth about the “Feast of Dedication” seen in John 10:22, and you will understand that Chanu- kkah reveals a very deep and profound prophetic picture of our future destiny in the New Jerusalem.

You see, Chanukkah is the perfect anti-thesis to Christ-Mass because it perfectly illustrates just how detestable it is to our Heavenly Father. When you consider what

the term “Christ-Mass” actually means, it should be evident that the Roman Catho- lic “Mass of Christ” is a celebration that is meant to dishonor his “once-and-for-all” sacrifice for sins, rather than to honor his birth. To understand more about why Christ-Mass is an abomination, see my other article entitled “Should You Be Merry About Christ-Mass?”

The term “Christ-Mass” literally means “the massacre of Christ.” The word “Christ” is a Greek translation for the Hebrew word “Mashiyach” (Messiah) which means “to anoint with oil.” A common denominator for all the Anti-Messiahs (Antichrists) of history is that they always murdered (massacred) the anointed servants of YaHuW- aH and they almost always did this in the name of their pagan sun-deities who were worshiped on December 25th.

To massacre the anointed servants of Yah on December 25th was the highest form of worship that they could bring to their false pagan sun-gods, because December 25th was (and still is to this day) known in the occult pagan world as “the rebirth of the sun.” The pagans believed that their sun-god died every year at the Winter Solstice on December 21st. But three days later on Christ-Mass Eve, (December 24th) they would conduct a “mass gathering” (a massacre) where they would sacrifice infants on the altar to their sun-gods, as they believed that the blood of these infants empowered the sun to come back to life!

Then on December 25th the sun was supposedly “reborn” (according to pagan myth- ology) because of the sacrifice of these infants. And throughout history, we have seen that Satan has continued this pattern by persecuting the Children of Yisra’el, the chosen elect of YaHuWaH.

About 167 years before Messiah came to earth, there was a Greek-Syrian dictator known as Antiochus. Antiochus took over the 2nd Jewish Temple and he set up an abominable image of Zeus, in whom the pagans believe is reincarnated each year on December 25th. Antiochus also believed that he was the “incarnation” of Zeus and so he gave himself the title “Ephiphanies” which in Greek means “God Manifest.”

This means that he was claiming to be a reincarnation of “God” on December 25th in 167 B.C. If that wasn’t bad enough, he also forced the covenant people of Yah to bow down to this image of Zeus, and if they did not comply, they were brutally tortured and killed. 3

Interestingly, the word “Epiphanies” adds up to 666 in the Greek alpha-numeric system. Antiochus was a precursor to the final Anti- christ who will sit in the Temple of Elohiym according to prophecy (2nd Thessalonians 2:4, Matthew 24:15) just before the second coming of Yahuwshuwa Messiah.

In recent years, we have seen that Satan has tried to launch a campaign against Chanu- kkah by making people believe that it is “pagan,” when in reality, Chanukkah celebrates the over-throw of pagan sun-god worship that is practiced each year by Witches, Satanists and Christians alike on December 25th. What is Satan so worried about? Why does he want to discredit Chanukkah? It is because Chanukkah is the exact anti-thesis to Christ-Mass? Or is it because our Messiah celebrated it in commemoration of the re-dedication of his Father’s House? (John 10:22). Whatever the reason, it is obvious that Satan is not happy about the re-dedication of the Temple of YaHuWaH.

During the reign of Antiochus, he persecuted the true followers of YaHuWaH who obeyed his Towrah (his instructions) and he forced them to eat unclean animals and swine’s flesh.

He also outlawed circumcision for infant males, the Sabbath days, the Feast days of YaHuWaH and he slaughtered thousands who refused to bow to an image of Zeus on Decem- ber 25th. Anyone who was caught circumcising their baby boy according to the commandment of Yah, was tortured for their faith and killed.

Antiochus also burned all the Towrah scrolls that he could find and he defiled the Temple with graven images of false gods. Those who 4

refused to go along with this false pagan religion of Antiochus were brutally murdered in front of their own family members and their dead bodies were publicly displayed to incite fear into those who would dare to disagree with Antiochus. This event in history should be told to our children in order to prepare them for the final “Man of Sin” (the Antichrist) spoken of in 2nd Thessalonians 2:4 who will be bring into the Temple of Elohiym the “Mystery of Iniquity.” The Greek word for “iniquity” in this passage is “anomia” which comes from the root word “anomos” which means “without Jewish Law” or in other words “against the Mosaic Law.”

The Syncretism of Christmas & Chanukkah

What does the word “syncretism” mean? The diction- ary defines this word “syncretism” as follows:

“Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. Religious syncretism exhibits blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incor- poration into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions.”

When people attempt to mix two opposing beliefs into one belief system, our Heavenly Father has a controversy with them for this is a violation of his holy covenant:

Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 22:26 Her priests have violated my Towrah (law), and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 44:23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

In recent times, some Jewish people have begun to use Chanukkah as a “replace- ment” of sorts for Christ-Mass. But Chanukkah is the exact opposite of Christ-Mass. Some Jews have invented a “Chanukkah Bush” instead of a Christ-Mass Tree where they decorate it for the holiday with lights and ornaments.

This clearly is a violation of Yirmeyahuw (Jeremiah) 10 where we are commanded not to cut down a tree (or a bush) and take it into our homes to decorate it. Some Jews have even invented a Jewish Santa Claus who dresses in blue and white instead of a red and white suit. I have even seen the syncretism of Jews trying to blend Chanu- kkah with Christ-Mass by calling it “Christ-makkah or “Chanukkah-Mass.”

But these two celebrations cannot be mixed together for they represent two opposing ideas. Christ-Mass represents the defilement of YaHuWaH’s Temple with pig’s blood, and the worship of Zeus on December 25th. Whereas, Chanukkah represents the cleansing & re-dedication of YaHuWaH’s Temple after it has been defiled by idolatry.

Because of some of these man-made traditions that have been “added” to the “Feast of Dedication” by those within Judaism, it has caused some people to reject the original purpose and intent behind Chanukkah entirely.

Beloved, the “roots” of Christ-Mass are inherently pagan from its very inception at the Tower of Babel. But the origin of Chanukkah however, pictures the second coming our Messiah when he himself will be like Judah Maccabee as he will come with an army (Rev- elation 19:11-14) to overthrow the Anti- Messiah (Antichrist) who will have defiled the Temple of YaHuWaH.

Some people have rejected the book of Macca- bees because it is not currently part of the scriptures. But what most people may be unaware of is that the book of Maccabees was originally part of the Cannon of Scripture in the 1611 King James Bible. The only reason why it was left out of the second printing in 1634 is because King James ran out of funds in his treasury, and so it was left out of the 1634 printing. At this link I have provided, you can download the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th books of the Maccabees as counted among the Apocrypha below: http://www.textexcavation.com/maccabees.html

In Bereshiyth (Genesis) 49, Ya’aqob (Jacob) prophesied that his son Yahuwdah (Judah) would hold the scepter to issue decrees and laws (Towrah). Esther who was from the Tribe of Benjamin of the House of Judah also held the scepter, as her husband King 6

Ahasuerus extended the golden scepter to her (the scepter of Judah). She in turn handed that authority over to her cousin Mordekay (Mordechai) and together, they also gave a decree to remember what YaHuWaH did for them in saving them from complete annihilation and thus preserving the blood-line of our Messiah (Esther 9). This celebration is called “Puwriym” and it means “to cast the lot, to crush” the plans of Satan that were formed against the people of Yahuwdah (Judah).

Likewise, Judah Maccabees whose name bears the name of the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) is symbolic of our Messiah who will return as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah with vengeance against the Anti-Messiah. Judah Maccabee was also a type of our Messiah because he was willing to lay down his life and fight against the Anti- Messiah leader Antiochus. When Judah Maccabee and his army won the war and took back the Temple of YaHuWaH, it was then cleansed and dedicated back to YaHuWaH according to the commandment in the Towrah. This event is therefore called “Chanukkah” which is a Hebrew word that simply means “Dedication.”

The Birth of Messiah on Yowm Teruw’ah & Conception on Chanukkah

There is much scriptural evidence to support the fact that our Messiah was born on September 11th in 3 B.C. on the Feast of Trumpets or Yowm Teruw’ah, and he was conceived on December 13th in 4 B.C. on Chanukkah.

