Festival of Lights

There are two Jewish holidays, not a part of the law, from before the time of Christ. 

One of these holidays is Purim. (Esther 9:28). The second one is the Festival of Lights, also known as Hanukkah ("Dedication"), or the Feast of Dedication. 

These two holidays appear to be metaphors of Christ and His Kingdom.

The Bible records Jesus being in the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the feast of dedication (Hanukkah).

"And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch." - John 10:22-23 KJV

The feast of the dedication, also known as Hanukkah, began Thursday eve December 7 and ends December 15.  (Eight nights).

It celebrates the miracle of the only remaining cruse of pure oil lasting eight nights instead of the usual one night when the Greek armies desecrated and defiled the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. This was on the Jewish month Kislev 25, about 160 BC. On the civil calendar, Kislev 25 generally coincides with the month of December.

The feast of dedication also celebrates the victory of a greatly outnumbered army of Jews over the Greek army that occupied Israel and were trying to force a godless lifestyle on the Jews.

One cruse of oil was only enough to last one night in the golden candlesticks in the Holy Place. It would take eight days to procure new pure oil. Miraculously, the one cruse kept the light burning in the Holy Place for eight days.

To be continued…