Tag Archive for: Hanukkah

VIDEO: A Christmas/Hanukkah Story About Two Torah-Believing Jews!

Tom Trento, Director of The United West tells a story of two Torah believing Jews who lived 2000 years ago, but their live are specifically relevant today, December 25, 2024 and symbolically relevant for all of 2025!

WATCH: A Christmas / Hanukkah Story About Two Torah-Believing Jews!

TRANSCRIPT

It is a perfect day for me to tell you a story of two Torah believing Jews. These two guys both in their early 30s held tightly to the truth of the Hebrew scripture and stood firmly on its teaching and ultimately gave their lives for the convictions that they held. Let’s go back to around 167 BC before the birth of  Christ in the Common Era.

I’m using the Gregorian calendar which uses the birth of Christ as that point but the year is about 167 BC and in Israel there were the natural enemy of the Greeks.
The Greeks controlled everything North of Israel and well for simplicity sake, and for relevance sake historically today, the Greeks controlled Lebanon and Syria but they had a problem with these pesky Jews in Jerusalem and the rest of Israel so they had to teach the Jews a lesson. So they sent warriors down to defeat the Jews particularly in Jerusalem and take over the Holy Temple to desecrate it. To show who’s in charge and then put the Jews in their place and the Greeks did that led by Antiochus who was a maniac basically the king of this Grecian Empire.
He went into the temple and destroyed everything. He he took pigs and slaughtered pigs on the altar, which is a Torah offense. He took a statue of Zeus the king of the the Greeks sitting on Mount Olympus put a statue of Zeus in the Holy Temple. You can’t desecrate the temple more than that.
Well because of the might of the Greek army he was able to pull this stuff off but for one family of Mattathias who had five sons and one of those sons was Judah and for a variety of reasons their name became known as the Maccabees, the hammer. Particularly Judah and this small family decided to fight back against the mighty Greek Empire but not in a head-to-head confrontation but more intelligently. A Guerilla Warfare, beeper Jew Warfare, outsmarting your enemy. And they launched Guerilla attacks and you can read the history they prevailed they pushed the Greeks out of Israel and one of the immediate tasks they initiated was the cleansing and the Consecration and the re-dedication of the temple. Those Hebrew words consecration dedication the Hebrew word is Hanukkah.
And we know the story we know that in order to work in the temple they had to light the candles for light they had one day of the special holy oil it’s all they had one day supply and they they lit a a candle to last for one day but it lasted for eight days days so this Supernatural Miracle of a little portion of oil lasting for eight days is the impression that we get from the holiday now called Hanukkah. But more importantly we need to look at this Maccabee family who saw that the the offense the violation of Torah was beyond their willingness to stand for they had to fight against it and they did. History shows that four of the Maccabee brothers plus Mattathias the father all were killed in defending Israel. The one brother Simeon lived and and became a ruler of Judea but the point is these Torah believing men stood firmly on the truth on the importance of  the temple and gave their lives for it.

Now jump forward for 200 years and we have a Jew, a Torah believing Jew, it’s all he knew he didn’t know anything about the New Testament. His name is Jesus. He was a Jew he wasn’t a Christian there was no such thing as a Christian then. He traveled to Jerusalem to go to the Passover feast when he got there he saw, as the Maccabees saw, the desecration of his father’s house with the money changers and the the evil people abusing poor people with the exchange for the animals that needed to be purchased for sacrifice.

And he saw the House of Prayer he saw the temple God’s holy place being desecrated similarly, as the Maccabees did. And what did Jesus do? Jesus preached a message of love and peace he was not what many people thought a messiah would be like a political or military leader his message was look we’re alienated from God by sin. I’m here to provide a bridge from individuals to God to complete the scriptures and that’s my message my kingdom is not of this world my kingdom is of the next world but when he saw the temple being desecrated he made a Scourge, a  whip, and he went in.

Jesus, the little peaceful Jesus went in the temple and whipped people in there and knocked tables over told them to get out of here you don’t desecrate the house of God like this and ultimately um Jesus died for what he believed was the truth of standing on the scriptures and I believe that too as a Christian.

So here we have two guys both of whom Torah believing Jews gave their lives for their beliefs and uniquely, rarely in history does this occur today December 25th, 2024.

On Christmas day the birth of Christ and Hanukah come together on the same day. Sundown today on the East Coast. I’m talking about the East Coast now of the United States the sun goes down Hanukkah begins and Christmas has another six hours or so and I see this symbolic.

All drawing back upon the Hanukkah Miracle not just of the oil but of the warriors willing to fight for that which is true and 200 years later Jesus willing to fight for that which is true peacefully but applying Force when necessary.