I have conducted twelve years’ worth of research to uncover the details of when Messiah was born and conceived, and I would suggest that you read my other article entitled “When Was the Real Messiah Born & Why Does it Matter?”

By counting 271 days backwards from the day that Yahuwshuwa was born on Yowm Teruw’ah (Feast of Trumpets), September 11th in 3 B.C., we come to the exact date of December 13th in 4 B.C. which was Chanukkah. This means that the incarnation of Yahuwshuwa Messiah took place on Chanukkah! The Angel Gabriel announced to Miryam (Mary) on the 24th day of the 9th Hebrew month of Kislev that she would “conceive a son” and she was told that he would be called “Imm- anuel” meaning “El with us.”

Why do we count 271 days backwards from his date of birth to determine his incarnation or conception? Well, it is because the average 7

human gestation period for male babies is nine months plus one day. The Hebrew word for pregnancy is “herayon” which consists of the following Hebrew letters: Hey, Resh, Yad, Waw (vav), Nun.

Since the Hebrew letters also have numerical values, the total numerical value of the Hebrew word is seen as follows:

Hey = 5, Resh = 200, Yad = 10, Waw (Vav) = 6, Nun = 50

Total: 5 + 200 + 10 + 6 + 50 = 271

This illustration to the right is a Bible Code Matrix of Messiah’s birth on the Feast of Trumpets which was done by Roy Reinhold in 2001. Roy Reinhold’s research also corr- oborates with the research done by Dr. Ernest L. Martin who wrote the book “The Star of Bethlehem: The Star that Astonished the World.”

I have used the research of both of these men in my article on the birth of Mess- iah. Below is a link to Roy Reinhold’s Bible Code research which shows Messiah’s birth on Yowm Teruw’ah in 3 B.C., and his conception on Chanukkah in 4 B.C. http://ad2004.com/prophecytruths/Articles/Yeshua/yeshuabirth1.html

Now you might be asking yourself “Is this the only evidence that you have for Messiah’s birth and conception? A Bible Code matrix?” On the contrary, this Bible Code matrix is merely the “icing on the cake” as you are soon going to see that the prophet Chaggay (Haggai) prophesied about this event of the Messiah’s incarnation on Chanukkah hundreds of years before it took place.

Not only does Chanukkah point to the body of Messiah being conceived in his mo- ther’s womb, but it also points to the fact that in the future, the Temple in the New Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) will be the Messiah himself (Revelation 21:22). The fact that his incarnation would take place on the same day as the re dedication of his

Father’s Temple in the future is very significant on many levels as we are about to discover.

YaHuWaH was rededicating the true Temple (our Messiah) when he placed the “seed” of his son in the womb of Miryam on Chanukkah. We can see a prophetic statement in John 2:20 when Yahuwshuwa declared that he would raise up this Temple (his body) “after three days.” Not only was he in the grave for a literal “three days and three nights” (Matthew 12:40), but this pertains to 3,000 years from his crucifixion. After the 1,000-year Millennial Reign of Messiah, he will raise up the true Temple which is himself!

In 2nd Keefa (Peter) 3:8, he tells us that “one day is like a thousand years to YaHuW- aH,” and so this prophecy of his body being raised up “after three days” has a triple fulfillment. The first fulfillment was his own body being resurrected on the third day following his sacrifice on Passover. The second fulfillment will be when his bride (the body of Messiah) will be raised up and born into “immortality” in the future.

And the final fulfillment will be at the end of the 7,000th year from creation (the 7th millennium) when the first heaven and earth will be burned up and the “new heaven and the new earth” will come down (Revelation 21:1-2) This is when the bride will become the “New Jerusalem” and the “Lamb and YaHuWaH Almighty will be the Temple.” Now we can begin to see why his conception taking place on Chanukkah was the starting point for when YaHuWaH would begin to “lay the foundation” for his everlasting Temple!

The prophet Haggai foretold of this event that would take place “on the 24th day of the 9th Month (Kislev)” on the Hebrew calendar, which is the “eve” or “ereb” of Chanu- kkah. The “seed” (Messiah) would begin to be “in the barn” (Miryam’s womb) and from that moment, YaHuWaH would begin to restore his kingdom by over-throwing pagan sun-god worship:

Chaggay (Haggai) 2:

18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month (Chanukkah), even from the day that the foundation of YHWH’s Temple was laid, consider it.

19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, has not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

Now what could this mysterious language in Haggai’s prophecy mean? Well, let us begin with Messiah’s own words as he referred to himself as “the vine” in John 15:1. He also referred to the “fig tree” as the holy city, Jerusalem in Matthew 21:19 & 24:32. The reference to the “pomegranate” comes from the design for the priestly garments of the Lewiytes (Levites) mentioned in Exodus 28 & 39.

The hem of the garment for the priests was to be made with little bells at the bottom shaped like pomegranates. This same design will also carry over to the Melchizedek priesthood in Messiah’s Kingdom. What does the pomegranate represent? The Heb- rew word for “pomegranate” is defined in the Strong’s Concordance as follows:

#7416 rimmown rim-mone’ from 7426; a pomegranate, the tree (from its upright growth) or the fruit (also an artificial ornament):-- pomegranate.

#7426 ramam raw-mam’ a primitive root; to rise (literally or figuratively):--exalt, get oneself up, lift up (self), mount up.

As you can see, the word in Hebrew for “pomegranate” has a root that means “to rise, to get one-self up” which is another way of saying “resurrection!”

In Judaism, it is said that the pomegranate has an average of 613 seeds in it which represents how many commandments there are in the Towrah.

But there is no real proof that the pomegranate actually contains 613 seeds. The reference about this in the Talmud explains that the pomegranate is simply a “metaphor” for the Towrah as it has “many seeds” and those who obey the commandments are like Abraham’s “seed” or off- spring. Messiah Yahuwshuwa is called the “Living Towrah,” because he is the “Word” who came in the form of human 10

flesh, and his “seed” is the incorruptible seed of the first-born sons of Yisra’el (1st Peter 1:23).

The illustration here is the stem of a pomegranate which is called “the crown” and it is in the shape of the “six-pointed star” which some call the “Magen David” or the “Star of David.” There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this symbol as some have suggested that this is the same “Star of Moloch” mentioned in the following scriptures:

Ma’aseh Shlichiym (Acts) 7:43 Yea, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which you made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

Amowc (Amos) 5:26 But you have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which you made to yourselves.

I personally do not wear a “Star of David” around my neck as an ornament, simply because Satan has managed to hijack this symbol and use it for occult purposes as a “hexagram.” Yet at the same time, I do not believe that this Magen David Star is inherently evil. Satan is notorious for taking created objects that were meant to illustrate our Messiah, and he perverts the meaning behind it in order to draw worship towards himself. You see, the fallen star named “Heylel” or Lucifer in Latin, was at one time the “covering cherub” in heaven (Ezekiel 28:16).

Heylel was the one who ministered at the throne, but he has now been dethroned from that position. The name “Lucifer” is Latin for the Hebrew “Heylel” in Isaiah 14:12 in the Masoretic Text which is translated “son of the morning” in the King James Version. But the corrupted Greek Septuagint erroneously translates this as though it reads “morning star,” trying to insinuate that our Messiah had fallen from heaven.

Our Messiah is called the “bright and morning star” in Revelation 22:16 and he is the one who created Heyel, the “son of the morning” (Colossians 1:16). This is precisely 11

why Satan has hijacked this Magen David Star for himself as he has tricked people into worshiping created objects such as the “sun” and the “stars.” But the true Messiah is called the “Sun of Righteousness” (Malachi 4:2) and he is the one who created the sun and the stars. Therefore, we must worship him instead of his creation (Romans 1:25).

Does this mean that the pomegranate flower and the crown on the pomegranate are pagan? Of course not! But should we wear these objects around our neck as if they have mystical power? Should we worship created things? Absolutely not! In Romans 1:25, the Apostle Sha’uwl (Paul) explained that those who have been turned over to a reprobate mind have exchanged the worship of the Creator into the worship of the creature (created things in nature).

This is the very essence of idolatry. It is when we take our eyes off of Messiah Yahuwshuwa who has created all things, and we instead place our eyes on that which has been created by him. The reason why I went into this explanation is because I want to illustrate that our Messiah is the true “star” symbolized by this pomegranate!

