A Chanukah Devotional
December 17, 2025
When you think of Chanukah, what thoughts or memories come to mind? The yummy foods fried in oil? Doughnuts and latkes, anyone? Others think of the beautiful Chanukah menorahs, blazing with light growing brighter and brighter as the days go by. Still others may think of freedom, deliverance and becoming more dedicated in their worship to God. I know this may sound simple, but for me, Chanukah reminds me of Yeshua, Jesus.
“The people walking in darkness will see a great light. Upon those dwelling in the land of the shadow of death, light will shine.” Isaiah 9:2, TLV
I don’t like the dark or being in the dark. When I have to walk into a dark room I find myself looking for light somewhere to help guide me. I prefer to turn a light on before I walk into a room and get clarity before walking into a situation. Sometimes that isn’t possible. Sometimes “life happens” and I find myself navigating circumstances that don’t make sense, feeling my way around in the dark. In moments like these I am thankful for Yeshua, the Light of the World. He is the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overpowered Him (John 1:5). He is the Word made flesh that dwelled among us so we could look at God “panim el panim” (face to face) (John 1:14). He is the Lamp to my feet, the Light to my path and the Word hidden in my heart to keep me from stumbling (Psalm 119:11,105).
John the apostle records in John 10 that Yeshua was at the temple during the Feast of Chanukah. He was walking around in Solomon’s Colonnade and found Himself surrounded by the Jewish leaders wanting, perhaps demanding, to know who He was. Was He the Messiah? In spite of all the works He had performed and the miracles they had seen and heard about, they still seemed to be “in the dark.” It was Chanukah. They were celebrating the victory of the Maccabees over Antiochus Epiphanes and the Syrian Greeks some 200 years prior.
From V’al Hanissim liturgy:
You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the wanton sinners into the hands of those who occupy themselves with Your Torah. You made a great and holy name for Yourself in Your world, and effected a great deliverance and redemption for Your people Israel to this very day.
Was Yeshua going to overthrow Rome in the first century A.D. the same way Judah the Maccabee and his freedom fighters defeated the Greek army? Tell us plainly. Are You going to rush in and deliver us from the government, from whatever obstacle we are facing? Yeshua answered them saying, “I have already told you but You can’t hear me. You are still listening for and looking for what you want Me to be instead of trusting and believing I AM. If you were My sheep, you would know My voice, yet you still aren’t hearing Me.”
“My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life! They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:27-28, TLV
Yeshua was not looking to build an army to defeat Rome. He was looking for sheep who needed a Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd willing to lay down His life for His sheep, desiring to bring them into the fold through the door. Sheep know Him and follow Him. And even when they walk in the valley of the shadow of death they fear no evil (Psalm 23). Their Shepherd is with them and His light will shine overtaking the darkness. Am I willing to follow Yeshua? Will I follow the sound of His voice even when it’s dark? When I can’t see what’s in front of me and I don’t know why He is leading in this particular direction? Will I follow Yeshua when everyone else – even those who profess to be Believers – are following the world and the culture, trying to fit in and assimilate?
“Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude—through this we may offer worship in a manner pleasing to God, with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29, TLV