A Unique Holiday Story

The Roots of the Christmas Celebration

Our story begins with a people

A rebellion

....and war

Long ago, in the ancient land of Syria…An evil king named Antiochus whose nickname was “The Madman”Glaser, M. 2015)

Son of Antiochus III and Laodice III Married to Laodice IV and had son Antiochus V

Antiochus IV Ruled in ancient Syriain the Hellenistic Selecuid Dynasty from 175 -164 B.C

Antiochus V Ruled from 163 -161 B.C.

Seleucid-Genealogy.com.(n.d.).

Feeling threatened by his Jewish subjects, he sent an official, demanded and forced upon them to “abandon the customs of the

ancestors – the laws of GOD” -2 Maccabees 6:1

The Jews hated idols and would only bow to the GOD of their fathers Abraham, Issac & Jacob (Glaser, M. 2015)

One Jewish man Mattathias and his son Judah Maccabee led a grassroots rebellionThey fought hard

-and won! (Glaser, M. 2015)

Olive oil was used to fuel the lamp in the TempleBut only had enough for one day

A miracle – it lasted eight days! (Glaser, M. 2015)

….But the real miracle was that GOD kept HIS promise to preserve HIS people (Jeremiah 31:35-37, Romans 11:29)

Thus, the reason for the celebration of Hanukkah – Festival of Lights (Glaser, M. 2015)

Nearly 200 years later the best was yet to come…..the promise of a Savior.

Yeshua Jesus

Would be born into the world!

Had Antiochus’ plan worked the Messiah’s birth could never have taken place

GOD used the Maccabees to overthrow Antiochus’ plan to destroy them

And therefore….No Christmas Celebration

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, watching

their sheep by night

And the angel said to them “Fear not…for unto you is born this day in the city of

David a Savior, which is Christ the LORD” –Luke 2:8,10,11

One Faith. One People. One GOD.

› B.B. Kirkbride Bible Company, Inc.Thompson, F.C.(Copyright 1988).The Thompson Chain Reference

Bible KJV 5th Ed.

› Chosen People Ministries.Glaser, M. Dr.(Copyright 2015).No Hanukkah, No Christmas.Retrieved from

http://chosenpeople.com/main/index.php/holidays-and-festivals/391-no- hanukkah-no-Christmas

› King James Bible Online.Apocrypha, The.(Copyright 2015).2nd Maccabees, 1611(KJV).Retrieved from

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_2-Maccabees-Chapter-6/

› Seleucid-Genealogy.com.(n.d.).Antiochus IV.Retrieved from http://seleucid-

genealogy.com/Antiochus_IV.html

References

› For more information on The Roots of the Christmas Celebration go to:

mailto:dbates@holidayinfo.org

References (cont.)