SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: Luke 22: 39-46 and Matthew 26: 36-43....While reading these scripture passages, my thoughts turned to what I was taught in Sunday School when I was a child. My understanding about what happened with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane when He asked the Father to take the "cup of suffering" from Him, I believed Jesus was asking for the cross sacrifice to be taken away. But on closer examination Jesus was actually asking not to die in the garden so that He could fulfill His destiny on the cross! Jesus realized that the blood that dripped in the garden would not redeem. The answered prayer in the garden fulfilled ALL that was written of Him. This made Jesus the perfect redemption! He filled the letter of the law and the prophetic of Him carrying the cross to His physical death. God answered Jesus' prayer in the garden so He could be our sacrifice for sin on the cross! It truly is a perfect redemption!
One reason, we as believers, need to celebrate Hanukkah is that Yeshuah celebrated it. The word Hanukkah means dedication and its observance is in December. John 10:22-23 KJV "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch." Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil lasting eight days while new oil was being prepared during the rededication the Maccabees secured. Christians can light the Hanukkah menora to celebrate the miracle of new birth displaying the light for all to see. Just like Jesus told the pharisees to examine the works He does and see if they are from the Father, we too need to do the good works the Father gives us to do. Matthew 5:16 says "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven." As we honor Hanukkah we are saying Jesus IS the Light of the World!!!