Hanukkah 4 – What Are You Waiting For?

Published on December 2, 2021November 30, 2022 by PaulBassLeave a comment

The strength of Eleazar inspired the entire population of Jerusalem and beyond.

When his life was about to end from the beating, he groaned, “It is clear to the Lord with his sacred knowledge that, although I could have been saved from death, I endure in my body harsh pain from this beating, yet in my soul I cheerfully suffer these things because I respect him.”
2 Maccabees 6:30

Graphic

The tortuous treatment is hard to listen to. We want to turn our heads and tune it out. Many people did. The next miracle that we visit is, again, an account of the wickedness of the Anti-christ Antiochus.

He was brought to judge 7 brothers and their mom. These brothers are not even named, but they will always be remembered.

I hesitate to list the tortures that were ordered and fulfilled. But, we often need to be shaken. If we don’t acknowledge the evil among us, we give it shelter and food. Eventually this beast will overtake the house, so to speak. If we avoid naming the beast, it is too easy to let it sneak up.

Violence Alert

If you are reading this out loud to minors, you may want to skip or so your own special editing to these following terms.

7 sons, 7 deaths

Keep in mind each son endured these things.

Tongue cut out.
Scalped
Hands cut off.
Feet cut off.
Burned

Keep in mind, these quotes are from the young men, AFTER the torture was enacted upon each one. Each was forced to see the others suffer. The youngest brother was also offered great wealth and prominence.

Brother 1

“The Lord God truly watches over us and will come to our aid. Moses testified to this in his song against them, saying, ‘God will have compassion on his servants.'”
2 Maccabees 7:6

Brother 2

“You, who are marked out for vengeance, may take our present life, but the king of the universe, for whose laws we die, will resurrect us again to eternal life.”
2 Maccabees 7:9

Brother 3

“I have received these limbs from heaven, and I give them up for the sake of God’s laws. But I hope to recover them from God again.”
2 Maccabees 7:11

Brother 4

“Death at the hands of humans is preferable, since we look forward to the hope that God gives of being raised by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life.”
2 Maccabees 7:14

Brother 5

“You, though human, have power among human beings and do what you want. But don’t think that God has abandoned our people.Just wait and observe his great strength, when God will torture you and your children.”
2 Maccabees 7:16-17

Brother 6

“Don’t deceive yourself in vain. We suffer these things because of our own sins against our God. Things worthy of wonder have happened. But don’t think you will escape unpunished after trying to fight against God.”
2 Maccabees 7:18-19

The Mom

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

There was a little break, as Antiochus appealed to the mother to save her one remaining son. At first, it appeared that she was just so tired that she was giving in. She leaned over to “convince” her youngest son to take the bargain of riches rather than torture. She whispered in his ear:

“…look at heaven and earth. See everything that is in them and know that God made these things from nothing, and created humankind in the same way. Don’t fear this killer… Accept death, so that in God’s mercy, I should recover you with your brothers.”
2 Maccabees 7:28-29

Brother 7

By this time, we see that the King is powerless over these common people. Brother seven makes such an inspired sermon to the most powerful man in the world. If you fast forward the story, you would discover that Brother Seven’s words were likely a deciding factor in the final humbling of Antiochus. His prophecy would come true. The miracle of bravery and endurance is aided by the strong faith and assurance that God brings eternal life to His children.

You have been blessed in this way

As you read this proclamation, I encourage you to use it as a tool. Speak to your enemies. Take the authority given in the name of Yeshua Messiah and boldly proclaim your victory over your present mess. Reject and rebuke seeing yourself as a victim and see yourself with the signet ring of the King. The words of the real King reign and rule over the false kings and judges of this world. Just as the brothers were comforted in the truth of the resurrection, you can be equally confident. Here the words. Speak the words in shalom as you also know the end of the book.

“What are you all waiting for? I don’t intend to obey the king’s order, but I hear the command of the Law given to our ancestors through Moses. But you, King, who have invented all sorts of evil against the Hebrews, will by no means escape God’s power. We are suffering because of our own sins. If our living Lord is angry for a short time in order to rebuke and discipline us, he will again be reconciled with his own servants. But you, unholy man, the most bloodstained of all people, don’t be so proud without having cause. Bloated by futile hope, you raise up your hand against the children of heaven. You haven’t at all escaped the judgment of the almighty God, who oversees all. Now our brothers, who endured pain for a short time, have been given eternal life under God’s covenant, but you will suffer the penalty of your arrogance by the righteous judgment of God. Just like my brothers, I give up both body and life for the ancestral laws. I call upon God to be merciful to the nation without delay, and to make you confess, after you suffer trials and diseases, that only he is God. Also I hope through me and my brothers to stop the anger of the almighty, who is justly punishing our entire nation.”
2 Maccabees 7:30-38

Brother Seven, as you know, your death was not in vain. You inspired the run-around.

Hanukkah Miracle 3 – Eat Or Die

Published on December 1, 2021November 30, 2022 by PaulBassLeave a comment

Eleazar

Prepping when prepping wasn’t cool.

