the brew*crew adventure

God raised him to the highest place and gave him the name above every name (Philippians 2:9).

Although Chanukkah (the Feast of Dedication) is not a festival specifically commanded in the Scriptures, we are told that Yeshua observed it in first-century Jerusalem (John 10:22). He certainly affirmed the importance of the Maccabean victory of 164 B. C. E. and celebrated the preservation of his people, Israel. A central part of the observance is the lighting of the nine-branched chanukkiyah (Chanukkah menorah, or lampstand) to commemorate the miracle of the oil.

We are told in the Talmud that as the Maccabees kindled the Menorah in the restored Temple, one day's worth of oil lasted for eight days until a new supply could be produced. Hence, we light one candle for each of the eight days. Why the ninth candle? We call this candle the shammash (servant). It is the first candle lit, kindled by the match; in turn, it gives light to the other eight candles. Although shammash means "servant," it is clearly exalted above the rest of the candles of the chanukkiyah. It stands taller than the others.

The shammash candle is a perfect picture of Yeshua the Messiah. He left his glory in heaven and humbled himself to become a shammash to mankind. Yet after his death, he was raised by the Father and exalted. We can only experience the light of God as we receive it from his Son, Yeshua, the Servant.

Thank you, Abba, for the light of your exalted servant, Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah)!

Today I will...seek to be a light in the world as I have received the light of Messiah.

~excerpted from the devotional book, The Voice of The Lord

T last night, on the first night of Hanukkah 2006, which was also the beginning of Shabbat.

We said our Sabbath blessings over eachother first. Chris and I laid hands on each of the kids, and prayed for them, blessed them. Then I read Psalm 112 over Chris, and he read Proverbs 31 over me (the kids love that part, they get downright giddy). We said the blessings of "the bread from the earth" and wine (kiddush) "the fruit of the vine", read and talked about His being the the Bread of Life (the Word made flesh), and He the vine, and we, the branches. I then lit our Sabbath candles and I prayed aloud for Yeshua's Sabbath peace and light to fill our home this day and always. We then remembered our Lord's work on the cross as we partook of the bread and wine (grape juice, it's cheaper) together. Afterwards, N recited aloud (read) the Hanukkah blessings as T and I lit the menorrahs.

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