Interestingly, the six-pointed star also symbolizes the six letters in our Messiah’s name: Yad, Hey, Waw, Shin, Waw, Ayin, YaHuWShuWA. Since Adam was created on the 6th day of creation (Genesis 1:26-27), and our Messiah came as “the last Adam” (1st Corinthians 15:45) and also as the “Son of Man,” (Matthew 9:6), then it stands to reason that his crown has six points. When Yahuwshuwa returns to rule and reign on the earth over all mankind, he will be given “many crowns” (Revelation 19:12) produced from the “many seeds” of pomegranates!

These pomegranate seeds also resemble drops of blood that our Messiah sweat out of his pores when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane:

Luqas (Luke) 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

When our Messiah returns, he will be wear- ing a “golden crown” on his head and a “vesture dipped in blood” (Revelation 19:13), just like the crown on the pomegranate:

Chazown (Revelation) 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat 12

like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Chazown (Revelation) 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of Elohiym.

And finally, Haggai’s prophecy uses the olive tree as a metaphor of Yisra’el (Jere- miah 11:16). In Yahuwshuwa Messiah is the embodiment of “the vine” (the Tree of Life), “the fig tree” (the New Jerusalem); “the pomegranate” (the Living Towrah), and the olive tree (restored & redeemed Yisra’el).

Chaggay (Haggai) 2:

20 And again the word of YHWH came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month [Chanukkah], saying,

21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Yahuwdah (Judah), saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, everyone by the sword of his brother.

Aha! Now we see why Chanukkah was important to Yahuwshuwa, because it celebrates his conception and the future day when he will become the Temple in the New Yerushalayim! Even the name Chaggay (Hag- gai) in Hebrew means “festive” and it comes from another root word which means “festival, solemn feast day!” You see, Haggai was the first out of ten Minor Prophets to prophesy after the Babylonian Captivity. At the time when Haggai was given this prophecy about the 24th of the 9th month (Kislev), this date was not even an important date in Jewish history yet! He was being shown a future prophecy about the “Feast of Dedication” aka Chanukkah hundreds of years before it was instituted by Judah Maccabees after the revolt!

This means that YaHuWaH himself foretold about this important festival called

“The Feast of Dedication” aka “Chanukkah” that would take place in the future as the conception (incarnation) of our Messiah. But it also foretells of the future dedication of the Tabernacle of Dawiyd (David) during the Millennial Reign of Messiah.

After the 1,000-year Reign of Messiah, there will be a third and fulfillment of Chanukkah when YaHuWaH Elohiym himself and the “Lamb” will become the everlasting Temple in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22).

Now we know why this feast was very important to our Messiah. It has a “triple fulfillment” with his body as the Temple in the womb; his body (his bride) as the Temple in the millennium when he returns; and the final fulfillment is when the New Jerusalem will come down, and he will be the permanent Temple! We read in John 10:22, about our Messiah attending this celebration at the Temple in the winter on the Feast of Dedication (Chanukkah):

Yahuwchanon (John) 10:22-23 And it was at Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) the feast of dedication, (Chanukkah) and it was winter. And Yahuwshuwa walked in the Temple in Solomon’s porch.

Why is Chanukkah Celebrated for Eight Days? Truth or Tradition?

I for one, had previously been taught by others within the Hebraic Roots Commu- nity to believe that the “eight-day miracle of the oil” was simply a myth and that it could not be substantiated in the book of Maccabees.

Although many have previously thought that this 8-day miracle of the oil is just a man-made Jewish tradition, historically, I believe we can find sufficient evidence to conclude that it actually did occur. While I do not view the Talmud (oral traditions) equal to the inspired scriptures, we can certainly refer to the Talmud as historical record which I will be using as part of my research to show that this eight-day miracle did indeed take place.

To read more about the historical evidence found in the Talmud about the 8-day miracle of the oil, please see my 14

other article entitled: “The Eight-Day Miracle of the Oil on Chanukkah: Truth or Tradition?”

As I began to research this further, I discovered several proofs from the scriptures that a Temple re-dedication always lasts for seven days and then it is considered rededicated on the eighth day. This is the standard, because the number eight points to the 8th millennium from creation in the future when the New Yerushalayim (Jeru- salem) will come down out of heaven in Revelation 21. In 2nd Peter 3:8 we read that “one day is like a thousand years with YHWH,” and so we can look to the future “eighth millennium” from creation as “the eighth day” when our Creator, YaHuWaH will cause the “first heaven and the first earth to pass away.”

At that time, “the new heaven, the new earth, and the New Jerusalem” will come down out of heaven. This will happen as an “initiation” into eternity on the 8th day or the 8th millennium. The number “8” in scripture always represents “new beginnings” and initiation. A baby boy is circumcised and dedicated to YaHuWaH Elohiym on the 8th day from his birth according to the Towrah.

Correlating to the idea of “new beginnings,” is the very meaning of the word “Chanukkah” which literally means “re-dedication & initiation:”

#2597. chanukka’ chan-ook-kaw’ (Aramaic) corresponding to 2598; consecration:-- dedication.

#2598. chanukkah khan-ook-kaw’ from 2596; initiation, i.e. consecration:-- dedicating (-tion).

Even the name “Enoch” in Hebrew comes from the same root word and it means the same thing:

#2585. Chanowk khan-oke’ from 2596; initiated; Chanok, an antediluvian patri- arch:--Enoch.

The 8th millennium (after the 1,000-year reign of Messiah on earth) is going to be the initiation of “the new heaven & the new earth.” Yahuwshuwa ha’Mashiyach’s body will then be the Temple on the 8th day or the 8th millennium, and this is why there is much more to Chanukkah that meets the eye. This is why I believe that this 8-day miracle of the oil is embedded into the celebration of Chanukkah. Oil is a symbol for the anointing of the Ruwach ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit)

in scripture. This miracle of the oil could be telling us that the Ruwach ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit) is taking us to that final “8th day” in the future which will take us into eternity.

Chanukkah, the Belated Feast of Tabernacles

Now it is also important to understand that the first time when this celebration took place, (in the year 164 B.C.), the Temple had not been cleansed in time that year for the House of Yahwudah (Judah) to keep the Feast of Tabernacles on the 15th day of the 7th month of Tishri according to the commandment in Leviticus 23:34. We read in the account in Maccabees that they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles two months late that year on the 25th day Chislev:

2nd Maccabbees 1:

8 And burned the porch, and shed innocent blood: then we prayed unto YHWH, and were heard; we offered also sacrifices and fine flour, and lighted the lamps, and set forth the loaves.

9 And now see that you keep the feast of tabernacles in the month Casleu (Chislev).

18 Therefore whereas we are now purposed to keep the purification of the Temple upon the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu (Chislev), we thought it necessary to certify you thereof, that you also might keep it, as the feast of the tabernacles, and of the fire, which was given us when Nĕchemyah (Nehemiah) offered sacrifice, after that he had builded the Temple and the altar.

You see, the Feast of Tabernacles is a “seven-day” feast and then on the “eighth day” it is called “La’Shanah Rabbah” which means “The Last Great Day.” Another name for this “eighth day” of the Feast of Tabernacles is called “Shemini Atzeret” literally translated as “The Eighth Day of Assembly.”

This is why Chanukkah was first celebrated for eight days that year. Not only were they celebrating a belated Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) but they also had to cleanse the altar which takes seven days and then on the eighth day it is cleansed. Hence, they had a “double reason” for celebrating Chanukkah for eight days that year, and you are soon going to learn why this is important.

The Maccabean Revolt began in 167 B.C. and for 3 ½ years, the House of Yahuwdah (Judah) experienced “great tribulation” until finally they successfully defeated their enemies and took back the Temple for YaHuWaH. In the year 164 B.C., the House of Yahuwdah (Judah) had to wait until the 25th day of the 9th month of Kislev in order to keep the Feast of Tabernacles because the Temple had been defiled on the 15th day of the 7th Hebrew month of Tishri that year.

But why would YaHuWaH have allowed them to have to wait two months to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles? Was he doing this on purpose to show us a prophetic picture of something in the future? I would submit to you that the reason why he allowed this is because our Messiah had to be born on the Feast of Trumpets and therefore, his conception had to take place nine months earlier which falls on Chanukkah. Because his conception pictures the future Temple in the New Jerusa- lem, there is a much deeper reason for why he allowed the Feast of Tabernacles to be celebrated two months late that year.