But Judas, also known as the Maccabee, and about ten men with him, fled into the highlands where he (along with those accompanying him) managed to avoid defiling themselves by living like wild animals: they ate grass for food.
2 Maccabees 5:27

“they ate grass for food.”

Persecution increased in Jerusalem and surrounding Greek communities. The next great miracle was that of great strength and determination.

Let’s look at the level of Gentile persecution on Jews.

Jews were ordered to turn away from customs and Torah.
The temple and the mount were renamed for Zeus.
Gentiles filled the temple with wild and sinful parties.
God’s altar was covered with forbidden objects.
Sabbath, festivals, and even identifying as Jewish was not allowed.
All were forced to celebrate Antiochus’ birthday and eat the organs of the sacrificed animals.
They were ordered to partake in the parade for the bearded and jolly deity known as Dionysus with ivy and wreaths.
Death sentence was pronounced for disobedience.
Circumcision was not allowed on the babies.

The Dionysus Festival

ordered to partake in the parade for the bearded and jolly deity known as Dionysus with ivy and wreaths.

Bloodshed was normal.

Two mothers were brutally executed for having circumcised their babies.

A group of secret sabbath keepers was betrayed by a fellow Jew and failed to defend themselves on a Sabbath.

As we mentioned previously, God’s protection had been withdrawn because the sins of his people were so great. Pagan nations did not have this type of correction, as they did not have His protection either. God’s guiding hand was drawing them back to see that He was the only hope. Assimilation was becoming humiliation.

Imagine the strength given to a 90 year old scribe.

Eleazar was forced to put unclean meat into his mouth. He spit it out. The very men who were in charge of the pagan sacrifices showed mercy on him and privately coached him how to get through this alive.

They urged him to go and bring back clean meat and they would let him pretend to eat unclean sacrificial meat and no one would know the secret. Eleazar refused. He chose not to let it even appear that he would profane his body with the unclean substance.

They were insulted. The compassion of the temple workers turned to rage.

“It’s not worthy of our old age to act out such a role. Otherwise, many of the young would assume wrongly that Eleazar the 90-year-old had changed to a foreign way of life. If I acted out this charade for the sake of living a moment longer, I would mislead them, and I would be defiled and dishonored in my old age. Even if I escaped the punishment of human beings for the moment, I would certainly not escape the hands of the almighty—whether alive or dead. So I give up my life courageously now to show myself worthy of my old age, and to leave a fine example for the young people of how to die a good death with eagerness and dignity for the revered and sacred laws.” After he spoke he immediately approached the torture instrument.
2 Maccabees 6:24-28

“to leave a fine example for the young people of how to die a good death with eagerness and dignity for the revered and sacred laws.”
Eleazar

Would you be able to take this stand? Most Christians today see no reason to do so, as many have abandoned most of the points listed above – without a fight, without a struggle.

Even if you believe those standards have been changed, where is your authority coming from?

How strongly would you object to a vile substance mandated into your mouth, or perhaps your bloodstream?

Is your body a sacred space? Have we forgotten that our body belongs to God? Even in the new covenant Word we are told to abstain from food offered to idols. Would you stand up, or would you pretend to comply?

Hanukkah 2 – The Miracle of Judgement

Published on November 30, 2021November 30, 2022 by PaulBassLeave a comment

Antiochus was really pleased with himself, not realizing the Lord had become angry for a short time because of the sins of those who lived in the city. For this reason, he had shut his eyes to the holy temple.
2 Maccabees 5:17

Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com

Backstabbing Abounds

Onias did not lose the priesthood to Simon, but he lost it to his conniving brother, Jason. You know you’ve got problems when the high priest is a thief and a liar.

Seleucus died and the Antiochus IV became king. He was a literal abomination, as he was considered by many to be a god.

Jason essentially sold out all of Israel for much gold and silver. Jason made his own people abandon their way of life and embrace Greek customs. He abolished the Torah and instituted new statutes. He even promoted wearing the latest fashion in hat wear.

The temple priests abandoned the sacrifices and hosted wrestling matches and discus throwing competitions. But all this pandering to the Greeks did not work.

Antisemitism Again

The Jews were eventually envied and despised by the Greeks. Jews were treated as second class citizens, and even strangers in their own land.

High priest Jason ordered some of his men to travel to Tyre for the athletic games. He gave them money to buy sacrifices to Hercules. That didn’t quite seem right to these priests, so, instead of bringing a bunch of cash home with them, they spent it on beefing up some warships.

The evil Simon had a brother. This guy was evil too. Menelaus double crossed Jason to buy the high priesthood directly from Antiochus. Jason had to become an exile.

It didn’t take too long for Menelaus to get too big for his britches. He started keeping the tax money himself instead of sending it to the king. He stole gold straight from the Temple.

There were three witnesses to his treachery. When Menelaus learned of them, he framed them, and they were executed. There was much more bloodshed of the innocent as well. Many Jews became Greeks and turned on their own people.

