Hanukkah is also called the Feast of Dedication, the Feast of Lights, or the Feast of Maccabees. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament as the events memorialized in this holiday festival took place when the Jewish people broke free from under the Syrian rule in 165 BC and the Temple worship was restored and rededicated. This time frame is referred to as the inter-testament period.
Although it is not mentioned in the Old Testament (it is mentioned in the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees), it does make its way into the Gospel of John in chapter 10. 22. Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon's porch. 24. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:22-24 [NKJV])
The Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes, in fulfillment of prophecy, had defiled the Second Temple by offering as a sacrifice a swine on the altar in the Temple in mockery of God and the Jewish people and their faith in AD 169. Daniel foretold of this in Daniel 8:11-13 [NKJV], 11. He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. 13. Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?'' Daniel later added, “And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation” (Daniel 11:31 [NKJV]).
Jesus spoke that when His disciples see the "abomination of desolation...standing where it ought not," they should flee (Mark 13:14-18; Matthew 24:15). The abomination at the time of the Maccabees was the sacrifice of a swine on the altar in the Temple and in the First Century it also occurred at the Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Under the New Covenant of Christ in which we live, the Temple is the tabernacle of men (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) who comprise the body of obedient believers in Christ (Ephesians 1:22). The "abomination of desolation" today is the negative thoughts and intents of man's mind that should no longer be there since we have been reborn in Christ with the first resurrection, which occurs at our immersion into Christ (Romans 6:1-4). We are no longer bound to rules and regulations as the people were under the Law of Moses, but are now under universal principles found within the Law of Liberty (James 1:25) in Christ Jesus. Violating these principles causes all kinds of psychological and spiritual fear, grief, anxiety, depression, guilt, etc. These negative attributes should not be in our heart if our mind has been rededicated and we are in communication with the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to cast away the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) from our consciousness or resurrect our minds to a state of peace (Galatians 5:22). We will then no longer be the enemies of God (Romans 5:10) we once were while we remained in rebellion against Him.
Although it is not mentioned in the Old Testament (it is mentioned in the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees), it does make its way into the Gospel of John in chapter 10. 22. Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon's porch. 24. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:22-24 [NKJV])
The Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes, in fulfillment of prophecy, had defiled the Second Temple by offering as a sacrifice a swine on the altar in the Temple in mockery of God and the Jewish people and their faith in AD 169. Daniel foretold of this in Daniel 8:11-13 [NKJV], 11. He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. 13. Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?'' Daniel later added, “And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation” (Daniel 11:31 [NKJV]).
Jesus spoke that when His disciples see the "abomination of desolation...standing where it ought not," they should flee (Mark 13:14-18; Matthew 24:15). The abomination at the time of the Maccabees was the sacrifice of a swine on the altar in the Temple and in the First Century it also occurred at the Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Under the New Covenant of Christ in which we live, the Temple is the tabernacle of men (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) who comprise the body of obedient believers in Christ (Ephesians 1:22). The "abomination of desolation" today is the negative thoughts and intents of man's mind that should no longer be there since we have been reborn in Christ with the first resurrection, which occurs at our immersion into Christ (Romans 6:1-4). We are no longer bound to rules and regulations as the people were under the Law of Moses, but are now under universal principles found within the Law of Liberty (James 1:25) in Christ Jesus. Violating these principles causes all kinds of psychological and spiritual fear, grief, anxiety, depression, guilt, etc. These negative attributes should not be in our heart if our mind has been rededicated and we are in communication with the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to cast away the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) from our consciousness or resurrect our minds to a state of peace (Galatians 5:22). We will then no longer be the enemies of God (Romans 5:10) we once were while we remained in rebellion against Him.
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