Why Hanukkah is Not a Biblical Holiday

"But isn't Hanukkah in the Bible?"

"Hanukkah is in the Bible so it's a Biblical holiday."

"Jesus celebrated Hanukkah!"

"The book of Maccabees was in the Bible Jesus read so Hanukkah is a Bible holiday."

I've heard statements like this so many times recently that I want to shed some light on the fact that Hanukkah is not a Biblical holiday, and explain what that means for believers in Messiah. It's crazy how defensive and even vicious people can get about this topic! This post is to help us come to understand truths around this holiday - whether or not we choose to celebrate it. 

Why isn't Hanukkah a Biblical holiday?

The Biblical holidays are set apart times that YHWH himself created and told us to celebrate. Please read that again. The Bible holidays of Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles were created and ordained by the Living God. Scripture tells us to celebrate them in Leviticus 23, and Deuteronomy 16. They come up in many places throughout the Bible. Significantly the Messiah was killed on Passover, less significantly Paul mentions that sailing was dangerous because it was after Yom Kippur (Acts 27:9). We are told to keep these holidays forever.

Why isn't Hanukkah included in the list of Biblical holidays? Because YHWH didn't tell us to celebrate it. It's not found in the Leviticus 23 list or anywhere else in Scripture.

"But Hanukkah is in the Bible!"

There is a mention of the Messiah being at the Temple during the "Feast of Dedication" in John 10:22 (most translations just say during winter). Many people in the Messianic movement have taken this as a directive to celebrate Hanukkah, but it's a pretty big jump to conclude that anything the Bible mentions is automatically ordained. Most of us recognize that just because Acts 19:28 says, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians," that's not a Biblical truth or directive for what we should say! And the Messiah being somewhere does not automatically legitimize something, or require our celebration. He spent time with sinners - that does not mean he approved of their actions! We know he attended weddings, but no one is having a holiday every year to remember the wedding where he turned water into wine.

We should also note that if you read John 10, the first thing the Messiah says is that the people there didn't believe his words. Nothing in the passage would give you the idea that he's lighting up a nine-branch hanukkiah or in agreement with everything happening there. The Bible frequently talks about Jewish customs that were manmade, and a significant portion of the Messiah's words are of him speaking against these manmade traditions. It would be surprising if he suddenly had no qualms with something religious leaders had made up. He certainly would not have put any manmade holiday on the same level as the set apart ones created by his Father.

"But the books of Maccabees were in the Bible Jesus read!"

Something that many people overlook about the book of Maccabees is that nowhere in it does YHWH say that people should celebrate Hanukkah. Even if Maccabees were or should be included in the Biblical canon, they contain no directive to create a holiday based on the events recorded. The books also contain nothing about the supposed miracle of one day's worth of oil lasting for eight days, which is what the manmade hanukkiah light is based on. 

Many believers in Messiah that celebrate Hanukkah are quick to rebuke others for celebrating Christmas...even though both holidays are "Bible based." 

I'm sick of people verbally abusing Christians who celebrate Christmas, saying that they are pagan because Christmas isn't a holiday found in the Bible, then turning around and taking part in another holiday that is also not found in Scripture. This double-standard is unfair, and a poor testimony of the work of the Messiah in our lives, and shows a lack of understanding of the word.

"But I want to celebrate the amazing story of the Maccabees!"

That's your choice, but be aware you are doing that because that's what you want to do - not because YHWH commanded it. I agree that the Maccabees story is inspirational! But something having spiritual significance doesn't automatically make it a Bible holiday. Christmas is also not a Biblical holiday, even though it is based on Bible events and has meaning to its celebrants. We could take any Bible story and turn it into our own holiday if we wanted. There could be David and Goliath Day or Water Into Wine Wednesdays. We could invent these holidays and they could be fun, meaningful, and teach Biblical truths...but that doesn't put them on par with the holidays YHWH created.

