Kislev is mentioned in the book of Nehemiah 1vs1, where he receives news of the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem; vs. 3 “…great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” Later in Jerusalem’s history (165 BC), during the time of the Maccabees, the Temple having been defiled, it is re-dedicated in the month of Chislev (The Festival of Chanukah). See I Maccabees ch 4 vs. 36-59. vs. 54; “At what time and on what day the Gentiles had profaned it, even on that day was it dedicated afresh,…” vs. 59; “And Judas and his brethren and the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their seasons from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Kislev, with gladness and joy.” The Maccabees were inspired by Nehemiah’s example; see II Maccabees ch 1 vs. 18-23. To understand these matters further it is recommended to read the books I and II of the Maccabees, contained in the Apocrypha. Although not included in those books, it is believed by tradition that there was a miracle regarding the small amount of very special oil used to burn the lamps of dedication. There was only enough for one day, and it lasted for eight days, the fulfilment of the dedication time. (The Apocrypha is a collection of ancient Hebrew books, of which opinion was divided as to whether they should become part of the Sacred Scriptures or not. As such they were collected into a separate book, and recommended for private study and personal discernment, by the believers and sages of old.)
Yeshuah teaches us, via his answer to his disciples’ question in Matthew ch24vs3; “Say to us, when shall this be, and what is the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” As part of His prophetic answer, He includes; vs. 15; “So when you see the ‘abomination that lays waste’, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, set up in the Set-Apart place” – he who reads, let him understand….’ This refers to Daniel 9 vs. 27; 11 vs. 31 and 12vs11, prophecies which had already been fulfilled during the time of the Maccabees, and remembered by the institution of the festival of Chanukah. Here Yeshuah uses these prophecies of Daniel as a sign of His coming, and of the end of the age. He opens our eyes to see, that Chanukah is not only a remembrance, but also a prophetic enactment of a much greater event yet to occur. In Johannan 10vs22; “At that time the Chanukah (Feast of Dedication) came to be in Yerushalayim and it was winter. And Yahshuah was walking in the Set-Apart place, in the porch of Shelomoh.” At this appointed time Yeshuah teaches; vs. 30; “I and my Father are one”
Following calculations from the priesthood of Zechariah, of the division of Aviyah, and the conception of his son Johannan of his wife Elisheva, found in Luke ch1vs5-25, and then further on, the conception of Yahshuah in Miryam in that same chapter, it may be calculated that Yeshuah was likely conceived during the festival of Dedication. Miryam prophesies at this time, many things, including; vs51; “He did mighty with His arm, He scattered the proud in the thought of their hearts. He brought down rulers from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good items, and the rich he has sent away empty. He sustained Yisrael, His servant, in remembrance to our fathers, to Avraham and to his seed forever.”
This festival therefore signifies many things including the conception of His Spirit into this world, in the virgin Miryam. The predominant theme however is the dethroning of Satan, manifest in the flesh as a lineage of anti-Christ’s; firstly Antiochus Epiphanies; then Satan is defeated in the spirit with the conception of Yeshuah the King into the world over which Satan ruled; then the destruction of the Anti-Christ mentioned in the book of Revelation when Yeshuah returns; and finally the overthrow and casting into hell of Satan himself in the flesh at the end of the millennium. This time is a reflection of the cleansing, purification and re-dedication of that which is Set-Apart to YHVH. Hosea 4vs6; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee…” Chanukah is important. There is more. YHVH is eternal.
Shalom and welcome to this presentation of what is a very ancient calendar system