Great signs were seen in the skies. Angelic armies were seen in the clouds. They were on horseback, and were wearing armor.

The angels were clearly seen for 40 days. Many Israelites thought they were there to protect them, but unfortunately, the opposite was true. YHWH of hosts withdrew His protecting angels from the Temple. The sin of the people, especially the priesthood became so great, that the Father allowed Antiochus to come in and ransack the temple.

Menelaus himself guided Antiochus in and revealed the riches. The holy items were taken for spoil.

If they hadn’t previously been involved in so many sins, Antiochus would have been forced to abandon his rashness and been defeated at once when he attacked, just like Heliodorus (the one King Seleucus sent to inspect the treasury).
2 Maccabees 5:18

His wrath over His beloved is not forever.

The good news is that the blessings would return one day. His hand of discipline would, one day, become the protecting one, and even the avenging hand.

So the temple also shared the misfortunes of the nation, but afterward it also shared in its good fortunes. That which the almighty abandoned in his wrath would again be restored with all glory when the nation was reconciled to the great Lord.
2 Maccabees 5:20

Antiochus would soon meet a man named Judas Maccabees.

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What is Hanukkah?

Published on November 29, 2021November 30, 2022 by PaulBassLeave a comment

Thanks to Hilltop House of Prayer, Tallahassee.

Hanukkah 1 – Build Back Better

Published on November 29, 2021November 30, 2022 by PaulBassLeave a comment

From these descendants sprouted a sinful root—Antiochus Epiphanes. He was a son of King Antiochus, and he had been brought up in Rome as a hostage. Antiochus Epiphanes began to rule in the year 137 according to the calendar of the Greek kingdom.

At that time, some renegade Israelites emerged. These people went against their ancestral laws and encouraged many other Jews to join them. They spoke up, saying, “Let’s make an agreement with the Gentiles around us, because many horrible things have happened to us since we separated ourselves from them.”

– 1Maccabees1:10-11 CEB

The people of God have tried to assimilate with the pagans (gentiles) throughout the ages. As we journey through the story of the Maccabees, we will see both the wages of doing so, and the power of standing up for God’s truth. There is a power that derives from the Creator. This power becomes the tool of His children.

Why Do We Celebrate?

In Second Maccabees we see the reason for the celebration of Dedication (Hanukkah). In the same way Nehemiah reinstated the Feast of Booths, Israel was instructed to celebrate Booths and Fire. Most resources don’t point this out. The Feasts had been outlawed. Now, a couple months after the Tabernacles/Booths celebration of 7 days plus one, the dedication of the temple will be celebrated, with the sacrifices of that accompany that Feast.

“Since we are about to celebrate the cleansing of the temple on the twenty-fifth of Kislev, we thought it right to notify you so that you yourselves might also celebrate the Festival of Booths and Fire, when Nehemiah offered sacrifices after he had built the temple and the altar.” – 2 Maccabees 1:17

What great miracle happened?

Though they were few in number, they took back the whole country, chased off the barbaric hordes, regained the temple renowned throughout the whole inhabited world, freed the city, and restored the laws that were almost abolished—because YHWH with all kindness was merciful to them.
2 Maccabees 2:21-22

There is much that happened which has not been related. It’s hard to edit it all down.

For those of us who engage in the strenuous task of abbreviation, it isn’t easy but involves sweat and loss of sleep,
2 Maccabees 2:26 CEB

True, so true.

It started with a greedy and needy priest. Simon didn’t get his way and decided to betray the good priest named Onias. He decided to get all teacher’s pet and reveal to the Syrian governor that there was treasure in that there Temple mount.

Here’s an interesting find from the second temple.

Heliodorus was sent to snatch up the goods, even though Simon had exaggerated. The people prayed and there was a great miracle.

Heliodorus got body slammed by an angelic rider and horse. Then he received several blows from another two angels.

The bodyguards who were useless in this case, pleaded with Onias. Onias prayed that Heliodorus would recover so the Syrian king should not show wrath on the people.

The same two angels who gave H. the beat-down, ministered to him and brought him healing.

Heliodorus went back to the Syrian king to report the struggle and the miracle in the Temple. The king asked an interesting question. He basically asked what kind of person should he send to get the job done.

Heliodorus’ response to the king was epic.

“If you have an enemy or someone plotting against your government, send him, and he will come back badly beaten if he should come back at all, because some divine power truly surrounds the temple. The one who lives in heaven watches over that place and will strike and destroy anyone coming with evil intent.”
2 Maccabees 3:38-39

But Simon Continued His Treachery

He slandered Onias and even sent a goon to try to assassinate him.

We will visit the next miracle of Hanukkah tomorrow.

Happy Hanukkah 1

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Published on October 12, 2021 by PaulBassLeave a comment

A Messiah Filled Hanukkah

Shemni Atzeret

Published on September 25, 2021 by PaulBassLeave a comment

The Eighth Day

For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the Lord; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work.
— Leviticus 23:36