Festival of Lights

Uploaded by ZolaLevittPresents on 16.12.2012

Transcript:

Myles: SHALOM AND WELCOME TO
 ZOLA LEVITT PRESENTS.
I'M MYLES WEISS.
Katharine: AND I'M
KATHARINE WEISS.
Myles: AND WE HAVE A GREAT NEW
PROGRAM THIS WEEK, DON'T WE?
Katharine: IT'S A REMIX OF
ZOLA'S, ONE OF HIS CLASSICS,
IT'S HANUKKAH.
Myles: YES.
Katharine: AND YOU KNOW
JESUS KEPT THIS FESTIVAL.
Myles: HE DID.
IN JOHN 10:22 WE FIND JESUS
IN THE FEAST OF DEDICATION,
HANUKKAH, IN SOLOMON'S PORCH
IN THE WINTER.
AND SO IT NOT ONLY WAS
A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF JESUS
AS ONE WHO KEPT THE FEAST.
THIS IS AN EXTRA-BIBLICAL FEAST.
IT'S BETWEEN THE TESTAMENTS,
BUT HE KEPT THIS ONE,
AND IT'S A REAL PICTURE FOR US
OF THE REVELATION THAT WE CAN
GET OUT OF KEEPING THIS BECAUSE
HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
AND SO THIS IS A FESTIVAL THAT
IS ABOUT THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
IT'S A FESTIVAL OF THE
PRESERVATION OF THE JEWISH LINE
THROUGHOUT HISTORY IN ORDER THAT
JESUS COULD COME.
IT'S FULL OF REVELATION ABOUT
GOD'S COVENANT-KEEPING POWER.
SO LET'S GO RIGHT AWAY TO ZOLA
ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.
Zola: WELL, HERE WE ARE
AT THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.
BEHIND ME,
THE TEMPLE MOUNT OF JERUSALEM
WITH THE DOME OF THE ROCK
AND THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE
AND BEHIND IT THE OLD CITY
OF JERUSALEM AND BEHIND THAT
THE WESTERN SIDE, THE NEW CITY.
THIS IS THE PLACE
OF THE FUTURE TEMPLES,
IT WAS THE PLATFORM
ON WHICH STOOD SOLOMON'S
AND HEROD'S TEMPLE,
THE OLD TEMPLES AND THAT BRINGS
A GREAT DEAL OF HISTORY
TO THIS PLACE.
THE HISTORY WE'RE INTERESTED IN
FOR OUR PURPOSES
TO LOOK AT HANUKKAH,
TOOK PLACE IN THE 160s B.C.
WHEN A GRECO-SYRIAN COMMANDER
ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES WENT INTO
THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND ON PURPOSE
SACRIFICED A PIG ON THE ALTAR.
HE HAD ANOTHER ONE
OF THOSE "FINAL SOLUTIONS"
TO THE JEWISH PROBLEM
AND SO HE OFFENDED
THE CHOSEN PEOPLE IN THIS WAY;
DESECRATED THE TEMPLE,
RAIDED THE PLACE AND OCCUPIED IT
TRUTH BE TOLD, AND THE JEWS
HAD A REVOLT AGAINST HIM.
THE MACCABEE FAMILY,
"MACCABEE" MEANS "HAMMER";
THEY LED A REVOLT
AND THREW HIM OUT, BUT WHEN
THEY RECOVERED THE TEMPLE,
THEY HAD A REAL PROBLEM.
IT SEEMED THAT
BY THE CANDLESTICK,
THERE WAS JUST A ONE DAY'S OIL.
THEY HAD TO HAVE IT LIT
ALL THE TIME.
THE LAW IS VERY CLEAR
IN EXODUS 27:20, GOD SAYS THIS
ABOUT THE TABERNACLE,
THE FORERUNNER OF THE TEMPLE:
SO IT TOOK A SPECIAL PROCEDURE.
THEY BEAT OLIVE TREES
WITH STICKS FOR THE OLIVES
TO COME DOWN.
THEY LEAVE THE OLIVE OIL
THAT THEY FINALLY PRESS
FOR A PERIOD OF TIME
WHILE ALL THE SEDIMENT
FALLS TO THE BOTTOM
AND IT'S CLEAR LIKE WATER.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN
USE THE OIL CONSECRATED PROPERLY
FOR THE LAMP.
