Books Jesus Read

32

Books Jesus Read

events, for none of his plans nor the king’s purposes had been accomplished. The following year, therefore, Lysias himself mustered a vast army of sixty thousand infantrymen and five thousand horsemen. They came to Idumea and set up camp at Bethsura, where Judas met them with a force of ten thousand men. When Judas saw the mighty army he prayed, “Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel ( 1 Chr 29:10 )! It was you who defeated mighty warriors through your servant David and delivered the camp of the Philistines into the hand of Jonathan and his armorbearer. Deliver, therefore, this enemy into the hand of your people Israel. Let them be humiliated by the performance of their infantry and calvary. Fill them with fear and melt their courage. Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, so that all who know you will sing your praises!” Lysias watched as his vast army melted away before the onslaught of Judas’ force. He understood that, to a man, the rebels were prepared to die rather than be defeated. Then he withdrew to Antioch to prepared for his next invasion by mustering an even larger force made up of hired mercenaries. Having repelled the Gentile forces from Judea, Judas and his brothers decided to return to the sanctuary and inspect the damage done by Antiochus Epiphanes. When they got to Mount Zion, they were shocked to discover the temple gates destroyed by fire and its entrance and courtyard overgrown with weeds and thorns. The sanctuary itself was dark, having been abandoned for some time. The priests’ quarters were destroyed and the entire scene was one of desolation. Then they tore their robes and fell on their faces. The soldiers blew the trumpets again, but this