If you want to celebrate Hanukkah, that's your choice. But don't do so thinking that it's a Biblical holiday, because it's not - it's a holiday invented by man. Manmade holidays aren't always bad, but we shouldn't esteem them as highly as the Biblical holidays the Living God directed to celebrate. Hanukkah is not a holiday the Bible commands us to celebrate.

*Please note that this post is to clarify why Hanukkah is not included in the seven Biblical holidays. I realize it is a significant holiday in Judaism, with historic and spiritual meaning. I mean no disrespect to that. My goal is to teach the distinction between what Scripture says and Jewish customs. Many Jews have told me they don't want to see the Messianic movement appropriating their culture, which is why I want believers in Messiah to know the difference between Jewish culture and Biblical commandments. Blessings to all!

Related posts:
What Believers in Messiah Need to Keep in Mind about Hanukkah
Why Christmas is Not a Biblical Holiday
Why I Don't Celebrate Hanukkah

Ways Churches Can Celebrate the Biblical Holidays

These are ways that churches large or small can celebrate the Biblical holidays that the Creator gave to all of his people to enjoy and learn from!

At this time of year I see so many churches having special events from backyard barbecues and apple dumpling fundraisers to worship nights and youth group retreats...why not take part in the Bible holidays by doing something like that during the special times of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles?

Many of us have been told that in order to take part in the Biblical holidays you have to do animal sacrifices or that it's super boring, but that is absolutely not the case! While Scripture does give a few instructions for each holiday, there is plenty of room for creativity and there are different ways to enjoy the holidays that are Biblically appropriate. Because of that, you don't have to worry about 'looking Jewish' with your celebrations. The goal here is to put God's word into practice and honor him at these times, not to try and emulate how someone else does a holiday like the Feast of Trumpets.

The Biblical holidays are a joyful time and there are many ways we can celebrate them and honor the Creator! If your church has worship nights or fellowship meals on random days, it can certainly do something like that on the days appointed as special in the Bible. 

Ways churches can celebrate the Biblical holidays of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles:

-Worship night.

-Children's recital.

-Hymn sing.

-Prayer service.

-Churchwide retreat.

-Youth group camp out or lock in.

-Fellowship meal.

-Drive for canned goods, Bibles, winter coats, etc.

-Outdoor games night.

-Movie night.

-Chili cookoff.

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Why the Bible Holidays are for All Believers
Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Feasts

What Believers in Messiah Need to Keep in Mind about Hanukkah

Here are a few things all believers in Messiah should know about Hanukkah, whether or not you choose to celebrate it.

This is not a Biblical holiday. While passages of Scripture such as Leviticus 23 give us instructions for keeping YHWH's set apart times, Hanukkah is not mentioned there. Nowhere in Scripture are we told to celebrate Hanukkah.

The nine-branch 'menorah' that is used during Hanukkah is not the lampstand of Scripture. The Creator himself specified in Exodus 25 that his menorah has seven lights. Should we be altering its design so that it doesn't follow Biblical instructions?

The story of the oil miraculously lasting eight days when the Temple was rededicated is not in the book of Maccabees. Not that it couldn't have happened, but it's important to not make claims that it is in the book when it's not.

Unlike the traditional Hanukkah blessing says, the Creator never commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights. Don't teach falsities about what the Living God says.

The mention of the Messiah being at the Temple during Hanukkah in John 10 does not prove that he was celebrating or ordained what was happening. Yahusha frequently spent time with sinners - that doesn't mean he approved of everything they did.

If you read the rest of John 10 you'll see that the Messiah's presence was so poorly received during the Hanukkah festivities that the leaders tried to stone him there! Does it sound like he was taking part in what they were doing?

If you view it as a minor holiday, you should treat it as such. Don't put more effort, time, or money into Hanukkah than you would Passover, Sukkot, or the other Biblical holidays.

Many cultures have a 'Festival of Lights' around this time of year. Including the Hindu celebration of Diwali, and the Babylonian/Persian festival of Chaharshanbe Suri, which is nearly 4,000 years old.

Please keep these things in mind before celebrating this manmade holiday. If you celebrate, know the facts, and make it clear that this holiday is not something YHWH commanded us to do.