You see, in Hebrews 7:12 it says that the “priesthood was changed,” during the earthly ministry of Yahuwshuwa Messiah. After he was baptized by John, the office of the Kohen Gadowl (High Priest) after the sons of Aharown (Aaron) was now coming to an end. John was the High Priest that year in the eyes of Yah, and now he was trans- ferring his role of the High Priest back to the order of Melchizedek when he immer- sed Yahuwshuwa in the Jordan River. Forty days later after his fasting in the wilder- ness, he emerged and went to the Temple on Yowm Kippur and he read the Isaiah 61 scroll as he declared “The Acceptable Year of YaHuWaH” (Luke 4:19).

This language that he used pertains to the Kohen Gadowl (High Priest) who once per year would “cast lots” to determine if the nation was either “accepted” or they were “not accepted” (Leviticus 16:8).

Yahuwshuwa was now fulfilling the role of the Kohen Gadowl after the order of Melchizedek. The temporary office of the High Priest after the sons of Aharown (Aaron) was now about to end with the death of Yahuwchanon (John) the Immerser.

The Feast of Tabernacles is a seven-day long feast because it is a miniature representation of the 7,000-year plan of salvation for mankind. This began at creation and it will culminate at the 7th millennium when our Messiah returns to set up his kingdom here on earth for 1,000 years. The 1,000-year reign of Messiah will be a larger scale of the Feast of Tabernacles where we will experience 1,000 years of resting on this temporary earth. And then on the 8th day of the Feast of Tabernacles, it is a representation of the end of the millennium (the end of the 7th day going into the 8th day) when the “new heaven & earth” will come down taking us into eternity or the 8,000th year from creation.

The Feast of Tabernacles is also a feast where we are commanded to build temporary shelters outside (called a sukkah) and live in them. These temporary shelters are deliberately meant to be “flimsy,” because it represents the fact that this earth that we are now living in is going to burn up because it is temporary. It also means that this mortal body that we live in is also temporary, for we will receive a “new” incorruptible body when Messiah resurrects his bride.

Thus, the Feast of Tabernacles points to the temporary priesthood of the sons of Aaron. The role of the High Priest belonging to the “sons of Aharown” (Aaron) was the “law that was added because of transgression” spoken of by Paul in Galatians 3:19. You see, after Yisra’el had transgressed the marriage covenant with the molten calf on Mount Sinai, Mosheh (Moses) had to institute a temporary priesthood from his brother Aaron and his sons. This was because Aaron was the one who caused Yisra’el 18

to sin in the first place with the molten calf and therefore, the only way that Aaron and his sons could live is if they offered their lives as a ransom year-by-year on Yowm Kippur for the nation.

There was always the possibility that the Kohen Gadowl (High Priest) could die behind the veil in the “Holy of Holies” if he had not sufficiently atoned for his own sins. That is why the sons of Aaron were “temporary,” because they were mortals who died. But once our Messiah was baptized by John, he was illustrating that year the transfer was taking place from John (who was a Levite) back to the priesthood of Melchizedek who never dies but has an “endless life” (Hebrews 7:16).

All throughout the millennial reign of Messiah, the entire Towrah (Mosaic Law) will be implemented, because the body of Messiah is still in transgression. Even though Messiah paid the price, they have not fully received his price yet. And so during the Millennium, he will fully implement the entire Towrah, to include animal sacrifices (see Ezekiel 40-48). Now, his once-and-for-all sacrifice was already done in eternity because he is “the lamb slain from the foundations of the world” (Revelation 13:8).

However, he will perform animal sacrifices in the Millennium NOT for atonement, but for illustration purposes in order to teach us through visual pictures what his sacrifice on the tree was all about. He will not be doing these animal sacrifices to atone for sins, as he has already done this by his “once-and-for-all” Passover sacrifice. But he will do them as a “MEMORIAL” of himself to remind us and to teach us.

Now, once the Millennium is over, it says in Revelation 21:1 that there will be a “new heaven and a new earth” that will come down out of heaven, and the “first heaven and the first earth will pass away.” This is when the Temple ordinances after the sons of Aaron will also pass away. This now gives new meaning to our Messiah’s words in Matthew 5:17-19, when he said “until heaven and earth passes away, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the Towrah until all be fulfilled.”

Well, not all is fulfilled yet. He fulfilled the “laws for blood atonement” but there is much more for him to fulfill during the Millennium. In order for him to “finish the 19

transgression, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy,” (Daniel 9:24) he must “flesh it out” in the Millennium. The priesthood of Melchizedek will serve “side-by-side” with the priesthood of Lewiytes (Levites) all during the Millen- nium just like in the Tabernacle of David.

This means that both the “Tzadiq” (Zadok) and the Lewiytes (Levites) will serve together. In other words, the heavenly & the earthly will come together, until the end of the Millennium, when the earthly will go away. At that point the “Lamb and YaHuWaH Almighty shall be the Temple.”

Until then, the Levites have not vanished away. They have been temporarily set aside because the Temple is no longer standing in Jerusalem. But that Temple will be rebuilt and Yahuwshuwa will be the High Priest there after the order of Melchi- zedek. He will be the Prince that shall offer sacrifices as seen in Ezekiel 40-48. The Levites have not vanished away yet until AFTER the Millennium. They are “ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:13), but they have not vanished away yet!

When our Messiah returns to set up his kingdom, he will again rebuild the Taber- nacle of Dawiyd (David) which is fallen down (Acts 15:16) and both priesthoods will serve together side-by-side (Levites & Melchizedek). All seven of the annual feasts found in Leviticus 23 will be celebrated during the Messiah’s Kingdom. The nations that refuse to come to Jerusalem for these feasts during the Millennium will experience drought and famine according to Zechariah 14:16-17. But once our Messiah’s 1,000-year reign is over, he himself will become the “Temple” in the New Jerusalem in the 8th millennium!

Melchizedek: a Priesthood of War

Because King Dawiyd (David) had shed much blood in war, YaHuWaH would not allow him to build the Temple (1st Chronicles 22:8, 1st Chronicles 28:3). Instead, his son Solomon would be the one who would build the Temple for YaHuWaH. David’s Tabernacle was a temporary structure like a tent akin to that of the Tabernacle of Mosheh (Moses). But why was David allowed to offer sacrifices if he was not a Lev- ite? It is because David was a precursor to the Messiah and this is why we are told that when Messiah returns for his Millennial Kingdom, that he will “rebuild the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down” (Amos 9:11, Acts 15:16).

This is the reason why our Messiah will come in Revelation 19 as a “warrior” shed- ding the blood of the wicked and he will then be our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. You see, Melchizedek is more than just a priest, he is also a king, and 20

all kings of Yisra’el come from Yahuwdah (Judah). Genesis 49:10 says “the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come.” In other words, the authority to execute judgment and justice belongs to the tribe of Judah. The House of Judah are given permission to execute justice and judgment, whereas the Levites were only commanded to “make intercession” for Yisra’el.

The Apostle Sha’uwl (Paul) explained in Romans 2:26-29 that those who obey Towrah (Mosaic Law) and whose hearts are circumcised inwardly are Yahuwdiy (Jews). Belonging to the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah), therefore is not limited to physical blood-line, but to the condition of one’s heart. When we are zealous for the Towrah, we align ourselves with the Tribe of Yahuwdah who holds the scepter to administer the Towrah to the other tribes.

That is why David was able to offer sacrifices in the Tabernacle, because he was from the Tribe of Judah, but he was also zealous for the Towrah as he had displayed in his writings in Psalm 119:97, 113, 142, 163, 165. The prophecy in Genesis 49 that Jacob spoke over his son Judah says that he would “wash his garments in the blood of grapes.” This means that Judah is a man of war, yet he is still a priest. This is why Judah Maccabee was able to be a priest after his war against Antiochus. Judah Maccabee was a prophetic “type” of Melchizedek.

Even though the Maccabees were Levites, once the Levites are changed into immortality in the future resurrection, they will become part of the Melchizedek priesthood. This is precisely why in Genesis 14:18 and in Hebrews 7:1-4, we read that Ab- raham paid tithes out of his spoils of war to Melchizedek!

