When the Greeks conquered the land of Israel, they showed respect for the Jewish people and their customs, hoping to convince them in time of the supposed “superiority” of the Greek way of thinking.
INTERNAL CONFLICT
Many Jews in Israel were Hellenized, but there also was a faithful remnant, who were true to their culture and faith. The faithful confronted those who have turned their backs to their traditions, and there ensued an internal conflict.
The Hellenized Jews betrayed their fellow countrymen, and asked for the intervention of the King of Syria
- Torah study was prohibited;
- It was not permitted to rest on the Sabbath;
- It was forbidden to keep the Biblical Feasts and the sighting of the New Moon (which signals the beginning of the Hebrew moths);
- Circumcisions were prohibited;
- Brides were forced to spend a night with a Greek General before their wedding.
Those Jews who refused to obey the king's decree were persecuted and even tortured. The intervention of Antiochus IV drove them to a military war against the faithful of the Jewish people, and finally to the profanation of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which is described as
(Daniel 11:31-33) Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
Jesus explained that Antiochus’s profanation of the Temple
(Matthew 24:15) So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)…
Today we see the Church in a similar conflict, between those who want to conform to the world and those who want to remain faithful to the Word of God (the Bible). The faithful will be persecuted, even by other believers who have been assimilated. And we will again witness the “abomination of desolation”.
(Matthew 24:21-22) For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
ANTIOCHUS IV
The ruler of the Seleucid Empire, Antiochus IV, named himself: “Epiphanes”, which means “god manifest”. He believed himself to be a god and wanted to be worshipped as such. However, since the faithful Jews only worship God, he was determined to destroy their religion and culture. He invaded the Temple in Jerusalem
(II Maccabees 6:1-3) Shortly afterwards, the king sent Gerontes the Athenian to force the Jews to violate their ancestral customs and live no longer by the laws of God; and to profane the Temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and the one on Mount Gerizim to Zeus, Patron of Strangers, as the inhabitants of the latter place had requested.The advent of these evils was painfully hard for all the people to bear.
During the next few days, we will publish portions of the narrative of the books of the Maccabees, so that you may become familiar with their account. I invite you to perceive it not only as a historical account of a far away place, but to project it into the future, when Daniel’s prophecy will be fulfilled. Just as Jesus explained, the abomination of desolation will happen once more (Mat 24:9-22). Antiochus is a foreshadowing of the Antichrist, which will demand adoration and will persecute those who believe in the True God (Jehovah, God of Israel).
more posts on: Biblical Feasts
more posts on: Biblical Feasts
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