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Great Hosanna when they sang and still sing, "Thou art my God. I will praise Thee. Thou art my
God. I will exalt Thee." Hosanna means "Save us now." Hosanna to the Son of David means "Save
us, Son of David." The Messianic prayer at the Feast of Tabernacles is beautiful. It goes like this
-- "Turn unto us and be ye saved today if ye hear my voice. Behold the man who sprang forth.
Branch is his name, David himself. Stand back. Be buried in the dust no longer. Ye who dwell in
the dust, wake up and sing. Glad will be the people when He rules. The name of the ungodly shall
perish, but to His anointed, the Messiah David, He giveth grace. Grant salvation. (In Hebrew, the
word salvation is Jesus.) Grant Yeshua to the eternal people, to David and to his seed forever."
The feast of Tabernacles is followed by Simtha Torah (rejoicing over the law).
I have been in Israel during all these celebrations and have seen them transpire. Though I
am a Christian, I cannot help but weep-- weep with joy because I am back in Israel, weep because
I see Scripture being fulfilled before my eyes, then weep with a heavy heart because they do not
know Him about whom they are rejoicing.
On the day of rejoicing over the law, the reading of the book of Deuteronomy is completed.
Then Genesis is begun again. At this time, all who are assembled in the synagogue are called upon
to pronounce a blessing upon the reading of the law. Even the little boys participate. I have seen
the rabbis dancing in the streets of Jerusalem and in their temples. They take the Torah (the five
books of Moses), hold it close to their hearts, and with a prayer shawl (thallis) flung around their
shoulders, which practically covers the body, they dance and leap with joy. Police barricade the
streets as even little children lead in the songs of the Torah and in the rejoicing. Thus ends the
Feast of Tabernacles.
There is another holiday called the Feast of Dedication. It usually takes place in the early
part of December. Jews call it Hanukkah. This feast has been celebrated since the year 164 B.C.
and it continues to the present time. Hanukkah often coincides with Christmas which starts on the
25th of the Jewish month which approximates our December. This identity of dates is more than a
mere coincidence. The feast lasts seven days and eight nights and commemorates their deliverance
by the Maccabees. Back in the time when the Romans were going to wipe out Jerusalem, God
raised up the Maccabees, Matthias and his son Judas, who assembled a considerable number of
courageous Jews and skillfully led them in battle against the Assyrians and Romans. Every night
for eight nights during Hanukkah a candle in a special candlestick is lighted. It is even more
beautifully typical of Christmas than the heathen way in which we celebrate it, for the Jews kindle
a new light every night. Also when they kindle the Hanukkah light, they light each candle from the
light known as the servant -- a beautiful symbol of Christ, the Servant of God, the Light of the
world. He alone is able to kindle in our hearts the light of God. Only in His light can we see light;
only through Him do we become the light of the world, even as He expects us to. The symbol of
Hanukkah is a candlestick. The flickering lights of eight little candles mean a great deal in the pitch
darkness, but when the sun rises, then the candlelight appears pale and insignificant. Thus, to us in
Christ, the Sun of Righteousness dims the candlelights of Hanukkah.
Following are the Old Testament names of God, precious to the Jewish people: Elohim
(Genesis 1:1) -- a plural noun meaning God.
Jehovah -- the One who is existing, the great I AM.