BUT WHAT WERE THEY TO DO?
THERE WAS JUST ONE DAY'S SUPPLY
OF THAT AND TO START BEATING
TREES AND LETTING OIL SIT
AND SO FORTH WOULD TAKE
SEVEN MORE DAYS.
BUT THE MIRACLE WAS THAT
THAT ONE DAY'S OIL LASTED
THE ENTIRE TIME.
THEY LIT IT.
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO
BUT POUR INTO THE CANDELABRA
AND THEN IT WOULD BURN UP
IN A DAY THEY THOUGHT, BUT THEY
PRAYED OVER IT, AND SO ON,
AND IT DID LAST.
IT BURNED ON AND ON.
IT BURNED EIGHT DAYS
AND THE NEW OIL WAS READY THEN.
THEY FILLED THE LAMP
AND IT NEVER DID GO OUT.
THE MIRACLE IS REMINISCENT OF,
SAY, THE WIDOW WITH THE OIL
AND THE BIT OF FLOUR THAT ELIJAH
CAME AND CAUSED TO LAST
ON AND ON AND ON
AND FED THE THREE OF THEM.
THAT WAS ONLY ONE MEAL'S WORTH.
SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO
PREPARE IT FOR HER AND HER SON
AND THEN THEY WERE SIMPLY GOING
TO SIT DOWN AND DIE.
THERE WAS TERRIBLE FAMINE.
THEY HAD NOTHING ELSE.
AND THEN THE LOAVES
AND THE FISHES OF JESUS
WHERE ONE LITTLE BOY'S LUNCH,
FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISHES;
WE EAT THOSE AT BREAKFAST HERE,
SMALL LOAVES
AND TWO BITS OF FISH.
AND HE TOOK OUT OF THAT BASKET
ENOUGH TO FEED THE 5,000 PEOPLE
AND THERE WERE BASKETS,
12 BASKETS OF LEFTOVERS.
GOD CAN MAKE THINGS LAST
ON EARTH AS HE CHOOSES AND THIS
WAS ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THAT,
THAT OIL, AND IT CAUSED
THE CREATION OF A NEW MENORAH.
NOW MENORAH IS A CANDLESTICK.
THIS IS ONE.
THIS IS A HANUKKAH MENORAH.
THIS ONE BACK HERE
IS THE ORIGINAL TEMPLE MENORAH,
THAT IS,
THE ONE IN THE TABERNACLE.
IT HAS SEVEN BRANCHES
AS YOU CAN SEE;
A MIDDLE ONE HERE
AND THESE OTHERS AROUND IT.
ONE LIGHTS THOSE
WITH THE MIDDLE CANDLE.
IN THE MENORAH THERE IS A CENTER
CANDLE WITH FOUR ON EITHER SIDE.
IT LOOKS LIKE NINE.
IT'S REALLY EIGHT BUT THIS ONE
IS CALLED "THE SHAMUS CANDLE."
YOU LIGHT ALL THE OTHERS
WITH THIS ONE.
THE FIRST NIGHT YOU LIGHT
THE FIRST, THE SECOND NIGHT
THE FIRST AND SECOND;
THE THIRD NIGHT THE FIRST THREE
AND SO FORTH.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE MESSIAH.
HOW THE JEWS COULD MISS IT
IS A MYSTERY.
OF COURSE HE'S THE ONE.
HIS FLAME IGNITES
ALL THE OTHER BELIEVERS IN TURN
AND THAT BECOMES
A TYPE OF THE MESSIAH,
A REAL SYMBOL OF HIM.
THERE'S A JAR TO FILL
THE OLD CANDLESTICK WITH OIL
AT THE BOTTOM.
THE NEW MENORAH, OF COURSE,
HAS CANDLES IN IT OR
IT'S REPRESENTED BY A BEAUTIFUL
MODERN ISRAELI CREATION BASED ON
THE OLD OIL LAMPS AND THERE'S
THE JAR, THE "SHAMUS,"
THE "SERVANT."
ALSO THERE'S A DREIDEL
THIS IS A LITTLE TOP.
YOU CAN SEE THERE,
LETTERS ON IT.
THE LETTERS ARE
 NUN, GIMEL, HEI, PEI.
THEY MAKE AN ACRONYM THAT SAYS
"A GREAT MIRACLE OCCURRED HERE."
