In the Tenth Month Yeshua (Jesus) declared, “I and the Father are One,” during the Hanukkah celebration. This month on the biblical calendar holds significance for both Christians and Jews.
The Tenth Month on God’s Biblical Calendar is known as the Jewish month of Tevet (טֵבֵת). It is mid-December to mid-January on our Gregorian calendar in the USA. God’s original system in the Bible named each month according to its numeric order in the year. The Tenth Month holds significant importance within both Biblical texts and Jewish traditions, reflecting the month’s historical and spiritual dimensions.
Tevet is the Hebrew name for God’s Tenth Month on the Biblical Calendar, counting from Nisan as the first month. Its name, which is mentioned in the book of Esther, was acquired in Babylon, and shares a root with the Hebrew word “tov”, meaning “good.”. The name “Tevet” was adopted by the Jewish people during the Babylonian exile. It is believed to connote “sinking” or “immersing.” This is possibly related to the fact that the heavy winter rainfall turns much of the Middle East into a muddy land at this time of year.
Significant Events Involving Yeshua (Jesus)
The month of Tevet, the Tenth Month on the Biblical Calendar, holds significance not only in Jewish tradition of Hanukkah, but also in the narrative of Yeshua (Jesus) as documented in the scriptures. While specific events tied exclusively to Tevet are not extensively detailed in the gospels, several teachings and occurrences can be contextualized within this month, enriching our understanding of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) life and ministry.
The most notable event associated with Yeshua during the Tenth Month is found in the Gospel of John (10:22-30), at the time of Hanukkah, which occasionally extends into the Tenth Month (Tevet).
22 Then came Hanukkah in Yerushalayim. It was winter, 23 and Yeshua was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo’s Colonnade (Solomon’s Porch). 24 So the Judeans surrounded him and said to him, “How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us publicly!” 25 Yeshua answered them, “I have already told you, and you don’t trust me. The works I do in my Father’s name testify on my behalf, 26 but the reason you don’t trust is that you are not included among my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice, I recognize them, they follow me, 28 and I give them eternal life. They will absolutely never be destroyed, and no one will snatch them from my hands. 29 My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and no one can snatch them from the Father’s hands. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Yeshua is at the Temple during the time of Hannukah – Feast of Dedication, a Jewish festival that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. We assume that He participated in some way in the celebration, but the scriptures only say, “Yeshua was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo’s Colonnade.” (CJB). It is here that He is surrounded by the Judeans and questioned.
Yeshua makes bold statements regarding His identity as the Good Shepherd and His unity with the Father, underscoring themes of light and divine guidance. These declarations resonate deeply within the historical framework of Tevet, a month that invites reflection on faith and renewal.
Story of Hanukkah
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days beginning on the 25th day of the Ninth Month (Kislev) into the first few days of the Tenth Months (Tevet). The event centers around the Maccabees’ defiant stand against oppression by its Hellenistic rulers and God’s miraculous eight days of light in the menorah during rededication of the Temple.
In the Tenth Month, (Tevet), Hanukkah’s final days shine brightest—eight candles ablaze against winter’s longest nights. This convergence of light and darkness reflects the spiritual power God gave to the Maccabees, to resist and defeat the Hellenistic army and reclaimed Jewish Temple worship. The victory was led by Judah Maccabee. The priests purified the desecrated Temple and lit the menorah with a single jar of oil—enough for one day, yet it burned for eight.
Tevet also marks somber events: In 587/586 BCE, King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon began his siege of Jerusalem on the 10th day of the Tenth Month (Tevet). Today this event is observed with a minor fast.
On the 8th day of Tevet in the 3rd century BCE, the second Hellenistic Pharaoh of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, commanded the Jewish sages to translate the Torah into Greek, producing what became known as the Septuagint. This was seen as a day of sorrow from the Rabbinic viewpoint because translation risked distorting the Torah’s meaning, since Hebrew words carry layers of legal and mystical significance that cannot be fully conveyed in another language. Yet others viewed it as a miraculous event where 72 elders miraculously produced identical, divinely-guided translations, despite human-initiated origins.
Queen Esther in the Tenth Month
In the book of Esther, we read that Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus’s palace “in the Tenth Month, which is the month of Tevet. A side note here: Queen Esther’s Jewish name was Hadassah, derived from the Hebrew word for “myrtle,” a fragrant plant, while her Persian name “Esther” likely comes from the Babylonian goddess Ishtar or the Hebrew word “hester”, meaning “hidden,” as she concealed her Jewish identity.
Esther 2:16-17: She was brought to King Achashverosh in his royal palace in the Tenth Month, Tevet, during the seventh year of his reign. The king liked Esther more than any of his wives; none of the other virgins obtained such favor and approval from him. So, he put the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. (CJB)
This moment marks a turning point—not just in Esther’s life, but in the destiny of her people. Tevet, often remembered for somber events like the siege of Jerusalem, also holds this hidden thread of hope. Amid darkness and uncertainty, Esther enters the royal palace, divinely positioned for a future act of courage and salvation. Verse 17 reveals the king’s favor: “The king loved Esther more than all the women,” setting the stage for her rise as queen. Her quiet arrival in Tenth Month reminds us that even in spiritually dim seasons, God is at work behind the scenes. Esther’s story begins in a month of sorrow, but it unfolds into one of redemption, reminding us that divine purpose often blooms in unexpected timing.