But to return to the conduct of
Antiochus. Daniel described it fully: “At the appointed time he (Antiochus)
shall
return and go toward the south (Egypt);
but it shall not be like the former or the latter. For ships from Cyprus (carrying
the Romans) shall come against him; therefore he (Antiochus)
shall
be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant (the
Jewish people), and do damage” (Dan.11:29–30). This happened
exactly as Daniel had predicted. No longer able to proceed against Egypt,
Antiochus was compelled to turn back, ready to vent his fury on Israel. He sent
Apollonius, the head of his mercenaries and the chief collector of tribute, to
Jerusalem. Antiochus ordered him to ‘thoroughly Hellenise the Jews’. Apollonius
pretended to come in peace but on the Sabbath day he suddenly attacked, killing
many and plundering the city. The walls of Jerusalem were thrown down and the
old city, the city of David, was fortified. A garrison of Syrian soldiers was
billeted there. It was decreed that Jerusalem was henceforth to be known as a
Greek city.
Further measures were introduced to
accelerate the programme of Hellenisation. Jewish worship was suspended and
Jewish ceremonies strictly forbidden. Once a month a rigorous search took
place. If any man was found with a copy of the Torah, or if any had his child
circumcised, he was put to death. Throughout Israel the Jewish religion was
rooted out and the worship of the Greek gods introduced. But Antiochus was
impatient and heavy handed. He tried to force the issue. Resistance among the
population grew and support for the Chasidim increased. Events came to a head
when he commandeered the Jerusalem Temple for his own purposes. On
the 15th Chisleu 168 BC, that is, in December of that year, he
initiated an incident that outraged the nation. A pagan altar was built at the
great altar in the court of priests. Then ten days later on the 25th
Chisleu, a sacrifice to the Greek god
Zeus was offered on it. In this way the Sanctuary was defiled.
These high-handed actions of Antiochus
Epiphanes are considered by many as the fulfilment of prophecies from the book
of Daniel. In conjunction with the prophecy of the division
of Alexander’s empire into four after his death, there is added another
prediction. From one of the four parts of the empire, that of Syria, will arise
another ruler, a “little horn” that will speak great things (see Daniel 7:8 and
8:9 ff). Many scholars suggest that this little horn represents the eighth
ruler of the Seleucid Greek Empire, the afore-mentioned Antiochus Epiphanes.
Daniel, who lived and wrote long before Alexander was born, or ever the events
of the Maccabean uprising took place, foretells with supreme accuracy the
pivotal event which will break the oppression of the Syrians. He wrote;
“they shall defile the sanctuary
fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the
abomination of desolation” (Dan. 11:31).
This verse points directly to the
defiling of the Temple by Antiochus in 168 BC. Initially, the Hebrew people
only reacted with passive resistance but this was soon replaced by open revolt.
It broke out in the town of Modein at the call of a priest of the order of
Joarib, named Mattathias. When the
king’s officer came to Modein with
orders that the inhabitants offer a heathen sacrifice, Mattathias refused to obey and stepping forward
said:
“Though all the nations that are under
the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of
their fathers and give consent to his commandments, yet will I and my sons and
my brothers walk in the covenant of our fathers. God forbid that we should
forsake the law and the ordinances”.
When Mattathias saw another from the
town approaching the altar to offer the sacrifice and appease the king’s
officer he rushed forward and slew him there. He and his sons also killed the
king’s commissioner and levelled the altar to the ground. Mattathias and his
five sons, John, Simon, Judas, Eleasar and Jonathan, fled to the mountains and
were joined by others of the Chasidim. In this fashion a campaign of guerrilla
warfare was born. The son of Mattathias, Judas was appointed military leader of
the movement and he and the force under him felt that they had the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob on their side. They marched against the Syrians and
won a brilliant victory. They began to restore the worship of YHWH in Zion. This gave further impetus
to the rebellion. Judas became known as
‘the hammer’, that is, ‘Maccabeus’.
Antiochus was engaged elsewhere, but
he gave orders that a large army should be commissioned to put down the
rebellion. By now Judas’ army was battle-hardened but not wishing to take
anything for granted they prepared for the encounter with prayer and fasting.
Again they were victorious. After another victory Judas took possession of
Jerusalem. Although he could not dislodge the Syrian forces from the walled and
fortified ‘city of David’, he was still able to keep them in check while
cleansing the Temple ready for a resumption of divine worship. Everything
impure was carried out of the Temple and the great altar which had been polluted
was dismantled and wholly replaced. New sacred garments and furniture were
provided, and when everything was in order the Temple was re-consecrated. A joyous occasion
it was celebrated with a great feast. This was on the 25th
Chisleu, that is, in December 165 BC on exactly the same day as the altar had
been desecrated three years earlier.
When the Temple was first dedicated
during the reign of Solomon it was at the feast of Tabernacles in the month of
Tishri in the autumn. That celebration lasted eight days. So, although the
Maccabean Hanukkah was in winter it was decided that it should also last for
eight days. The recovery of the Temple for the worship of YHWH was so momentous
that it was resolved to celebrate it annually. It was added to the festival
calendar and called ‘the Feast of Dedication’.
Alas, the time of independence under
the Maccabees was not long-lasting. While the leaders kept their early
confidence and followed the example of Jonathan (son of Saul) who said, “…
nothing restrains the Lord
from saving by many or by few.” (1 Sam. 14:6) they were
invincible. But to maintain the peace they began to make political alliances
with others in the region. Their total dependence on God was compromised and
the freedom which they bought with great cost was lost. Nevertheless, the
Israelite nation always looked back to the time of the Maccabees with pride,
especially the Pharisees who considered themselves the inheritors of their
cause. The words of Mattathias could well describe their motivation: “Though
all the nations that are under the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away
every one from the religion of their fathers and give consent to his
commandments, yet will I and my sons and my brothers walk in the covenant of
our fathers. God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances”.
The
Pharisees considered themselves the defenders of the law and the ordinances.
Post Script: This festival is also called the
Festival of Lights, for in the Talmud
the story was further elaborated to
tell of a miracle that took place. They could only find one jar of sacred oil
bearing the seal of the High Priest. Only this pure oil could be used to light
the Temple Menorah and it was just enough for one day and one night, no more.
Miraculously, the one day’s supply kept the Menorah alight for eight days, that
is, until more pure oil was available. It was seen as a sign of God’s acceptance of the
Temple’s rededication. Today in Jewish circles this is reflected in the lighting
of the hanukiyah,
the
eight light lamp, or eight branched menorah. In the Feast of Tabernacles (the
festival during which the first dedication took place) the lamps were lit while
mainly looking back – to the journey of Israel in the wilderness. At the Feast
of Dedication the lights were lit while mainly looking forward, pointing to a hoped-for time when
the Messiah would come to the Temple and establish, as Judas Maccabeus had, a
time of independence.
Next Time: Hanukkah at the time of Jesus
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