9th month of God's year - Kislev 5785

I want to start by saying that keeping and observing the weekly Shabbat, the New Moon (month) and the Biblical Feasts are all God’s command/His idea, so as far as I am concerned they are all very good ideas. As God Word says: “When people's steps follow the LORD, God is pleased with their ways.” (Psalm 37:23)

Also God clearly states many times to Moshe that He was setting out “The Way to Live” and this same Torah was to apply equally to the citizen and to the foreigner (Exodus 12:49; Numbers 15;16; Numbers 15:29: Lev 24:22) - i.e. those who decide to align themselves to the One and Only God of Israel. Also, I cheekily like to ask my guests around my Shabbat table sometimes if they think there were any Jews in the garden of Eden? Obviously not, so to me it is very clear, Shabbat was a gift given to ALL MANKIND, period.

Yeshua himself said that he came to fulfill all the Torah and The Prophets, not to abolish them, and I certainly do not believe He came to start a new religion.

SO REMEMBER ROSH CHODESH:

HIS IDEA: “He made the moon to mark the seasons…”. Psalm 104:19

HIS COMMAND: : “At the beginning of your months you shall blow the trumpets…” Numbers 10.10 and Psalm 81

HIS INVITATION: “The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; BUT on the Shabbat it shall be opened and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.”

HIS PROPHETIC WORD: “Every month on Rosh Chodesh, and every week on Shabbat, everyone living will come to worship in my presence.” Says The Lord. Isaiah 66: 23

We enter this new 9th month, new portion of time, after sunset on the evening of the 1st December. This 9th month was later named by man, Kislev, probably from an Akkadian word, and adopted during the Babylonian exile, but it is never referred to in the scriptures by that name, only ever as The Ninth Month. This month includes the beginning of the 8 day Feast of Dedication (Chanukkah).

The message of Chanukkah being the eternal power of light over darkness, good over evil. Commemorating the miraculous victory of a small Jewish army over the evil Greek Emperor Antiochus, and his mighty Seleucid Empire. Very apposite, of course, as Israel continuous to fight for her very existence against her enemies who make no secret of their desire to completely wipe us off the map.

But first, this month is sometimes known as the month of dreams: Throughout the five books of the Torah, we find ten explicit dreams (dreamt by seven “dreamers” all in the book of B’resheet, (Genesis).

First the dream of Avimelech, King of G’rar in the Torah portion Vayera (and he appeared), warning him about Sarah actually being Avram’s wife, not his sister.

The other nine dreams are the Torah portions of Vayetze (he went out), Vayeshev (he continued living) and Mikketz (at the end), ALL of which are read during this 9th month of Kislev.

Jacob’s first dream of the ladder, his second dream regarding Laban, and the sheep.

Then Laban’s dream when God warns him to do neither good nor bad to Jacob. All very transparent and not needing special dream interpretation.

In these dreams, God or an angel appears and directly reveals information. In contrast the final six dreams, the two of Joseph, the two of Pharaoh’s ministers, and the two of Pharaoh, all require interpretation.

So dreams play a major role in the life of Yoseph, his first two when he was a young man showing that one day his brothers would bow down to him, which takes some years to be fulfilled.

But then as you know when imprisoned after he had been sold into slavery in Egypt, the dreams of the Cupbearer, and Baker are used by God to bring him to the attention of Pharaoh when he himself has his dreams and needs them to be interpreted.

Yoseph then becomes that interpreter of his dreams, and the amazing story of Yoseph continues, and becomes the means by which God is able to save Yoseph and all his family. Of course, his very first dreams are fulfilled when his brothers come and bow down before him.

All of which, as I am sure you know, is a prophetic picture of Yeshua being rejected by his own people, lifted up in the gentile world as saviour and dressed in such a way so his own people do not recognise him, until of course their hardened hearts are softened and their blind eyes opened.

Now a few historical events that happened in Kislev:

520 BCE, 350 years before the Maccabean victory, the 24th of the 9th month is mentioned in the Book of Haggai chapter 2: verses 10, 15, 18 and 20, record the basic message that ADONAI Tzva’ot will shake the heavens and the earth and all nations, overthrowing their power, after which He will anoint the chosen one of the line of David, and essentially make Jerusalem the new world capital.

This entire prophetic agenda to which Haggai alludes is laid out in great detail in Isaiah 2, Jeremiah 3 and 23 and Micah 5: from v. 18 in Haggai we read: “Consider now from this day forward, from the 24 day of the 9th month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider it. “From this day forward I will bless you”

20 Kislev 457 BCE, Ezra, head of the Sanhedrin and the leader of the Jewish people at the time of the building of the 2nd temple made an address to a 3 day assembly of the Jews in Jerusalem, beginning on 20th of the 9th month, telling them to adhere to the teachings of the Torah regarding marrying foreign women and increasing Israel’s guilt. Ezra 10:9

25 Kislev 167 BCE the Greeks make pagan sacrifices in The Temple as recorded in 1 Maccabees 1: 59

25 Kislev 164 BC – 3 years to the day we have what is called the Hanukkah miracle, and the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean revolt – more of this later.

