Messiah in Chanukkah Chapter 2
- Kislev Scripture Lesson #1: The Signet Ring of God
- The Seed that comes out of the World
- Power to Restore Israel
- The riddle and meaning of the prophet Haggai’s personal name
- Messiah and the Throne of David
- Kislev Scripture Lesson #2: Gabriel visits the Jewess Mary (Kislev 24)
- Messiah’s Kingdom will have no end
- Be strong
- Discipline
- Dedication of the Temple
- Corporate effort
- Cleansing the Temple
Kislev Scripture Lesson #1: The Signet Ring of God:
ויהי דבר־ה’ ׀ שנית אל־חגי בעשרים וארבעה לחדש לאמר׃ אמר אל־זרבבל פחת־יהודה לאמר אני מרעיש את־השמים ואת־הארץ׃ והפכתי כסא ממלכות והשמדתי חזק ממלכות הגוים והפכתי מרכבה ורכביה וירדו סוסים ורכביהם איש בחרב אחיו׃ ביום ההוא נאם־ה’ צבאות אקחך זרבבל בן־שאלתיאל עבדי נאם־ה’ ושמתיך כחותם כי־בך בחרתי נאם ה’ צבאות׃
וַיְהִי דְבַר־ה’ ׀ שֵׁנִית אֶל־חַגַּי בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ לֵאמֹֽר׃ אֱמֹר אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶל פַּֽחַת־יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר אֲנִי מַרְעִישׁ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ וְהָֽפַכְתִּי כִּסֵּא מַמְלָכֹות וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּי חֹזֶק מַמְלְכֹות הַגֹּויִם וְהָפַכְתִּי מֶרְכָּבָה וְרֹכְבֶיהָ וְיָרְדוּ סוּסִים וְרֹכְבֵיהֶם אִישׁ בְּחֶרֶב אָחִֽיו׃ בַּיֹּום הַהוּא נְאֻם־ה’ צְבָאֹות אֶקָּחֲךָ זְרֻבָּבֶל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל עַבְדִּי נְאֻם־ה’ וְשַׂמְתִּיךָ כַּֽחֹותָם כִּֽי־בְךָ בָחַרְתִּי נְאֻם ה’ צְבָאֹֽות׃
“Then the word of Adonai came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month (Kislev 24, Chanukkah Eve), saying, ‘Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another. On that day,’ declares Adonai of Hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares Adonai, ‘and I will make you like a Signet Ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares Adonai of Hosts.” (Haggai 2:20-23).
The Seed that comes out of the World:
The Seed that comes out of the World #1. The prophet Haggai tells us the “Seed that comes out of Babylon” (the World) will be made “like a signet ring.”
The Seed that comes out of the World #2. The one who is being foreshadowed in Haggai’s prophecy is the Messiah who is in the direct line of David.
The Seed that comes out of the World #3. The Signet Ring of God is the authority to rule over all the earth (cf. our document, “Messiah in Purim“).
In the case of the Messiah alone this providential authority includes the anointing of the Spirit of the Holy One. The Messiah is the one upon whom the Spirit abides forever. The heavenly Messiah may give the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One to anyone he chooses. The gift of the Holy Spirit brings about a miraculous transformation that ultimately makes one a perfect new creation on the day of the resurrection of the righteous.
Power to Restore Israel:
The one who possesses the Signet Ring of God has the power to bring about the fulfillment of all of God’s promises to the patriarchs and King David; the power and authority to fully restore the kingdom of Israel. The message of the Signet Ring of God by *Haggai was directed through Zerubbabel. He was the governor of Judah at the time the prophecy was delivered on 24 Kislev, December 18, 520 BCE.
*Haggai (חגי) from the Hebrew word “chag,” (חג-festival, holiday, feast) literally “My Festival” indicates the prophet was likely born on one of the festivals of Israel.
Zerubbabel was chosen to receive the promise of God to restore the Davidic kingdom because he was a member of the royal blood line of the great king. However, the ultimate recipient of the Message was not Zerubbabel—the Seed that comes out of the World—alone but his descendant the Messiah Yeshua ben Yosef ben David. The prophecy of 24 Kislev delivered on Chanukkah Eve was delivered over three hundred years before Chanukkah was even instituted. This indicates along with two other revelations of Haggai, Elul 1, August 29, 520 BCE and 21 Tishri, October 17, 520 BCE, conveys the following seven facts:
First, the Messiah will inspire the people of Israel to build a final Temple in Israel (in the millennial kingdom) for His glorious Presence to dwell in. The Spirit of God will not just dwell in His building – the Temple but His Spirit will dwell within the hearts and souls of His people as well.