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID,
WE PLAYED WITH THESE DREIDELS.
THERE'S GAMES YOU PLAY.
YOU SPIN THE TOP AND IT LANDS
ON A CERTAIN LETTER.
WE SANG A SONG, IT WENT,
♪ DREIDEL, DREIDEL, DREIDEL, 7
♪ I MADE IT OUT OF CLAY, 7
♪ DA DA, DADA, DA DA, DA DA DA 7
♪ DA DEE 77 AND SO ON.
THIS IS A HAPPY HOLIDAY,
A TRIUMPHANT HOLIDAY
AND NO WONDER.
WHEN THE MESSIAH RETURNS,
THIS IS THE HOLIDAY ON WHICH
HE'S GOING TO EVIDENTLY REBUILD
THE MILLENNIAL TEMPLE
AND START THE KINGDOM,
THE FEAST OF DEDICATION.
DANIEL 8 GIVES THE WHOLE STORY
OF THE HISTORY OF ANTIOCHUS.
IT TELLS THE STORY OF THE EMPIRE
BEING DIVIDED IN FOUR PARTS
AND ONE OF THEM THE LITTLE HORN,
WHICH IS ANTIOCHUS, COMES
AND RAIDS THE BEAUTIFUL PLACE,
THE TEMPLE SITE AND SO ON,
AND IN FIGURE
HE GIVES THE STORY.
IT'S REALLY A PREDICTION SINCE
DANIEL LIVED CENTURIES BEFORE
THAT MIRACLE AND IT'S A PROPHECY
AND IT WAS FULFILLED
BY ANTIOCHUS.
BY THE WAY, DANIEL DIGRESSES
WHILE TALKING ABOUT
THIS STORY OF THE LITTLE HORN,
TO TALK ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST
OF THE END-TIMES.
DANIEL 8:25:
"BY PEACE SHALL
HE DESTROY MANY," DANIEL SAYS.
AND IT'S A HINT THAT
THE ANTICHRIST IS PERHAPS
GRECO-SYRIAN IN BACKGROUND.
HE COMES OUT OF ROME, BUT HE
PERHAPS HAS THAT BACKGROUND.
BECAUSE IT'S AS IF DANIEL SAID,
WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS
GRECO-SYRIAN TYRANT, LET ME ALSO
SPEAK OF THE DARK PRINCE
WHO IS TO COME,
A VERY TELLING PASSAGE
IN DANIEL'S END-TIMES PROPHECY.
NOW JESUS ALSO CELEBRATED
THIS FESTIVAL.
IT WAS A NATIONAL FESTIVAL,
NOT LISTED IN LEVITICUS 23 WITH
PASSOVER AND UNLEAVENED BREAD
AND SO ON.
BUT IT'S LISTED IN PROPHECY
IN DANIEL 8 AND THEN THE LORD
COMMEMORATED IT HIMSELF.
JOHN 10:22 SAYS THIS:
YES, IT'S IN DECEMBER.
AND JESUS CAME ALL THIS WAY.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS A FIVE-DAY
JOURNEY SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS
TO COME HERE FROM CAPERNAUM
IN GALILEE AND YET HE CAME
FOR THIS FESTIVAL.
SO THAT GIVES IT CREDENCE.
AND THEN IN DANIEL 12, THERE'S
A COMPLEX SERIES OF NUMBERS:
1290 DAYS, 1335 DAYS.
IF YOU GET OUR BOOK
ON THE SEVEN FEASTS, YOU'LL SEE
THE CALCULATION THAT SHOWS THAT
THESE NUMBERS ADD UP TO THE FACT
THAT THE LORD WILL PROBABLY
DEDICATE THE NEW TEMPLE,
THE MILLENNIAL TEMPLE ON
HANUKKAH IN THE KINGDOM TO COME.
IT IS THE 25th DAY OF KISLEV.
IT OCCURS AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT
TIME AFTER THE SECOND COMING.
AND SO IN THAT MILLENNIAL TEMPLE
WHERE WE WILL WORSHIP
WITH THE LORD, THAT, TOO,
WILL BE ESTABLISHED
ON A FEAST OF DEDICATION.
♪ 7
 Announcer: THE BIBLE LANDS,
 YOU'VE READ ABOUT THEM,
 NOW ENCOUNTER THEM
 FOR YOURSELF.
 WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS
 AT THE JORDAN,
 GALILEE, JERUSALEM.
 JOURNEY IN THE SHADOW OF PAUL
 TO ATHENS, CORINTH, EPHESUS.
 JOIN MYLES AND KATHARINE WEISS
 ON A TOUR OF THE BIBLE LANDS
 AND WITNESS THE WORD
 COME TO LIFE AS NEVER BEFORE.
 CALL:
Katharine: THE FEAST
OF DEDICATION, THE FEAST OF
LIGHTS AND IT'S ALSO HANUKKAH.
WE HAVE AN AMAZING RESOURCE
THAT WE WANT TO OFFER YOU.
IT'S A 3-PART SERIES.
JEFF AND SANDRA ARE ON
THIS TEACHING, BUT MOST OF ALL,
THE JEWISH PEOPLE COMMEMORATE
GOD'S VICTORY OVER EVIL MAN,
RIGHT?
Myles: IT DOES.
Katharine: THEY LIGHT
THE CANDLES
AND THEY RETELL THE STORY
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION,
THEIR CHILDREN, THAT GOD IS
A GOD WHO COMES THROUGH FOR US.
Myles: YES, HE DOES
THE SHAMUS CANDLE,
I LOVE HEARING THAT STORY AND
THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SERVANT
WHO COMES AND LIGHTS
THE REST OF THE CANDLES.
AND REALLY THAT'S THE STORY
OF THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
IS GOING TO COME.
IN FACT, IT LOOKS FORWARD TO
THIS INCREDIBLE STORY THAT JESUS
COMES AS THE OVERCOMING MESSIAH
AND IT'S BECAUSE GOD SAYS
WHO HE IS AND HE MEANS IT.
IN PSALM 121:4, HE SAYS,
"HE WHO KEEPS ISRAEL
WILL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP,"
AND THAT'S TRUE TODAY,
EVEN AS WE SEE THESE NATIONS
SURROUNDING ISRAEL.
WE SEE THE NATIONS
SURROUNDING AND THREATENING.
GOD PROMISES
THAT HE WILL KEEP ISRAEL.
LISTEN TO THIS, THAT IT
DIDN'T HELP HAMAN, HEROD, HITLER
AND IT WON'T HELP HAMAS,
BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE
ARE EXPRESSIONS OF "HA'SATAN,"
THE ADVERSARY, SATAN.
AND HE CANNOT PUT OUT THE LIGHT
BECAUSE THE LIGHT
OVERCOMES THE DARKNESS.
AND THE LIGHT OF MESSIAH
IS SHINING TODAY
AND WILL KEEP SHINING
UNTIL THE RETURN OF THE LORD.
Katharine: HA'SHEM.
Myles: HA'SHEM.
HE WILL JUST KEEP SHINING UNTIL
THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST,
YESHUA HA'MASHIACH,
THE MESSIAH OF THE JEWS
AND THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.
NOW THE STORY CONTINUES WITH
JOSEPH AND MARY IN BETHLEHEM.
THEY COME UP TO BETHLEHEM
FOR THE CENSUS BECAUSE
THEY'RE OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID,
THEY'RE OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH
AND THERE WAS SPECIFIC REASONS
WHY IT HAD TO BE SO.
SO NOW LET'S GO TO A DRAMA TO
TELL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JOSEPH
AND MARY AT THE BIRTH OF JESUS.
 Narrator: "AND IT CAME TO PASS
 IN THOSE DAYS,
 THAT THERE WENT OUT A DECREE
 FROM CAESAR AUGUSTUS THAT
 ALL THE WORLD SHOULD BE TAXED.
 AND JOSEPH WENT UP FROM GALILEE
 OUT OF THE CITY OF NAZARETH
 INTO JUDEA,
 UNTO THE CITY OF DAVID,
 WHICH IS CALLED BETHLEHEM,
 TO BE TAXED WITH MARY,
 HIS ESPOUSED WIFE,
 BEING GREAT WITH CHILD.
 AND SO IT WAS,
 THAT, WHILE THEY WERE THERE,
 THE DAYS WERE ACCOMPLISHED
 THAT SHE SHOULD BE DELIVERED.
 AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH HER
 FIRSTBORN SON, AND WRAPPED HIM
 IN SWADDLING CLOTHES,
 AND LAID HIM IN A MANGER;
 BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROOM
 FOR THEM IN THE INN.