24 Kislev 1917 Which was Sunday, December 9, 1917. General Allenby, leading the British forces, liberated Jerusalem for the first time in centuries from Turkish/Muslim rule. By the morning of December 9th Turkish forces had fled the city and the governor Izzat Pasha escaped in a horse drawn carriage borrowed from the American Colony hotel, leaving behind a note of surrender.

The date on the Jewish calendar was 24 Kislev. That evening the Jewish soldiers in the British army celebrated the first day of Hanukkah, and went to the Western Wall in openness and freedom - lovely.

But of course the most famous historical event associated with this 9th month, is Chanukah. I love Chanukkah, and its not just the doughnuts, …….Oh, well …I actually love the doughnuts! But seriously, celebrating and remembering the re-dedication of the Temple after the Maccabean revolt, and reading through the Book of Maccabees again is something I enjoy and appreciate immensely.

However it has to be said, that the “tradition” of there only being enough oil for one day to rededicate the 2nd Temple, after the victory of the Maccabees, and it miraculously lasting for eight days, is JUST A TRADITION. There is no historical evidence for this, or mention of it in the Book of Maccabees, but nevertheless a lovely tradition. The miracle, of course, was The God of Israel helping the Jewish people overcome an enemy far larger and superior than them. Something The Lord God of Israel has done many many times, and we pray will continue to do in these dark days ahead.

So it all began in 168 BCE when the Jewish Temple was seized by Syrian-Greek soldiers and dedicated to the worship of the god of Zeus. This was followed a year later by the emperor Antiochus making the observance of Judaism an offence punishable by death and ordered all Jews to worship greek gods.

We read in 1 Maccabees 2 “In those days Mattatiahs, the son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the son of Jo’arib moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modi’in. He had five sons, John surnamed Gaddi, Simon called Thassi, Judas called Maccaabeus, Eleazar called Av’aran, and Jonathan called Apphus. He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem and said.

“Alas why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city, and to dwell there when it was given over to the enemy, the sanctuary given over to aliens. Her temple has become like a man without honour, her glorious vessels have been carried into captivity. Her babes have been killed in her streets, her youths by the sword of the foe. What nation has not inherited her palaces and has not seized her spoils? All her adornment has been taken away; no longer free she has become a slave, and behold our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste. The gentiles have profaned it. Why should we live any longer.”

Well long story short when the Kings officers who were enforcing this apostasy came to the city of Modi’in Mattatiahs rose up and declared in Modi’in:

“We will not obey the king’s word, by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left. Let every one who is zealous for the Torah and supports the covenant come out follow me” - yeah, we can all cheer now!!

Three bloody years later (and I really recommend you read the story in the book of Maccabees, it is quite remarkable) we have the wonderful victory of these brave resilient Jews. The last battle is recorded in 1 Maccabbees chapter 3: “Gird yourselves and be valiant, be ready early in the morning to fight with these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. It is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary. But as His will in heaven may be, so he will do.” (A foretaste of The Lord’s prayer there.)

Well the victory is secured by the Lord God of Israel, and we have the final part of the story recorded in v 47. After the Temple sanctuary is rebuilt. “Early in the morning on the 25th day of the 9th month, which is the month of Kislev, in the one hundred and forty-eight year, they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering which they had built. At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. All the people fell on their faces and worshipped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them. So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for 8 days and offered burnt offerings with gladness, they offered a sacrifice of deliverance and praise.”

Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of the dedication of the altar should be observed with gladness and joy for 8 days beginning with the 25th day of the 9th month Kislev.

So this 9th month, known as one of the darkest months, as we have the shortest days of the year leading up to the winter solstice. The month of dreams, with the Lord using dreams to speak prophetically into people’s lives and finally the month when we remember one of the many dark events in history when the Jewish nation was under threat, and The Lord using whoever is available, whoever is able to say הנני - heenaiany - here I am, use me, and working a Ness Gadol, a huge miracle, with the Jews winning a victory of the mighty Syrian-Greek Army.

Father as we go into this new 9th month, may we be open to any dreams you want to reveal to us, give us confidence in you in the dark times we are experiencing as a Nation, and maybe individually, that you are The faithful God who brings light and victory to all those who put their trust and hope in you. We re-dedicate ourselves to you as you give us this new portion of time. HODESH TOV.

יהי רצון מלפניך יהוה אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו שתחדש עלינו חודש טוב

באדונינו ישוע המשיח

May it be Your will Lord our God, and God of our fathers, that you renew for us a good month in our Lord Yeshua the Messiah