They earnestly desired to set things right and present to their Holy God a renewed and pure dwelling place for Him. Through the miracle of the oil, God Himself made it possible for His people to rededicate the Temple to Him.
Like a shepherd, He tends His flock. He gathers the lambs in His arms carries them in his bosom, and gently guides nursing ewes. Isaiah 40:11 Your browser does not support the audio element. Ke•ro•eh ed•ro yir•eh biz•ro•ó ye•ka•betz te•la•eem oo•ve•chey•ko yi•sa alot ye•na•hel.
The presence of idols in His holy Temple along with false worship and impure sacrifices was so offensive to the Israelites that they were eager to make things right. When there wasn’t enough oil to last more than one day, God affirmed the desire of His people to honor Him, and He provided the way.
The Temple was where God dwelled, and where the Israelites drew near to His presence. When there was not enough oil to keep the menorah lit, He provided it through a miracle. When one day’s oil burned for eight days, He enabled Israel to once again come into His presence. God made the way.
But they didn’t have enough oil to sustain the Temple lampstand for the eight days required to make and consecrate more. God stepped in with His divine power. He took what they had and enlarged it. He received their “not enough” – offered in faith and reverence – and He made it enough.
Yeshua is the Light of the World, and He said that we are, too. When He sent His Holy Spirit to live within Believers, we became temples of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Yeshua’s light lives in and shines through us to draw others to Him.
They’d had enough. It was time for their freedom. And God gave them victory over their oppressors. Galatians tells us that when the time was right, “God sent out His Son, born of a woman and born under law, to free those under law so we might receive adoption as sons.
Time and again, He shows that nothing is impossible for Him, and He cares for us. Through the miraculous birth of Yeshua, God came to dwell on earth among men. Through the divine act of the His death on the tree, Yeshua set us free.
The Temple had been defiled. Jewish hearts were eager to purify it and present it acceptable to their Holy God. But there was only enough undefiled oil in the Temple to last a single day. God intervened to provide eight days of light from one day’s oil until more could be made and consecrated.