Lighting the Menorah, Learning About the Maccabees

Sep 24, 2025
4 min read

Last Hanukkah, when I had the joy of keeping my granddaughter, we lit the menorah together each night. We danced, played music, and recited the prayers I had carefully researched. It was beautiful, but as often happens, one discovery led to another.

When I told her about the Maccabees, I admitted I thought they were a nation of people — I didn’t realize they were a family. That moment reminded me: no matter our age, there’s always more to learn. And what a gift it is to still have the curiosity, health, and sharpness to dig deeper.

So, here’s a simple telling of the Maccabean Revolt and why it matters — not as a scholar or historian, but as someone who loves learning something new every single day.

Why the Revolt Happened

In the 2nd century BCE, much of the Middle East was ruled by the Seleucid Empire, heirs of Alexander the Great’s conquest. Their king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, sought to eradicate Jewish traditions.

He banned Sabbath observance, circumcision, and Temple sacrifices. Even more shocking, he desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs there — a deep insult to Jewish law.

For anyone unfamiliar, Zeus was considered the chief god in ancient Greek mythology — the “king of the gods,” ruling from Mount Olympus with thunderbolts in hand. The Greeks (and Hellenistic rulers like Antiochus) worshiped many gods, a polytheistic faith common in that era. But Judaism is monotheistic — it believes in one God, above all.

So, for Jewish people, placing an altar to Zeus in their most sacred place wasn’t just political domination. It was a direct spiritual attack — a way of saying: Your God doesn’t belong here. That act of desecration ignited the spark of what became the Maccabean Revolt.

The Revolt

A Jewish priest, Mattathias, refused to give in. With his five sons — the most famous being Judah Maccabee — he led a guerrilla-style uprising. Against overwhelming odds, their small band defeated the much larger Seleucid forces.

In 164 BCE, they regained control of Jerusalem, cleansed the defiled Temple, and rededicated it to God.

Why It Matters

This victory is the root of Hanukkah — the Festival of Lights. It remembers not just military triumph but spiritual resilience. When the Maccabees sought to light the Temple’s menorah, they found only one jar of consecrated oil, enough for one day.

They lit it anyway. And miraculously, the oil lasted eight full days until more could be prepared.

Hanukkah is about that light — faith stretched beyond reason, God making the impossible possible. It also marked a rare time when Jews regained both religious freedom and political independence, under the Hasmonean dynasty.

🍯 Honey Note: Isn’t it amazing how one revolt to defend faith became the root of a celebration that has carried hope and light for over 2,000 years?

A Glimpse into the Book of Enoch

For those who enjoy connecting the dots, the ancient Book of Enoch — not in most Bibles, but highly valued in some Jewish and Christian traditions — contains dream visions with an “animal allegory.” Scholars believe parts of it may reflect history up through the Maccabean period. That means these stories were still being told, edited, and lived even as the revolt was unfolding.

Learning how faith, history, and scripture weave together is fascinating — like discovering hidden threads in a tapestry.

The Story of Hanukkah (for my granddaughter)

A long time ago, in the land of Israel, a king tried to make the Jewish people forget about their God. Soldiers marched into the holy Temple in Jerusalem and made it unclean.

But a brave family — the Maccabees — stood firm. “We will not forget our God,” they said. Though small in number, they fought with all their hearts and won.

When they returned to the Temple, they found only a tiny jar of oil. It should have burned for one day, but it lasted for eight.

So every year, Jewish families light the menorah for eight nights. They eat foods fried in oil, like latkes and donuts, and celebrate both the courage of the Maccabees and the miracle of the light that never went out.

🍯 A Note from Honey: Even when things feel small or impossible, God can make our light shine brighter, longer, and stronger than we ever imagined.

✨ Takeaway:

Hanukkah isn’t just about remembering history; it’s about passing on resilience, joy, and the reminder that one small flame can push back a great deal of darkness.

✨ Quick Facts: Hanukkah & the Maccabees

When? 167–160 BCE (Maccabean Revolt)
Who? Mattathias and his sons, especially Judah Maccabee
Against? The Seleucid Empire, under Antiochus IV Epiphanes
What happened? The Jewish people reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to God
The Miracle: One day’s supply of consecrated oil lasted for eight days
Legacy: Hanukkah — the Festival of Lights, celebrated for over 2,000 years