When I wrote a column last year at this time about Jesus’ celebration of Hanukkah, I got a surprising response from someone identifying himself only as “Humphrey.”
“Mr. Farah, I’m sure you have received a number of emails about your column on Hanukkah. Allow me to add my two cents. Of course Jesus observed Hanukkah; he was born and raised a Jew. But in the fullness of time He established His religion, which He commanded to be observed until the end of time, and in so doing he abrogated the old law, Judaism. Jesus was also circumcised in observance of the Jewish law, but this too he abolished in favor of baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. He also instituted the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to supersede Seder. Until His time, the old law held sway, but He came to promulgate a new law which He commanded to be observed henceforth. The heroism that Hanukkah commemorates certainly happened, and it is acknowledged by all Christians. But Christians celebrate the victory of Jesus Christ on the Cross to save all mankind from the defeat of sin. I’m sure you know all of this, Mr. Farah, but just saying.”
This letter, perhaps more than any other one thing, convinced me to write my new book – “The Restitution of All Things: Israel, Christians and the End of the Age,” officially releasing early next month but available now at Amazon and the WND Superstore.
I’ll start by saying I have no disagreement with his first three sentences: I did get many letters – mostly praise. I’m always happy to let others put in their “two cents” – even more. And I agree Jesus was born and raised a Jew. I think I even pointed that out.
But, sadly, that’s where the agreement ends – until His penultimate two sentences.
One of the big questions my book raises is this: Did Jesus really come to start a new religion – the religion of Christianity?
“No” is my absolute, unequivocal answer in the book.
Jesus did not come to start a new religion called Christianity. As the Son of God, I’m sure He knew this would happen, but He came as the Jewish Messiah, the Savior of the World, to lay down His life as an atonement of sin and to fulfill this first part of His mission to bring about “the restitution of all things.”
Far from abrogating the old law or Judaism, Jesus said clearly that He came to “fulfill” the law, not destroy it.
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
– Matthew 5:17-20
What is this kingdom of heaven Jesus is talking about?
That is ultimately what “The Restitution of All Things” is about – a prophecy book that doesn’t get bogged down in the fire and brimstone and destruction most such books explore. Instead, it looks past that very short period in future history to the establishment of His Kingdom on Earth, a time of peace, justice, abundance, joy and truth ruled and reigned over by Jesus Himself.
By the way, His laws will be fully in effect during that thousand-year period – all over the world.
That raises the question: If Jesus observed all the laws when He was on the earth, stated clearly He had not come to destroy the law, and His apostles observed the laws after He ascended into heaven, then who came to the conclusion He “abrogated” the law – and when? Those are specific questions I address in “The Restitution of All Things.”
By the way, it is my contention that if Jesus did anything regarding the law besides affirm it, it was not to lower the standard of judgment but to raise the bar on observing it. For instance, he said we would already be guilty of murder if we are angry at a brother. He said we would be guilty of adultery if we looked at another with lust in our hearts.
That’s the standard He set for His followers.
Yes, Jesus was circumcised in observance with the law. But He never suggested it should be abolished in favor of baptism. His disciples taught (see Colossians 2:11), like the prophets of old (see Deuteronomy 10:16, Deuteronomy 30:6 and Jeremiah 4:4), that the more important issue was circumcising the foreskins of our hearts. What does that mean? It means trading in our hearts of stone for hearts of flesh. It’s the promise of the fulfillment of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31).
Likewise, I must take issue with the idea that Jesus “instituted the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to supersede Seder.” Those are traditions of men – and Jesus roundly and frequently condemned the Pharisees for creating them at the expense of God’s eternal laws, another focus of the book.
Did Jesus promulgate a new law? What would that be? My reading of the Gospels shows Him repeatedly reinforcing the Ten Commandments and emphasizing that on “two hang all the law and the prophets”:
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
“This is the first and great commandment.
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
– Matthew 22: 37-39
Again, my main point: Christians shouldn’t just acknowledge that Hanukkah happened. We should learn about it and celebrate it just as Jesus did.
That’s right. Jesus observed Hanukkah, which, this year, falls right about the same time as Christmas – beginning tomorrow in fact and extending through the New Year.
I love Hanukkah, and, I would say, it holds great spiritual as well as political significance for us today – Jews and Christians alike.
First the spiritual:
Most prophecy teachers have missed the fact that Hanukkah contains one of the most amazingly detailed revelations of the end times, Cahn explains. The story of Hanukkah is a metaphor – a foreshadowing – of what we can expect before the return of Yeshua the Messiah.
I won’t go into the detail here, because I would prefer you hear it from Cahn. But here’s a video trailer to provide a tease:
[jwplayer 0ybr8CPu]
But what about the political significance?
The political lesson of Hanukkah is that we can do all things through our faith and obedience to God.
Politically, many Americans today are looking with great expectation toward the sweeping in of a new administration promising great change. I, too, am optimistic about a long-awaited shakeup of Washington. But, if we put our faith in politics alone, disappointment and discouragement await us. Redemption for mankind will only come, the Bible promises us, with the return of Jesus the Messiah.
That’s not to say we can’t improve things in the here and now if we act in faith and with courage as happened in Israel about 200 years before Jesus was born. A foreign empire sought to impose its false religion on Israel. It was largely successful. Most Israelis went along with the Greek orders. Idols were placed in the Temple. The altar was desecrated by the sacrifice of a pig. Jewish women about to be married were forced to submit themselves to Greek officials for an evening of sexual entertainment.
But one family, the Maccabees, refused to capitulate.
They led a revolt that seemed far less likely to be successful than the one America’s founders led against Great Britain. They were outnumbered. They were out-armed. The odds did not look good.
But the Maccabees had faith and swore obedience to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob rather than the Greek pagan myths.
The Greeks attacked with a massive army. They were routed by the Maccabees.
The Greeks attacked with a bigger army. They were routed by the Maccabees.
The Greeks attacked with all their power and might, determined to wipe out this uprising. And once again they were routed by the Maccabees.
The Temple was ritually purified. The Greek idols were removed. And that is the breathtaking story of Hanukkah in a nutshell.
The lesson? If God is with us, who can be against us?
Americans, and freedom-loving people all over the world should take heart in this holiday commemoration and the miracles of Hanukkah – whether they are Christians or Jews.
Because God will work this same kind of miracle for us today if we are faithful to Him, repent of our sins and turn from our wicked ways.
And I don’t mean the whole nation has to do this.
In 2 Chronicles 7:14, it makes very clear that only those called by His name need to humble themselves and follow this prescription: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
What that means is that all the forces of hell can’t defeat us if we take this one simple, vital step today.
We can overcome the darkness. But it all begins with the believers rededicating themselves to God’s ways.
In conclusion, let me say Happy Hanukkah to Humphrey and all believers in Jesus, Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, the Savior of the World, the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe.
Watch a video trailer for Joseph Farah’s new book:
[jwplayer isrgeN8p]
Media wishing to interview Joseph Farah, please contact [email protected].
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