Second, Messiah will “shake the heavens and the earth.” This indicates Messiah will bring judgment upon the Gentile world powers for their continuous resistance and opposition to the establishment of His rule upon the earth (cf. Psalm 2).
Third, through M’shicho (His Messiah) God our Father (Adonai Avinu) will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. Like Haggai, this ultimate and final destruction of the Gentile world powers is exactly what the prophet Daniel predicted in his reference to the vision of the great image (cf. Daniel 2). Therefore, this clearly means the Messiah will permanently replace the rebellious Gentile kingdoms with his worldwide messianic kingdom—-the “Commonwealth of *Israel.”
Yisra’el – literally means the “Rule of God.”
Fourth, Messiah’s overthrowing of the chariots and the fall of horses and their riders reveals that this change in worldwide governance will include a change in the operation of the military as well as a change in the international political landscape.
Fifth, therefore, God will fulfill the promise to restore Israel in the time of Messiah’s appearance (a second time; not as the Suffering Messiah ben Yosef but as the Conquering Messiah ben David) on the future day of Gentile judgment.
Sixth, the comparison of Messiah to a Signet Ring is further clarified (historically) by the prophecy of Jeremiah (cf. 22:24-25). The shortfalls, failures of the previous royal leaders of Israel were of such a severity that the LORD had taken off His signet ring from their hand and thereby He allowed these royal leaders of Israel to be ruled over by the Gentiles until the *time of His Messiah’s appearance.
*And the time of our people’s acceptance of M’shicho (God’s Messiah); which unfortunately has not happened yet. We pray there will be “no more delay!” May our people of Israel soon come to faith in our Messiah that He may quickly return to us from heaven – to finally establish the rule of God in Israel and throughout the whole earth.
Seventh, we are assured in the final words of the Message of Kislev 24 that Adonai Tseva’ot (the LORD of Armies), the Sovereign One who rules with great military prowess and power over all His holy angels and over all of the rulers, authorities, and powers of humankind who perfectly fulfills all of His covenants, will bring about all that He has promised to do according to His Word that was given to us by His servant, the “Prophet of the Festival.”
The riddle and meaning of the Prophet Haggai’s personal name:
As to the riddle of Haggai’s assigned prophetic name: Which festival is in view here? On the day of what festival was the prophet born?
We do not know, for the Scriptures do not tell us on what day the prophet called “My Festival” was born. However, according to the exegetical law of non-mention we can surmise the hidden spiritual meaning of the prophet’s name. In this inverted form of rabbinical thought (the law of non-mention):
What is not-mentioned and should have been mentioned is as important as what is clearly stated.
Therefore this means: the prophet’s date of birth was deliberately not specified so that the symbolic-prophetic time of his birth would be generalized to apply to all of the festivals of Israel. This is so because Haggai’s life and prophetic ministry is a witness to the truth that the sole purpose of all of the festivals of Israel is to testify to the life and ministry of the Messiah of God!
Messiah and the Throne of David:
The Messiah is not ruling on the throne of David today because our people (Israel) have yet to place ourselves in faith under the “authority” of the Crown of the Messiah. One day soon, however, when all Israel cries out the words – “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD,” then all of the House of Israel will be restored to all that God has promised to us. Then, GOD our Father will finally usher in the great promised blessings of His Golden Age of Israel.
