“Now it was the feast of dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.” John 10:22
What is the Feast of Dedication?
The Feast of Dedication all started when two Kohen priest whose names were Maccabeus and Mattathias who led a revolt during 2nd century BC. against Hellenized Jews or Jews who were influence by Greek culture. They literally reverse their circumcisions or figuratively could mean they denounce Torah, and while a few of these wealthy Hellenized Jews became unofficial priests by paying for seats to sit as High Priest of the temple. This seat buying caused a breach, a breach that opened a flood gate of devastating demonic influences that entered into from the outside which dictated the affairs of Jerusalem’s temple. We can say this is what it means when church becomes entangle with state.
At this time the remnants of Alexander Great’s kingdom, the Seleucid Empire occupied the province of Judea, and during economic growth devout Jewish priests became corrupted over the love of money. Now, this open flood gate would encourage a man named Menelaus who was wealthy and heavily influence by Greek culture desired to buy a seat, the only problem was he was not of the lineage of Aaronic priesthood. In other words, any wealthy person during the reigned of Antiochus IV could purchase a seat. Now, the office of High Priest would no longer be established from Yahweh, but by the hand of man. If you are familiar with the story of John, the Baptizer you can now understand why John a direct decedent of the Aaronic Priesthood who was chosen by Yahweh cried out in the wilderness because the office of the priesthood was crooked and defiled.
“The voice of him that cried in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 40:3-8
Butter the Bread
Menelaus appointment drew great criticism from devout Jews and grew farther when Menelaus began to turn the temple’s treasures into a Sabbath (Saturday) yard sale that ‘butter the bread’ of King Antiochus IV, which name means God-manifest. History books tell us that Antiochus was very possessed over his body (nakedness) which earn him the nickname ‘the mad.’ Moreover, the sitting priest Menelaus encourages the naked stature of Zeus, a Greek god to be placed inside the Holy of Holies, which farther desecrated the temple. All mythology was birth after the Tower of Babel, and DC, Marvel including Disney are carrying on these ancient superhero traditions. Zeus worshippers who Greek forefathers were forced to convert under Emperor Constantine are finding their way back to the god of their ancestors.
The Maccabeus
The Maccabeus revolt lasted from 167-160 BCE which gave Seleucids control of Judea empire until 134 BC. After independence was gain the 2nd temple in Jerusalem had to be cleaned and dedicated Numbers 7:1–8:4. The transliteration of the verb word dedicate in Hebrew is Chanukah which means to dedicate the Hebrew pronunciation of Hanukkah. The word dedication can be found in the KJV bible 10 times ten means assembly or gathering. Nine times in the Old Testament and one time in the New Testament which gives us the sum 10.
After the temple was place back in control of Aaronic Priesthood for a moment, the cleansing of the temple began, but there was a problem the newly appointed Priest only had enough holy oil to burn for one day. After they dedicated the Temple, consecrated the alter and relit the “eternal light” or ner tamid. The miracle takes place when there was just enough oil for one day’s worth of fuel, which burned for eight days and eight nights.
Feast of Dedication
Messianic (Christian) Jewish believers and Jews alike commemorates the Feast of Dedication with an eight-day celebration which falls on the Hebrew calendar 25th of Kislev. The ‘Feast of Dedication’ is known as Hanukkah it has evolved to be referenced as Festival of Lights this name may have come to birth to compete with the Pegan practice of worshipping the host of heaven, which was already in full practice around the world centuries before our Messiah walked upon this earth. A few well-known is the Winter soloistic, rebirth of life and Sol Invictus.
“They forsook all the commandments of the Lord their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal.” -2 Kings 17:16
“For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. He built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.” For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.”-2 Kings 21:3-5
However, the most important part of this feast is the dedication of Solomon’s temple in which the burning candle of the menorah symbolizes the Holy Spirit or eternal flame. The Menorah has nine places where candles are lit each night of the Feast of Dedication. Eight days and eight nights while the middle candle the ninth candle called the shamash, is used to light the other candles.
Antichrist
Now, there are seven appointed or holy convocations the eight one is Hanukkah in which all feast days point to Yeshua and was practiced by the messiah himself. If Yahweh needed a feast day to celebrate the birth of Yeshua, I believed the Lord would have appointed one; and furthermore, if any king would have known when Jesus was born, they would have killed him. How did the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus) fit into the Feast of Dedication? John records Yeshua entering into the temple during the Feast of Dedication. “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) Why did the Holy Spirit lead John to document the feast of dedication? Was it to warn us of the coming Antichrist and Daniel’s prophecy? Was it to confirm John’s writings in the Book of Revelations by giving us a glimpse into what happens when the Church marries the affairs of the government?
Antiochus IV, king of Syria was defeated in Egypt he sought out to make the Judeans pay for his defeat he murdered men, women and children. Antiochus a type of antichrist defiled the temple beyond imagine. We must understand why Yeshua walked into Solomon’s Porch. He needed this passage to resonate with His church, so we can have a foresight on the Antichrist to come. Revelations the most blessed book of the 66 books in the KJV Bible, John pens this shadow of things to come.
“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” Revelations 13:5-7
The Temple of the Holy Spirit
First and foremost, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and as often we must reflect on oneself by consecrating ourselves in the word of God. The adversary’s job is to steal, kill and destroy every part of Yahweh’s handiwork, but few every really understand why? Why must Satan strive continuously to deceive the body? “And these are they by the wayside, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.” Mark 4:15 Society changes but somehow, we assume that the Savoir of the world has evolved with the culture around us, but this is not true it is written: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrew 13:8)
The Feast of Dedication is a holy dedication and Yahweh’s feast days will not fall on the same days every new Calander year. What does this mean? There will be festivals and holidays that will intersect Yahweh’s Holy convocations. The Winter Solstice is a natural occurrence that happens every year in December around or between 20th-24th day of that month. Many nations and tongues worship the host of heavens what is called the Winter Solstice by calling it the festival of lights which mimics the stary heavens. However, the bible is clear from Old to New Testament concerning the children of the kingdom adopting vain worship patterns of other nations. Read Jeremiah 10:1-5
“And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?” Acts 7:41-42
Yeshua (Jesus) tells us I and my Father are one. John 10:30, John 1:1,2 In other words what pleases the Father, pleases the Son. What disappoints the Father, disappoints the Son. When Yeshua was at Solomon’s porch during the winter this could very well allude to His followers today. Remember how the physical temple was desecrated by a type of Antichrist. Indeed, the feast of dedication is an indirect plea for the Body, the true believers to guard and be mindful not to defile their bodily temples which the blood of the Lamb bought for a price as it is written. “…;know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, [Spirit] which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9
