Hanukkah, the festival of lights, is upon us! If you've celebrated with us before, you'll know that this is one of the Jewish memorial holidays. And while not one of the appointed times or feasts of Adonai, Hanukkah remains a tremendous testimony of God's faithfulness to His people throughout all generations.
The interesting thing about Hanukkah is that it takes place in what's called the Intertestamental Period - the time between what we know as the end of the Old Testament and the beginning the New Testament. In Judaism, this is referred to as the Years of Longing or the Years of Silence. Supposedly, the Spirit of God was quiet on the Earth for this span of 400 years, which seems strange to think about now.
If you want to learn all about the historical circumstances of Hanukkah, Daniah and Joseph did a fantastic job explaining on our latest podcast: Hanukkah and Christmas. Watch it below:
And make sure to check out the after-show on our TLV Bible App for even more! Watch Now ⇢
As of 2024, we've had the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for almost 2000 years. That's nearly 2000 years of being able to depend and rely on the active presence of God among us. But have you ever had a time in your life that felt like God was silent? Have you had a season where you just didn't get any direction or discernment from the Holy Spirit?
Feels terrible, right? So what do you do?
You fall back on biblical principles and truths.
The Maccabees knew that the Temple was holy and that the way it had been defiled was unacceptable. They fell back on the truths of the Torah and acted accordingly. By keeping God's commands, Judah Maccabee and his brothers had a spiritual advantage against their adversaries! Wouldn't you like an advantage when you're facing the trials and tribulations of life?
So here are three basic Biblical Truths that you can fall back on when you can't seem to hear God's Voice and need a little extra boost! If you can follow these three steps, you can walk into any situation and recognize the right solution!
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel, the Most High God, known as El Shaddai and El Elyon, He alone is God. (Deut 6:4) Anything else that you set above Him is an idol and must be cast down. By embracing this truth, you can remove distractions and diversions from your life that impede God's ability to bless you.
Love what God loves and it will go well with you. (Deut 5:29-30, Micah 6:8) By living according to the commandments He has given us, we can experience goodness and mercy and prosperity! When you live out His mitzvot, live a life that is dedicated to pursuing holiness, and meet your appointments with God, you will find that His abundance manifests in the most exciting and also mundane ways.
Reject things that God hates and you can navigate life a little easier. (Lev 20, Isaiah 61:8, Prov 6:16-19) When we turn away from the behaviors and actions that displease God, we can identify the right course of action needed in any situation. Ask yourself the question: will this path lead to things that God hates? Will there be things down this road that jeopardize my ability to walk in righteousness? Which choice will result in pleasing God and which choice will result in disappointing Him? If there's even the slightest chance of your decision taking a wrong turn, then you know which way to go!
With these three simple truths, you can find God's voice no matter how loud or soft it may be. So, as we head into 2025 with the Festival of Lights, take hold of these truths and live well. The best is yet to come!
