The history about de feast of the dedication is mentioned in apocrypha in the  books of the Maccabees, that we will read about it.

In the new testament, we can see Christ celebrate this particulier feast at the age of twelve.

John 10:22 And it was at Hierusalem the feast of the dedication, & it was winter.

23 And Iesus walked in the temple in Solomons porch.

The origin of the feast of dedication, is a history of the Maccabees and Alexander the great , and his armies had destroyd many strong nation at that time. later on Alexander felt sick and gathered his four generals concerning his kingdomg, When he had asked who should succeed him,

Alexander said, “the strongest”, would lead  his empire, divided between four of his generals: Cassander, Ptolemy, Antigonus, and                      Seleucus his 'successors.

After his death, one of his  four loyal  ( servant) successor, general  came agaist the childrean of Israel.

the scripture will explain it self: 

1 Maccabees 1: 1 And it happened, after that Alexander sonne of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettum, had smitten          Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that hee reigned in his stead, the first ouer Greece,

We  are reading the kreeks who defided Persians and medes. by alexander the great

 

2 And made many wars, and wan many strong holds, and slew the kings of the earth. Alexander defid other strong kingdoms.

3 And went through to the ends of the earth, and tooke spoiles of many nations, insomuch, that the earth was quiet before him, whereupon he      was exalted, and his heart was lifted vp.   becouze he defid many kingdoms every one, was living in fear of him.

4 And he gathered a mighty strong hoste, and ruled ouer countries, and nations and kings, who became tributaries vnto him.

Alexander the great force the kings of the earth to pay taxis, and tribuite  him.

5 And after these things he fell sicke, and perceiued that he should die.

6 Wherefore he called his seruants, such as were honourable, and had bin brought vp with him from his youth, and parted kis kingdome among    them, while he was yet aliue:

7 So Alexander reigned twelue yeeres, and (then) died.

before his death, he divid his kingdom into his four servants.

8 And his seruants bare rule euery one in his place

9 And after his death they all put crownes vpon themselues so did their sonnes after them, many yeeres, and euils were multiplied in the earth.

10 And there came out of them a wicked roote, Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, sonne of Antiochus the king, who had beene an hostage at

Rome, and he reigned in the hundreth and thirty and seuenth yeere of the kingdome of the Greekes.

Antiochus one of alexander successor, came in power, became weaked than Alexander, trough him is the feast of dedication originad from.

 

1 Maccabees 1:41

41 Moreouer king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdome, that all should be one people,

42 And euery one should leaue his lawes: so all the heathen agreed, according to the commandement of the king.

43 many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed vnto idols, and prophaned the Sabbath.

So this king inplant in new doutrine, that all nation should came together  by leaving their own laws, to kept the new laws from the king.

44 For the king had sent letters by messengers vnto Ierusalem, and the cities of Iuda, that they should follow the strange lawes of the land,

the people made agrement with king by following the new laws, and also some of the israelite joyd them.

45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drinke offerings in the temple; and that they should prophane the Sabbaths, and festiuall dayes:

 

The only reason for applying the new laws is only to destroy the Israelites, mentally and physically and forgetting their own God.  

 

46 And pollute the Sanctuarie and holy people:

47 Set vp altars, and groues, and chappels of idols, and sacrifice swines flesh, and vncleane beasts:

48 That they should also leaue their children vncircumcised, and make their soules abominable with all maner of vncleannesse, and                      prophanation:

49 To the end they might forget the Law, and change all the ordinances.

 

1 Maccabees 2: 1-6-7

1 In those daies arose Mattathias the son of Iohn, the sonne of Simeon, a Priest of the sonnes of Ioarib, from Ierusalem, and dwelt in Modin.

2 And he had fiue sonnes, Ioannan called Caddis:

3 Simon, called Thassi:

4 Iudas, who was called Maccabeus:

5 Eleazar, called Auaran, and Ionathan, whose surname was Apphus.

6 And when hee saw the blasphemies that were committed in Iuda and Ierusalem,

7 He said, Woe is me, wherfore was I borne to see this misery of my people, and of the holy citie, and to dwell there, when it was deliuered into    the hand of the enemie, and the Sanctuary into the hand of strangers?

 

1  Maccabees 2:10-11

10 What nation hath not had a part in her kingdome, and gotten of her spoiles

11 All her ornaments are taken away, of a free-woman shee is become a bondslaue. Psalms 83:1-5

 

1 maccabees 2:15-16-17-18

16 And when many of Israel came vnto them, Mattathias also and his sonnes came together.

17 Then answered the kings officers, and said to Mattathias on this wise; Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this citie, and        strengthened with sons and brethren:

18 Now therefore come thou first and fulfill the kings commandement, like as all the heathen haue done; yea and the men of Iuda also, and such as remaine at Ierusalem: so shalt thou and thine house be in the number of the kings friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured            with siluer, and golde, and many rewards. So  they try to corrupt Mattathias, the intention is if they can get the Lider, the rest of people would   

be easy to follow. 

