The Purification of the Temple^(A)

^52-54 (A)The twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev, in the year 148^[a] was the anniversary of the day the Gentiles had desecrated the altar. On that day a sacrifice was offered on the new altar in accordance with the Law of Moses. The new altar was dedicated and hymns were sung to the accompaniment of harps, lutes, and cymbals. ⁵⁵ All the people bowed down with their faces to the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord for giving them victory.

⁵⁶ For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. With great joy they brought burnt offerings and offered fellowship offerings and thank offerings. ⁵⁷ They decorated the front of the Temple with gold crowns and shields, rebuilt the gates and the priests' rooms and put doors on them. ⁵⁸ Now that the Jews had removed the shame which the Gentiles had brought, they held a great celebration. ⁵⁹ Then Judas, his brothers, and the entire community of Israel decreed that the rededication of the altar should be celebrated with a festival of joy and gladness at the same time each year, beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev and lasting for eight days.

Fire Consumes Nehemiah's Sacrifice

¹⁸ On the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev we will celebrate the Festival of Rededication just as we celebrate the Festival of Shelters. We thought it important to remind you of this, so that you too may celebrate this festival. In this way you will remember how fire appeared when Nehemiah offered sacrifices after he had rebuilt the Temple and the altar.

⁵ They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice.”