I’ve always loved heroes.
That’s perhaps why Chanukah is my favorite time of the year.
Chanukah is the season when we celebrate how, centuries ago, God’s people were willing to make enormous sacrifices – to fight against great odds – and do what’s right. They became heroes through their obedience to God.
I’m sure you know the story …
Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world but died without an heir, so his massive new empire (which included Judea) was divided among his generals.
This was fine for the Jews of Judea at first – until 175 BC, when the Seleucid King Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded and tried to outlaw worship of the one true God, the God of Israel. Antiochus banned circumcision, outlawed the Hebrew Bible and even sacrificed pigs on an altar to Zeus in God’s Holy Temple.
This prompted a Jewish uprising – the Maccabean Revolt – led by a Jewish priest named Mattathias and his sons.
After ten long years of guerilla warfare against a much larger and better equipped Seleucid army, the Jewish rebels did the seemingly impossible, pushing back their enemies, recapturing Jerusalem and cleansing and rededicating the Temple.
That’s why those Jewish Maccabean warriors were heroes – they did impossible things, against impossible odds, because it was right and because God told them to.
Their heroic actions are the basis for the celebration of Chanukah. Especially important was the miracle of the oil. During the rededication of the temple, they found only enough specially prepared oil to relight the lampstand in the Holy place for one day.
But miraculously, God kept the lampstand burning for eight days until new oil could be prepared! This is why we celebrate Chanukah by lighting candles for eight days. All because the heroes of that day had faith that God could do the impossible.
When I look at the ministry of Jewish Voice – at all the people who work so hard to serve Jewish people around the world through this organization – I include them in my list of heroes.
The volunteers who serve with us provide Jewish people in India, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Israel with critical medical, dental and eye care who otherwise would not have such services.
Heroes who work so hard to provide impoverished and often persecuted Jewish people with clean water, education and – most important of all – with the Good News of Yeshua (Jesus) who loves them, died for them and wants them to receive the gift of eternal life.
Because of the faith and efforts of these many heroes I regularly have seen God do seemingly impossible things through the ministry of Jewish Voice.
But the heroes in this ministry are not only those who often go to the remote places where Jewish Voice works.
Our heroes, and the people I admire, include those partners (like you) who give so generously to make this ministry possible. Remember that Romans 10:15 asks: “How will they go if they are not sent?”
Overcoming opposition, accomplishing heroic things and sometimes achieving miraculous results are possible only because of your generous support.
I truly mean it when I say you are one of our heroes (and one of MY heroes) when you join with Jewish Voice, in obedience to God, and give to provide care for impoverished Jewish people, and to share Yeshua with them.
Will you continue to be a hero by standing with Jewish Voice to serve Jewish people and their neighbors in need?
Will you help us be obedient to God’s call by giving to provide physical care and spiritual hope in Yeshua to people around the world?
