In ‘The Prophetic Menorah Parts 1 & 2, we saw the seven branch menorah pictured in various places in the Bible, pointing to Christ as the servant of God and as a picture of the future. In this article we will look at another type of menorah and how it tells us of future events. The seven branch menorah pattern was given to Moses as part of the tabernacle furniture.
The other type of menorah pictures a miracle after a Jewish victory over the Syrian army in 164 BC. The Syrian General, Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple by sacrificing a sow on the altar and sprinkling the blood of the sow on all the furnishings. After the Jewish army defeated the Syrians, they cleansed the temple and sought to light the menorah, but they found only enough oil to light the lamps for a single day. Since it would take eight days to make a new batch of oil, they were faced with a huge problem. They decided to light the lamps anyway and to their amazement and delight, the lamps burned for eight days. Thereafter this miracle was celebrated as the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22) or Feast of lights, or Hanukkah.
Although Hanukkah was a military victory, the Rabbis consider the burning oil as more of a miracle than the military defeat of the Syrian army, therefore the festival is celebrated in the home. The feast starts by the woman of the home lighting the first candle (the servant lamp or lamp of God) and that lamp is used to light additional candles, one for each day of Hanukkah. The number eight is significant as new beginnings, the day on which Jewish boys are circumcised, and the lights pointing to Jesus as the light of the world, and the first candle (the servant lamp or lamp of God) is lit by the woman of the home. This is significant since the redeemer is called the seed of the woman.
The New Testament points to the trinity in the number of books. The NT contains 27 books or a trinity of nines, the same number as in the Hanukkah times three. These Menorahs point to all three persons of the Trinity in the Lamp of God position. In the first group of nines (Matthew to Galatians) the lamp of God position is in the book of Acts and points to the Holy Spirit.. In Acts 2:3-4 we read “Then there appeared divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each one of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit.”
In the second group of nines (Ephesians to Philemon) II Thessalonians is in the lamp of God position points to Jesus . I Thessalonians 1:7-8 says (…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire….)
In the third group of nines (Hebrews to Revelation) the lamp of God is in I John and points to the Father. “God is light and in Him is no darkness all.” I John 1:5
Then there is another Hanukkah in the wars of the last days. In the web site for Lamb and Lion Ministries there is an article entitled, “The Wars of the End Times.” In the article, the author describes the of wars of the last days as being nine in number. War number five war will be the War in the heavens. This brings to mind the comments of Jesus in Matthew where Jesus tells His disciples that when the time of great tribulation comes upon the Jews and, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. Matthew 24:29-30.
This “War in the heavens,” is a reference to the servant lamp of the Hanukkah lamp, where Satan is cast out of heaven and from the presence of God. There is more to this war, but first back to war number one. Most commentators say that the next war is the first war of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38-39. However, there is a condition in verses 8, 11 and 14 that have not been met as of now. Israel will be living securely in unwalled villages. Israel has built several walls to protect their people from attacks by Islamic terrorists. There is a 400 mile wall down the center of Israel and a wall between Gaza and Israel. A Google search will reveal many articles about the “walls in Israel/Palestine.”
The next war is not the battle of Gog and Magog but is called, The War of Extermination, in the Lamb and Lion article. It is eluded to in Psalm 83. Some prophecy commentators say that are no prophetic Psalms, so Psalm 83 cannot be prophecy. However there many prophetic psalms that reference the first and second coming of Christ including, but not limited to Psalm 2, 8, 16, 22, 24 and 118
There are other reasons why, I believe the war of extermination will be the next war. First is that the list of nations in Ezekiel 38:5-6 do not mention nations that today are centers of active terrorist sources. When Israel flee from the anti-Christ beginning at the midpoint of the Tribulation, they flee to southern Jordan, which is a source, today of some of the most violent terrorist camps. Southern Jordan today would be the last place a Jew would expect to find safety. So what happens between now and the midpoint of the tribulation? The war of Extermination? I believe so.
As part of this war of extermination, I believe, will be the extermination of America. ISIS terrorists have already infiltrated America and will attack us from the inside. This will force Israel to attack the forces listed in Psalm 83. The deep state, which has occult ties in the leadership of the organization has been motivated in exterminating Israel and Christianity. America will be powerless to stop the degradation of America, so Israel will look to the Assyrian Christian people from which the anti-Christ, who is called the Assyrian, will emerge.