Books Jesus Read

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Books Jesus Read

their children. Then the overseers had their little ones hung from their necks before killing them together with their mothers, and leveling their homes. Still, there were many in Israel who refused to eat any unclean thing. These preferred to die rather than defile themselves with meat and thereby profane the holy covenant. So, die they did, as the great wrath upon Israel continued. 1 Maccabees 2 At that time arose Mattathias. He was the son of John the son of Simeon, a priest of the Son of Joarib, from Jerusalem, who lived in Modein. He had five sons, John surnamed Gaddi, Simon called Thassi, Judas called Maccabeus, Eleazar committed in Judah and Jerusalem he said, Woe is me, that I should live to see this attack on my people and the holy city crushed ( Lam 1:1, 14 )! The pious passively stand by as it falls into hostile hands and the temple is profaned! Her sacred furnishings are carried away; Her infants are slaughtered in broad daylight; Her young men are run through with the sword! called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus. When Mattathias saw all the blasphemies being

Which nation has not had its way with her, has not forced itself upon her, robbing her, stripping her of all her finery? She is no longer free but a slave. Behold, our holiness, our beauty, our glory—all ruined, all spoiled by the Gentiles. What is there to live for now?