![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1836\/2024\/12\/devoted-1-resized--300x200.jpg\")
Hanukkah has a special meaning for the people of God, it is more than just a reminder of God\u2019s faithfulness, it is reminder for God\u2019s people to be dedicated to Him alone.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Be the light<\/li>\n
- Love others<\/li>\n
- Serve<\/a> others<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Most of us think of Hanukkah to remember how God delivered His people from the Syrian-Greek oppression and soldiers who defiled the Second Temple. But there is more being remembered during Hanukkah, God\u2019s people are reminded to be faithful to God.<\/p>\n
A number of Jews embraced the Hellenistic<\/a> principles of the Greek and one Jewish brother who was in line for priesthood in the temple, led the rebellious Mityavnim<\/a> to abandon the Jewish laws and the ways of God\u2019s people.<\/p>\n
It was traitorous Mityavnim who sacrificed to foreign Gods and turned God\u2019s people to paganism because they wanted earthly greatness and the temporary pleasures of this life. The Maccabees were the priests who opposed the Hellenistic Jews because the Maccabees were dedicated to God.<\/p>\n
What is Dedicate<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Whether we know it or not, we are all dedicated to something or someone. We invest our time and energy into who are and what we are dedicated to. Our dedication will direct the course we take in life.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1836\/2024\/12\/Devote-2-resized-300x205.jpg\")
Image by Wikipedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Dedicate is defined as, \u201cTo set apart and consecrated to a deity or for a specific purpose; to develop holy and earnestly to a person or purpose.\u201d If we aren\u2019t careful we can become dedicated or devoted to the wrong things or purposes.<\/p>\n
Some people are more dedicated to temporary happiness than being holy for God. Christianity teaches that whatever we do we do it for God (Ephesians 6:7, Colossians 3:23-24.) God\u2019s people are to put holiness before temporary happiness (Matthew 5: 48, 2 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Peter 1:15-16.)<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not that God doesn\u2019t want us to be happy, just that it isn\u2019t our focus in life because we are not to be like the world (Romans 12:2-4.) Being holy reminds us we are set apart for and dedicated to God, not the world or our selfish desires (Romans 12:1, 2 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Peter 2:9.) The apostles remembered their Jewish education about how God\u2019s people are dedicated to God.<\/p>\n
\u1e24\u0101na\u1e35<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The ancient world was dark, corrupt, and oppressive; pleasure was the pursuit of most people. The world lived by its sinful nature (Genesis 6:5, Proverbs 6:18, Jeremiah 17:9.) However, God called His people out of the darkness and set them apart as a nation dedicated to Himself (Exodus 19:5.)<\/p>\n
God\u2019s people are to be dedicated to God, His ways and His purposes. The Hebrew word for dedicated in the Old Testament is \u1e25\u0101na\u1e35 <\/em>and it can also mean, \u201cTo train, train up, or discipline,\u201d depending on the context it is used in.<\/p>\n
Because of our sinful nature, even God\u2019s people need to be trained and disciplined to follow the ways of God and not our sinful flesh. If not, we are never truly dedicated to God. Hanukkah is ultimately about us being dedicated to God, instead of the world.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1836\/2024\/12\/Devote-4-resized-300x200.jpg\")
Image by Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The Hanukkah menorah isn\u2019t just a reminder of God\u2019s faithfulness and miracles to His people, the menorah is a reminder for God\u2019s people to be the light in a dark world that only serves itself (Isaiah 60:1-3.) While the Hanukkah menorah represents the eight days of miraculous light in the temple, a traditional menorah represents the seven days of creation.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
- \n
- Light<\/li>\n
- Sky<\/li>\n
- Land, seas, and vegetation<\/li>\n
- Sun, Moon, and stars<\/li>\n
- Sea creatures and birds<\/li>\n
- Land animals and humans<\/li>\n
- Rest<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Jesus celebrated Hanukkah or the feast of dedication to remind His disciples to be the light (John 10:22-23.) Jesus commanded His followers to be the light of the world as a reminder for us to be different than the world (Matthew 5:14-16.)<\/p>\n
God\u2019s people cannot pursue the same temporary things of the world, like the rest of the world because we are called to walk in the light (John 8:12.) Jesus reminded His followers to serve others instead of seeking to be served (Matthew 20:28, Luke 6:38.)<\/p>\n
Jesus taught His followers to be dedicated to Himself and God instead of their selfish desires and the ways of the world (Matthew 16:24-25, Luke 9:23.)<\/p>\n
Amerifest<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Over the weekend there was a controversial conservative conference<\/a> held in Arizona to celebrate the conservative idol Trump<\/a> and his agenda. The conference was attended by 20,000 so-called conservatives the weekend before Christmas; wrap your head around that.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1836\/2024\/01\/Corrupt-4-resized-300x265.png\")
Image by Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n It hosted speakers who were known for anti-Semitism and far-right anti-Christian beliefs. The conference finder Charlie Kirk is notorious for his anti-semantic<\/a> beliefs, as is Rosanne Barr<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Many who claim to belong to God are more dedicated to a corrupt politician and a worldly agenda than to our true Savior. Mr. Trump himself declared that \u201cFaith was coming back to America.\u201d<\/p>\n
Newsflash Mr. Trump; faith hasn\u2019t left America; many conservative Americans have left the faith, just like the Mityavnim turned to the pagan ways of the ancient world. God\u2019s people are once again consumed with earthly greatness and temporary happiness.<\/p>\n
Jesus taught His disciples that they couldn\u2019t be dedicated to two masters (Matthew 6:24-26.) God\u2019s people should only be devoted to God and His kingdom, not earthly rulers and an earthly kingdom. We don\u2019t get to choose the ways of this corrupt world if we are dedicated to God.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
- \n
- Greed<\/li>\n
- Deception<\/li>\n
- Revenge<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Jesus and \u00a0the apostles warned us God\u2019s people would again turn from the faith in the last days (Matthew 10:14-21, 1 Timothy 4:1-4, 2 Peter 2:1-3.) Sinful Men focus on earthly greatness and temporary things and their version of God.<\/p>\n
The great Charles Spurgeon encourages us, \u201cThe sovereign electing grace of God chooses us to repentance, to faith, and afterward to holiness of living, to Christian service, to zeal, and to devotion.\u201d That is the purpose of our \u1e25\u0101na\u1e35!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ItToday begins a rare celebration of Hanukkah that falls on Christmas Day, both holidays focus on the power of God\u2019s light penetrating the darkness of this world, the Christian faith has its roots in Judaism since both celebrate the prophesied Messiah. Hanukkah has a special meaning for the people of God, it is more than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5082,"featured_media":5065,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[23,101,12,1072,1069,416],"class_list":["post-5056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faith","tag-jesus","tag-judaism","tag-trump","tag-amerifest","tag-chriatmas","tag-hanukkah"],"yoast_head":"\n
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