The Festival Of Lights | The Institute for Creation Research

The Festival Of Lights

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15).

The Jewish season of Hanukkah, which begins on this date and continues for eight days, is also known as "the Festival of Lights," because of the many lights that are used to light their homes and communities during that period. The so-called "Christmas season," going on at the same time, is also marked by many lights everywhere.

The Hanukkah holidays were established long ago to commemorate the expulsion from the temple and from Jerusalem of Antiochus Epiphanes and his Syrian hosts by the Maccabees. "Hanukkah" means "Dedication" and "the feast of the dedication" is actually mentioned in John 10:22.

Exactly how and when the use of many lights to mark Hanukkah (and, for that matter, the Christmas season) originated seems uncertain. In any case, as far as Christians are concerned, we are exhorted to "shine as lights in the world." The Lord Jesus Christ is, of course, the one real "light of the world" (John 8:12), but we are expected by Him to so reflect that light to a dark world that we also can be, in effect, "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14).

Therefore, Jesus said: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). We are thus expected to "shine as lights in the world," but never with the purpose of honoring ourselves, but only in order to lighten the way to Christ, and thereby to glorify our heavenly Father. We are children of the Father by faith in Christ, and He expects us to act as those who are, indeed, "the children of light" (John 12:36). HMM

The Latest
NEWS
Creation's Easter Message
While many Christians still consider the creation doctrine a fringe issue, a proper understanding of the Christian message finds creation at its core...

NEWS
ICR Veteran Don Barber Retires
Don Barber   After 34 years with the Institute for Creation Research, Director of Enterprise Technology Don Barber will retire...

CREATION.LIVE PODCAST
The Sanctity of Life | Creation.Live Podcast: Episode 23
Abortion is a big issue culturally and in the church. How can believers love our neighbors and act as the hands and feet of Christ when it comes...

NEWS
Plant Receptors Are Designed to Control Immunity and Development
God has designed plants to continuously track their environment.1 They do so with specially designed detectors (also called receptors) on...

CREATION PODCAST
Homo Naledi: The Lies Behind Evolution's Rising Star | The Creation...
Homo naledi, once evolution's 'rising star,' was considered to be a prime example of human evolution. But is it really proof? Or...

NEWS
A Subsurface Ocean on Mimas?
Scientists have analyzed data obtained from the Cassini spacecraft and concluded that irregularities in the orbit of Saturn’s moon Mimas indicate...

NEWS
In Theaters March 20 & 21: The Ark and the Darkness
Is Genesis true? What about Noah’s Flood? How did Noah fit the animals on the ark? Wasn’t it a local flood? Have you asked these questions? Though...

NEWS
Enigmatic Fossil Plants
The pre-Flood world thousands of years ago was unlike the world of today.1 Unfamiliar animals and plants were common, and there were a lot...

NEWS
Surprisingly Colorful Fossil Snail Shells
Finding organic compounds such as flexible dinosaur collagen and complete bone cells1,2 is becoming common, much to the shock and consternation...

NEWS
March 2024 ICR Wallpaper
"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said." (Matthew 28:6 NKJV) ICR March 2024 wallpaper is now available for mobile, tablet,...