Books Jesus Read

Chapter 1: Spiritual Rebellion – Mattathias

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Taking stock of his situation, Antiochus planned an expedition to Persia to raise tribute from the nations of the east. He placed Lysias, a man of royal birth, over the western portion of his kingdom to rule in his absence. The region stretched from the Euphrates River all the way to Egypt. He commanded Lysias to destroy Israel, to root out the remnant of faithful Jews in Jerusalem, and to resettle the land with strangers. He also left his own son in the care of Lysias. In return for all this, Antiochus entrusted Lysias with half of his legions, including his war elephants. Antiochus gathered his remaining legions and left from Antioch in the 147th year of the Greek kingdom. Lysias selected the king’s friends, Ptolemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias as commanders of an army of forty thousand foot soldiers and seven thousand horsemen. These advanced to the plain of Emmaus where they made preparations to invade and destroy Judah. Tradesmen from Philistia and Syria observed these preparations for war. They approached the army to buy the rights to enslave the people of Israel, believing they would be easily conquered. There was no joy in Jacob and all celebration ceased. Judas and his brothers knew of the king’s plan for their utter destruction. They saw that they were now hemmed in on every border by the enemy. That day the Israelites tore their clothes, covered themselves with sackcloth and ashes, and gathered at the place of prayer in Mizpah. While the Gentiles were busy consulting their idols, the priests read from the book of the law and cried out to heaven, “Your sanctuary has been stepped on and soiled. Your holy priests are humiliated and in mourning. The Gentiles are arrayed against us to destroy us, and you