I think it’s a beautiful message for Jews and Christians to understand today on December 25th, 2024 where we can see the unity we’ve had a rough past Jews and Christians but the unity we’ve experienced over the past 20 to 30 years the support Christians have given for Israel in this battle an amazing.

Unification is occurring even though there’s significant disagreements over the Messiah and some other issues we have to recognized but we are brothers and sisters supporting the Judeo-Christian worldview looking to fight against stand against the attacks of Islamic Jihad and Marxist revolutionaries and other ideological and real life physical enemies so standing on this beautiful day of December 25th joining Hanukkah with Christmas let’s look at 2025 as a year of Judeo-Christianity.

Jews and Christians unified ideologically in in a a brotherly manner willing to take a stand and fight, to the death if necessary, but wanting to preach a message of love and consideration, forgiveness and reconciliation bringing those two Torah elements together creates a whole purpose and a whole person and when you understand the truth of the scriptures and stand on it confidently you cannot be stopped by the enemy whether it’s ideological or whether it’s physical so my admonition for for all of us let’s look at 2025 as a year of advancing the Judeo-Christian truth to all people but standing firm and fighting when necessary.

Thank you all. Have an absolutely wonderful Hanukkah Christmas.

©2024 . All rights reserved.

President Obama’s act of folly and betrayal of Israel

President Obama yours was the unkindest abstention in the history of the U.S. actions as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Yesterday, in a deliberate act of retribution and in consort with four council members, two imperialist Islamic member states of the Organization of Islamic States, Malaysia and Senegal, New Zealand  and Venezuela, an ally of Iran, you abandoned the Jewish nation of Israel; this country’s only democratic ally in the Middle East, Israel.

This act of infamy was given a standing ovation by all 14 members of the Security Council. The Palestinian representative declared it a “day of victory.”

Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon demurred, calling it a “victory for terrorism.”

History will mark your action as an ignominious faithless act of betrayal of your oath of office and long-standing friendship of America towards the Jewish nation of Israel. A nation that shares the foundational values of our country.

Your abstention and the vote of UN Security Council approving Resolution 2334 dismembers Israel’s eternal capital of Jerusalem violating its existing right to negotiate just and secure borders.

Your act and that of the Security Council will not bring peace. Instead it will inflame Islamic terrorism against our ally Israel.

You have brought shame and dishonor on your office and reputation of this country and its people you were elected to faithfully serve.Your legacy following the end of your final term in office is forever tarnished by this act of folly.

The irony of your misguided conduct comes on the eve of the Jewish Festival of Hanukkah, meaning ‘consecration’, celebrating the victory two millenia ago by the Maccabees, the few against the many, blessed by Ha Shem. These warrior priests rose up with the cry of the High Priest Mattisyahu, “whoever is for for God, follow me.” Their mortal combat achieved a victory over the foreign tyrannyof Syrian-Greek despot, Antiochus, occupying ancient Judea. It was a victory in furtherance of the inalienable right of freedom to worship emblazoned in the First Amendment of our Constitution. An ancient victory that also affirmed the State of Israel’s right to the land of its Jewish fore-bearers and descendants.

Your action Friday , December 23, 2016 suborned that ancient legacy that this country was founded on to uphold 234 years ago with fight for Independence from another occupying tyranny.

It will now be left to a new Congress and your successor as President to redress your betrayal of our country and ally Israel.

Full text of UNSC resolution, approved Dec. 23, demanding Israel stop all settlement activity

The Times of Israel

Approved by 14-0, with US abstaining, text seeks action ‘to reverse the negative trends on the ground that are imperiling the two-state solution’

Text of Egyptian-drafted resolution 2334 on settlements, approved by the UN Security Council, on December 23, 2016.

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its relevant resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 446 (1979), 452 (1979), 465 (1980), 476 (1980), 478 (1980), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003), and 1850 (2008),

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirming, inter alia, the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force,

Reaffirming the obligation of Israel, the occupying Power, to abide scrupulously by its legal obligations and responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and recalling the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the International Court of Justice,

Condemning all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, including, inter alia, the construction and expansion of settlements, transfer of Israeli settlers, confiscation of land, demolition of homes and displacement of Palestinian civilians, in violation of international humanitarian law and relevant resolutions,

Expressing grave concern that continuing Israeli settlement activities are dangerously imperilling the viability of the two-State solution based on the 1967 lines,

Recalling the obligation under the Quartet Roadmap, endorsed by its resolution 1515 (2003), for a freeze by Israel of all settlement activity, including “natural growth”, and the dismantlement of all settlement outposts erected since March 2001,

Recalling also the obligation under the Quartet roadmap for the Palestinian Authority Security Forces to maintain effective operations aimed at confronting all those engaged in terror and dismantling terrorist capabilities, including the confiscation of illegal weapons,

