Wednesday, December 21 2011
The Prophet Daniel's View Of Hanukkah
An excerpt from an online encyclopedia article about Hanukkah:
"Hanukkah (also rendered as Chanukah, Chanukkah, or Chanuka), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.
The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical Menorah consists of eight branches with an additional raised branch. The extra light is called a shamash (Hebrew: "attendant" or "sexton") and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The purpose of the shamash is to have a light available for use, as using the Hanukkah lights themselves is forbidden."
(From the Wikipedia page for "Hanukkah" on December 19 2011)
There is a recorded time gap of about three centuries between the end of the "Old" Testament and the beginning of the "New" Testament (see The Rock Of The Church; see also What Language Is Pure?). It was during that time that "Hanukkah" was established by the Maccabeans (see Antiochus And The Maccabees). The events of "Hanukkah" are therefore not recorded in the Holy Bible as they happened "live" - although, as we will read below, "Hanukkah" was most-definitely recorded in the Holy Scriptures in prophecy, by Daniel, and then referred to as a historical event by Jesus Christ (in effect, Jesus Christ verified the record in the first Book of Maccabees regarding the events that resulted in Hanukkah being instituted by Jews i.e. the rebellion against the abomination of desolation in the Temple); the Messiah then made another prophecy about the original event, all as we will read further below.
Other historic documents exist that recorded the original events of Hanukkah, however the primary one is the non-Biblical ("Apocrypha"), but historically correct (as Christ said) regarding Hanukkah, First Book of Maccabees (it is the only book of the Apocrypha that isn't historic and religious garbage). A few excerpts from the record of the establishment of Hanukkah, and the original "abomination of desolation" that caused it to happen:
"1:20 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude, 1:21 And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, 1:22 And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off. 1:23 He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found. 1:24 And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly. 1:25 Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were; 1:26 So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed. 1:27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness, 1:28 The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion." (1 Maccabees 1:20-28, as rendered by the King James Version Apocrypha)
"1:54 Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;
1:55 And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the str