Hanukkah
Festival of Lights
by James Issa
YESHUA THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
JOHN 8:12.

Festival of Lights:
In John 10:22, Yeshua (We use the name that Jesus was called in Hebrew in this teaching.
That is his proper name, we are not disputing the validity of the English translation “Jesus,”
or others-Yesus, Yesu etc. However, just like every culture maintains a name and that is the
person’s name irrespective of where he or she is, so Jesus’ name, from Israel is Yeshua),
attended this feast. In John 8:12, Yeshua said he’s the light of the world. The amazing thing
about light is that it is the first thing that God created on the earth-Genesis 1:3. God didn’t
say this was a particular light or call this light the “Sun” or “Moon.” As we know these were
created on the 4th day.  It is my opinion that “light” here refers to God placing his nature into
the World.  He put his being into the world system. He created the principle of darkness over
light his goodness over evil. Righteousness over sin. The only answer to darkness is light.
1st John 1:5 says God is light and in him is no darkness at all. Again James 1:17 says God is
the father of lights. The word light in Hebrew “Or” means light, happiness, cheerfulness. In
John 1:4-5, it says in Jesus was life and that life is the light of men, that light shineth in
darkness and the darkness is unable to overcome it. In verse 9, it says Yeshua’s light is the
light that comes into the world. In 1st Timothy 6: 16, we are told Yeshua dwells in light. In
John 8:12, Yeshua says he’s the light of the world,  that his disciples will not walk in darkness
but shall have the light of life. In Psalm 90:8, it says the light of God sees our “secret” sins.
Before God we have no secret.

The Word of God and Light:
Another area where we see light is in the Word of God. In Genesis 1:3 it says “and God said
‘light there be light’ and there was light.” This means creation came forth through God’s
spoken word. In Hebrews 1:3, we are told that Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory-the
word brightness stands for great light or radiance and then it says he upholds ALL things by
the word of his power. So in God’s creative work, the word was first spoken and then light
came forth. We see the correlation of the Word and light in many passages in the Bible. In
Psalm 119:105, it says “Thine word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path.” Proverbs
6:23, says the commandment is a “lamp,” and the law is “light” and “reproofs of instruction
are the way of life.” Showing that the Word of God is the instruction that provides us with
light and life. Psalm 119:130, says the entrance of God’s word gives light, it gives instruction
unto the simple. If you need instruction on how to live in this world, the Word of God is the
light.

The Menorah:
One of the two words for “light” in Hebrew is “Menorah.” The other is “Or.” Menorah means
“light, brightness, cheerfulness.” When we look at the Menorah, in the middle of it we see the
Shemash or servant light. The word means “servant.”  In Exodus 37:17-24, God asked the
People of Israel to build the Menorah and it was to burn continually day and night. The
Shemash is taller than the rest of the six lights. However, it is from whose fire the rest of the
6 lamps are lit. This lamp is the typical 7 branch Menorah. In Revelations 1:13 and 2:1,
Yeshua is seen in the Shemash or middle lamp. (The word “candle.” Is not in Hebrew or
Greek). Yeshua is the servant lamp. This echoes his words in Mark 10:45, that he “came not
to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” It is also significant that
this middle candle’s name of Shemash is the same form of the word for the Sun “Shemesh”
which was created on the 4th day and therefore, is in the middle of the 7 day week. In
Revelations 1:17, the countenance of the exalted Yeshua was like the sun shining in his
strength. No-one can directly look at the Sun at it’s full strength with the naked eye. In Psalm
84:11, the Bible says the Lord God is a “Sun” and a “Shield.” In Malachi 4:2, it says the “Sun
of righteousness” referring to Yeshua, will “come with healing in his wings.”

The Holy Spirit and Light (Menorah):
For the Menorah to burn, it needs light. The oil used for this light is the olive oil. The olive oil
also represents the Holy Spirit. In the first or “old” testament, the Holy Spirit came upon
people when they were anointed with oil-1st Samuel 16:13. In Acts 2:3, the Holy Spirit came
upon the disciples as tongues of fire. In Matthew 3:11, John says Yeshua baptizes with the
Holy Spirit and with fire. This means we should have our light burning. We say here then that
the Holy Spirit first is the oil in the lamp. In Genesis 1:2, we are told the Holy Spirit was
hovering over the Earth. Then the word of God spoke forth, and light came. It is my opinion
that the Word of God through the Holy Spirit (Oil In Menorah) ignites the spark that brings
forth the light of God. That light then guides our way.

