With the last 8th night of Hannukah rapidly approaching, here’s a few observations. First, Yeshua observed this “Feast of Dedication” as noted in John (Yochanan) 10:22-23. A few verses later, He affirmed and declared himself the Son of G-d when asked if He was the Messiah. The timing and location of this episode is important. If you are familiar with the Hannukah story, during the period between the testaments (as prophesied by Daniel 11:31-32), the Syrian Greeks had defiled the Temple with a statue of Zeus in the Holy of Holies and the sacrifice of an unclean pig upon the altar. Judah “The Hammer” Maccabees and his brethren arose and drove Antiochus Epiphanes (meaning “manifestation of god”) from Jerusalem. They then cleansed the Temple and lit the Eternal Flame of the Menorah with the only sanctified oil they could find, about a day’s worth. Miraculously, it lasted for eight days until more could be made. And thus, Hannukah is an eight-day festival of lights memorializing the cleansing and dedication of the Temple. This entire historical episode is rife with future meaning, in that elsewhere Daniel alludes to future fulfillments of this pattern and Yeshua Himself drew specific attention to it as an eschatological model in both Matthew (Mattiyahu) 24:15 and Mark 13:14. Short version: Antiochus Epiphanes, believing himself a manifestation of G-d, is a pattern for the Anti-Christ who shall claim to be He, sitting in a new third Temple, where he ought not. The true Messiah, Yeshua of the Tribe of Judah, shall defeat him and his forces accompanied by those that know their G-d. He shall then set-up His Eternal Kingdom, since eight is the number of new beginnings and Yeshua is the Light of the World (John 8:12). The oft-neglected holiday of Hannukah is truly of far more end-time importance than it is credited with by most believers. I encourage everyone to do a little research on this historical episode as a prophetic blueprint for the soon-to-come Time of Jacob’s Trouble. Selah.