Christian Message Boards: Chanukah

This is topic Chanukah in forum Favorite Devotions at Christian Message Boards.

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Posted by becauseHElives (Member # 87) on :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiZkfQN7ps0&feature=related

Posted by Betty Louise (Member # 7175) on :

That is pretty. I don't celebrate Chanukah, because I am not Jewish but Christian, but it is pretty.
betty

Posted by Eduardo Grequi (Member # 3984) on :

Hanukkah is such a beautiful and just as biblical as the birth of Christ. Each deals with the miracle of God and the light He provides. I often wonder if the reason that Christmas exists so close to the Hanukkah story is the reason both to be joyously remember. Christ is the Light when it shines into the darkness displays that darkness. Darkness hates the Light and runs from it.

Hanukkah Song: Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)

Hanukkah Hymn "Maoz Tzur" in Hebrew
Lisa Katz
Maoz Tzur, which translates from the Hebrew as "Rock of Ages", is traditionally sung after reciting Hanukkah blessings and kindling Hanukkah lights.

The lyrics were written about 800-900 years ago in Europe. The tune that is considered to be "traditional" in most parts of the Jewish world today, is an adaptation of a German folk song.

Maoz Tzur is an acrostic poem with five stanzas. The first letter of each stanza spells the poet's name, Mordechai, in Hebrew (mem, reish, dalet, kaf, yud).

The first stanza, below, thanks God for deliverance from our oppressors. The next three stanzas tell the story of the exodus from Egypt and the liberation from Babylonia, Persia, and Syria. The fifth verse recounts the story of Hanukkah.

Stanza 1: Transliteration
Ma'oz tsur yeshu'ati
lecha na'eh leshabeakh.
Tikon beit tefilati
vesham todah nezaveakh.
Le'et tachin matbeakh
mitsar hamnabeakh,
'az 'egmor beshir mizmor
khanukat hamizbeakh.

Stanza 1: Popular English Translation (Rock of Ages)
Rock of ages, let our song
Praise Your saving power;
You, amid the raging foes,
Were our sheltering tower.
Furious they assailed us,
But Your arm availed us,
And Your word,
Broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.

Stanza 1: Literal Translation
O mighty stronghold of my salvation,
to praise You is a delight.
Restore my House of Prayer and there
we will bring a thanksgiving offering.
When You will have prepared the
slaughter for the blaspheming foe,
Then I shall complete with a song of hymn
the dedication of the Altar.

Posted by Brother Paul (Member # 7959) on :

Jesus celebrated Channukah...playing dreidel was started in the time of the Maccabbees so He probably did this as well...it is the feast of lights so why would He who was the Light and the source of all other light not celebrate the day that honors Him? The middle light (which burns continually throughout the feast as if eternal) is the Light from which all other lights recieve their light. It is called the Shamus or the Servant...it begins on the 25th of Kislev (the Hebrew equivilent of our December). The Menorah of Channukah is a type of the tree of life...imagine setting up a tree and filling it with lights on the 25th of Kislev...to celebrate the coming of the Eternal Light...Hmmm! You do not have to be Jewish to do this honorable commemeration, but being a Christian fulfills its meaning in a real world life experience. So there is nothing wrong with lighting a Menorah and telling the tale and giving others the Christian meaning, and neither is it Judaizing to practice it like Jesus and all the Apostles did. Glory to the Lord who is the light of the world who lit our lamps!

Brother Paul

Posted by WildB (Member # 2917) on :

Please put a narrative with a YouTube for those that dont have.

Love ya.