The story of Hanukkah, having occurred during the period between the Old and New Covenants, foreshadowed the New Covenant that G-d was about to make with His people Israel. Although Hanukkah is not mentioned as one of the L-rd's Feasts described in Leviticus 23, it was celebrated by Yeshua. It is known as the Season of Miracles, the Festival of Lights, and the Feast of Dedication described by the apostle John in his gospel. John's gospel, many may know, does not follow the pattern of the other three gospels. John wrote specifically to the Jews to prove Yeshua's divinity based upon the traditions of the Israelites concerning the expected Messiah. He carefully addressed each messianic tradition and each Feast, pointing to Yeshua as the reason or focus. His gospel was meant to cause the observant Jew to see the light, the spiritual significance of his Jewish heritage.
The gospel of John records that Yeshua went to the Temple during the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) and taught in Solomon's Porch.
"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)
Hidden beneath the surface of the Scriptures are often subtleties that have great significance. Solomon's Porch, for instance, was built into the eastern wall of the Temple area and was reserved mainly as a place for teaching. Hanukkah, from the Hebrew word 'chanak', means to initiate or begin. But, its Hebrew root is associated with the word 'kheenuk' which means education or training.
In Solomon's Porch, the place of instruction, during
the Season of Miracles, Yeshua openly taught that the miracles
He performed served as witnesses to His divinity. He even
said, "I and the Father are one", stirring accusations
of blasphemy among the Pharisees.His appearance on Solomon's porch
during Hanukkah also pointed spiritually to the beginning of something
new.
Solomon's Porch spanned two areas of the Temple the Court of Israel and the Court of the Gentiles spiritually demonstrating that salvation [Yeshua] was for both Jew and Gentile. From Solomon's porch, one could see the middle wall of partition that separated these two areas. Gentile believers in G-d were forbidden, under the penalty of death, to go beyond that wall of separation. Paul said that this partition was abolished by Yeshua's death, making it possible for Gentile believers to have the same access to G-d as the Israelites:
"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both [Jew and Gentile believers] one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace." (Ephesians 2:14-15)
The Nation of Israel is the Old Covenant Church, having the religious privileges of G-d through obedience to the Old Covenant rules. The One New Man is the New Covenant Church, made up of believing Jews and Gentiles, having the religious privileges offered to Israel by G-d through obedience to the Holy Spirit.
From that point on, G-d would no longer make a distinction between Jew and Gentile believer in their relationship with Him. The Church of G-d had transcended from the natural [the Old Covenant Church] to the spiritual [as reflected in the giving of the Holy Spirit to rule the believer of the New Covenant Church].
The Hanukkiyah that developed as a result of events that occurred during the period between the Covenants, foreshadowed this spiritual transition. The oil-filled lamps that would not run out of oil or cease to burn typified the Spirit-filled believer of the New Covenant Church.
During the Hanukkah season Ezekiel 37:15-22 is always read in the synagogue. These passages point to the re-uniting of the two kingdoms of Israel, the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
"Thus says the L-rd G-d; behold I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions, and will put them and it together with the stick of Judah to form one stick and they shall be one in My hand."
Ephraim, the youngest son of Joseph through his marriage to an Egyptian woman, was given the firstborn rights over his older brother Manassah by his grandfather Jacob. Jacob spoke prophetically that Ephraim's descendants would become a {melo goyim) fullness of Gentiles (Genesis 48:19).
Judah who was also given firstborn rights was told that he would rule (Genesis 49:10) until Shilo comes (a term used for the Messiah). All the lawful kings of Israel came from the tribe of Judah including 'King Messiah Yeshua'. Forty years after Yeshua's death, though, the Jews were exiled from Israel and scattered throughout the world, losing track of their tribal lineage. It was then that the firstborn rights passed to Ephraim who became the Jew/Gentile Church. That Church is described in Hebrews as the Church of the firstborn:
"to the general assembly and Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven" (Hebrews 12:23)
Hosea recorded G-d's words:
"Ephraim has mixed himself among the nationsAliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it" (Hosea 7:8, 9)
G-d said that He would mix the house of Israel (the ten tribes of Northern Kingdom known as Israel or Ephraim) with the nations of the world, but they would not be permanently lost:
"For surely I will command, and will sift the house of Israel among all nations.... yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground." (Amos 9:9)
G-d intended for the Church to play an important role in the salvation of the unbelieving Jews. The Church was to go to the unbelieving Jew first (Romans 1:16) and then to the Greek [heathens]. In speaking specifically to the Gentiles, the apostle Paul said:
"For as you were once disobedient to G-d, yet have now obtained mercy through their [the Jews'] disobedience, even so these [Jews] have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For G-d has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all." (Romans 11:30-32)
G-d deliberately closed the eyes of the Israelites, making them disobedient, not allowing them to recognize their Messiah so that all mankind could be saved. Had they recognized Yeshua, they would not have crucified Him, thus subverting the plan of G-d. Yeshua came to die a sacrificial death that could be carried out only through the sacrificial system taught to the Israelites.
"Yet it pleased the L-rd to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin." (Isaiah 53:10a)
G-d said through the prophet Isaiah:
"It is too small a thing that You [Yeshua] should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)
Because the Jews were blinded, they crucified Him according to Jewish Law. He became the spotless offering for the sinfulness of man, opening the door for the Spirit of G-d to again dwell in man as He did in the Garden of Eden. While this was a New Covenant for the Jews, it was a renewed covenant for mankind. The writer of Hebrews proclaims:
"Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." (Hebrews 10:28)
Today, observant Jews are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Messiah. They believe the era in which we now live is the Pre-messianic Era. Jewish tradition states that prior to the coming of the Messiah, the Jewish people will begin to return to Israel and resettle the land. It is believed that the ingathering of the exiles and the rebuilding of Jerusalem will be one of the signs that preludes the coming of the Messiah. Rabbi Chaim Richman of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem actually says that Israel is today in the midst of the Countdown to Redemption.
The Hebrew sages say that in the end of days, the descendants of Judah will join forces with the descendants of Joseph [Ephraim] to defeat Esau also known as Greece: (See The Secret of the Hanukkiyah)
"For I have bent Judah for Me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim and raised up my sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as a sword of a mighty man." (Zechariah 9:13)
When Judah and Ephraim [the New Covenant Church] combine forces against their true enemy, Satan who is the G-d of this world, G-d will make them very powerful:
"The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau shall be stubble; they shall kindle them and devour them, and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau" (Obadiah 1:18)
The apostle Paul taught that Israel would remain partially blinded until the "fullness of the Gentiles" [Ephraim] has been grafted into the cultivated olive tree (Romans 11:25). Then, all Israel will be saved when G-d lifts the blinders from the eyes of the Jewish people:
"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced.and mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10)
The grafted-in-again branches that were broken off because of unbelief (Romans 11:23) and were scattered throughout the world will be re-gathered:
"Thus says the L-rd G-d: 'Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries.I will gather [them] from the peoples, assemble [them] from the countries where [they] have been scattered, and I will give [them] the land of Israel.'" (Ezekiel 11:16-17)
In view of the importance that G-d places on the relationship between the Nation of Israel and the New Covenant Church as expressed in these Scriptures, the Church should be zealous to see unbelieving Jews saved. Yeshua said that He would not return until the Nation of Israel acknowledges Him as the Messiah (Matthew 23:39). For His own glory, G-d has made the joining of Judah [now the Nation of Israel] to Ephraim [now the Church of the Firstborn] a prerequisite to Yeshua's return. He will be coming for His spotless bride, the One New Man.