In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:1-5
While the timing has lined up at various times over the years in the past, perhaps it is extra special this year, that the first night of Hanukkah would coincide with the first Sunday of Advent!
Hanukkah is the 8 day celebration of the miracle of a single day’s worth of oil lasting for eight days in the Temple. In John, we read of Christ present on Solomon’s Porch in winter, during the Feast of Dedication, which is another name for the holiday.
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
John 10:22-23
Earlier, He announced:
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:12
Christ came to earth as a baby born to a Jewish virgin, grew up in a Jewish home under Roman occupation and would no doubt have been taught the significance of Hanukkah.
Across the world, lighting a candle has various meanings. For some, it is remembering loved ones. For others, it is a connection to something greater. For others still, it is a prayer, and in every case, it is a symbol of the desire to be found “in the light” or to have life illuminated, the way forward illuminated, dispel darkness, etc.
Many continue on in spiritual darkness after the physical candle’s flame has gone out. It is only temporary and the desires, hopes and prayers it represents continue on as wishful thinking, hope against hope, and sometimes even despair that life carries on as it always has.
The eternal light is only found in Christ. As prophets spoke across the Old Testament, all who listened held out hope of the promised Messiah. Messiah came and was not recognized by His own as recorded in John chapter 1. Today the Jews, by and large, still do not recognize Him as Messiah, and they won’t until He comes as King and then Scripture says they will mourn Him, recognizing Him as the One they pierced. It is always a celebration when a Jew accepts Jesus as Messiah right now, before Christ comes back as King!
Tonight is the also the first Sunday of Advent when we light the Purple Candle of Hope. More than ever, we need to cling to the Hope found in Christ! There is increasing darkness in our world that was prophesied by John in the book of Revelation, foretold by Christ in Matthew 24, shown to Ezekiel in a few places of his book, and foretold by Daniel, not to mention a few other minor prophets of the Old Testament. The fact our days were foretold doesn’t make it easier to live through as the generation that would see The Fig Tree blossom (Israel becoming a nation again), but the foretelling also tells us that we are closer to the days when Christ will vanquish our eternal arch enemy, his hordes, and his followers once and for all. Evil and darkness will be banished and we will forever live in the Light of the Lamb of God, King of the Universe.
As Scripture admonishes us, be ready with an answer if anyone asks you about your faith. Be willing to stand up as a follower, believer, and Child of God. Be willing to shine your light and flash a beacon of hope to the increasingly-hurting world around us.
Have you noticed when you light a candle during the day, it doesn’t seem to affect much around it. If you light a candle at dusk or early morning, it may affect it’s surroundings a little. But if you light a candle after dark, suddenly it’s flame seems so bright!
For centuries, the western world has seemed to most believers to respond very little to their light. There have been spot revivals here and there, and some denominations grew out of those revivals. But it seemed that shining our light around us had small impact. We would hear stories of those who shone their lights in the darkness of city ghettos and how many would be saved as a result. But for most of us in the Christian and then post-Christian eras as time turned to dusk on the clock, our lights didn’t seem to go very far. But the clock has ticked further. The Church age is closing and soon we will enter The Time of Jacob’s Trouble. Soon the Holy Spirit’s restraining hand will be removed and along with it, the Bride of Christ will be raptured.
Are you ready for that day? Have you submitted yourself to Christ’s Lordship and surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s work in your life? Don’t be caught sleeping as the 5 virgins were who did not have oil in their lamps. Now, while there is still time, resubmit and surrender afresh. Scripture tells us that there will be believers here on earth after the Holy Spirit is withdrawn. 12,000 of each tribe of Israel will be appointed the new evangelists and accepting Christ as Lord will be a death sentence. I don’t wish those days upon those who do not want to surrender or submit now. The birth pangs leading to those days are challenging enough as it is and giving many of us a taste of what life will be like in those days.
As you light the candle of Hope today, as we begin a new Advent season, let us eagerly look toward Christ’s coming in the clouds and cry Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!