Kislev Scripture Lesson #2: Gabri’el visits the Jewess Miryam (Kislev 24):
At twilight on the Eve of Chanukkah (6 BCE), the archangel Gabriel (1, 2, 3) appeared to the Jewess Miryam bat David – a royal descendant of King David – and said to her:
בחדש הששי נשלח המלאך גבריאל מאת האלהים לעיר בגליל, אשר שמה נצרת, אל בתולה מארסת לאיש מבית דוד ושמו יוסף, ושם הבתולה מרים. בהכנסו לחדרה אמר המלאך, “שמחי, ברוכת החסד. ה’ עמך”. היא נדהמה לשמע הדבר וחשבה בלבה מה טיבה של הברכה הזאת. אמר לה המלאך, “אל תפחדי, מרים, כי מצאת חן לפני אלהים. הנה תהרי ותלדי בן, ותקראי שמו ישוע. הוא גדול יהיה ובן-עליון יקרא, וה’ אלהים יתן לו את כסא דוד אביו; וימלך על בית יעקב לעולם ואין קץ למלכותו.” אמרה מרים אל המלאך, “איך יהיה הדבר הזה, הרי אינני יודעת איש?” השיב המלאך ואמר: “רוח הקדש תבוא עליך וגבורת עליון תצל עליך. לכן קדוש יקרא הילוד, בן-אלהים. והנה אלישבע קרובתך גם היא הרתה בן בזקנתה, וזאת שקראו לה עקרה הרה זה החדש הששי, כי לא יפלא מאלהים כל דבר.” אמרה מרים, “הנני שפחת אדני, יהי לי כדברך”. והמלאך הלך לו. פ
וַיְהִי בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשִּׁשִּׁי וַיִּשְׁלַח אֱלֹהִים אֶת־גַּבְרִיאֵל הַמַּלְאָךְ גָּלִילָה אֶל־עִיר אַחַת וּשְׁמָהּ נְצָרֶת׃ אֶל־בְּתוּלָה מְאֹרָשָׂה לְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־שְׁמוֹ יוֹסֵף מִבֵּית דָּוִד וְשֵׁם הַבְּתוּלָה מִרְיָם׃ וַיָּבֹא הַמַּלְאָךְ הַחַדְרָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם לָךְ אֵשֶׁת־חֵן ה’ עִמָּךְ בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ בַּנָּשִׁים׃ וְהִיא בִּרְאוֹתָהּ נִבְהֲלָה לִדְבָרוֹ וַתֹּאמֶר בְּלִבָּהּ מָה הַבְּרָכָה הַזֹּאת׃ וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ הַמַּלְאָךְ אַל־תִּירְאִי מִרְיָם כִּי־מָצָאתְ חֵן לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים׃ וְהִנָּךְ הָרָה וְיֹלַדְתְּ בֵּן וְקָרָאתְ אֶת־שְׁמוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ׃ וְהוּא גָּדוֹל יִהְיֶה וּבֶן־עֶלְיוֹן יִקָּרֵא וַ ה’ אֱלֹהִים יִתֶּן־לוֹ אֶת־כִּסֵּא דָּוִד אָבִיו׃ וּמָלַךְ עַל־בֵּית יַעֲקֹב לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד וּלְמַלְכוּתוֹ אֵין קֵץ׃ וַתֹּאמֶר מִרְיָם אֶל־הַמַּלְאָךְ אֵיךְ יִהְיֶה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַאֲנִי אֵינֶנִּי יֹדַעַת אִישׁ׃ וַיַּעַן הַמַּלְאָךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ תָּבוֹא עָלַיךְ וּגְבוּרַת עֶלְיוֹן תָּצֵל עָלָיּךְ עַל־כֵּן קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֵר לַיִּלוֹד בֶּן־הָאֱלֹהִים׃ וְהִנֵּה אֱלִישֶׁבַע קְרוֹבָתֵךְ אֲשֶׁר קָרְאוּ־לָהּ עֲקָרָה גַּם־הִיא הָרָה לָלֶדֶת בֵּן בְּזִקְנָתָהּ וְזֶה לָּהּ הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשִּׁשִּׁי׃ כִּי לֹא־יִפָּלֵא מֵאֱלֹהִים כָּל־דָּבָר׃ וַתֹּאמֶר מִרְיָם הִנְנִי שִׁפְחַת ה’ יְהִי־לִי כִּדְבָרֶךָ וַיֵּצֵא מֵאִתָּהּ הַמַּלְאָךְ׃
Now in the sixth month [of the pregnancy of Eli-sheva, Elizabeth (lit. the Oath-Promise of the Almighty)] the angel Gavri’el was sent from Adonai to the Galil (Galilee) to a certain town called Netzeret (Nazareth), to a virgin betrothed to a man named Yosef from the house of David. The virgin’s name was Miryam. The angel entered the room and said to her, “Shalom, to you gracious (favored one) woman! Adonai is with you; you are blessed among women. When she saw him she was alarmed (perplexed) by his statement and (pondered) said in her heart, “What is this brachah?” (greeting). The angel said:
“Do not fear, Miryam, because you have found favor before Adonai. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Yeshua (Salvation of Adonai). He will be great, and He will be called the Son of the Highest. Adonai, Elohim (HaShem) will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Ya’akov forever. There will be no end to His kingdom.”
Miryam said to the angel, “How can this be? I have not known a man.” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore, the One that is born will be called holy— ben Ha-Elohim (Son of the Almighty). Look! Your relative Eli-sheva, whom people have called barren, is also pregnant and will bear a son in her old age. This is her sixth month. For nothing is perplexing (impossible) for Adonai.” Miryam said, “I am the maidservant of Adonai. Let it be for me according to your word.” And the angel (Gavri’el) left her.