Application:
Two things that come to mind in talking about light is that, first of all, all discotheques are
dark? Why? Why do people but on masks at Mardi Gras etc. It is to hide themselves from
the light. Yeshua said he has come into the world as light, but men have refused him
because they love the darkness more than light, lest the light should rebuke them-John 3:20-
21. Again I remember where there’s light outside, all insects gravitate towards the light. I
remember once visiting a high ranking military officer at the barracks and taking an unlit
short-cut. Immediately, I heard a soldier ask who was there, and I answered it was I, and he
said something that has stuck with me. He said I should always be in the light so I can be
identified. Are we Christians in the light so we can be identified? 1st John 1:6-7 says if we
say we have fellowship in the light but walk in darkness, we are deceiving ourselves but IF
WE WALK IN THE LIGHT AS HE YESHUA IS IN THE LIGHT, then we have fellowship with one
another and his blood cleanses us from sin. Is one reason why it is difficult for true
Christians to have fellowship with other Christians, because those Christians are not really
walking in the light?
When my car was stolen, my foremost prayer was that light overcomes darkness, good over
evil. I kept praying this and light overcame darkness, righteousness over evil and the car
was found.
In Ephesians 2:15, we are told to be blameless and harmless, to shine as lights in the world
within a perverse and crooked nation. How many believe this includes most of the world
today. In Daniel 12:3, it says in these last days, the righteous shall shine forth as the
brightness of the heavens. Again in Genesis 15:5, when God wanted to show Abraham how
many his descendants will be like, he took outside to see the Stars. You can only see the
Stars in their fullness when the sky is dark. This means that as the world gets darker and
darker we the true Christians are going to shine brighter and brighter. However, again, you
can only shine if you walk in the light-1st John 1:7, and let your light shine-be a clear
Christian to the whole world and not only in Church. In Matthew 5:14, Yeshua said we are
the light of the world. That a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. That in a house or room a
light is not placed under a bushel but on a lamp stand to give light to the whole house. So
we also are to let our light shine. This is the light that we have from Yeshua himself, the
Servant lamp. As we know, the servant lamp lights all the other lamps. This means Yeshua’s
light has been lit in each of us. We are to let this light shine especially these days, because I
do believe the earth is going to get darker and darker, as the coming of Yeshua
approaches, however, true Christians are going to appear brighter and brighter and this will
lead people to glorify God-Matthew 5:14. I believe glorifying God includes coming into
Salvation.  2nd Corinthians 4:4, says the “god of this world (Satan) has BLINDED the minds
of those who do not believe in the gospel,” lest what? “Lest THE LIGHT( this is not me, this is
the Bible Speaking) of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,” will do what?
“SHINE INTO THEM.” I used to be blind before, but the LIGHT of the Gospel came to me one
day through God’s Holy Spirit, and I was able to understand and know that Yeshua really
died for my sins-2nd Corinthians 5:21. What Satan does is to prevent you from going to
church, reading the Bible, associating yourself with a Christian, placing diversions in your
path to stop you from doing these things and obstacle after obstacle in your path so you will
be far from the truth. Again when light comes, darkness is expelled. In 1st Peter 2:10, it
states that all believers in Yeshua were called out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Anyone who does not have the Word of God walks in darkness, that person will stumble
many times and eventually will die without  knowing God. For those of us who know God, we
do not need to be in darkness, because his Word is the light that leads us throughout this
life. Psalm 27:1 says the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear. We associate
darkness with fear, but when we have Adonai Yeshua (the Lord Jesus), we have light
because he dwells in light and his light is in us through his Holy Spirit.

How many want this light today? How many want to walk in this Light? Ask Yeshua-
HaMaschiach-(Jesus Christ) to come into your life and illuminate you. You will walk in His
Righteousness from today on.

Shalom.
BETH CHAI MINISTRIES
House of Life