Initially, Elohiym had selected the entire nation of Yisra’el to be his priests, according to Exodus 19:5,6; however, after the nation proved to be inadequate as priests (Exodus 32:7-10), the Levites who supported Moses in Exodus chapters 26-28 were selected as Yah’s priests (Numbers 3:5-9).

King David was from the House of Yahuwdah (Judah) and yet he offered sacrifices in the Tabernacle when clearly, the role of the High Priest (Kohen Gadowl) was given over to the sons of Aharown (Aaron) after Yisra’el sinned with the molten calf on Mount Sinai. This was the “law that was added because of transgression” according to Galatians 3:19.

But prior to this transgression with the molten calf, the role of the High Priest in eternity always belonged to Melchizedek from the House of Yahuwdah (Judah). The sons of Aharown (Aaron) were only a temporary order until the “seed should come,” which was Messiah. According to 1st Chronicles 9:10; 24:7; and Nehemiah 11:10, the high-priestly line eventually passed over to the Hasmonaean family, the course of Yahuwyariyb (Jehoiarib), the Maccabees. It is also interesting to note that the name “Yahuwyariyb” literally means “YaHuWaH will contend!” This means that Yah used the Maccabees to contend against the Abomination of Desolation set up by Antiochus Ephiphanies.

The Hasmoneans were from the priestly line of the “Zadok Priesthood” (1st Chroni- cles 9:11) who served in David’s Tabernacle. The name “Zadok” comes from the Hebrew the following root words:

#6663. tsadaq tsaw-dak’ a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense):--cleanse, clear self, (be, do) justice, justify, righteous, righteousness.

#6662. tsaddiyq tsad-deek’ from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).

#6664. tsedeq tseh’-dek from 6663; the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity: just, justice; righteous.

As you can see by the words above, the name Zadok is synonymous with righteousness, justice and cleansing. Now we can see why Judah Maccabee had the same “seed” in him of a righteous priesthood who executes justice and cleanses the Temple from all defilement.

And that leads us to understand where the name Melchizedek comes from:

#4442. Malkiy-Tsedeq mal-kee-tseh’-dek from 4428 and 6664; king of right; Malki-Tsedek, an early king in Palestine:--Melchizedek.

The Zadok priesthood was a line of righteous priests who executed justice and they were uncompromising when it came to obedience to the Towrah (Ezekiel 44:15-16).

There is no mixture in this priesthood:

Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 44:17 “...they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister...”

Wool mixed with linen represents mixture of a little bit of Towrah with a little bit of carnality and paganism.

The Zadok priesthood do not mix the holy with the profane:

Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 44:23 “And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.”

Even though Aaron’s line is indeed “forever” according to Exodus 29:9, when they put on immortality at the resurrection, they will then become the Melchizedek Priesthood. That is when they will receive the “double portion” (physical and spiritual). You see, the bride must marry into her husband’s tribe (Judah) just as Ruth married into the tribe of her husband Boaz.

So you see, Chanukkah goes beyond the Feast of Tabernacles and it represents the 8th millennium when the Levitical laws and the Levitical priesthood will “pass away.” Judah Maccabee was a Levite, but his name (Judah) tells us that he was a prophetic “type” of the Melchizedek Priesthood of Yahuwshuwa.

Jewish author, Noam Zion comments in his article “An effort to legitimize the Hasmonean dynasty,” about the father of Judah Maccabee named Mattathias:

Mattathias’ action and his rallying call, “Let everyone who is zealous for the Law and who remains faithful to the Covenant, follow me” (1st Maccabees 2:27). He uses terms directly analogous to Moses and the Levi tribe at the Golden Calf and Pinchas the zealous priest. They both attacked public desecraters of Jewish worship. In the Bible, both the tribe of Levi and Pinchas himself are rewarded for their zealous action by being granted a special status in the Temple worship. Pinchas is even promised what most commentators understand as the high priesthood. Similarly, in Mattathias’s case, zealous action in the face of desecra- tion earns the volunteer the dynastic right to the priesthood for their children after them.

It is also interesting to note that the name “Maccabee” is a Hebrew word that means “hammer,” hence the nick-name given to Judah was the “Hebrew Hammer.” In Jerem- iah 23:29 the word of YaHuWaH is described as a hammer: “Is not my word like a fire? Says YHWH; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

When the zeal against idolatry rises up in these last days in the corporate body of Two Witnesses, as seen in Revelation 11:5, the words that go forth out of their mouths will be like fire. The earth was first cleansed (baptized) by water in the days of Noah, but at the second coming of Messiah, it will be cleansed and purified (baptized) in fire:

2nd Keefa (Peter) 3:10 But the day of YHWH will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Chanukkah therefore is a representation of the new Temple, the new earth, the new heaven, the New Jerusalem and the eighth new millennium! At the end of the 7th millennium, all of these temporary things will be gone including the Feast of Tabernacles. The “eighth day” (the 8th millennium) will then be “initiated,” taking us into eternity. The old earthly and temporary things will be destroyed just as in the days of Judah Maccabees when the old altar was destroyed and re-dedicated on Chanukkah.

The laws surrounding the Levitical Priesthood and the earthly Temple will be gone after the 7th millennium and we will no longer have a need for the temporary structure of the “law which was added because of transgression.”

At the end of the 1,000-year reign of Messiah, Satan will be released out of the bottomless pit one last time to deceive the nations according to Revelation 20:7-10. Afterward there will be the war between Gog & Magog and Satan will finally be cast into the Lake of Fire. This will be when the “transgression is finished” and the final “end of sins” will be made (Daniel 9:34).

The 7,000-year “creation week” will then be comple- ted which is what Daniel’s 70th Week prophecy is going to take us to. At the end of the 7th day Sabbath is when our Messiah resurrected, and so shall the same pattern be followed as the New Jerusalem will also be resurrected and brought down here to earth. The bride of Messiah must go through a double transformation. She will be changed into immortality at the 7th millennium, at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, but she will also be changed again into the New Jerusalem at the 8th millennium! See my other article entitled “The Sabbath Resur- rection: ‘I Will Raise Him Up at the Last Day.’”

The Eighth Day into Eternity

So far, I have illustrated that the number “7” is the number that takes us to the “end of sins,” because our Messiah resurrected at the end of the 7th day Sabbath going into the “8th day,” called “First-Fruits.” This pattern will be repeated when the bride will also resurrected “at the last day” of the 6,000 years within creation week. At the end of the 7th millennium, it will take us to the 8th millennium and then the bride will be changed into the New Jerusalem. Thus we can see that the number “8” brings our entire cosmos to salvation and resurrection.

We can also see in the scriptures below that the number eight represents “salvation,” because on Noah’s ark, only eight people were saved:

1st Keefa (Peter) 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of Elohiym wait- ed in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

2nd Keefa (Peter) 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

Why did Keefa (Peter) call Noah the “eighth person?” It is because Noah went into the ark last, as he allowed his family to go in first, and then he being the “eighth person” symbolically means that YaHuWaH was putting an end to the defiled popu- lation of the earth and he was “re-dedicating” the earth with water baptism and cleansing it!

We also find in the Towrah that whenever the altar became defiled, in order to “re- dedicate” the Temple altar, it must remain unclean for seven days before it could be cleansed and re-dedicated. Thus we can see the same pattern with the earth as it will be cleansed at the end of the 7th millennium and rededicated to YaHuWaH by the 8th millennium.

The Cleansing of the Altar takes Seven Days and on the 8th Day it is Dedicated

Shemoth (Exodus) 29:

35 And thus shall you do unto Aharown (Aaron), and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded you: seven days shall you consecrate them.

36 And you shall offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and you shall cleanse the altar, when you have made an atonement for it, and you shall anoint it, to sanctify it.

37 Seven days you shall make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever touches the altar shall be holy.

Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 43:

25 Seven days shalt you prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.

26 Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.

27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, says YHWH Elohiym.

2nd Dibre ha’Yamiym (Chronicles) 7:9

And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

Nine Branches or Seven Branches?

In the Towrah, in Numbers 8:2, we see the instructions given to Mosheh for the Temple menowrah and it was to be fashioned with only seven branches and not nine branches. The reason why a nine-branch menowrah is used is because the Towrah commands us not to replicate any articles from the Temple to be used away from the Temple.