Related posts:
The Case for the Seven Branch Menorah
Why I Don't Celebrate Hanukkah
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Why Hanukkah is Not a Biblical Holiday

Here's Why Believers Should Celebrate the Biblical Holidays

Did you know that no matter what your background is you're called to keep the Biblical set apart times? These aren't just for people in the past or in the future. They aren't just for people who know for a fact their ancestors were the people in the Bible. They are for all of us and each set apart times presents a tremendous opportunity for spiritual growth! With each Biblical holiday that we take part in we learn more about the nature and character of YHWH, and we get to see these parts of Scripture come to life.

Why should we be keeping the feasts?

-We are told to keep these set apart times forever (Exodus 12:14). Do we really need any reasons beyond this? Following Scripture's instructions is in our best interest, whether that necessarily makes sense to us or not. The word tells us to participate in these things, and that should be reason enough - especially when it's something joyful like celebrating a holiday!

-We see the Messiah celebrating these times in Scripture. Many significant events in the Messiah's life happened around the feasts. Yahusha hosted a Passover meal (also known as the last supper), he had much to say at the Feast of Tabernacles, and even expressly told his brothers to go the festival. He rose from the grave on First Fruits, and commanded his disciples to stick around for Shavuot. And he should be our example, right? We are supposed to live like he did, and he celebrated the feasts!

-The New Testament tells us to keep the feasts (1 Corinthians 5:8). Even after the Messiah was ascended into heaven we are told to keep these festivals. By the way, Paul was not just talking to Jewish people here. Corinthians was written to Greek believers, so he didn't just mean for only Jewish people or people living in the land of Israel to celebrate these times. This is a New Testament passage telling us to keep the feasts.

-Scripture tells us not to let anyone judge us for doing this (Colossians 2:16). Why does the Bible mention this if it doesn't expect us to take part in these things? In his all knowing, YHWH knew we would be facing some peer pressure to not keep the feasts. I think that's why in Colossians he reminded us to not let other's opinions make our decisions for us, and to encourage us to take part in these days even when it isn't popular or convenient. We are not to let someone else's opinion change our resolve to keep these special times with our Creator!

-We gain a better understanding of Scripture by participating in these holy times. This is the difference between just reading about something and doing it for yourself. We can share in the experiences of Scripture and better relate to what the Israelites and our Messiah went through. By taking part in the festivals of YHWH we learn more of the Messiah's life, and can grow in prophetic understanding of these times. These times are not pointless or cutesy, they are in Scripture for a reason and we would all benefit to learn more.

-These are times of joy! I don't know anyone who would mind being happier or who wouldn't benefit from a more joyful heart. This is an opportunity for that! Life can be stressful and painful. Schedules can be jam-packed with drudgery. Relationships can be strained or hurtful. Scripture offers us a remedy for those things...and it's participating in the Creator's holy days. Leviticus 23:40 says these are times for rejoicing. If you need more joy in your life here is your opportunity.

The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays

Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts
Why Biblical Holidays are for All Believers

The Christmas Question - Interview with Kayte Abaffy

Let's talk Christmas! Kayte and Luke, the husband and wife duo behind The Way documentary have teamed up with 119 Ministries to create an eye-opening new documentary - The Christmas Question. 

Have you ever wondered why the Messiah's birth gets celebrated on a date the Bible doesn't specify? Or wondered what evergreen trees have to do with his birth? Maybe your kids have asked why Santa comes down the chimney? Did you know that Christmas used to be illegal in the United States? Or maybe you've found yourself wondering if these traditions matter to the Living God? In The Christmas Question, Kayte and Luke travel around the world to talk to experts to find answers!

I enjoyed the documentary so much and I'm excited for you to see it too! During the holiday season I like to remind myself of why I no longer take part in the traditions I once loved, and The Christmas Question definitely brought fresh conviction! While hearing from the experts was educational (I especially enjoyed Dr. Philipp Nothaft), my favorite was hearing from believers, such as sisters Michelle Glasgow and Kay Smith, and Abraham and Jane Lockwood, about their own experiences with starting to question Christmas traditions. If you feel like you're alone in your convictions, hearing from them will be so refreshing!

