Light The Menorah; Judaism and Christianity are Inseparable!

Posted by Alexis Wallace on December 9, 2009 under How | 2 Comments to Read

A lively debate erupted in the head lines of the Bahamian media last year regarding the placement of the menorah amongst the Christmas decorations of the capital city. A few vocal people were disgusted that the Bahamas, “as a Christian nation”, would so prominently display a menorah amongst its Christmas decorations down town Nassau.

It was a pleasure adding my voice of opposition to that debate, because I believe that ignorance is more dangerous than it is bliss. Judaism and Christianity are inseparable! It is impossible for Christianity to be separated from its Judaic roots. But before we get into that discussion, I am sure that some of our Partners are wondering, “Just what is a menorah, and why is it important?”

First of all, there are different types of menorahs. They are most distinguishable by the varying number of branches on them. The menorah is a candelabrum that has been a symbol of Judaism for almost 3,000 years. The seven branched candelabrum is the emblem of Israel and was used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.

The menorah that is significant for this season is the Hanukkah Menorah which is a special eight-branched candelabra with a ninth branch for a so-called “helper” candle, called the Shamash. Each of the eight candles represent one of the eight nights of Hanukah, which in turn represent the miracle of Hanukah.

In the 2nd century BCE, a Jewish band of rebels in Judea known as the Maccabees rescued the Holy Temple in Jerusalem from the Greek pagans who had ransacked it. The group wanted to rededicate the Temple by lighting the eternal lamp. The story of Hanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights, tells that they found only enough oil to last for one night; but a miracle happened and that oil lasted for eight nights.

The name “Hanukkah” derives from the Hebrew verb meaning “to dedicate”. On Hanukkah, the Jews regained control of Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple. This year the Festival of Light begins sunset, December 11th and ends on the 19th.

In the life of Yeshua, it was at this festival (John 10:22) where he made it abundantly clear that he and his Father were one (John 10:30), which caused the Jews to take up rocks to stone him. He also made another profound and provocative point during that heated exchange:

“And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (John 10: 16.) The point made here is that even though Yeshua’s original evangelical mission was unto the spiritually lost sheep of the House of Israel (Matthew 10: 5 -7) there were/ are also sheep outside of this flock to whom it was purposed for him to shepherd.

Our Jewish Messiah had another unforgettable exchange at the Coast of Tyre and Sidon with a Greek woman born in the Syrian Phoenicia. This Gentile lady had a daughter that was grievously vexed with a devil, but she realized that the Son of David had the anointing to set her daughter free. (Matthew 15: 21 -28)

Despite the pleas from his disciples to send the Gentile away Yeshua turned the opinion of his disciples into a joke as he quipped that, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” Matthew 15: 27:And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

Verse 28: Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

The anointing that set her daughter free was the same one that was prophesied by Isaiah to be available to ALL lost sheep, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us ALL.” (Isaiah 53:6)

If we see the universal inclusiveness of the evangelical call of our Messiah, then we will understand that Christ’s reference to the “lost sheep” of the House of Israel to whom he has been sent is also a literal reference to the 10 lost tribes of the House of Israel ….Jacob’s boys. “Lost sheep” is a reference is to the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappeared after the Kingdom of Israel was totally destroyed, enslaved and exiled by ancient Assyria.

God’s initial plan for global evangelism and religious training was meant to be carried out by the Hebrew Kingdom of Priests (Exodus 19:6). This is the foundation for the continued call for the establishment of a Royal priesthood, a chosen generation (1Peter 2:9)

We see the reality of the success of God’s global plan for evangelism when we consider the fact that it is through the Jews that we have the torah, the prophets the New Testament and Yeshua himself.

It is impossible to separate Judaism from Christianity because Yeshua was a Jew not only because he was born in Bethlehem, but also because that was what he practiced.

He was circumcised on the eighth day in keeping with Jewish tradition; he had his Bar Mitzvah on his 13th birthday; He wore the prayer shawl that Moses commanded all Jewish men to wear. It was the fringes of his prayer shawl that the woman with the issue of blood touched and was miraculously healed and he died on a cross with an inscription over his head, “King of the Jews!”

Romans 11: 17 – 21, tells us that we have been grafted into God’s Judaic tree by spiritual adoption therefore our prejudiced opinion should never over ride God’s Word. Judaism is the foundation of Christianity, as Yeshua puts it in John 4:22, “salvation is from the Jews.” This bespeaks the Jewish role in the establishment of our Judeo Christian religion.

Just as Revelation 1:20 tells us that the symbol of the seven lamp stands are the seven Churches, the menorah has just as much significance for Christians as it does for Jews. As my eyes watch Jerusalem and I see the rebuilding of the third temple steadily and subtly taking place, I say light the menorah with the understanding of these prophetic seasons and sound the alarm of the end times. (Joel 2:1).

Personally, I also pray regularly that the eternal light of the Holy Spirit will continue to build us all up to walk worthy of the Lord: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1Peter 2:5)

For more from Pastor Wallace, go to his website at http://www.shalomcaribbean.com