I saw the sign And it opened up my eyes, I saw the sign
Ace of Base
Biblical Covenants can include signs. From Noah’s Post-Flood World to Abraham to the Children of Israel on Mt. Sinai, each of these eternal God-Human accords have a symbol.
Thus, seeing a rainbow or attending a bris [ritual circumcision ceremony] serve as reassurances that these deals remain in place.
Jewish People, living in approximately 167 BCE in the Holy Land, likely felt the same way concerning covenant signs. They attended a bris or two and they celebrated the Sabbath. After some rainfall, they may have been lucky enough to see a rainbow, perhaps a double.
Thus, when the governing Seleucids- the Alexander the Great Empire’s successors-cracked down on religious practices, it signaled problems.
The Seleucid Promised Land edicts directly impacted covenant signs. The laws essential made the signs criminal. These acts signaled an existential threat to Jewish beliefs and faith.
Signs Impacted
The Hasmonean narrative found in the First Book of Maccabees details the Seleucid interference with Israelite covenants.
The two covenant signs playing an integral role in the Hanukkah tale were the Abrahamic covenant’s circumcision sign and the Decalogue’s Sabbath sign.
To better understand the signs’ roles, both a portion of Hanukkah story is required. The Hanukkah tale tells of the successful Hasmonean rebellion against Seleucids. This rebellion re-established a Jewish state and allowed for the Jerusalem Temple to be re-dedicated.
For a more comprehensive understanding, a Torah survey is indicated as to the signs’ origins.
With this exploration, the covenant signs’ uniqueness is unlocked. One could say that this could serve as an enlightening experience.
Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah
Leading up to the Maccabean rebellion, Hellenization brought forth an assault upon the Jewish religious practices. Hellenization was the process of spreading Greek “culture, language and influence” to other regions.
At some point under Seleucid’s rule, religious oppression began. Besides a Fahrenheit 451-like destruction of scripture [1 Maccabees 56], the religious institutions and their covenants were assaulted as well. [1 Maccabees 54-62]
Maccabees reports that the Seleucid King had a plan. In an effort to create a unified people, he demanded that the populace abandon their particular customs. 1 Maccabees 41-42.
The king sent letters to the populace to essentially directing them to abandon their religion. This included directives concerning profaning the Sabbath and not circumcising children. 1 Maccabees 44-48.
The Biblical Sources of Covenant Signs
Circumcision
In Genesis, with Abraham’s covenant with God, circumcision was to be the sign.
“And you shall be circumcised at the flesh of your foreskin, and it will become a sign of a covenant between me and you. And at eight days old every male shall be circumcised among you through your generations.” Genesis 17:11-12.
The Sabbath
Although not specifically within the Ten Commandments, the Torah explicitly indicates that the Sabbath was the sign of the Decalogue.
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying ‘Just” you shall observe my Sabbaths, because it is a sign between me and you through your generations.” Exodus 31:12-13.
The Differences In Signs
These two signs, when combined with the Post- Flood covenant sign, reveal something usual about signs. They all possess unique qualities with respect to their visibility and duration.
With the Post-Flood covenant, the sign was the “rainbow.” [“I’ve put my rainbow in the clouds, and it will become a covenant sign between me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13.]
A rainbow, while visual, is temporary in duration. Assuming proper functioning of the earth environment, they are something expected to always occur occasionally.
With the Abrahamic circumcision covenant sign, the mark is arguably physically ever present. Its permanence requires that generations continue with commandment observance. Circumcisions, while ever present, are rarely visual to the public. It is visual yet not intended for public consumption.
The Sabbath covenant sign is the true oddity. What exactly is it? It is both a concept and a marking of a particular time. In one sense, it is not visual and it is temporary. Its permanence is that it perpetually occurs every seven days. The sign, however, is dependent upon both human activity and inactivity at the same instance- recreation versus work.
It is possible that one can actually tell the day of the week by observing observant people’s conduct. Absent any holiday, one’s observation will tell you whether it is the Sabbath. One can see whether people are working, praying or shopping.
The Sabbath, while of a temporary duration, is perpetual. Every seven days it is to occur. Unlike like the other covenants, it can be forever marked up on one’s calendar.
Thus, each sign has unique variations with respect to the visual and the duration. They all share in the notion of permanence.
Conclusion
This week in Australia, the world viewed the horror when another ideology essentially attempted to erase eternal covenants. They did on on the minor holiday of Hanukkah. While Hanukkah is a non-biblical event, it has its own symbol- the Menorah. The celebration, despite not directly tied to the Pentateuch, is deeply rooted in the Torah’s eternal covenants.
Be well!!
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