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This blog (discussion board) is your opportunity to chat online and for others to benefit from discussion. I am a firm believer that through discussion we become sharper swords to be used of God. Please email any comments to chris@NewHopeWauchula.org and I will reply and post them on this page.

Thread #1

Thanks to Gene Beck who sent me this email on 12/19/07. It came about from a discussion after service about the Maccabees, I am always excited to engage in conversations such as these and to broaden our knowledge. My reply is in italics below.

Maccabees
(a hammer), The. This title, which was originally the surname of Judas, one of the sons of
Mattathias, was afterward extended to the heroic family of which he was one of the noblest
representatives. Asmonaeans or Hasmonaeans is the Proper name of the family, which is
derived from Cashmon, great grandfather of Mattathias. The Maccabees were a family of Jews
who resisted the authority of Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria and his successors who had
usurped authority over the Jews, conquered Jerusalem, and strove to introduce idolatrous
worship. The standard of independence was first raised by Mattathias, a priest of the course
of Joiarih. He seems, however, to have been already advanced in years when the rising was
made, and he did not long survive the fatigues of active service. He died B.C. 166, having
named Judas --apparently his third son--as his successor in directing the war of
independence. After gaining several victories over the other generals of Antiochus, Judas was
able to occupy Jerusalem except the "tower," and purified the temple exactly three years
after its profanation. Nicanor was defeated, first at Capharsalama, and again in a decisive
battle at Adasa B.C. 161, where he was slain. This victory was the greatest of Judas'
successes, and practically decided the question of Jewish independence; but shortly after
Judas fell at Eleasa, fighting at desperate odds against the invaders. After the death of Judas,
Jonathan his brother succeeded to the command, and later assumed the high-priestly office.
He died B.C. 144, and was succeeded by Simon the last remaining brother of the
Maccabaean family, who died B.C. 135. The efforts of both brothers were crowned with
success. On the death of Simon, Johannes Hyrcanus, one of his sons, at once assumed the
government, B.C. 135, and met with a peaceful death B.C. 105. His eldest son, Aristobulus I.,
who succeeded him B.C. 105-101, was the first who assumed the kingly title, though Simon
had enjoyed the fullness of the kingly power. Alexander Jannaeus was the next successor
B.C. 104-78. Aristobulus II. and Hyrcanus III. engaged in a civil war On the death of their
mother, Alexandra, B.C. 78-69, resulting in the dethronement of Aristobulus II., B.C. 69-69,
and the succession of Hyrcanus under Roman rule but without his kingly title, B.C. 63-40.
From B.C. 40 to B.C. 37 Antigonus, a son of Aristobulus II., ruled, and with his two
grandchildren, Aristobulus and Mariurnne, the Asmonaean dynasty ended.

That is what we were discussing Sunday… some of this is recorded in the non-canonical books the Apocrypha, some good historical reads though not deemed on the level of the OT or NT. The history and events recoded in the Apocrypha have some amazing historical similarities to OT prophecy most of which we as western Christians point to Revelation while being unfamiliar with any of this intertestamental period (the 400 years between Malachi and Matthew, it seems a lot occurred on that blank page in our Bible). Antiochus Epiphanes was the one who sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple, “abomination of desolation” from the book of Daniel? Many interesting studies go on here and are as important to NT interpretation as the OT, it seems strange we are not encouraged to read these and study this period to see what was going on immediately prior to and during the birth of Jesus. The apocrypha is in almost all Catholic Bibles and some New Revised Standard Version (translation used a lot by Presbyterians), I am sure it can be downloaded off the i-net also.

Thanks Gene, and much happy learning together…

New Hope Baptist Church

Wauchula, Florida

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