But there is much controversy among the rabbis as to what this commandment exactly means. This website explains why in Judaism, a seven-branch menowrah is not used: http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5759/behalos.html

A SEVEN-BRANCH CANDELABRUM QUESTION: In view of the Biblical prohibition against duplicating vessels that were used in the Mishkan, would one be allowed to make a seven- branched candelabrum? If one owns such a candelabrum, is he allowed to keep it?

ANSWER: The Talmud forbids manufacturing a seven-branched candelabrum, in keeping with the Biblical prohibition of “imitating” any of the vessels (keilim) that were used in the Mishkan.

There are three views in the early commentaries in regard to the extent of the prohibition. Some hold that only an exact replica is prohibited. Any slight change from the original in the Mishkan is permitted. Others hold that any menowrah which would have been considered kosher b’dieve, is prohibited. Other poskim are even more stringent. They hold that any seven-branched menowrah, made out of any metal, regardless of its shape or form, is prohibited.

The Shulchan Aruch rules [in the opinion of the Shach] in accordance with the second view, i.e., that even a menowrah that is not made exactly like the one in the Mishkan but would be kosher b’dieved is prohibited. He rules, therefore, that if the menowrah is not made from gold but from other types of metals; if the replica is made without the décorative cups, knobs, or flowers that were part of the original menowrah; if the menowrah is shorter than the 18 tefachim (4.5-6 feet) that the original menowrah measured, it is still prohibited to replicate.

In spite of what the traditions of men teach, I believe in using the seven-branch Temple menowrah for Chanukkah because it represents our Messiah who is 28

called “THE BRANCH” in prophecy (Isaiah 4:2, Jeremiah 33:15, Zechariah 3:8, 6:12, John 15:4). In Revelation 1:20 our Messiah taught us the “mystery of the seven golden candlesticks in his right hand.” He told us that these represent the “seven assemblies.”

It is fitting that the seven-branch menowrah represents our Messiah since he created mankind on the 6th day of creation and on the 7th day he rested. He will also return for his bride at the beginning of the 7th millennium, and so this will be the wedding day, the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7).

Therefore, six of the branches represent his bride, but the 7th branch (the vine) represents the bridegroom. The seven-branch menowrah also represents the seven Feasts of YaHuWaH that we are commanded to keep as part of our coven-ant with him. It also represents the “Seven Spirits” of YaHuWaH seen in Isaiah 11:1-2, Reve- lation 1:4, 3:1, 4:5 & 5:6. The seven-branch Temple menowrah is meant to resemble an almond tree as the scriptures teach us:

Shemoth (Exodus) 25:31-34 “You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lamp-stand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece. And six branches shall come out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side. Three bowls shall be made like almond blossoms on one branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower, and three bowls made like almond blossoms on the other branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower-- and so for the six branches that come out of the lampstand. On the lampstand itself four bowls shall be made like almond blossoms, each with its ornamental knob and flower.”

Patterns for the Number Nine

The nine-branch Chanukiah used for Chanu- kkah in Judaism is a man-made tradition and there is no biblical support for using it in my opinion.

I believe in celebrating Chanukkah by reading the story of the Maccabees to our children and remembering the Yahuwdiy (Jewish) people who died because they loved the commandments of YaHuWaH and they refused to bow to a pagan idol.

However, I do recognize some biblical patterns for the number “9” and so there might be something prophetic to the nine-branch Chanukiah, that I have not figured out yet. Never-the-less, I am not sold on using it at this point in time. Our Messiah was conceived in the 9th month on the Hebrew calendar called Kislev. He was born on Yowm Teruw’ah in the 7th Hebrew month of Tishri. There are also nine gifts of the Holy Spirit described in 1st Corinthians 12:8-11 and nine fruits of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. There were also nine months of pregnancy for the Temple (the body) of Messiah to be completely formed in the womb. Hence, while I personally do not use the nine-branch menowrah, I can see that there may be some prophetic meaning behind the number “9.” Another pattern that can be observed is that there are “seven congregations” in the first three chapters of the book of Revelation, and there are also “Two Houses of Yisra’el” (Ephrayim & Judah). By adding the seven congregations to both houses, we can also see yet another pattern for the number “9.”

Chanukkah Seen in End-Time Prophecy

Did you ever wonder why the period called “the great tribulation” is 1,260 days in Revelation 11:3 but then in Daniel 12:11 it says that the tribulation is 1,290 days? Daniel 12:11 reads: “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thou-sand two hundred and ninety days.”

Why is there a 30-day discrepancy? Well, the tribulation period of 1,260 days ends on Yowm Kippur in Revelation 19 when our Messiah returns with his army to overthrow the Anti-Messiah. But then there will be another 30 days after that to destroy the Abomination of Desolation.

When our Messiah returns there will be a war just like in the Maccabean Revolt where he will be like Judah Maccabees and his army. The armies that follow Yahuw- shuwa at his return are “clothed in fine linen fine and clean” and this is his bride in her new resurrected body. The bride will fight alongside with him to take back the Temple of YaHuWaH and to overthrow the false Messiah and his Abomination of Desolation. If you add 75 days to 1,260 days (which culminates on Yowm Kippur), it lands on the 25th day of the 9th month of Kislev on the Hebrew Calendar---in other words Chanukkah!

Listen to what the angel said in Daniel 12:12 “Blessed is he that waits, and comes to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days” (1,335 days). The angel was essentially telling Daniel:

“Blessed is he who waits until Chanukkah when the Temple and the altar of Yahuw- shuwa will be rebuilt and dedicated!”

It will take 75 days to destroy the old Temple where the Abomination of Desolation, was sitting and to also to rebuild the new one where our Messiah will rule and reign for 1,000 years! This dedication will take place on Chanukkah because it will be 75 days following Yowm Kippur---in other words 1,335 days!

Two Trees in the Garden Representing Two Opposing Celebrations

Some people within the Hebraic Roots Community have falsely stated that Chanu- kkah is a pagan holiday just because there are some people who have tried to “paganize” it by adding man-made traditions to it.

But just because Satan has tried to add Talmudic man-made traditions to this remembrance in history, does not make the entire thing pagan.

The logic behind treating Christ- Mass & Chanukkah as the same thing is like saying that the two trees in the Garden of Eden are the same just because they look similar and they are both trees. Both trees were in the garden, and both were created by Yah. But we know that these two trees represent two completely opposing ideas.

The “tree of life” is symbolized by the 7-branch menowrah and it represents our Messiah as he is the middle branch (the 7th one) and his bride represents the other six branches who are attached to him (the vine). But the Christ-Mass tree is represented by “the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” It represents Satan & Nimrod who were both “cut down like a tree” (Isaiah 14:12, Luke 13:7).

Both of these trees were in the Garden of Eden together. One was genuine, and the other counterfeit. Our Messiah is called the “Righteous Branch” in prophecy, but Lucifer who also manifested as Nimrod is called “the abominable branch” in Yesha- yahuw (Isaiah) 14:19. 31

In Ezekiel 8:17, Yah showed Ezekiel these abominations that the people of Judah were doing in his Temple. They were “putting the branch to the nose” in honor of Nimrod. This was mistletoe, which is used at Christ-Mass time. Now just because one branch is evil and one branch is good, do we throw out all shadow pictures pertaining to the branch or the tree?

Since the children of Yisra’el worshiped the golden calf does this mean that we can no longer eat beef now? You see, we are commanded to worship the creator and not the created things (Romans 1:25). That is what this all boils down to. We must worship the Father by using the pattern of what he has set forth in his Towrah (instructions). But Satan has tricked people into worshiping him using the very same meta- phors but he causes them to take their eyes off of Yahuwshuwa and instead fix their eyes on the created things of this world, i.e. Christ-Mass Trees, holly, mistletoe, etc.

Are You Celebrating a Wedding or A Divorce?

A man named Bill wrote to me and he asked me to share what the differences are between Chanukkah & Christ-Mass. He was under the false impression that they are the same thing, but here is what I said to him:

“Let me give you an example. Let’s say that March 10th for you represents the day that your wife left you for another man and began cheating on you. That date will always represent something painful to you----right? Now let’s just say that you continued to pray for your wife and almost one year later she broke up with the other guy and totally repented and came back to you. And let’s just say that on March 5th on the following year, that you both renewed your wedding vows and started all over again. Now even though both of these dates fall within the same week, March 10th represents the day your wife cheated, and March 5th represents the day that you renewed your vows and rededicated yourselves to one another. Now let’s say that your wife’s former lover’s name was Wally. So every year on March 10th she says to you, “Merry Wally’s Day, Honey!”