 

Now Mattathias gives his final answer: 1 Maccabbes 2:19-2

19 Then Mattathias answered, and spake with a loude voice, Though all the nations that are vnder the kings dominion obey him, and fall away    euery one from the religion of their fathers, and giue consent to his commandements:

20 Yet will I, and my sonnes, and my brethren walke in the couenant of our fathers.

21 God forbid that we should forsake the Law, and the ordinances:

22 We will not hearken to the kings words, to goe from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.

23 Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Iewes in the sight of all, to sacrifice on the altar, which was at Modin,          according to the kings commandement.

 

After Mattathis reject a weaked offer of the king,  Mattathias call on every israelites men, zealous for the  laws of God to  form a troop. men            that  would stand and die for the Most High laws,  1 Maccabbes 2: 27-28-29-30-31-32-33-35

27 And Mattathias cried throughout the citie with a loud voyce, saying, Whosoeuer is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the couenant, let him f  follow me.

28 So he and his sonnes fled into the mountaines, and left all that euer they had in the citie.

29 Then many that sought after iustice and iudgement, went downe into the wildernesse to dwell there.

30 Both they and their children, and their wiues, and their cattell, because afflictions increased sore vpon them.

31 Now when it was told the kings seruants, and the hoste that was at Ierusalem, in the citie of Dauid, that certaine men, who had broken the        kings commandement, were gone downe into the secret places in the wildernesse.

32 They pursued after them, a great number, and hauing ouertaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the            Sabbath day.

33 And they said vnto them, Let that which you haue done hitherto, suffice: Come foorth, and doe according to the commandement of the king,    and you shall liue.

34 But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the kings commandement to profane the Sabbath day.

35 So then they gaue them the battell with all speed.

As soldier of Christ you

 1  Maccabees 2:39-61

39 Now when Mattathias and his friends vnderstood hereof, they mourned for them right sore.

40 And one of them said to another: If we all do as our brethren haue done, and fight not for our liues, and lawes against the heathen, they wil      now quickly root vs out of the earth.

41 At that time therfore they decreed, saying, Whosoeuer shall come to make battell with vs on the Sabbath day, we will fight against him, neither  will wee die all, as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places.

42 Then came there vnto him a company of Assideans, who were mightie men of Israel, euen all such as were voluntarily deuoted vnto the Lawe.

43 Also all they that fled for persecution ioyned themselues vnto them, and were a stay vnto them.

44 So they ioyned their forces, and smote sinfull men in their anger, and wicked men in their wrath: but the rest fled to the heathen for succour.

45 Then Mattathias & his friends went round about, and pulled downe the altars.

46 And what children soeuer they found within the coast of Israel vncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly.

47 They pursued also after þ^e proud men, & the work prospered in their hand.

48 So they recouered the Law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and out of the hande of Kings, neither suffered they the sinner to triumph.

49 Now when the time drew neere, that Mattathias should die, he said vnto his sonnes, Now hath pride & rebuke gotten strength, and the time of  destruction, and the wrath of indignation:

50 Now therefore, my sonnes, be ye zealous for the Law, & giue your liues for the couenant of your fathers.

51 Call to remembrance what actes our fathers did in their time, so shall ye receiue great honour, & an euerlasting name.

52 Was not Abraham found faithfull in tentation, and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse?

53 Ioseph in the time of his distresse kept the commaundement, and was made Lord of Egypt.

54 Phineas our father in being zealous and feruent, obtained the couenant of an euerlasting priesthood.

55 Iesus for fulfilling the word, was made a iudge in Israel.

56 Caleb for bearing witnesse, before the congregation, receiued the heritage of the land.

57 Dauid for being mercifull, possessed the throne of an euerlasting kingdome.

58 Elias for being zealous and feruent for the law, was taken vp into heauen.

59 Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by beleeuing were saued out of the flame

60 Daniel for his innocencie was deliuered from the mouth of Lyons.

61 And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in him shall be ouercome.

    The laws of the Most High always will cover you up, when you have faith. Exodus 14:14  I Timothy 1:18

 

1 Maccabees 2:62-66

62 Feare not then the words of a sinfull man: for his glory shall bee dung and wormes.

63 To day he shall be lifted vp, and to morrow hee shall not be found, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought is come to nothing.

64 Wherefore you my sonnes be valiant, and shew your selues men in the behalfe of the law, for by it shall you obtaine glory.

65 And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsell, giue eare vnto him alway: he shall be a father vnto you.

66 As for Iudas Maccabeus hee hath bin mighty and strong, euen from his youth vp, let him be your captaine, and fight the battaile of the people.

 

The Greeks were strong in war, but the Israelites have God on their guard

Romans 8:31

 1  Maccabees 4:54-59

54 Looke at what time, and what day the heathen had prophaned it, euen in that was it dedicated with songs, and cittherns, and harpes, &            cimbals.

55 Then all the people fell vpon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heauen, who had giuen them good successe.

56 And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight dayes, and offered burnt offerings with gladnesse, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliuerance  and praise.

57 They deckt also the forefront of the temple with crownes of gold; and with shields, and the gates, and the chambers they renewed and              hanged doores vpon them.

58 Thus was there very great gladnesse among the people, for that the reproch of the heathen was put away.

59 Moreouer Iudas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained that the daies of the dedication of the altar, should be kept in  their season from yeere to yeere by the space of eight dayes, from the fiue and twentieth day of the moneth Casleu, with mirth and gladnesse

 

We praise God for granting us victory and for this act of commemoration

Shalom.