Posted: 12/11/2009 9:52:13 AM EDT
|
Interesting piece of history sent to me today....
Tomorrow at sunset is the beginning of Chanukah, the celebration of a tremendous and beautiful miracle of oil and light. I'm sure most of us know the story. Greek oppressors captured Israel and introduced their form of degradation and debauchery into the land corrupting that which was holy and pure. It didn't happen overnight. In fact, it took several years –– even generations –– before the demise of Israeli society was complete. Under the maniacal Greek ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes –– whose name actually means "god in the flesh", a military garrison was set up in Jerusalem to oversee the hellenization of the population of Israel. The Jewish high priest was murdered and the circumcision of all male Jewish babies was stopped. A statue of a Greek god was erected in the Jewish Temple and the sacrifice of pigs on the altar was instituted. Anything that had once been considered holy and pure was challenged, done away with or destroyed, and replaced by hideous and deceitful worship and despicable behavior. Anything goes became the norm of the day. Things became so perverted that adult Jewish males went through the painful reversal of their circumcision so they could participate in Greek sports. Everything was upside down. What had once been right and beautiful was corrupted by the dark and ugly. Society slowly succumbed to the philosophical brain washing and political correctness of the day. There was a small village named Modi'in on the road up to Jerusalem, not far out of modern day Tel Aviv. The Greek garrison built an altar in Modi'in and demanded a display of allegiance from the village hierarchy by the sacrificing of a pig on the altar. An old Jewish priest, Mattathias, saw what was happening and became so furious that he single handedly killed the Jew who was complying with the order. He then took his four sons and fled to the hills surrounding Modi'in and prepared to wage a guerrilla warfare against the conquering Greeks. Mattathias and his sons were willing to sacrifice their own lives in the name of righteousness rather than succumb to the evil Greek rule. The odds were impossible, except for God! It had taken generations for the Greeks to completely override Jewish society but it took only a few years for Judah, the son of Mattathias, to lead a small militia consisting of his brothers, friends, family, neighbors –– a selfless army –– that overthrew the Greek conquerors. Judah's militia became known as the Maccabees –– the hammer –– as they fought in hand to hand combat against the mighty army. Their victories were miraculous and complete. Sometimes they fought against their own who had surrendered in every way to the 'good life' of the Greeks. Three years to the day after the Temple had been defiled, the Hasmoneans, lead by Judah, liberated the city of Jerusalem. They entered the Temple, tore down the Greek altar, cleansed the Temple and rushed to rededicate it to God. According to Levitical Law, once the Temple Menorah was lighted, it had to be kept burning. This seven light candelabra described in the book of Exodus, had been handcrafted to meet God's instructions in every way, including the special oil that was burnt in it's cups. But there wasn't enough undefiled oil to keep the menorah burning and it would take eight days to purify new oil. In an act of faith or blind obedience, they lit the Temple Menorah anyway and that one small vial of oil lasted for eight days. Eight wonderful, beautiful days, long enough for them to prepare the new oil. There was the culmination of many miracles in that oil. There was the miracle of taking back that which had been defiled and making it whole. There was the miracle of the impossibly small defeating the hideously large through the simple but complex act of taking a stand for God. And, there was the miracle of the oil that restored light to the Temple that shown forth into the world. Tomorrow, as we light the Chanukah candles, may we do so with a cry for a miracle in our own hearts. Do we have the strength, the dedication, the courage, the zeal of a Maccabee? What price are we willing to pay to see God's light restored and the darkness pierced? |