Renewal of the Abrahamic Covenant

Q.Can you give the "good interpretation" and explain the ultimate significance of Gen. 35.9-12?

A. This passage has to do with a renewal of the Abrahamic Covenant, this time through Jacob. Part of a covenant involves name changes and we see G-d identifying Himself as G-d Almighty and then changes Jacob's name to Israel, confirming what had already taken place back in 32.27. He then promises the same things that were promised to Abraham and Isaac. It will be through these patriarchs that the Messiah would come and their descendants would become a great nation and kings shall come through his lineage. The nation He is talking about is of course Israel and the kings will be David, Solomon and the Kings of Judah and son to the Messiah Himself. There are those who try to make these verses fit some lost 10 tribes scenario, or British Israelite theories but that can easily be disproved. These verses are not talking about some replecement Israel concept or that England and the United States are where the "lost tribes" are. These teachings are false and should be avoided.


Q. The winter festival where Jesus went to Jerusalem (Jn. 10.22) looks to be a legitimate festival. Why isn't that festival celebrated? How is it celebrated and how does it fit into the prophetical scenario?

A.It is a legitimate festival and it is celebrated today, it is called Chanukah. You will see it is called the Feast of Dedication, which in Hebrew means Chanukah. It is an 8 day festival remembering the Maccabean revolt over the Greeks and the rededication of the Temple back to G-d on the 25th of Kislev.

They missed Sukkot, so they had a "second" Sukkot. Solomon dedicated the 1st Temple during Sukkot, so it was another feast of Dedication, called Chanukah, meaning dedication. It is celebrated by lighting an 9- branched Menorah, discussing the history of the festival and what we can learn. It is a minor festival and it does have prophetical significance. It is talked about in Dan 11.29-35. Antiochus is a picture of the False Messiah, this festival is related to the Shroud of Turin and in Dan 12.11-12 it is the day that Ezekiel's Temple will be dedicated, 1335 days after the mid-point of the Tribulation. In addition, knowing the approximate date of Yeshua's birth as being around September, this places Mary's conception to the time of Chanukah. So, Chanukah can be celebrated by talking about the history, it relates to Yeshua's conception, it is related to the False Messiah and the Tribulation and the dedication of the Messianic Temple. Now, go and study!