Hanukkah Day 8: Light Reflections

Passage: 2 Corinthians 4:6-7
“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.”

Pondering:
The word “light” is used over 270 times throughout Scripture. From the first chapter of Genesis to the final chapter of Revelation, light is central to Yahweh’s original intent and design.

The primary focus of light in the New Testament is encouraging us to walk in His light and to be His light to the world – evidence of His kingdom come and His will be done in the earth as it is in heaven.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see the children of Israel building altars and setting up memorials to honor and remember something Yahweh did in that place. This year, on this final night of Hanukkah, may we establish an altar in our hearts to serve as a reminder of what He is speaking to us in this hour. May we ponder the deeper meanings of this Feast of Dedication (Festival of Lights) from a heart posture that seeks to unravel the mysteries of Yahweh and His kingdom. May we be sure to take note of these lessons in the Hanukkah story:

The battle was fought and won before the reclaiming, cleansing and rededication could move forward. Crushing the enemy under our feet is our inheritance and our responsibility. It is a necessary first step in reclaiming territory.
Cleansing our temples (physically and spiritually) begins with removing what doesn’t belong. We have to honestly assess and purge what was only meant to serve us for a past season and what never belonged in our temple in the first place.
Rededication sometimes involves dismantling old structures and starting over with a clean slate – making room for Yahweh to do a new thing. New beginnings breathe new life into dead situations, and new wineskins are needed to carry the new wine.

And these truths that will carry us forward:

Yeshua is the “Great Light” that was promised in Isaiah 9. Despite what we see around us, His government is ever-increasing. We know this because His word says it is . And we get to be a part of that.
As a city on a hill, we have been assigned and equipped to be the light of the world – to remind humanity of where we came from and be used by Yahweh to help restore the nations to His heart on this journey back to Eden.
Traditions are one of the ways we pass identities and belief systems from one generation to the next. Understanding where our traditions come from is important, but equally important is the meaning we place on them as we celebrate together year after year.

In closing, here are a few more verses about light to ponder over the coming days. May your heart be encouraged, your soul enlightened and your spirit take in a new breath of life as you take in His word. Happy Feast of Dedication!

“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7)
“And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them; and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:5)
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8)
“Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.” (Micah 7:8)

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, our hearts are beyond grateful to You for bringing us through another year to celebrate this Feast of Dedication. As we light the eighth candle tonight, I quiet my spirit before You and speak shalom to my heart so I can deeply listen for Your voice. Speak to me, Abba, about Your heart for me and my family moving forward into this next season. Teach me what it truly means to walk in Your light and to be the light of the world. Show me practical ways to do this in my daily life. I want to be a part of advancing Your kingdom of light in the earth. I belong to You. Amen.

Worship Song: Let the Light In by Kari Jobe