PADDING
Second Night of Chanukah
Oil is central to the Chanukah story. It’s the basis of the Chanukah miracle when, at the dedication of the restored and cleansed Temple, one day’s worth of sanctified oil lasted for an impossible eight days until more could be acquired.
Oil was also an essential part of everyday life in ancient Israel. People used it for food and light. In the Bible, oil is sometimes symbolic of joy and bounty. An abundance of oil was wealth. Oil was also used to anoint people for healing and commissioning or consecrating them for special service to the Lord.
Oil is also said to symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit. This comes from one of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) parables.
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Jesus compared the Kingdom of Heaven to 10 virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the expected bridegroom. No one knew the hour when the bridegroom would come, but when he did, those who were ready would enter the wedding feast with him. Five virgins were wise and brought extra oil for the lamps to sustain them if the bridegroom tarried. The other five were foolish and brought no extra oil. The foolish virgins ran out of oil, and while they were away buying more, the bridegroom came. The virgins with oil entered the wedding, and the door was shut behind them. The foolish ones returned and knocked on the door, but the lord of the wedding replied, “I do not know you.” In explaining this parable, Yeshua associates oil with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Every Believer’s assignment is to let the Holy Spirit reign in their life daily. We are to let His presence fill us, live through us and use us. The Lord’s presence is oil to us, anointing us with gladness and enabling us to live the abundant and fruitful life Jesus made possible through His sacrifice.
“Make sure you have enough oil to keep that lamp burning,” says Ezra Benjamin, Vice President of Global Ministry Affairs at Jewish Voice Ministries International. In context, he says, that means: “Make sure you’re making a space in your life to cultivate the oil of the presence of the Lord.” How do we do that? By reading and studying His Word, setting aside time to be with the Lord in prayer and quiet listening. And when you feel like your oil is running low, when you feel far from the Lord and don’t know how to light up the feeling of His presence in your life again, offer Him the little you have. Keep offering it to Him, keep drawing near. Ask Him to take your “not enough” and make it overflow as “more than enough.” Soon, you will feel His light burning brightly within you again.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, Lord.
Psalm 89:15
Shine a Light
Give a Gift of Gelt
The story of Chanukah is a story of a miracle...God’s miracle in providing light for eight days with oil that was only enough to last a single day.
Each day of Chanukah this year, you can give a gelt offering that shines the love of Jesus to Jewish people around the world. Your gifts throughout Chanukah — clean drinking water, medical care, the Good News and more — will demonstrate your commitment to reaching our Jewish brothers and sisters with the Gospel. Would you consider giving the following gift today?
Give $30 to share the Good News and provide spiritual healing at a 2024 Outreach
For a gift of $30, you can help support the work of Jewish Voice in 2024 to share the life-changing Gospel with unreached Jewish people throughout the world. By sharing the truth of their Messiah, you help fulfill your call to seek the salvation and restoration of all Israel so that Jesus may come again!
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Light the Candles with Your Family
Place two candles at the far right in the chanukiah tonight, setting them in the holders from right to left. You’ll place Night One’s candle in the far-right holder, Night Two’s candle to the left, and so on throughout the week. As you light the Shamash, or Servant Candle, recite the Messianic Jewish Chanukah blessings:
Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and has given us Yeshua the Messiah, the Light of the World.
Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, who has performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time.
Using the Shamash, light the Chanukah candles in the opposite direction from which you placed them in the holders. Light them from left to right, according to the Jewish custom of honoring the newest first. Return the Shamash to its place. Let the candles go out on their own, and they should burn for at least half an hour.
