Miketz
Genesis 41:1 - 44:17

Chanukah

           Happy Chanukah! Today is the fourth day of this joyous holiday commemorating the victory of the Jewish people over the Greco-Syrians in 164 BCE.  Chanukah is a reminder to us that the cost can be high to trust in the Lord and to fight against idolatry.  This week our Torah portion continues the narrative of the life of Joseph. Last week, we discussed how the life of Joseph epitomizes the history of Israel as well as the Messianic Movement and our lives as individual believers. We want to continue that theme today as we describe the relationship between the story of Chanukah and the story of Joseph.  Both Chanukah and Joseph take place in the context of foreign worship.  Chanukah takes place in a time when foreign invaders desecrated the Temple and would not allow the Jewish people to worship God appropriately. In the Torah portion, Joseph is living a land where the God of Israel is not worshipped. Both Chanukah and Joseph describe the difficulties that are faced when we try to be faithful in this situation. So far in the story, we have seen the trouble that Joseph gets into because of his faithfulness to God. In fact, the beginning of the portion today finds Joseph still in prison because he would not compromise his faith. As for Chanukah, we read of terrible atrocities committed against the Jewish people at this time in the Book of II Maccabees. 

          Both of these stories show how God works providentially in the situation.  In the book of Genesis, the Joseph narrative is the longest story in he book. It is different from the rest of Genesis for a very interesting reason. Throughout all of the earlier chapters God speaks directly to people. However, when it comes to Joseph, God does not speak to him directly - he speaks to him through dreams. In all of the events, God is not portrayed as actively involved. In the story of Chanukah, God is not viewed as directly interacting in the events. However, in both stories, God is very involved in the affairs of the people. God arranges for Joseph to interpret the dream for Pharaoh and for the brothers to come to Egypt and for the children of Israel to reside in Egypt .  In the story of the Maccabees, God caused the Jews to defeat the enemy, against all odds. The Providence of God is quite evident in both stories.

    Another truth that unites the story of Joseph and the Chanukah story, is that there is a cost to living for God in a world that does not  believe. As believers today, we know that there is a cost to believe in Yeshua. He Himself urges us to “count the cost” of being a follower of Messiah.  The main foe of the Maccabees was Hellenism. This pagan belief system was making inroads in the Jewish world.

      Today, pagan concepts and beliefs slowly make their way into our congregations and our minds. When we stand for the truth of the Scriptures the way Joseph did and the Maccabees did, we will be persecuted. The New Covenant says, Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12). Notice it does not say “might” be persecuted; it says will be persecuted.  Regarding persecution, Yeshua said, "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me (Jn 15:20-21).  Therefore it should come as no surprise when people come against us.  But we must always remember that God is at work even when it seems that he is absent.  I am sure that there were gloomy days for Joseph as well as the Maccabees. At times it seems as if all were lost. But it was the power of God that sustained them.  In the traditional Chanukah song, Maoz Tzur, there is a line that says, “but thy word broke their sword when our own strength failed us.”  This is still true today. May today’s Torah portion and the meaning of Chanukah ring true today. God is at work in and through as we continue the journey in this world. He will indeed be victorious. As we remember and celebrate a victory thousands of years ago, may we be encouraged and remember the victory that Yeshua had over sin and death and that God will have the ultimate victory in this world.  Shabbat Shalom!