During the second century before Christ, Antiochus Epiphanes, ruler of the Seleucid Empire commissioned that the worship of Zeus be established in Palestine. The emissary Appellees called one Sabbath for the Jewish people to gather in the marketplace. They had reluctantly gathered with their leader Mattathias and his five sons. Appellees called for the sacrifice of a pig, an animal of abomination to the Jews, and for it to be eaten by Mattathias. This act would symbolically acknowledge and affirm pagan worship. The Jewish leader responded, “Heaven forbid we should ever abandon the Law and its statutes. We will not obey the command of the king, nor will we deviate one step from our worship.”
One Jew did volunteer to participate in the sacrifice and stepped forward. As the Jew was handed the sacrificial knife Mattathias lunged at him and stabbed him. He then turned on the surprised emissary, Apelles, and killed him with the same weapon.
Historians concur that Antiochus Epiphanes was wicked and merciless as he had thousands of Jews put to death for reading the Law of Moses. Those who had refused to eat pig meat were also put to death. But did these actions justify the aforementioned reactions of Mattathias? Out of this rebellion grew the Maccabean era of revolt against authority. Instead of following in the footsteps of such people as Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel, all of which held up a righteous standard while living under the authority of brutal despots, they became politically and militarily involved through a spirit of rebellion. All five Maccabee sons died a violent death. Judas was defeated and slain at a battle. John was captured and tortured to death. Eleazar was crushed by an elephant during a battle. Jonathan was murdered by a Syrian prince. Simon was assassinated by Ptolemy, his son-in-law.
But before their death, they had become so honored and exalted as liberating heroes that the Jewish concept of the Messiah became distorted. The anticipation of the Messiah by the Jews became an expectation for a military leader who would free them from the bondage of Rome, who now had come into the picture through an alliance made during the Maccabean era. When Jesus Christ came onto the scene shortly thereafter and began to present the truth of the kingdom of God the general populace rejected Him and His teachings. Even the people closest to Him wanted to do things like drawing a sword and cut somebody’s ear off or ask the special favor that her sons be able to sit with him on His throne or ask that fire be called down from heaven to devour non-conformists. Jesus responded with this comment, “You know not what spirit you are of.” As a result of the prevailing military and political ideologies, many were prevented from seeing who Jesus really was.
Let’s make sure our own attitudes in a topsy-turvy world of political kingdoms is not distorted by deceiving philosophies. Our every thought, attitude, and action must be Bible-based and Spirit-inspired, for we cannot afford to lose sight of our Messiah, His kingdom or His ways.
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