Horror Hope and Hannakah

There are times when the world goes dark all of a sudden. When violence invades a place of celebration and a hateful act tries to make fear speak louder than hope. I, probably like you watched the horror that unfolded at Bondi at the Jewish community's Hannukah by the Beach event and in my soul felt the same sadness I have felt all to often.

The latest terror attack at the Jewish community’s Hanukkah celebration by the beach in Bondi, Sydney pierces a tender place.

Hanukkah celebrates the miraculous continuation of light in the Temple when, without enough purified oil for the lamp, the light burned for 8 days. It remembers the light refusing to be snuffed out, hope refusing to die. The world we live in continues to have the same tension of darkness and light.

In moments like this our first job is not to explain our theories, there may be time for that later, but rather to care, to grieve with those who grieve, to stand near, to say with our presence, you are not alone.

There should be for believers a prophetic sense in this moment. Hannukah itself reminds us it is not what we offer in terms of light, but rather the trust that God himself provides miraculous light in the darkness.

The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus was in Jerusalem for this feast (John 10:22). He walked in the courts. He heard the prayers, he stood with a people even in that moment walking in difficult, oppressive circumstances holding onto the stubborn truth that light overcomes darkness.

Remember, it is Jesus who said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12, NIVUK).

Darkness has always tried to silence that light. It tries with intimidation, with violence, ridicule and threats. They tried to snuff it out with a cross; the crucifixion. That looked like the final snuffing out. It looked to many like the night had won. However, light was not snuffed out; he rose. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5, NIVUK).

This is not a call to minimise pain or short-circuit grief. Violence is real. Fear is real. Loss is real. Jesus does not deny the night. He enters into it with us; he weeps, he was wounded for us in that place. It is from within the night the greatest miracle arises—life and light forevermore.

For those shaken by this attack, especially our Jewish neighbours, our Jewish brothers and sisters in Messiah, we stand in sorrow and solidarity. We reject hatred. We refuse the lie that fear gets the final word.

This is not the moment to trade darkness for darkness, hate for hate, violence for violence. That is not the Jesus way. This is our moment, yet again, to choose love over suspicion, prayer over rage, presence over withdrawal. When darkness tries to snuff out the light we remember, the light does not need darkness’ permission to shine.

So what should we do as believers?

1. Be intentionally present with the suffering One of the ways light often enters the world is through nearness. This is different from providing answers. This is drawing near to the suffering, the hurting, and the grieving.

When a new act of violence erupts or a new wave of fear spreads, there is a tendency to shift to match a similar tone to those who brought this fear. Doing so breeds retribution and fear. In this environment, the kingdom of darkness gets a win if we allow it to.

Jesus brought light by drawing near to the grieving, to the fearful, to the broken. Yes, he healed, but he also wept. Before He raised Lazarus from the dead, He stood with His friends at the tomb and wept with them.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (Romans 12:15, NIVUK)

2. Actively choose love motivated engagement over fear filled isolation Darkness wants us to retreat, to become suspicious, to harden our hearts, and to pull away. Jesus calls us to do the opposite. We are called to meet evil not with matching aggression but with goodness that can be seen.

Light shines when the people of God refuse to let fear determine their actions.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21, NIVUK)

3. In the smallest ways, display hope Light spreads when the people of God declare and demonstrate hope without denying pain. Christian hope is not a dismissal of the hard realities of the world. Christian hope is confident, sure trust based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We do not sugar-coat or deny the night; we testify that it does not have the final word.

In Hanukkah, we see the miracle of light. In Jesus the Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach, the light of the world, we witness and now proclaim that darkness may have its moment, but the Lord reigns and makes a spectacle of it in resurrection.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5, NIVUK) “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14–16, NIVUK)

If you, whether as a believer, a doubter or wherever you are coming from, are caught in the trap of fear, please reach out.

There is hope in the darkness.