Condemning all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation, incitement and destruction,

Reiterating its vision of a region where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders,

Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon addresses the Security Council on October 19, 2016. (UN Photo)

Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon addresses the Security Council on October 19, 2016. (UN Photo)

Stressing that the status quo is not sustainable and that significant steps, consistent with the transition contemplated by prior agreements, are urgently needed in order to (i) stabilize the situation and to reverse negative trends on the ground, which are steadily eroding the two-State solution and entrenching a one-State reality, and (ii) to create the conditions for successful final status negotiations and for advancing the two-State solution through those negotiations and on the ground,

1. Reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace;

2. Reiterates its demand that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and that it fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard;

3. Underlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations;

4. Stresses that the cessation of all Israeli settlement activities is essential for salvaging the two-State solution, and calls for affirmative steps to be taken immediately to reverse the negative trends on the ground that are imperilling the two-State solution;

5. Calls upon all States, bearing in mind paragraph 1 of this resolution, to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967;

6. Calls for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction, calls for accountability in this regard, and calls for compliance with obligations under international law for the strengthening of ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, including through existing security coordination, and to clearly condemn all acts of terrorism;

7. Calls upon both parties to act on the basis of international law, including international humanitarian law, and their previous agreements and obligations, to observe calm and restraint, and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric, with the aim, inter alia, of de-escalating the situation on the ground, rebuilding trust and confidence, demonstrating through policies and actions a genuine commitment to the two-State solution, and creating the conditions necessary for promoting peace;

8. Calls upon all parties to continue, in the interest of the promotion of peace and security, to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues in the Middle East peace process and within the time frame specified by the Quartet in its statement of 21 September 2010;

9. Urges in this regard the intensification and acceleration of international and regional diplomatic efforts and support aimed at achieving, without delay a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet Roadmap and an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967; and underscores in this regard the importance of the ongoing efforts to advance the Arab Peace Initiative, the initiative of France for the convening of an international peace conference, the recent efforts of the Quartet, as well as the efforts of Egypt and the Russian Federation;

10. Confirms its determination to support the parties throughout the negotiations and in the implementation of an agreement;

11. Reaffirms its determination to examine practical ways and means to secure the full implementation of its relevant resolutions;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council every three months on the implementation of the provisions of the present resolution;

13. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in the New English Review.

Giving the Gift that God Will Like or What’s This Time of Year About?

As Jews celebrate Hanukkah and Christians do Christmas, most people look for a day off or hope to benefit commercially from this time that’s meaningless to millions of others. What’s the point? Is it all vanity as Solomon said?

Religion is gratitude if we are doing it right. If we don’t see that we came into the world naked and that 99% of everything we have was given to us, we are on an ego trip that won’t last. Even “self-made millionaires” were given 99% of what they have—this included mental abilities to think, plan and do. And if they lived well, their prosperity came from laws they didn’t invent in a world they didn’t create.

This season is honored by religious people because God is the real Giver. In the book of beginnings, Abraham says, “God will provide Himself a lamb.” Genesis 22:8. It’s God who pays the price for man’s reconciliation and it’s so huge that it makes no sense to the business world.

The Bible offers further explanation in Isaiah 53:3-7 with a concept that’s unbelievable, except the Bible puts a premium on belief or faith. We live can life better and enjoy it more if we believe the Bible, that God loves us and that He has a wonderful plan for us.

After all, the Bible says we’re made in His image (Genesis 1), and He has made every provision necessary for this life and what’s beyond. Wouldn’t that be worth discovering? Thanksgiving may be the most religious of our holidays.

Dr. Hans Selye, father of the modern stress theory, reminds us that gratitude is the most healing of all emotions. That being so, what we do from a motive of gratitude for what God had done, what He is doing and what He promises to do for us is what He appreciates.

How we express our appreciation may be seen in how we treat others. Christ said how we treat others is how we treat Him, Matthew 25:40.

Efforts to earn a better destiny by “good works” that we think are as good as the next fellow, tends to create merit in our eyes, but that’s meaningless with God who paid the ultimate price for our destiny.

If this life were all there is, it might not seem to matter so much as we compare our 70 or 75 years with someone else, but if the Bible is true, a choice not to believe is cutting ourselves short of what’s beyond. And those who are familiar with the Bible seem to have an advantage when it comes to believing.

EDITORS NOTE: Dr. Ruhling offers his latest ebook “Our High Destiny Discovered in the Bible’s 7 Wedding Messages” as a free gift Saturday, December 20 at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QJ7Z7Z6  His website offers a holistic book on health & happiness that has been appreciated by millions under different titles. The featured image is courtesy of Reddit and The Gloss.