From Terrorism to Discipleship (Simon the Zealot)

The twelve apostles included "Simon the Zealot" (Matt. 10:4). Even people of vastly different backgrounds can minister together for Christ.

During the time between the Old and New Testaments, a fiery revolutionary named Judas Maccabaeus led the Jewish people in a revolt against Greek influences on their nation and religion. The spirit of that movement was captured in this statement from the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees: "Be ye zealous for the law and give your lives for the covenant" (1 Maccabees 2:50). That group of politically-oriented, self-appointed guardians of Judaism later became known as the Zealots.

During the New Testament period, Zealots conducted terrorist activities against Rome in an effort to free Israel from Roman oppression. Their activities finally prompted Rome to destroy Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and slaughter people in 985 Galilean towns.

After the destruction of Jerusalem, the few remaining Zealots banded together under the leadership of a man named Eleazar. Their headquarters was at a retreat called Masada. When the Romans laid seige to Masada and the Zealots knew defeat was imminent, they chose to kill their own families and commit suicide themselves rather than face death at the hands of the Romans. It was a tragedy of monumental proportions, but such was the depth of their fiery zeal for Judaism and their hatred for their political enemies.

Before coming to Christ, Simon was a Zealot. Even as a believer, he must have retained much of his zeal, redirecting it in a godly direction. We can only imagine the passion with which he approached the ministry, having finally found a leader and cause that transcended anything Judaism and political activism could ever offer.

It's amazing to realize that Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax-gatherer ministered together. Under normal circumstances Simon would have killed a traitor like Matthew. But Christ broke through their differences, taught them to love each other, and used them for His glory.

Perhaps you know believers who come from totally different backgrounds than yours. Do you have trouble getting along with any of them? If so, why? How can you begin to mend your differences? Be encouraged by the transformation Christ worked in Simon and Matthew, and follow their example.

Pray for the people in your church, asking the Lord to give everyone a spirit of unity.

Archelous IV, according to Josephus, forbade the Jews from worshipping on the Sabbath, forbade their dietary laws and made them sacrifice pigs in the Greek temples in Israel to the Greek gods under pain of death for refusing.

The Jews, under "Maccabeus" managed to throw off Greek rule for a short time only to have Israel fall later to the Romans who brought back the Greek Gods.

No wonder that the Sadducees, Pharisees and the Zealots mentioned in the New Testament were created.

Herod's father,a Jew who accepted Greacen worship, was friends with Julius Caeser and managed to get his son, Herod the Great installed as the ruler over Israel. It was thus, the Grecian influence and human sacrifices in Israel continued.

It was this Herod the Great that slaughtered Bethlehem's males two years or younger.

Herod the Great's son Herod Antipas (also known as Herod the Lessor) was given rule over the Jews after Herod the Great died.

It was Herod Antipas who took his brother's wife (a co-ruler in the area) and was confronted by John the Baptist ultimately resulting in John the Baptist's death.

It was Herod Antipas who Judged Christ and ultimate sent Christ to Pilate and the Crucifixion.

Herod Antipas according to the Book of Acts, declared himself to be a Greek "god" and was accordingly eaten by worms until he died).

This poor rulership in Israel over so many years, ultimately resulted in the Romans leadership attempting to wipe out the Jews and Jewish influence in the year 70 AD. The Jews were slaughtered and the rivers around Jerusalem were flowing with blood before the siege of Jerusalem. Christ's predictions of the fall of Jerusalem "Mother's weep for your children" came to pass when the children were eaten due to the intense starvation. Christ's predication that no stone would be unturned of the Temple also came true and all that is left, that the Jewish People revere from that Temple to this day, is a retaining wall.

After, the Romans slaughtered every man, woman and child in Jerusalem, the Romans "buried" their mistake.

Piling dirt high over Pilates Palace, Roman Barracks and the place where they flogged Jesus almost to the point of death, they buried it with over 30 feet of dirt. They buried the platform on the Western Wall where high up Pilate had Judged Christ in the view of Jerusalem including Pilate's Bema seat. They sealed up the gate with huge stones where Christ had gone in and out of and had ultimately carried the cross on His way to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull. They buried the steps he had fallen on under the weight of the cross right outside the wall and had impressed Simon of Cyrene to carry it.

The Sadducees and the Zealots did not survive as groups. Only a remnant of the Pharisees survived of the Jews and these no longer bare the name that I know of. Also persecuted were the Samaritans of which less than a thousand survive today.

It is a sad tale and the result of human sacrifices, of which Archelous IV had his part to play.

It was Herod Antipas who Judged Christ and ultimate sent Christ to Pilate and the Crucifixion.

Herod Antipas according to the Book of Acts, declared himself to be a Greek “god” and was accordingly eaten by worms until he died
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The Deep State is a religion.
They act like they are gods.

Ate they going to be eaten by worms or something worse and instantaneous?

Either wat, God will sic his woes upon Biden and his Cartel
Of Evil.

Even so Lord Jesus, come quickly.

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