They began to recruit more followers of YHWH. They found 6,000 who were still faithful.
Once organized, Judah and his army were unstoppable. The hand of God was with them as He began to show mercy on them.
Often at night, they would raid the cities. Their courage became known throughout the land.
Nicanor and 20,000 men were sent to wipe out all of Judea. Word was sent out that one could join him and receive 90 Jewish servants for 57 lbs of silver.
Different Weapons
Judah told his warriors, “They rely on weapons and daring, but we trust in the almighty God, who is able to strike down with a single nod, those who are coming against us.”
He divided his army into 4 parts. He led his group of 1,500 on an attack of Nicanor and slayed 9,000 men, and injured more. They even confiscated the very funds that were intended for their sale into slavery. They distributed to the ones who had endured torture, as well as the widows and orphans.
Then they defeated and killed 20,000. Nicanor lost all his men. Stripped of his armor, he returned to Antioch, humiliated.
His report to Antiochus was that the Jews could not be defeated because they follow God’s laws.
How do you think the Anti-christ took that statement?
Faithful followers of YHWH defeated an army 6 times larger. Then they were outnumbered again and defeated 20,000 troops.
Another miracle of God’s might and His grace over his beloved.
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.
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As we mentioned previously, God’s protection had been withdrawn because the sins of his people were so great.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?
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.
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.
Torah Is 