Dear Friends:
It’s the time of year to celebrate Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish holiday which always begins on the twenty-fifth of the Jewish month of Kislev (This year on the eve of December 1st through the day of the 9th). It commemorates the victory of the Maccabee, brave Jews who stood their ground in their fight for survival against a Syrian-Greek army. It also reminds us of the rededication of the desecrated Temple of God. In John 10:22, it is recorded that Yeshua Himself observed Hanukkah.
Hanukkah’s history begins in 167 B.C. with Antiochus Epiphanes
(“Manifest…God”), the godless king of Syria, attacking Israel. Upon entering Jerusalem he destroyed much of the Holy City killing numerous men, women and children. His utter wickedness continued as he invaded the Holy Temple carrying away the golden altar, golden candle sticks, and other holy dedicated vessels.
To further flaunt and complete his hatred for the One-True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he sacrificed a pig to the Greek gods. But his anti-Semitic acts didn’t stop there as he mandated that all Jews must cease the practice of their religion, which included Shabbat, circumcision, kosher laws, etc. Antiochus then gave an edict that only pigs would be sacrificed upon the altar in the Temple of God, to replace the specified worship the Lord had commanded the Israelites to do. This was total desecration and mockery towards God!
Immediately after the utter pollution of the Holy Temple, Syrian military officers were sent throughout the cities and villages of Israel to force Jewish leaders to erect altars in their village squares for the purpose of sacrificing pigs to the Greek gods. Many Jews fled and hid in fear, while Hellenized (more non-observant) Jews gave into Antiochus’ commands. However, some Jews courageously resisted and were slaughtered as faithful martyrs. At that point, their situation was about to change.
In the small town of Modin, very close to Jerusalem, Antiochus’ military detachment arrived, ordering all Jews to assemble in the town square for the purpose of sacrificing swine upon unauthorized altars to show obedience to Antiochus’s decree. Mattathias, an old priest, was so enraged when he saw a Jew about to do so, that he killed him. He and his five sons killed the Greek troops, and then called upon those who were on God’s side to follow them into the mountains to begin their guerrilla warfare against the Syrian army. After many battles, he, his sons, and the many that joined them, liberated Jerusalem and reclaimed and cleansed the Holy Temple from its defilement!
It was then that the Temple lamp was lit, with only enough purified oil for one day, but a miracle happened and the menorah burned for eight full days until the new necessary purified oil was prepared. Once again, Israel was completely in the hands of the Jewish people to set the stage for the Jewish Messiah to be born into the home of a faithful observant Jewish family. Halleluyah…this is indeed a Jewish Holy Day which Jews and Gentiles can celebrate together!!!
We thank those of you who are ministry partners of God’s Grace International, who like Mattathias the priest, have chosen to stand in the gap with us in support of Israel and God’s people in their times of great need. Bless you for your faithful prayers and financial gifts for the poor and distressed - orphans, widows, Holocaust survivors, and deserted who often are all alone and forgotten.
I just returned from Israel where I was involved in long days serving Holocaust survivors through our affiliate organization, Helping Hand Coalition. It was a great blessing to personally visit more than 25 Holocaust survivors in their apartments. But also know, they too, were blessed by our visits. We first call to let them know we are coming, and upon our arrival, are greeted with enthusiastic kisses and hugs as though we are their personal family---they consider us family because our visits with them are frequent, lengthy, and compassionate. In these visits, we give them some subsistence money and/or food parcels, but the personal time spent with them is all the more appreciated. For years, few wanted to hear their horrific stories of what they went through in the Holocaust because the general populace felt they didn’t stand up to fight against the Nazis. They were considered a shame to their people. However, we know many did fight in the ghettos and resistance movement. Most have aged beyond their years and are in bad health---some bed-ridden for years. There is so little time before they are all gone, and we want to be as much comfort to them as possible.
Amongst our various ministry endeavors, we spent time with two young battered and deserted mothers with little support from the government, and no support from the religious community. At different times, we bought them groceries at a local food store where they filled two shopping carts with food and necessities to care for themselves and their young children.
What a joy it is to be able to tell Holocaust survivors, widows, orphans, and those who have been abandoned, that there are people who love them and they are not alone and forgotten. When asked who these loving caring people are, we say, “Christians who love Jesus!” Thank you for your prayers and financial gifts that make these acts of kindness possible. You have enabled us to be
your helping hands to those in need that are seeing, for the very first time, the
real Jesus of the Bible! The day is coming when Israel will say: “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” (Matthew 23:39)
Please help those who have so little with your gifts of Tzedakah (charity). Whether it is $5,000, $500 or $5, it will make a difference in lives needing a loving touch. A gift of any amount will enable us to bless those who desperately need to hear from God’s people that our God is
real and that He cares for them. Thank you for your gifts. You can use our secure online donation site by
clicking here.
As always, all overhead and administration expenses for God’s Grace International are 100% paid for by its founder. Any gift from you goes
fully to God’s work.
Have a memorable and blessed Hanukkah and Christmas.