Messiah’s Kingdom will have no end:
God’s messengers, the prophet Haggai, and the archangel Gabriel are telling us (Israel) that the perfect kingdom of the Holy One will one day replace man’s fallen kingdom. The new governance of the Sovereign One will be ruled over by His heavenly Messiah who now (already) possesses His Signet Ring. All that Israel must do for our Messiah to return to us is to humbly ask our heavenly Father to return His Messiah to Israel a “second time.”
Shortly after the Messiah returns to earth, a second time, He will build the fourth Temple in Shiloh and will dedicate it in a new Chanukkah (II), on Nisan 8, in the springtime of the new messianic era of the Millennial Kingdom (regarding the dedication of the fourth temple to be located in Shiloh, cf. our document, “Messiah in Rosh Hashanah (II) & Chanukkah II”).
A near-future rebuilt third temple in Jerusalem will be, shortly after its dedication—in the middle of the seven year time of Jacob’s Trouble—swallowed up in a violent earthquake; seven thousand persons will die in this not-too-distant Divinely appointed judgment. Due to the Abomination of Desolation and other desecrating events occurring at the the third temple site in Jerusalem, the fourth temple (of Ezekiel’s vision) will be built in Shiloh.
Be strong:
“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go…” He has said to you, “I will not fail you or forsake you” (Joshua 1:6, 9).
The Living Torah (Oral Torah) of the Spirit teaches us to fulfill the Unity Prayer (the Shema). For our love language to God is obedience. We are to hear, understand, and obey the Spirit of the Holy One. We are to humbly submit ourselves daily to the loving discipline of our heavenly Father.
Isaac, a prophetic type of Messiah, was willing to sacrifice his life in obedience to his father Abraham. Isaac’s sacrifice is a witness to the sacrifice of the Messiah – who is our Korban Pesach. The Messiah Yeshua was willing to be obedient to the heavenly Father unto death, even death on the accursed tree. The accursed tree of the Messiah is foreshadowed in the Genesis Tree, of the knowledge of good and *evil.
*The knowledge of evil was not created or imparted by God to Adam. God is only the Creator of all that is good. The truth is that the knowledge of ‘evil’ is an invention of the evil one. Not an invention of God. In the eternal kingdom of the new heaven and earth our knowledge of evil will be completely erased. Therefore, it is the will of our heavenly Father that at the blessed time that is beyond time it will be for us as if evil had ‘never existed’ at all.
Discipline:
Most all of us are familiar with the verse of scripture, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). The Hebrew word for “train up” is chanak. This word occurs only five times in the Tanakh and its meaning is similar to our concept of a “ground-breaking” ceremony. In Deuteronomy 20:5 the word is used twice to refer to the dedication of a house.
Dedication of the Temple:
In 1 Kings 8:63 the word chanak (יַּחְנְכוּ֙) is used to refer to King Solomon’s dedication of the newly constructed Temple in Jerusalem on the Feast of Sukkot (Booths). We read in 2 Chronicles 7:5 that “the king and all the people dedicated (chanak) the house of Elohim.” Note the word chanak here indicates community action. Therefore, the word for training (חֲנֹ֣ךְ) referred to in Proverb 22:6 conveys the existence of a corporate, community-wide effort in the construction and dedication of God’s temple.
Corporate effort:
Our heavenly Father expects His family to work together as a team. The Torah says in Deuteronomy 6:7: “You shall teach them [the Scriptures] diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” The purpose of our heavenly Father’s loving discipline can be found through careful study of the winter Feast of Dedication. The name for this festival in Hebrew is “Chanukkah.” Chanukkah normally occurs in December and derives its root meaning from the word chanak.
Cleansing the Temple:
This winter feast celebrates the cleansing of God’s Temple that had been defiled by pagan practices over 2,100 years ago. In 165 BCE a successful revolt against Syria was led by a man named Judas Maccabaeus, whose name means a “Hammer of Praise.” The ruler of Syria was overthrown because he had set up an idol of Zeus in the Temple area and demanded that our Jewish ancestors worship it. After the successful Jewish revolt the idolatrous Syrian practices ceased in the Temple and the Temple in 164 BCE was ceremonially cleansed and restored for service to God. A tie-in to our study here is that both Sukkot and Chanukkah are called Festivals of Light. Both festivals testify to the need for God’s Light to reign supreme within the human heart (Channukah) and throughout the entire world (Sukkot).