Fellow Christmas-questioners, Abraham and Jane.

That said, this film is really made for believers who do celebrate Christmas. And it does an awesome job of asking thought-provoking questions, and then shedding the light of historical truth about where Christmas traditions - and even the idea of celebrating it - come from. I loved that they decided to stick to facts supported by history! There are a lot of pretty wild hypotheses out there about some Christmas traditions, and while those aren't necessarily wrong, it's easy for people to wholesale write-off any problems with Christmas when others say things that can't be proven. The format they chose is clear, and leaves less room for doubt or arguing. Yay for that!

I don't want to give too much away, but there are a couple of quotes I want you to hear from the movie:

"I find it amusing when people say, 'put Christ back in Christmas,' because if you are Christian and you really do want to follow the teachings of Jesus then, yeah, it probably doesn't make much sense to have all of these pagan things that represent fertility because that's not really about the birth of Jesus." -Scarlet Ravenswood, tarot reader and solitary witch

"On comparing the Christian calendar with the pagan one, it is impossible not to be struck by the great concordance between the two." -John Calvin, A Treatise on Relics

"For people that just want to say that it doesn't come from pagan origins, my opinion on that is you're just turning a blind eye to what history has told us. ....When we deny that these origins exist we actually do a disservice to Christian intellect." -Dr. Jonathan Smith, resident minister at Convocation of Anglicans in North America

"Where in Scripture do we find that the Father redeems anything from a pagan god's worship and redeemed it for himself? I don't see that anywhere in Scripture." -Michelle Glasgow

Are you eager to check it out? You don't have to wait because it's completely free to watch online! I'm totally pumped about that, because I know those who are curious are going to be way more likely to watch something without a cost. Who wants to pay $14.99 to find out their favorite holiday isn't the best? But if it's free your curiosity just might get the best of you. Thank you to those of you that supported the making of the film because many more people will be reached this way. You can watch The Christmas Question here.

Streaming not your thing? Would you like a hard-copy to share with a friend or add to your congregation's library? Want to support Kayte and Luke so they can keep making amazing documentaries? DVDs are available for purchase here.

Norse mythology and religious history expert, Maria Kvilhaug.

Kayte and I were able to connect, and she was kind enough to share with us some of their experiences with making the documentary, as well as their own experiences with how to handle the Christmas season now!

Land of Honey: What inspired you to make this documentary?

Kayte: 119 Ministries reached out to us about making this film. A few years back, we'd traveled to Costa Rica to interview Jon Sherman for The Way documentary and that's how we met. 119 Ministries had an incredibly impactful video called Sunburned that they wanted to redo in a new format. They wanted to make a documentary, to look at Christmas' history in the most journalistically sound way possible, and to forgo including any ideas that might be speculative in nature in the discussion.

So that's where we came in. We prayed about our involvement and thought about whether we felt we could add something helpful to the discussion on Christmas - and when we felt like we had the go-ahead, we dove in!

The aim of the film is to get to the bottom of why Christians celebrate Christ's birth in certain ways, and then to help the audience examine whether Christmas and its traditions pass the test of worshipping our Creator in both spirit and truth.

Can you tell us some the places you went while filming?

Fortunately, we were able to secure interviews with some of the world's preeminent scholars on all kinds of topics related to Christmas - and many of those people are in Europe. We ended up traveling to seven countries make the doc - England, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Canada, and all over the US. 

You can learn more about everyone we interviewed here.

Did you learn anything about Christmas that surprised you in the process of making the film?

Oh man! There are a weird factoids about mistletoe and strange legends about St. Nick and why Santa comes down the chimney instead of through the front door! And there's a lot that I've learned about the date, December 25th and what was happening on that day, long before anyone ever celebrated Christmas.

