From the Editor Nov/Dec 2026
Israel My Glory Sneak Peek with Jesse King, our managing editor, is a video series that gives a glimpse into our latest issue.My young children receive books from a mailing service each month. The budding bibliophiles keep their eyes glued to the pages of each one as we read, absorbing its words and growing in knowledge. The Jewish holidays are a popular theme in the literature, and my kids have quickly become little savants in the fields of Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Hanukkah.
When I was their age (and even older), I knew regrettably little about Hanukkah. Since it was observed without the colorful lights, decorated trees, and joyful carols of my favorite holiday, I mistakenly figured Hanukkah was the less exciting Jewish version of Christmas.
But as my interest in Scripture and the world of the Bible grew, I discovered how miraculous the circumstances behind this holiday were. In a series of events clearly engineered by God, the Jewish people were pushed to their limit by the evil King Antiochus IV, who sought to disgrace and then eradicate Jewish identity, replacing it with Greek culture in his quest for world domination. But God raised up brave Jewish rebels who refused to see the Lord’s name blasphemed, and they defeated their powerful Greek oppressors and drove them from their homeland.
The revolt was a pivotal moment in Jewish history. Yet, it took place in biblical silence, nestled between the worlds of the Old and New Testaments with only a whisper of reference (Jn. 10:22). But the story and long-term outcome of Hanukkah are crucial to the Christian faith.
Hanukkah, the highlight of the 400-year intertestamental period, bridges the gap between the starkly different worlds of Scripture’s two testaments. Studying the developments that transformed the cultural landscape of the Bible during this era helps us better grasp the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, the most consequential biography ever written.
The holiday also helps us love our Jewish friends better. We can celebrate their culture by joining them in commemorating Hanukkah, a remarkable account of the faithfulness of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whom we both worship.
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, reminds us of the Light of the world, Jesus, who said, “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (8:12). So, as our Jewish friends fry latkes, play dreidel, and light their hanukkiahs, let’s rejoice in the great miracle that happened in the Holy Land, which God orchestrated for the deliverance of His beloved Chosen People.
Hanukkah Sameach (Hebrew, “Happy Hanukkah”)!
In His service,
Jesse King,
Managing Editor