 ( Sheep Bleating )
 AND THERE WERE
 IN THE SAME COUNTRY SHEPHERDS
 ABIDING IN THE FIELD, KEEPING
 WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCK BY NIGHT
 AND, LO, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
 CAME UPON THEM AND THE GLORY
 OF THE LORD SHOWN ROUND THEM
 AND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID.
 AND THE ANGEL SAID UNTO THEM,
 'FEAR NOT:
 FOR BEHOLD, I BRING YOU
 GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY
 WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE.
 FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY
 IN THE CITY OF DAVID
 A SAVIOR,
 WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD.
 AND THIS SHALL BE A SIGN
 UNTO YOU;
 YE SHALL FIND THE BABE
 WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES
 LYING IN A MANGER.'"
Myles: LISTEN TO THE WORD
OF THE LORD.
WHAT A STORY.
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD AND
IT'S BECAUSE THE SHAMUS CANDLE
OF HANUKKAH IS NOW COMING INTO
THE WORLD, BORN OF A WOMAN,
BORN OF THIS EARTH
IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY WITH US.
AND HE LEFT HEAVEN,
ACCORDING TO PHILIPPIANS 2
VERSE 5 AND FOLLOWING,
HE LEFT HIS FIRST ESTATE.
HE LEFT
WHAT WAS RIGHTFUL FOR HIM
AND CAME HERE ON OUR BEHALF.
AND IT IS THE STORY
OF THE JEWISH MESSIAH.
IT'S SO AMAZING TO ME.
CHRISTMAS IS A JEWISH STORY.
I DIDN'T KNOW.
MY RABBI DIDN'T TELL ME.
I WISH HE HAD TOLD ME,
BUT HE DIDN'T.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT HAPPENS TO JEWISH PEOPLE
WHEN WE COME INTO THE FAITH,
IS WE REALIZE THAT THIS STORY IS
ABOUT THESE OVER 300 PROPHESIES
OF THE MESSIAH BEING FULFILLED
BY THIS ONE PERSON
AND THERE'S NO OTHER WAY
AND NO OTHER PERSON WHO
COULD HAVE OR DID FULFILL THIS
OTHER THAN YESHUA HA'MASHIACH.
AND THAT'S HIS NAME, YESHUA.
HE'S HEBREW.
HE'S BORN IN BETHLEHEM.
HE GROWS UP IN NAZARETH, BUT
WHEN THEY COME UP TO BETHLEHEM
FOR THE CENSUS BEFORE THE BIRTH,
IT'S BECAUSE GOD
DESIGNED BETHLEHEM
TO BE THE PLACE OF THE BIRTH,
 "BEIT LECHEM,"
"THE HOUSE OF BREAD."
THE BREAD OF HEAVEN
COMES TO EARTH, IS BORN OF MAN,
GOES TO THE CROSS,
GOES INTO THE GROUND,
COMES OUT OF THE GROUND,
GOES BACK TO HEAVEN
AND IS PREPARING A PLACE FOR YOU
AND ME, AN AMAZING, INCREDIBLE
STORY, AN AWESOME STORY.
THAT'S WHY WE CELEBRATE
THIS HOLIDAY.
Katharine: AND IT'S
A VICTORY OVER DEATH.
IT'S A VICTORY
FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE
TO REMEMBER HANUKKAH
AND THEN THE BIRTH OF JESUS,
TO REMEMBER THAT GOD,
HE'S THE VICTOR,
HE'S THE VICTOR.
ALSO, MYLES, TELL A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW OIL IS MADE.
IT'S SUCH A PROCESS FROM
THE OLIVE OIL TREE
AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE LORD
BEING CRUSHED AND BEATEN
AND EVERYTHING THAT
HE WENT THROUGH SO THAT
THAT LIGHT COULD CONTINUE
TO SHINE.
Myles: THE VERY PROCESS
OF MAKING THE FINE OIL,
THE ANOINTING OIL,
THE TEMPLE OIL IS THE CRUSHING
AND BEATING AND PRESSING,
THAT WAS PART OF
JESUS' SACRIFICE FOR YOU AND ME.
AND SPEAKING OF HIS BIRTH,
WHY BETHLEHEM?