Another truth that's been highlighted in this process is that the word Christmas means a lot of different things to different people. It's loaded, like the word "religion." When some people say Christmas, they're conjuring up images of time spent with family reading the nativity story in the Bible, sitting around the tree. Christmas for them is synonymous with the Christ's birth and family time. Other people picture hoards of insane shoppers trampling each other and all of the stress and commercialism of the season. Other people are thinking about how amazing it is that during this one season, strangers are all of a sudden so much more kind! Others think of pagan sun god worship! ...And some are just thinking about Home Alone.

Acknowledging where a person's coming from can make our conversations so much more fruitful.

One of my favorite parts was hearing from this panel of believers!

Has the journey of this film stretched or challenged your faith at all?

The biggest challenge is just remembering to stay prayerful through the process. Remembering to pray first when there's some inexplicable tech glitch and the audio file won't transfer to the sound engineer. Remembering (during the process) that God already sees what the project will be when it's completed and having faith that He'll help us get there... because it's tricky work at times with what feels like millions of decisions to make. 

The release of the film has been a little nuts with some strange hiccups! We were definitely tested this past Shabbat, when things were going wrong with the film's release and we were pushing up against Shabbat starting. When you've promised something and haven't quite delivered yet AND have to stop working because it's time to rest - that's a hard one. But we've learned and continued to learn that obedience to God first is always the right answer. We can't lean on our own understanding - we have to keep Him first. 

What has your personal experience been like walking away from Christmas? 

Christmas used to be my favorite! So having Christmas become just a normal day was faintly weird at first, haha. It's an interesting sensation, having what feels like the whole world celebrating Christmas, in every store you step into and on every street you walk down...and knowing you're not doing those things. And on the flipside, it's also been funny, celebrating, say Sukkot, and having the Amazon Prime delievery guy wonder why you're camping out and cooking breakfast over an open fire in your own yard. (I would have told him, but he left too quickly!) 

Sidenote: some "Christmas" carols are still wonderful songs to sing, I think. They have such beautiful messages about the Savior's birth! And if anything, that's something we can all celebrate. I tend to sing them during Sukkot instead...or just any time :) As a new mama, it's kind of exciting and also a big responsibility to create wonderful new family traditions around our new special days. That's part of why I love Land of Honey! You have so many fun ideas for building a festive atmosphere from scratch.

How have you been able to share the changes you've made with no longer celebrating Christmas with friends and family?

I think it's really helpful to focus on the positive when talking to friends and family about why you no longer celebrate Christmas. I've heard so many people say, "We don't celebrate Christmas!" Period. End of sentence. It's so abrupt! Haha And when we say that, the person we're speaking to might be hearing, "We don't care that God sent His Son to live among us and die for our sins." ...which of course is not what we want to convey!

It's so important for people to understand that it's not the facts of his birth that you're avoiding, it's the trappings that have snowballed around His birth. We've simply traded out Christmas for other (more Bible-based) ways of celebrating Him instead. 

Why not tell people that you've discovered the holidays God gives us in Leviticus 23 are chock full of beautiful symbols and traditions that all point to our Messiah and His life and ministry? Tell people how much of a blessing it's been to celebrate these special times. 

Do you have any tips for believers who are navigating away from celebrating Christmas? 

When it feels hard, go back to why you're doing what you're doing. Go back to what you know for sure. Remind yourself of the truths that you've seen that you know it's impossible to un-see now. I always find that reassuring.

Where can we go to check out the movie and stay in touch with you guys?

You can watch The Christmas Question, for free, forever here on 119 Ministry's YouTube channel.

You can also buy hard copies and digital downloads of the move if you'd like special features (and the ability to watch the movie without being online). Just head to our website. 

More posts on Christmas:
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Christmas
What CS Lewis Was Wrong about in the Chronicles of Narnia
Why Some Christians No Longer Celebrate Christmas

Autumn Anticipation - Fresh Perspective on the Biblical Holidays

Is it legalism to celebrate the Biblical holidays?

If you are someone that keeps the Creator's set apart times, then chances are good that someone has told you that you're being legalistic. Or maybe you've heard about the Biblical holidays but you've always thought keeping them would be akin to picking up a giant burden of legalism?

