Calendar of Redemption
Before the Cross-
Concerning the
feasts of the LORD,... an holy convocation;
ye shall do no
work therein:
it is the
sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
These are the feasts of the LORD,
even holy
convocations,
which ye shall
proclaim in their seasons.
Leviticus
23:4,5
Since the
Cross-
Let no man
therefore judge you in meat,
or in drink,
or in respect
of an holyday,
or of the new
moon,
or of the
sabbath days:
These are
a
shadow of the things that were to come;
the reality, however, is found in
Christ.
Colossians 2:16,17 NIV
--Feast of Dedication--
25 Kislev-2 Tevet (November/December)
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
John 10:22
 |
| The menorah has 9 rather than the 7 candles used in the Sanctuary |
The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) came about during the Greek inter-testament period. It was to celebrate the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek Antiochus Epiphanes who had closed the temple and forced pig sacrifices. Hanukkah is also known as the "Feast of Lights" because it is said a miracle occurred as it relates to the oil of the Sanctuary. There was only enough for one day, and supposedly, it kept burning for 8 days - the time for it to be purified.
The "Dedication" part has to do with re-dedicating the re-opened temple.
Also, since Hanukkah is close to the Christian "Christmas" holiday, Jews today give presents.
Jews read a different part of Numbers 7 in the synagogue on Hanukkah.
2015-December 7
2016-December 25 (well how about that?)
2017-December 13
2018-December 3
.....it was dedicated anew, with singing of hymns, and music of harp, zither and cymbals. Thereupon all the people fell down face to earth, to adore and praise, high as heaven, the author of their felicity; and for eight days together they celebrated the altar’s renewal, burned victim and brought welcome-offering with glad and grateful hearts. They decked the front wall of the temple, at this time, with gold crowns and escutcheons, consecrated the gates and the priest’s lodging anew, and furnished it with doors; and all the while there was great rejoicing among the people; as for the taunts of the heathen, they were heard no more.
1 Maccabees 4:54-58
P.S.-1 Maccabees tells the story of what happened...it is NOT quoted here as Scripture--but rather as "history".