BECAUSE MICAH 5:2 TELLS US:
 A MESSIANIC PROPHECY
 AND SO HE FULFILLS THAT
 BY BEING BORN IN BETHLEHEM
 AS THE BREAD OF LIFE
 AND JOSEPH AND MARY COME UP
 TO BETHLEHEM TO BE TAXED THERE.
 NOW WHEN THEY CAME INTO TOWN,
 IT WAS A VERY SMALL PLACE.
 THERE WAS ABOUT 400 FAMILIES
 THERE, VERY SMALL AREA.
 THEY CAME FROM NAZARETH TO
 A SMALLER PLACE IN BETHLEHEM
 AND IF HE HAD BEEN BORN
 IN JERUSALEM, IT WOULD HAVE
 BEEN ONE OF MANY, MANY BIRTHS.
 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNNOTICED.
 BUT IN BETHLEHEM,
 THIS WAS A BIG DEAL.
 SO THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY
 INTO TOWN
 AND SHE'S ABOUT TO DELIVER.
 THE SHEPHERDS ON THE OUTSKIRTS
 OF TOWN, THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S
 NO ROOM AT THE INN,
 SO TO SPEAK; THEY KNOW
 THAT THERE IS NO PLACE,
 NO HOTELS ARE AVAILABLE.
 THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THEM
 TO HAVE THIS BABY.
 THEY CAN SEE SHE'S ABOUT TO BE
 DELIVERED AND SO THEY OFFER HER
A PLACE IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN
NEAR THE FIELD.
NOW WE'VE BEEN TO THOSE FIELDS
WHERE WE TAUGHT ABOUT RUTH.
Katharine: RIGHT,
NOT VERY COMFORTABLE
Myles: NO, WE TAUGHT
ABOUT RUTH AND BOAZ.
AND THAT'S A FASCINATING PART
OF THE STORY, TOO, BECAUSE GOD
IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY KNIT RUTH,
A MOABITESS,
INTO THE LINEAGE OF JESUS SO
THAT THERE COULD BE NO PREJUDICE
ABOUT JEW AND GENTILE.
THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE
AN UNDERSTANDING
THAT THE LINEAGE OF DAVID,
THEREFORE THE LINEAGE OF JESUS,
INCLUDED THE GENTILES.
AND NOT ONLY THE GENTILES BUT
THE MOABITES WHO WERE ACCURSED
OF GOD, BUT YET GOD OVERRODE
THAT BY HIS GRACE, AND BROUGHT
RUTH INTO THE LINEAGE OF JESUS,
SO THAT HIS FORBEARER
WAS RUTH THE MOABITESS.
I LOVE THAT PART OF THE STORY.
AND WHEN WE TEACH RUTH AND
BOAZ, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN US
TEACH THAT, IT'S REALLY ABOUT
JEW AND GENTILE COMING TOGETHER.
"YOUR PEOPLE
SHALL BE MY PEOPLE".
Katharine: AND WHERE SHE HAD HER
CHILD WAS NOT A LITTLE MANGER
MADE OF WOOD
OR THIS STERILE ENVIRONMENT.
IT WAS REALLY WITH THE ANIMALS,
SO THE LORD HIMSELF WOULD SAY
TO US, HE KNOWS EXACTLY,
HE'S BEEN EVERYWHERE.
Myles: EXACTLY.
Katharine: HE'S BEEN ABLE TO
FELLOWSHIP WITH OUR SUFFERINGS.
Myles: EXACTLY, HE IDENTIFIES
WITH THE LOWLY THINGS
OF THE EARTH, EVEN THOUGH
HE'S THE KING OF HEAVEN.
HE IDENTIFIES WITH
THE LOWLY THINGS OF THE EARTH.
IN FACT,
IF YOU COME WITH US TO ISRAEL
YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW
WOODEN BUILDINGS.
THERE'S NO TREES.
THERE ARE OLIVE TREES AND
THERE ARE TREES THAT ARE USED
FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
OLIVE TREES FOR FOOD, FOR OIL,
FOR LIGHT AND FOR TEACHING.
BUT THERE'S NOT ANY LUMBER
FOR BUILDING BUILDINGS.
EVERYTHING'S MADE OF STONE, SO
THE LIKELIHOOD IS THAT THIS WAS
NOT SOME HALLMARK CARD PICTURE
OF A BARN OUT IN
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SOMEWHERE.