I have been told by many well-meaning Believers that celebrating Passover, Sukkot, and the rest of the feasts is a burden that is just too heavy to bear. And that sure, while it's in the Bible, YHWH never intended us to be so excessive as to actually observe these times. And to be honest, I guess I used to feel that way too. But that was before I started celebrating. Now that I have experienced these things for myself and know the joy that comes from that I wouldn't want to go back to ignoring the times Scripture says to set apart. I don't find anything legalistic, overbearing, or unpleasant about them. It is meaningful and joyful to celebrate the holidays given to us by the Creator.

Every year I marvel at how many churches and ministries have special events going on during the Feasts. There are retreats and fall festivals during Sukkot. Ice cream socials and special worship nights happen on Shavuot. Every year a church down the road from us has a beef and noodle dinner (unintentionally) on Yom Teruah.

I could literally give you a hundred examples of things like this. Churches host potlucks and concerts. Youth groups camp out during Sukkot. Ministries have fund raising events or volunteer appreciation night. Does anyone think going to one of these things is being legalistic?

Really, do you think it's legalism to put together a special event? What if it's an event intended to honor YHWH or to bring his people together? Do you feel like that's something that shouldn't be done or something that the Creator wouldn't want?

If you don't currently celebrate the Biblical holidays, you should know that the celebrations are a lot like the above events. A night of worship, a beef and noodle dinner, or carnival activities would all be great ways to spend one of the set apart times...and if you don't have a problem with doing those things at other times of year, why is it a problem to do them when Scripture tells us to?

Recently there was a social media post by a popular Christian author about how excited she was for Labor Day and how she could get behind any holiday that calls for a day off. Well good news for her, there are seven days in Scripture where we are told to rest. (In addition to the weekly Sabbath.)

I truly believe that our Creator put a longing deep within each of us to celebrate his festivals, and that's why people go so nuts for Fall, are overjoyed at the thought of Springtime approaching, and are so ready for summer by the end of May...these are all times he has set apart for us. But if we don't know what his holidays are, or if we have believed the lie that these days are somehow bad, then that desire might end up manifesting as a love for pumpkin spice lattes, cute sweaters, and the leaves changing colors, or being excited for Labor Day. That longing is there for a purpose and The Creator has more for us at these times of year.

More on the Biblical set apart times:
You are invited to keep the Feasts!
What are the Biblical holidays?
Celebrate Yom Teruah
Honoring Yom Kippur as a Believer in Messiah
Why I started celebrating the Biblical holidays

First Fruits Celebration

This time of year I usually post pictures from Passover but I thought it would be fun to mix it up and share some from a First Fruits celebration I attended. First Fruits is when Israel historically presented the first of the barley harvest to YHWH, and it is also when Yahusha was raised from the dead. What reasons we have to celebrate this Biblical holiday!

It was a simple get together; just an informal 'bring a snack or dessert.' We turned on some music, ate and chatted. Then talked about the Messiah's resurrection and read Scripture related to that.

Since the omer count begins on First Fruits, some sort of omer counter makes the perfect party favor! You could also make your own counters at the party for a fun group activity.

Here's a great idea for Matzah Week: if you're making homemade matzah, try rolling it into smaller pieces to use like you would crackers. It can still be soft or you can bake it longer to have it be crunchy. It's great with hummus and other spreads like this smoked salmon dip.

I love getting to celebrate this truth with a group of believers and would definitely encourage everyone to do so as well! Messiah rose from the grave = best day ever, right?! As Paul said, "Let us keep the feast!" (1 Corinthians 5:8)

Do you guys know about resurrection cookies? They are a meringue cookie and each step of the recipe symbolizes the story of the Messiah's death and resurrection, like beating the walnuts to symbolize how Yahusha was beaten by soldiers. You leave them in the oven over night and then they are empty when they are finished. I can share the recipe if anyone is interested.

Happy First Fruits everyone! What do you guys do to celebrate?