Hanukkah is an 8th day Jewish celebration (Festival of Lights) that marks the victory over a tyrant king and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.

During that time a small quantity of oil used to light the Temple’s menorah miraculously lasted eight days.

To honour this miracle of the oil, on each day, Jews still light candles on a hanukkiah (a nine-branched candelabrum or menorah), starting with one candle and adding one more each day.

The candle used to light the other candles is known as the shamash (meaning “helper”).

The indwelling of believers by Holy Spirit is indeed a miracle. Oil is a metaphor of the Holy Spirit’s presence and action.

Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners”.

The “Igniter” (The Shamash) is the Helper, another name attributed to Holy Spirit by Jesus in John 14: 26 – “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name…”

Believers that are full of oil (Holy Spirit) will be continuously empowered to minister the love and grace of God to the broken, the sick, the afflicted, the oppressed, the spiritually bound.

Matthew 5:16
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Anne Janssens
12 December 2020