THIS WAS PROBABLY A CAVE OR SOME
VERY, VERY ROUGH STONE STRUCTURE
WHERE THE ANIMALS WERE KEPT.
IT WAS NOT PRETTY.
IT WAS NOT STERILE.
IT WAS PRETTY ROUGH.
AND THERE'S PURPOSE IN THAT
AS WELL BECAUSE HE IDENTIFIES
WITH THE EARLY, LOWLY THINGS
OF THE WORLD.
Katharine: YES, AND YET GOD
BROUGHT KINGS TO HONOR
HIS BIRTH.
Myles: EXACTLY,
THE MAGI COME TO WORSHIP.
THEY COME TO SAY "YES"
TO THE KING.
AND THAT'S WHY THE STORY OF
HEROD TRYING TO GET RID OF ALL
THE CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OLD
IS SO FASCINATING,
AND IS A REPEAT OF THE STORY
THAT HAPPENED TO MOSES.
IT WAS A TYPE OF THE LORD,
BECAUSE GOD'S ALWAYS TRYING TO
AND ALWAYS WILL
BRING FORTH HIS PURPOSES
BUT THERE'S ALWAYS OPPOSITION.
AND THERE'S OPPOSITION TO JESUS
AS WELL.
Katharine: SO WE CAN'T FAINT
OR FALL AFRAID
WHEN OPPOSITION HAPPENS
BUT WE FACE IT
WITH FAITH IN THE LORD.
Myles: EXACTLY,
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE TIE-INS
ALSO TO THE HANUKKAH
AND THE EIGHT CANDLES,
THE NEW BEGINNINGS,
THE NUMBER 8 IS NEW BEGINNINGS.
THERE'S 8 CANDLES THAT ARE LIT
AND IT'S A PICTURE FOR US
OF THE NEW BEGINNING
THAT GOD WANTS TO BRING;
A REDEDICATION OF SELF
TO THE PURPOSES OF GOD,
JUST AS THE COMING OF MESSIAH
IS A NEW BEGINNING
FOR THE WHOLE EARTH.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD
TO TURN TO THE KING OF ISRAEL.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE BIRTH
OF JESUS IS ABOUT.
IN JOHN 8:12 JESUS SAYS THAT
HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
IN JOHN 1:4 WE HEAR THAT
THE LIGHT OF LIFE COMES
TO LIGHT MAN.
AND MATTHEW 5:14 SPEAKS
BECAUSE OF THAT LIGHT,
BECAUSE OF THE LIGHT COMING,
BECAUSE OF HIM
BEING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD,
WE ARE TO BRING THIS LIGHT
TO THOSE AROUND US.
THAT'S WHY I LOVE DOING
THESE PROGRAMS BECAUSE WE GET AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE LIGHT
OF LIFE TO THE WORLD AT LARGE.
Katharine: AND THIS PROGRAM
BRINGS THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE JEWISH HERITAGE
AND THE LIVING BRANCHES
THAT WE ARE AS GENTILES
GRAFTED-IN TO THE ROOT.
Myles: EXACTLY, THAT'S WHY
IN OUR HOME CONGREGATION
WE CALL THIS MESSAGE:
"HANUKKAH, CHRISTMAS AND YOU"
BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES CONNECT
THE SEAMLESSNESS OF HANUKKAH
AND GOD'S PRESERVING POWER,
IN ORDER TO BRING CHRISTMAS,
THE BIRTH OF JESUS,
AND BECAUSE OF THAT,
SALVATION FOR YOU AND FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, WHY DECEMBER 25th?
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHEN JESUS WAS BORN.
THERE'S CONTROVERSY.
ZOLA BELIEVED IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
IN SPRING BUT HE'S OPENLY SAID,
MAYBE NOT, WE'RE NOT SURE.
SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE JESUS
WAS CONCEIVED AS THE LIGHT
OF THE WORLD AT HANUKKAH
AND BORN AT TABERNACLES
AS "GOD WITH US,"
"IMMANUEL."
HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN BORN
IN THE SPRING WHEN THE SHEPHERDS
ARE OUT IN THEIR FIELDS.
IT'S VERY POSSIBLE
THAT IT WAS IN SPRINGTIME.
Katharine: BUT HE GIVES US DATES
AND THEY'RE VERY CONCURRENT
IN HIS WORD.