How are you going to feel knowing that was the day that she ripped your heart out? And not only is it bad enough that she wants to remember her former lover on this day, but she expects you to be merry about it! But if she suddenly realizes how much this hurts you and she repents, and she stops saying “Merry Wally’s Day” on March 10th each year, but instead she says to you on March 5th “Happy Re-dedication honey!” Now, she acknowledges the date of when you both took your marriage vows again and rededicated yourselves one to another. Do you see the difference? Do you see that Chanukkah & Christ-Mass represent two completely opposite things? And even though they fall around the same time of year, you still don’t want your wife celebrating March 10th as “Merry Wally’s Day,” but instead you want her to

remember the day that she came back to you, and she rededicated herself to the marriage on March 5th.”

My explanation to this man named Bill is very similar to what the nation of Yisra’el did to their husband, YaHuWaH. They committed idolatry over and over again in the Tanakh (Old Testament), and that is why Yah divorced then in Jeremiah 3:8. But at this point in history, during the Maccabean Revolt, the House of Judah showed themselves to be faithful as a nation. Many of these faithful Yahuwdiy (Jews) obeyed the covenant and they refused to disobey the commandments, even at the expense of their own lives and the lives of their children.

They were martyrs for their faith in YaHuWaH and his loving instructions. And so Chanukkah celebrates their dedication to the Heavenly Father, and their willingness to lay down their lives for him. Chanukkah celebrates their victory over idolatry and the re-dedication of the Temple back to the Father in Heaven.

Scripture Reveals “Eight” Dedications

Some people rationalize that Chanukkah is not mentioned in scripture. But did you know that the word “Chanukkah” (dedication) is mentioned a total of eight times in the Towrah, Tanakh and the Briyth Chadashah (Renewed Covenant Scriptures) in reference to the re-dedication or YaHuWaH’s Temple? Beloved, this is no small coincidence! It becomes increasingly more evident that the number “8” keeps on popping up everywhere in connection with the dedication of our Heavenly Father’s Temple!

If our Messiah, Yahuwshuwa is the “Living Towrah” that became flesh and he said that “one jot or title shall in no wise pass from the Towrah until heaven and earth passes away,” (Matthew 5:17-19), this means that people who speak evil about Chanukkah by calling it pagan are actually speaking evil against the Towrah, our Messiah, and the altar in the Temple!

If you want to make a distinction between the Talmudic man-made traditions that have been “added” to Chanukkah that is one thing, but to call Chanukkah evil is to express the epitome of ignorance and worse yet, it is to speak blasphemy against the altar in the Holy of Holies. There are a total of ten references for the word “dedication” in scripture. Two of these references describe the dedication of King Nebu- chadnezzar’s abominable golden statue in Daniel 3:2-3. But if you take away these two references from Daniel 3:2-3, you end up with 8 references for the word “dedication” that are pertaining to the altar of YaHuWaH:

Bemidbar (Numbers) 7:84 This was the dedication (chanukkah) of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Yisra’el: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold:

Bemidbar (Numbers) 7:88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication (chanukkah) of the altar, after that it was anointed.

2nd Dibre ha’Yamiym (Chronicles) 7:9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication (chanukkah) of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

Ezra 6:16 And the children of Yisra’el, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication (chanukkah) of this house of Elohiym with joy.

Ezra 6:17 And offered at the dedication (chanukkah) of this house of Elohiym an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Yisra’el, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Yisra’el.

Nechemyah (Nehemiah) 12:27 And at the dedication (chanukkah) of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

Daniyel (Daniel) 3:2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication (chanukkah) of the image which Nebu- chadnezzar the king had set up.

Daniyel (Daniel) 3:3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication (chanukkah) of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Yahuwchanon (John) 10:22 And it was at Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

The Attitudes of Ephrayim & Judah

There is a common argument that I hear among those within the Hebraic Root’s community against celebrating extra Jewish holidays. They often cite this verse:

Debariym (Deuteronomy) 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: you shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

The rationale here is that those of us who observe Chanukkah and Puwriym are “adding” to the commandments.

But my response to these people is the same as what the Apostle Sha’uwl (Paul) spoke about in Romans 14 when he wrote the following:

Romiym (Romans) 14:

4 Who are you that judges another man’s servant? to his own master he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be holden up: for Elohiym is able to make him stand.

5 One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6 He that regards the day, regards it unto YHWH; and he that regards not the day, to YHWH he does not regard it. He that eats, eats to YHWH, for he gives Elohiym thanks; and he that eats not, to YHWH he eats not, and gives Elohiym thanks.

Many Christians have taken these verses to mean that Paul was making the Feasts of YaHuWaH and the Sab-bath days optional, but that is not what Paul was suggesting in these verses. Paul’s letter to the Romans was specifically addressing kosher meat diets versus vegetarian diets, and also days when these foods would have been abstained from---in other words, fasting days. Paul admonished the body of believers not to judge one another regarding these issues that are not Towrah commandments. See my other article entitled: “Is Every Day ‘Alike?’ & Are All Foods ‘Permissible?’ A Study in Romans 14.”

The House of Judah honored certain fasting days to commemorate times of their deliverance while in captivity (see Zechariah 7:5-6). But the other tribes were judging the Jews for honoring these fasting days. Paul wrote to those who were judging one another over these fasting days not to do so for these were not com-

manded in the Towrah, yet they were still biblical days since they are mentioned in Zechariah 7:5-6.

And so I submit to you that Chanukkah and Puwriym fall into the same category as these “fasting days” that Paul admonished that we should not judge one another for. Both Chanukkah & Puwriym (like these fasting days in Zechariah) are biblical, even if they are not specifically commanded in the Towrah.

As I also mentioned earlier, both Chanukkah and Puwriym were decreed by those who were chosen and selected by Yah to save the House of Yahuwdah (Judah). Ya’aqob (Jacob) spoke this prophecy over his son Yahuwdah (Judah):

Bereshiyth (Genesis) 49:10 “The sceptre shall not depart from Yahuwdah (Judah), nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”

This means that Yah honors the decrees issued by Esther & Judah Maccabees to celebrate these important times of YaHuWaH’s deliverance for his people. I am not commanding anyone to celebrate Chanukkah or Puwriym. Celebrating these biblical Jewish holidays like Chanukkah & Puwriym is no different than a married couple celebrating their annual wedding anniversary with their spouse.

No place in scripture are we commanded to celebrate a wedding anniversary. But is it against the scriptures to do so? No! Likewise, if YaHuWaH healed you of a disease on a special day like for instance, let’s say that on February 7th 1985, you were healed of cancer supernaturally, and you want celebrate every year on that date and remember that YaHuWaH did something special for you, is that a sin? Of course not! We are commanded many times in scripture to remember the wonderful miraculous things that our Heavenly Father has done for us.

These special times in Jewish history were important to our beloved Messiah, and so they should also be important to us. I have heard some argue the fact that although our Messiah was at the Temple on the Feast of Dedication (Chanukkah), as recorded in John 10:22, they argue that he was not there to celebrate the feast. But my response to that kind logic is this: “there is nothing in scripture that is there accidentally or because of happenstance.” This event would not have been recorded for us if it was not important, and our Messiah would never have given the “appearance of evil” if there was something pagan about celebrating Chanukkah.

The reason why this argument is not a valid one, is because we read in the 7th chapter of John, that Yahuwshuwa remained in Galilee (90 miles away from Jeru- 36

salem) while his disciples went to the Feast of Tabernacles. He did not go to the Feast of Tabernacles right away because he knew that the religious leaders were trying to kill him. And so when he finally made his way to the Feast of Tabernacles, he went “incognito” (in secret). Three chapters later when he came to the Feast of Dedica- tion, why would he risk his life to be there once again if it was not important?

He traveled 90 miles from Galilee in the cold, rainy, winter season to be there and yet he had nothing negative to say about Chanukkah! If he was opposed to Chanu- kkah, he would have spoken up just like he did in John 2:14-15 about the money- changers tables. He obviously believed that Chanukkah was important or he would not have made his presence known in the Temple on the “Feast of Dedication” in John 10:22.

