Lights & Light

"Ness gadol hayah poh", (A)

The Greeks had brought our People low

The armies of Judas Maccabaeus

Fought with the help of God to free us

And then, when they had fought the fight,

They cleansed the Temple and lit the light

And one day's oil burned on eight days;

To the Eternal One be praise!

And miracles are not yet o'er;

Our God is with us as before.

So, courage as we onward go!

"Ness gadol hayah poh".

Yes, "Ness gadol hayah poh"

Then the Romans brought our people low.

And the hearts of the people within them burned -

For Messiah and freedom the people yearned.

The whole world lay in the grip of sin,

'Twas time God ushered His Kingdom in.

For the God of Heaven had devised a Plan

That would bring salvation down to man

And into the midst of the world's dark night

He sent Yeshua to be its Light,

Who left His Father's home above

To teach the world of God's great love

And lived among us here below

And shared with us our joys and woe.

As the Jew considers the Hannukah night

In a world of injustice he longs for the right.

As the Christian looks at the Light of the World

He prays that God's banner may be unfurled.

Together the people of God must stand

The Jew and the Christian must walk hand in hand.

For the Light of the World Himself was a Jew

The Child of the manger suffered for you.

'Tis time to give up our abom'nable pride

For God has not cast His own People aside

The light in God's Temple once more will burn

Their hearts again for their God will yearn.

And miracles are not yet o'er

Their God is with them as before

So with the Christmas joy or Hannukiah (B)

Our God be praised - Hallelujah!

Ruth Nessim

Nahariya, Israel

November 6th 1986 ©

(A) Ness gadol hayah poh" - a great miracle occurred here.

(B) Hanukkiah - nine-branched candlestick commemorating the eight days of Hanukkah. One branch - the Shammash - always lights the other eight candlesticks.