Myles: WELL, WHEN IT COMES
TO THE FEASTS OF THE LORD,
THE DATES ARE KNOWN.
WHEN IT COMES TO
EXTRA-BIBLICAL INFORMATION,
LIKE WHEN THE BIRTH WAS,
WE CAN'T BE EXACTLY SURE.
BUT WHY DID THEY PICK
DECEMBER 25th?
IT PROBABLY RELATES TO KISLEV 25
WHICH IS THE WINTER HOLIDAY
SEASON AND SO THEY PROBABLY TOOK
THAT DATE AND MADE IT THE BIRTH
OF JESUS FOR CONVENIENCE AND IT
REALLY TIES IT INTO SATURNALIA
AND THE EXISTING FESTIVALS THAT
WERE TAKING PLACE AT THE TIME.
BUT THAT'S NOT SO IMPORTANT.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT
IS THAT HE CAME FOR YOU
AND HE CAME FOR ME.
Katharine: RIGHT.
Myles: AND BECAUSE
OF GOD'S COVENANT-KEEPING POWER
HE PRESERVES THE LINE
OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE,
SO THAT THE JEWISH MESSIAH
COULD COME TO EARTH, SO THAT
YOU COULD SAY "YES" TO HIM.
AND SO TODAY WE'RE HOPING
THAT, AS YOU HEAR THIS MESSAGE,
THAT YOU WILL SAY, "YES,
I SEE THAT HE IS
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
AND I SAY, 'YES TO YOU, YESHUA,
COME INTO MY LIFE,
COME INTO MY HEART,
I WANT TO RECEIVE YOU
AS MY MESSIAH, AS MY SAVIOR,
FORGIVE ME OF MY SINS,
TAKE ME INTO YOUR LIFE,
GIVE ME YOUR ETERNAL LIFE
SO THAT I CAN BE WITH YOU
FOREVER.'"
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Myles: OUR PRAYER FOR YOU
IS THAT THIS SEASON OF HANUKKAH
AND CHRISTMAS WILL BE A TIME
OF REAL SPIRITUAL ADVANCE,
THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
WOULD BE BLESSED
BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE
OF YESHUA HA'MASHIACH,
JESUS CHRIST.
Katharine: YEAH,
JESUS OUR MESSIAH.
WE WANT TO OFFER YOU THIS
RESOURCE, "THE FEAST OF LIGHTS."
IT IS A 3-PART SERIES TEACHING
ABOUT HANUKKAH AND ALSO TEACHING
ABOUT THE PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT
THAT HANUKKAH PLAYS
IN THIS END TIME
AND POINTS US TO THE LORD
AND ALSO SHARES A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW YOU CAN KEEP HANUKKAH
IN YOUR HOME.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE THAT
AVAILABLE.
Myles: AMEN.
Katharine: YES.
Myles: REMEMBER,
 SHA'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM.
Katharine: PRAY FOR THE PEACE
OF JERUSALEM.
 Announcer: OUR OFFER ON THIS PROGRAM, THE DVD, "THE FEAST OF LIGHTS"
 IN THIS 3-PART SERIES,
 DR. JEFFREY SEIF PRESENTS AN INSIGHTFUL REVIEW
 OF HANUKKAH, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
 THIS HOLY OCCASION, OBSERVED BY OUR LORD,
 IS A REMEMBRANCE OF THE ETERNAL LIGHT IN THE TEMPLE
 AND THE MIRACLE OF THE OIL
 THAT ENABLED THE MENORAH LAMPS TO CONTINUE BURNING
 DESPITE THE ONSLAUGHT OF EVIL FORCES.
 THIS HOLY DAY IS A REMINDER
 THAT OUR LORD NEVER SLUMBERS OR SLEEPS
 IN SUSTAINING HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.
 ASK FOR THE DVD, "THE FEAST OF LIGHTS."
 ALSO, PLEASE CALL TOLL-FREE OR WRITE
 TO RECEIVE OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER:
 IT'S ABSOLUTELY FREE
 AND CONTAINS INSIGHTFUL ARTICLE AND NEWS COMMENTARY
 WITH A REFRESHING PERSPECTIVE YOU WON'T GET
 FROM THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA.
 "THE LEVITT LETTER" IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
 ...ALONG WITH CURRENT AND ARCHIVED TV PROGRAMS,
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(♪ Theme Music ♪)