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Festival of Lights - Integrity

Writer's picture: BriceEugeneBriceEugene

Over the course of the last week, I’ve mentioned the Hanukkah story a couple times. I’ve been struck in different ways by the different elements and traditions.


Apart from the elements and tradition there are the people. I’ve included an excerpt from Parents.com which briefly explains the Hanukkah story.

“Over two thousand years ago, Antiochus, a cruel ruler of the Greek Kingdom, imposed pagan beliefs on the Jewish people. "You'll worship Zeus," he proclaimed, and set up statues to Greek idols and slaughtered pigs at the altar, dirtying the temple.
The Maccabees, a group of devastated Semitic people, were so unhappy that they refused to assimilate into the Greek culture as others had done. When an old priest, Mattityahu, and his son Yehuda (Judah) bravely rose up, they risked their lives and battled the Greeks. The small band of dedicated followers eventually defeated the Greek general and his army, winning the war and protection for the Torah, a book of Jewish teachings, writings, and laws.”


You can read the actual details of the story in 1 and 2 Maccabees which are two books that were not included in the final canon of the Torah and Tanakh which make up the Hebrew Bible and they aren’t included in most Christian bibles (Catholic and some Orthodox Bibles would be the exception). They are considered part of the Apocrypha -which may be a discussion for another time. They do seem to carry some historical accuracy which is why we give them any attention.


Either way, Mattityahu and Yehuda (Judah) where a father and son that refused to compromise on their faith. They were threatened, and the temple was destroyed by Antiochus the the King. The Jews were forced to forsake their religion and they were told to worship Zeus. Matt and Judah lead a revolt against the King and his army and fought for their desire to worship the one true God.


The whole story has similar tones to both the book of Esther and Daniel 3. But Daniel is what came to mind first. King Nebuchadnezzar built a golden image and commanded that the entire nation bow down and worship the golden image when they heard to sound of the trumpets and horns. If they didn’t bow down, they would be arrested and sentenced to death in a first furnace.


Some people noticed that Daniel’s friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (my son’s namesake) were not bowing down at the sound of the trumpets. They ran and told the King and he had them arrested.


King Nebuchadnezzar gave them one more chance to worship the golden image and they responded,


“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”



No matter what they faced, they would not give their worship to anyone but the one True God.


They were bound and thrown into a superheated furnace and miraculously emerged unharmed because Jesus met them in that furnace and preserved them though their faithfulness.


The Father is always merciful to those who are sold out to Him. When there is absolutely nothing that can be offered to you that would cause you to turn from Him, He is pleased. He is the only one worthy of all praise, glory and honor.


We are constantly being bombarded with opportunities to worship other things. Lust, money, social status, the newest phone, the nicest car, a spouse, a child, the approval of someone, recognition from a superior, they are all fighting for our attention - all fighting to be the object of our worship. We MUST be resolute, like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Esther and Mordecai, and Mattityahu and Yehuda that we will not bow down to anyone else no matter who tells us to. Integrity in the face of temptation or persecution brings a greater reward than anything else!


I leave you with the words of Jesus:


“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”


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