Posted on 12/25/2019 10:04:09 PM PST by ancientart
We are in the midst of the Hanukkah season, the eight-day festival that commemorates the second century BC victory of Judah Maccabee and his family over the forces of the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanes.
It was a remarkable, almost miraculous, victory. Antiochus was close to achieving the long-time Seleucid goal of recreating the empire of Alexander the Great. He and his predecessors had annexed Turkey, Mesopotamia, Persia and parts of India. They solidified their control of Judaea and came close to turning Egypt into a satellite kingdom as well.
Like so many ancient rulers, Antiochus fixated on the idea he could unite his multi-ethnic empire through a religious cult focused on himself. He insisted he be worshipped as the manifestation of the god Zeus, thus creating a dilemma for many of his subjects, especially the Jews.
But not all of them. For Joshua, brother of the high priest Onias, Antiochus’ overlordship was the smell of opportunity.
(Excerpt) Read more at aberdeennews.com ...
It further didn’t help matters when the priestly macaabees soon claimed the david secular power throne, too. The entire history was so depressing with so many Enemies Within — wolves in sheep’s clothing— erev rav— backstabbers. Traitors. ——— ( much like today, we seem just about as unable to overcome our domestic enemies as did the Israelites). So we can profit by trying to learn about chennukah. The miracle wasn’t god’s continued love and protection for his Jewish people. He’d promised that many times already. The miracle was and is that He keeps giving the human species chance after chance after chance after chance — something we can be so thankful for !
[Antiochus fixated on the idea he could unite his multi-ethnic empire through a religious cult focused on himself. He insisted he be worshipped as the manifestation of the god Zeus]
Gee, this reminds me of somebody.........
Reminds me of the title of an episode of "Police Squad."
Regards,
Verily, there’s very little new under the sun. Pharaohs, Seleucids, Roman emperors, Constantine, Spain’s first 100 years after restoration, etc.
“There was to be no tolerance for those who refused to go along with the changes: traditional (fill in the blank) had to be wiped out.”
Hmm, sounds familiar. Seems to be a reoccurring theme when tyrants decide to take over a country.
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