For the basics of Chanukah and an 8-Day Prayer Guide, go to our Chanukah festival page.
Every year, YAHUAH gives us new and special meanings to our festival observances. This year, Chanukah is a celebration of our Redemption.
2017 - The Year of Redemption
Redemption has come to the believers of Family of Messiah YahuShuah Assembly. The children of Yisrael will be redeemed and restored through the re-dedication of the Set-Apart Place and the Altar.
We restore the Presence of Elohim in our assembly by renewing the Twelve Tribes of Yisrael and renewing the creation of the heavens and the earth.
And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, when I dwell in the midst of the children of Yisra’ĕl forever, and the house of Yisra’ĕl shall no longer defile My set-apart Name, they nor their sovereigns, by their whoring and by the corpses of their sovereigns on their high places.” (Yehez/Ezek. 43:7)
Celebration of the Lights
We celebrate the Festival of Lights in honor and remembrance of the Most High Creator and His Creation that brought light into the world. This celebration not only covers the creation of the heavens and the earth, but also the Light that is restored to His Assembly, the children of Yisrael in the House of Ya’aqob.
The Messiah YahuShuah is the true Light of the world. When He is with us, we bear the light that was from the beginning.
We celebrate the Creation lights every week with the Shabbat lights. These two candles remember that the Almighty created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day.
The seven-branch menorah is a remembrance of the Set-Apart Place. The seven lights relate to the Creation, and the Set-Apart Place is the fulfillment of Creation - YAHUAH dwelling with man.
“Command the children of Yisra’ĕl that they bring to you clear oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.” (Wayy/Lev 24:2)
“For You Yourself light my lamp; יהוה my Elohim makes my darkness light.” (Teh/Psa 18:28)
“For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.” (Teh/Psa 36:9)
Both lights symbolize the Creation and the Day of Rest. If we bring both together, the Shabbat lights and the menorah, we have nine lights for the Chanukah observance.
Broken and Defiled
We are like the altar and the set-apart place that was broken and defiled at the time of the Maccabees (2nd century BCE).
We were once Christians who did not keep the commandments of Elohim. We observed the festivals of pagan idols, ignorant of the set-apart festivals of the Hebrews. We ate foods that are prohibited in the Scriptures and profaned ourselves by eating swine.
We were not taught the way of the Hebrews but rather the ways of the Greeks and Romans.
We did not know the Name of our Father nor of His Messiah. We called the pagan names we were taught.
The House of Elohim was broken, and the Altar was no where in our lives. We were a defiled people without covenant and without atonement.
Yet, our desire was to serve the One Most High El and to become His. We had to find the truth, so we sought and found it.
Like it is written in the Book of Maccabees, we were the Altar that was defiled.
We had to change our lives by being humbled by YAH. When we struggled with family, finances, societal pressures, etc., we were being pushed so we would change our ways. We were broken down to get our being to have a contrite spirit.
The breaking down of our being is like the Maccabees breaking down the filthy, defiled Altar.
The Maccabees and the Yahudim fought against the Greek king, and YAH gave them the victory. They restored the House and rebuilt the Altar.
We, too, were broken as we came out of the Greco-Roman regime. When we returned to the true Laws of Elohim, we were purified and cleansed.
Now Restored
At Chanukah, we celebrate our existence as true believers who have been broken, cleansed, and rebuilt to stand as His Altar, serving YAHUAH by making offerings of righteousness.
We have renounced all paganism and pagan idols, destroyed all Asherim, removed all pagan teachings and Greco-Roman influences, and cast down all that has to do with evil.
We have removed the mixture of pagan and set-apart service. We no longer eat from the Tree of knowledge of good and evil as in our former religions.
We have returned completely to the service of YAHUAH the Most High Elohim to serve only Him. We have come into the Renewed Covenant of the Mashiach.
Now, our lives are rededicated to bear the Light of the esteem of Elohim.
Chanukah Observance
Every year, on the 25th day of Kislev, the Festival of Lights (Chanukah) will be celebrated for eight days.
We will remember the awesome works of Elohim in the Creation of the world, the coming of the Light of Mashiach, the 12 Tribes of Yisrael, the Set-Apart Place, and the Altar.
We rejoice as we celebrate Creation and His return to His people!
Honor and exalt YAHUAH for re-establishing His set-apart people and bringing back His favor to His people and the world!
We will celebrate and honor Elohim and His Mashiach and the 12 tribes of Yisrael with feasting and dancing with ecstatic joy for eight days. No fasting or mourning is allowed!
These days of honor will be as the days of the festivals written in the Torah of Elohim. We shout for joy making it known to all the world that we celebrate because Elohim brought us our salvation and deliverance from Heaven. He has renewed His Presence because He has renewed His Set-Apart Place.
From this day forward, the Creation is renewed, the twelve tribes of Yisrael are renewed (restored), His laws and commandments are renewed, His presence with His people is renewed, and our life and all those who join themselves to us are renewed!