Chanukah in the New Testament. The Seventh Light.

 The light itself and the story that surrounds it. Kudos for Martha and a warning from Lazarus and Jesus.

Chanukah in the New Testament. Fourth, Fifth and Sixth videos.

These videos cover Peter's confession in John, the anonymous others who speak for us all and the amazing Man Born Blind.

Chanukah in the New Testament. Third and fourth video

My third Facebook broadcast on the hidden chanukiah in the Gospel of John




                                                                                                                                                                               And my fourth:

Chanukah in the New Testament - live on Facebook!

I know it's been ages since I last blogged. Facebook, being a churchwarden and lay chair of a deanery has rather got in the way. Suddenly it's Chanukah again - and it's Christmas! Time to make Facebook work for it's living. So far, two live talks about Chanukah in the New Testament. See below. If you like them, please share them. 

Chanukah in John Pt.5 - The Third Light

It seems odd to ignore some major stories in John, but we are looking for a clear and positive confession by a person or persons in their encounter with Jesus. Nicodemus does not do this and nor is there a clear confession at Cana, even the Samaritan woman (Woman at the Well)  asks the question,"Can this be the Christ?" after her encounter with Jesus. 

It is only at the end of the Samaritan Woman's story that we get a clear statement of belief about who Jesus is. It is unequivocal and it asserts that these Samaritans had come to believe that the Jew, Jesus, was the Jewish Messiah and the promised Saviour of the World.

John 4:39-42

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

³⁹ Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. ⁴¹ And many more believed because of his word. ⁴² They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.”

 This is a brief but remarkable statement by people who were generally regarded, with some justification, as being hostile to all things Jewish. It must have been an interesting encounter for the disciples as it would run contrary to all that they had been taught or had experienced.

Jesus is able to reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable when we believe and trust in Him. Most of all he reconciled God and the sinner by His death on the Cross.

Copyright G. I. Goodson 2013

As you can see, these really are Chanukah lights and we remember the Incarnation and these amazing witnesses in John at this season.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Chanukah in John Pt.4. The Second Light.

Now I'm catching up with myself. Another re-posting from a year ago. Be blessed.

This is a passage packed with revelation.

The Second Light reveals three of the Titles of Jesus. To wit, Son of God, King of Israel and Son of Man. Two of them are revealed to Nathaniel by the Holy Spirit ( Direct Revelation) and then Jesus increases the blessing with the third. Not bad going for a man sitting under a fig tree.

John 1:43-51

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” ⁴⁴ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶ Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” ⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” ⁴⁸ Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” ⁴⁹ Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” ⁵⁰ Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree’, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” ⁵¹ And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

 Why was Nathaniel so privileged? According to Rabbinic teaching, a fig tree is a good place to read and meditate on the scriptures. Jesus told Nathaniel what Nathaniel had been reading. If you read Genesis 28:10 - 17 and compare it with the above passages you will see the references. Jacob was known, not entirely fairly, for his guile. Israel was his covenant name and the name of redemption. Jesus pays Nathaniel a great compliment by calling him a true Israelite. He then goes on to identify Himself with Jacob's vision. In short, Jesus is the LORD of Israel.

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Another secret of the Chanukah menorah. The candles are placed from left to right, but are lit from right to left. This is to show that no one day is more important than another. I also take this to signify that no one witness is more important than another. God blesses and uses all His people. I also take it to mean that the Jew, who reads from left to right, and the Gentile, mostly right to left, will all be enlightened by the Messiah.

Copyright G.I.Goodson 2013.

Hanukkah is a time of miracles. The great miracle of God's provision at the Temple and the greater miracle of God's provision of the Messiah at the Incarnation. I hope and pray that you will be emboldened to seek a miracle of God's provision in your life. Not a 'name it and claim it' greedy prayer but a prayer of faith, humbly seeking more of God's grace to revealed to you as He may choose.

The LORD bless you.

Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Chanukah in John Pt. 3. First Light

It was while pondering the scriptures and Chanukah, that I received a revelation. The Lord asked me if there was an Chanukiah in John. Why? Because John had said that the light that enlightens every man is coming into the world. Did he provide proof?

After that, I had to search. But what was I looking for? Someone had to confess Jesus as Lord, God, Messiah or some such.

There had to be understanding and confession (illumination and witness).

 Compare Romans 10:9 – 10

Reading through  the gospel of John, I came to the conclusion that there were, indeed, eight lights that had been lit by the Servant. Eight occasions where someone witnessed as to who Jesus was.

This is the First Light.

 John 1: 29 - 34 ESV

²⁹ The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

The Chanukah menorah is placed in the window so that the eight lights will be a witness to the miracle of God's provision at the rededication of the Temple.

Similarly, our menorah is placed as a witness to the greater miracle that happened at Chanukah.

For us, it provides a time of peace in which we can pray, celebrate communion and/or meditate on all that God has provided for us through Jesus the Christ/ Yeshua  Ha Moshiach. 

Part One
Part Two

I am a Maccabee...

Well, according to the narrators and producers of the following superb video, I am.

This is the first of several re-postings from a year ago in the hope that I can reach a wider audience and that you will be blessed and encouraged.

Watch this re-enactment of Chanukah and note the return of the Enemy. The glorification of Man, the hatred of circumcision ( Christians don't hate it - or shouldn't - we just don't need it for religious reasons) and  the rage against God.

Chanukah is not one of the LORD's appointments as set out in the Torah, but it is not without significance. When we get to Chanukah, I will tell you why it means so much to my wife and me, and also why it has tremendous Christian significance. I will show you the Chanukah lights in the New Testament. The lights are there because the New Testament is a collection of Jewish writings.

My take on Chanukah will be controversial, both to Jews and Christians, but I hope you will find it interesting and challenging.

In the meantime, enjoy this:


And this: