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Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights, is a holiday commemorating the rededication of the second Temple. It is a celebration of faith and uncompromising commitment to God’s Word as we remember the Maccabean revolt during which a small Jewish army fought against the forces of evil in their day and took back the Temple, cleansing it and rededicating it to God. How do we celebrate this amazing eight-day feast?
Christmas is celebrated every year on December 25 by millions of people around the world. Christians and non-Christians alike fully embrace the holiday season, observing many of its traditions, such as Christmas trees, mistletoe, Santa Claus, and of course gift giving. Does the Bible offer any insight into whether or not Christians should celebrate this holiday?
One of the greatest temptations of mankind is to exalt ourselves. We want people to think we're the smartest, coolest, and most talented. We want to be seen and admired for our gifts and talents. It's natural to desire acceptance and affirmation from others, but there's a danger of idolatry when we make God's work about us instead of Him.
In chapter one of Acts, Luke speaks of the miracles that Yeshua did to prove He was alive after He was resurrected. He appeared to the disciples and many others for forty days and taught them about the kingdom of Yahweh. This chapter is also where Yeshua tells the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the gift that the Father had promised—the receiving of the Holy Ruach (Spirit).
Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, wrote how there is a time for everything. There’s “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). The season of Sukkot is not the time of weeping and mourning. That time was during the month of Elul leading all the way up to Yom Kippur. Sukkot is the time of laughing and dancing. Indeed, God explicitly commands us to “rejoice” in this season!