In Romans 2:28 we are told that if our heart is circumcised and we obey his Towrah, then we are Yahuwdiy (Jews). If we are engaged to be married to the “Lion of the Tribe of Yahuwdah” (Revelation 5:5), then we should recognize that the bride must marry into the tribe of her bridegroom just as Ruth (a Moabite) joined the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) before marrying Boaz, who was a Yahuwdiy (Jew).

If the book of Esther is “scripture” and the book of Maccabees was originally part of the Cannon of Scripture in the 1611 King James Bible, then we can accurately say that these books of the Bible were inspired by our Heavenly Father:

2nd Timotiyos (Timothy) 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of Elohiym, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Now that being the case, then Esther’s decree that we should remember the days of “Puwriym” and the decree of Judah Maccabee that we should remember “Chanu- kkah” are decrees from Elohiym himself! Esther & Judah Maccabees were no less inspired by the Holy Spirit than Moses was when he was given the commandments for Yisra’el to keep the Sabbath and the seven annual feasts. Also see my other article entitled “How Does Puwriym Point to Messiah?”

To those who do not want to observe Chanukkah or Puwriym---fine! But don’t judge those who want to remember what YaHuWaH has done for us in delivering our people from the hands of the enemy.

The Apostle Sha’uwl (Paul) expressed in Romans 3:2 that “to the Yahuwdiy (Jews) were entrusted the oracles” (the mysteries of the Towrah). Both Esther (who was from the Tribe of Benjamin) and Judah Maccabee had assimilated into the House of Judah by their obedience to Towrah, and to them were entrusted these same oracles. 37

In recent years, as the Hebraic Root’s Movement has grown, I see an attitude of Pharisaism within the House of Ephrayim just as much as there is in the House of Yahuwdah (Judah). In their efforts to depart from the Pharisaism of the Yahuwdiy (Jews), they are just as legalistic and Pharisaic as Judah is in their own right. It goes right along with what Sha’uwl said in Romans 2:1 “he that judges does the same things.” Thinking that they are more righteous than Judah, they become just as Pharisaic in their attitude because they judge wrongfully, and in doing so, they become no different in their attitudes. See my other article entitled “Two Conditions of the Human Heart Seen in Ephrayim & Judah.”

Pharisaism comes in different packages. Ephraimite Pharisaism is just as hypocri- tical and legalistic as the Pharisaism of Judaism. Those from the House of Ephrayim have an attitude that is so rigid about the “letter” of the Towrah (which kills), that they become blinded to the “spirit” of Towrah (which gives life). The original intent and purpose of Towrah is to bring us into a deeper revelation of who Messiah is (Galatians 3:24-25).

Is Chanukkah bringing us closer to Messiah and his Towrah? Are there lessons to be learned by reading the book of Maccabees and remembering those who suffered and died for their love of Towrah?

It would be consistent with what the Psalmist wrote:

Tehilliym (Psalm) 72:14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

Tehilliym (Psalm) 116:15 Precious in the sight of YHWH is the death of his set-apart ones [saints].

Our Messiah remembered the death of his set-apart ones when he visited the Tem- ple for Chanukkah and he considered it no trivial matter. Not only was he there to remember the saints who died for their love of YaHuWaH and his Towrah, but he was there most importantly because he was zealous for his Father’s House. Only a few chapters earlier, in John 2, we saw the righteous indignation that he displayed over the way that his Father’s house was being defiled by the money-changers. He was essentially doing the same thing as Judah Maccabees did 164 years earlier when he cleansed the Temple of all who would defile his Father’s house. And then 8 chapters later, he was once again displaying that he was indeed “zealous” about the re- dedication of his Father’s house. Beloved, this was no coincidence that he cleansed the Temple of the money-changers and then “8” chapters later, he was there to celebrate the Feast of Dedication! 38

Tehilliym (Psalm) 69:9 For the zeal of your house has eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached you are fallen upon me.

Yahuwchanon (John) 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of your house has eaten me up.

The five wise virgins in Matthew 25 are the ones who “follow the lamb wherever he goes” (Revelation 14:4) and this means that they imitate him and his way of worshiping the Father in spirit and in truth. Did our Messiah celebrate Chanukkah? Abso- lutely!

Let us therefore rightly divide the “word of truth” from the entire counsel of scripture (to include the book of Esther & Maccabees). And may we follow the example of our High Priest, Messiah Yahuwshuwa who is the author and finisher of our faith:

Ibriym (Hebrews) 12:2 Looking unto Yahuwshuwa the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the Taw (cross), despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of Elohiym.

*Note to the reader:

In all of my articles, I am quoting from the 1634 King James Version of the Bible, (unless otherwise stated). However, I have updated archaic words such as “thee, thou, art, hitherto, thy, thine” etc. I have also restored the sacred names of deity as they have been removed 7,000 times in our English Bibles from the original Hebrew Scriptures. Instead of “the LORD” I use the four English letters of YHWH called for the “tetragrammaton” which are four Hebrew letters in our Creator’s name: Yod, Hey, Waw (Vav). In Ancient Paleo Hebrew Pictographs, these letters look like this from right to left Yod (the hand), Hey (the breath or spirit), Waw (the nail or tent peg) and Hey (the breath or spirit). These letters spell out a message: “Hand Behold, Nail Behold!”

יהוה

I have inserted lower case letters into the name of YaHuWaH to aid in pronunciation. The word “God” has been restored to the Hebrew “Elohiym,” and the Messiah’s name has been restored from “Jesus” to ancient Hebrew for “Joshua” which is represented by six Hebrew Letters: Yod, Hey, Waw, Shin, Waw, Ayin (YHWSWA).

Once again, I also insert the vowel points to the name Joshua as follows:

YaHuWShuWA (Yahuwshuwa) to help aid in pronunciation. Also, for the title “Messiah” I use the Hebrew word “Mashiyach” which appears in the Hebrew text as: Mem, Shin, Yod, Chets (MSYC). I also insert the vowel points as MaShiYaCh to help with pronunciation.

There are also 100 different names of Yisraelites in the TaNaKh (Old Testament) who have the Father’s name (YaHuW) embedded in their names. The first three letters of the Father’s name is: Yod, Hey, Waw (YHW) called “the trigrammaton” and it is seen as “YaHuW” (Yahuw) on the end of names and sometime at the beginning of names.

*Examples of these names are as follows:

YaHuWceph (Joseph), YaHuWshuwa (Joshua), YaHuWchanon (John), YaHuWnathan (Jonathan), EliYaHuW (Elijah), YirmeYaHuW (Jeremiah), YeshaYaHuW (Isaiah).

I have restored those names where ever possible and I also include the Hebrew names for books of the Bible with the English name in parenthesis. In Modern Hebrew, the Creator’s name has been removed, from many of these names and they 40

have been shortened to: Y’shua (Joshua), Yosef (Joseph), Yonathan (Jonathan) etc. The reason for this is because in the Jewish Talmud there is a man-made law that enforces a “ban” on pronouncing the sacred name of our Creator. This is against the scriptures, as we are commanded not to “add nor remove” words from the word of our Creator (see Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32, Proverbs 4:6, Revelation 22:18-19).

Why should this matter? In Zephaniah 3:8-9 we read an important end-time prophecy about how YaHuWaH is going to restore the human race back to a “pure language” so that we may all “call upon the name of YaHuWaH with one consent.” The pure language is Ancient Hebrew as we can see that this was the original language that YaHuWaH used when he “spoke the word and the world’s were framed” (Hebrews 11:3). As a matter of fact, the first and last letters of the Hebrew Alphabet (Aleph & Taw) are seen in the very first verse of the Bible:

(Aleph & Taw] the heaven (shamayim] אתGenesis 1:1 In the beginning Elohiym created .(Waw, Aleph & Taw] the earth (erets] ואת and

and the twoא These two letters are pictographs of the Red Heifer or the Ox Head ת (sticks (the cross

In Revelation 1:8, 1:11, 21:6, 22:13, our Messiah is called “The Aleph & Taw, the first and the last” (Alpha & Omega) in Greek. The entire Hebrew Alphabet is a schematic of him. Hence, the reason why being restored to the Edenic Language from creation is part of the “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21).

Maria Merola is the founder of Double Portion Inheritance since 2007, and she is an author of many books and teach- ings. Visit Maria’s website at: http://www.DoublePortionInheritance.com

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