On this third night of Chanukah, we reflect on the Chanukah story and God as the Mighty Warrior who has already won the victory over evil.
Messianic Jewish Chanukah Blessings
Place three candles in the chanukiah tonight, setting them in the holders from right to left. 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.
Candle Lighting
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. Return the Shamash to its place. Let the candles go out on their own. They should burn for a least half an hour.
Devotion
The Maccabees were a vastly outnumbered group of men facing a well-organized army of soldiers seeking to destroy the Jewish people and their faith. But they fought back anyway. They had to do something to end the brutal violence unleashed against them because they would not conform or convert to their attackers’ beliefs. The Maccabees fought, and, by God’s grace, they took back the Temple.
When the Lord engages in a battle, He is always victorious. He is the Almighty, all-powerful, sovereign Lord, after all. And Jesus rose from the dead, overcoming the power of sin and death! Though this world still suffers from evil, the Lord has foretold the day when He will put it away forever. To us, it’s in the future; to Him who is unbound by time, it’s already done. Chanukah illustrates that our God is victorious, and through Him, we are too. Praise Him for the wonderful things He has won for us!
From the Lord’s Word
For He has done marvelous things. His right hand and His holy arm have won victory for Him. ––Psalm 98:1
He will swallow up death forever, my Lord Adonai will wipe away tears from every face. ––Isaiah 25:8a
I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. ––Revelation 1:18 NIV
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we, removed from sins, might live for righteousness. “By His wounds you were healed.” ––1 Peter 2:24
Prayer
Almighty God, there is none like You. Thank You for the victory You have already won for us. Thank You for the day when You will bring to pass all that You have promised, and we will live entirely free from all sin, all oppression, persecution and evil. You are victorious! And we look forward to the day when You will receive all the glory and honor and praise that You deserve.
