Jesus Fulfills ChanukahWith tonight being the final night for Chanukah, I feel it appropriate that we look specifically towards its New Testament fulfillment. (Yes, believe it or not, even Chanukah points to the Messiah and His salvific work.) Yet, before we go even as far as the New Testament (approximately 250 years after the events of the first Chanukah), let's first go back to it's Old Testament prophecy (approximately 400 years before the events of the Maccabees) found in the book of Daniel.
In Daniel chapter 9, we find the servant of God prophesying concerning the coming days of Israel, it's return from exile, followed by a covenant, or rule, of a man of evil that will eventually lead to an act of abomination that brings desecration on the holy temple of God. Now, like all Old Testament prophecy, there is immediate/lesser fulfillment and there is future/greater fulfillment. (For examples of this principal look to most of the prophecies of the Psalms and the book of the prophets.) Any student of Scripture should recognize this prophecy of Daniel as being un-fulfilled, since Jesus, Himself referenced this passage in His prophecy concerning events that would following His earthly ministry (Matt 24). Yet, if you talk to any Jewish persona or biblical scholar, and they would surely take Daniel chapter 9 and see its fulfillment in the events of Chanukah.
Do not forget that the book of Daniel was written while the Jewish people lived in exile in the land of Babylon. Following a hundred years or so of exile, they were eventually permitted to return to their tattered homeland and rebuilt their sacred temple under the guise of the Persian empire and a Jewish prophet named, Nehemiah. (So far, it seems the prophecy of Daniel 9 is right on track, but wait!, we are just getting started.) After the Persians, however, the Greeks come on the scene and form an alliance with the local domestic authorities of all the countries they conquer, which, of course, includes the Jewish homeland of Israel. A pact, or covenant, is made saying that the lands conquered by Greece may remain as they are, but shall fall under Greek rule and influence. This means that the Jews may worship their God, so long as they allow themselves to be ruled by their Greek Emperor and government. Now, enter Antiochus IV, the new ruler of the empire and so proclaimed god. He outlaws all religion except the ones he sees fit, and forces all subjects from all conquered lands to worship his gods in their local temples. Of course, the worship of any God other than YHWH inside the temple was beyond forbidden and the Jewish people refused. Nevertheless, the event did occur and a pig was sacrificed on the Jewish temple mount in honor of a foreign and false god. The temple had been desecrated with an abomination. Daniel 9 had been fulfilled, and the Maccabees stepped up to put and end to the desolator's army, which they did (temporarily, at least, until those pesky Romans show up 100 or so years later...).
Well, it seems that Daniel 9 has found its fulfillment with Chanukah; but if that is the case, then why does Jesus refer to Daniel 9 as still needing fulfillment in His dissertation of the End Times found in chapter 24 of Matthew's Gospel? Lesser and greater fulfillment, of course!
But, what about Chanukah itself. Is it fulfillment, or prophecy, or both? It would seem that it is simply fulfillment, as it was never referenced by any of the writers of the Old Testament, and falls into the category of inter-testamental writings of mere historical nature. But is that really all Chanukah is about: history and nationalism??? Jesus didn't think so....
In Daniel chapter 9, we find the servant of God prophesying concerning the coming days of Israel, it's return from exile, followed by a covenant, or rule, of a man of evil that will eventually lead to an act of abomination that brings desecration on the holy temple of God. Now, like all Old Testament prophecy, there is immediate/lesser fulfillment and there is future/greater fulfillment. (For examples of this principal look to most of the prophecies of the Psalms and the book of the prophets.) Any student of Scripture should recognize this prophecy of Daniel as being un-fulfilled, since Jesus, Himself referenced this passage in His prophecy concerning events that would following His earthly ministry (Matt 24). Yet, if you talk to any Jewish persona or biblical scholar, and they would surely take Daniel chapter 9 and see its fulfillment in the events of Chanukah.
Do not forget that the book of Daniel was written while the Jewish people lived in exile in the land of Babylon. Following a hundred years or so of exile, they were eventually permitted to return to their tattered homeland and rebuilt their sacred temple under the guise of the Persian empire and a Jewish prophet named, Nehemiah. (So far, it seems the prophecy of Daniel 9 is right on track, but wait!, we are just getting started.) After the Persians, however, the Greeks come on the scene and form an alliance with the local domestic authorities of all the countries they conquer, which, of course, includes the Jewish homeland of Israel. A pact, or covenant, is made saying that the lands conquered by Greece may remain as they are, but shall fall under Greek rule and influence. This means that the Jews may worship their God, so long as they allow themselves to be ruled by their Greek Emperor and government. Now, enter Antiochus IV, the new ruler of the empire and so proclaimed god. He outlaws all religion except the ones he sees fit, and forces all subjects from all conquered lands to worship his gods in their local temples. Of course, the worship of any God other than YHWH inside the temple was beyond forbidden and the Jewish people refused. Nevertheless, the event did occur and a pig was sacrificed on the Jewish temple mount in honor of a foreign and false god. The temple had been desecrated with an abomination. Daniel 9 had been fulfilled, and the Maccabees stepped up to put and end to the desolator's army, which they did (temporarily, at least, until those pesky Romans show up 100 or so years later...).
Well, it seems that Daniel 9 has found its fulfillment with Chanukah; but if that is the case, then why does Jesus refer to Daniel 9 as still needing fulfillment in His dissertation of the End Times found in chapter 24 of Matthew's Gospel? Lesser and greater fulfillment, of course!
But, what about Chanukah itself. Is it fulfillment, or prophecy, or both? It would seem that it is simply fulfillment, as it was never referenced by any of the writers of the Old Testament, and falls into the category of inter-testamental writings of mere historical nature. But is that really all Chanukah is about: history and nationalism??? Jesus didn't think so....
