The prophet Haggai prophesied at the end of the sixth century B.C. in Haggai 2:18-19 “Considering now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid – consider it: “is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.” – NKJV, God will send HIS blessings to us. Four centuries later, this prophecy came to pass when the Maccabee brothers redeemed the Jewish kingdom from the Greek King Antiochus IV.

Hanukkah starts on the 25 Day of the month of Kislev (ninth month) in the Jewish calendar.

Hanukkah celebrates the redemption of the Jewish kingdom and the miracle that occurred when a small quantity of olive oil which could only last for one day but lasted eight days, just sufficient time for new olive oil to be prepared in the rededicated Second Temple.

This year, 2016 we celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas together from sundown on 24th December to 1 January 2017. The convergence of these two Christian-Jewish holidays occurred only four times since 1900!

Knowing the significance of the confluence of these two events, it is important that we appropriate the blessings to come when we celebrate this Hanukkah and Christmas season together. Let’s gather your family to thank God for His provisions for 2016 and the blessings to flow from that day onwards.

Have a blessed Christ filled CHRISTmas and Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish brethren.