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Matthew 24:15
So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand) … From Cain to Nebuchadnezzar, everyone who tried to conquer the Jewish, the People of the Covenant, did it forcefully through land and military conquest. In his Jewish Antiquities, Flavius Josephus gives a detailed account of Alexander the Great's visit to Jerusalem and the transpiring events that caused him not to invade and destroy it. Even though Alexander the Great did not conduct a military campaign against Jerusalem, the Hellenic empire is responsible for the historically most successful conquest of the People of God, and that through cultural assimilation. The Western philosophical Greek is as opposite to the Eastern covenantal Jew as day is opposite from night, but is commonly said, 'opposites attract!' When Israel had gotten truly addicted to Hellenism and even had a Greek appointed corrupt Jewish High-Priest, all Antiochus Epiphanes thought he had to do was to send his emissary with a list of reforms to put all of Judaism into his evil hands. He didn't expect the Maccabee revolt. From where I stand, the Maccabees may have won the war and rededicated the Temple, Antiochus Epiphanes may be dead, but the form of Anti-Semitism that he taught is still alive and vibrant. In his great graciousness and compassion Hashem gave us His Messiah. This Jewish, Righteous, and Torah-observant Messiah was high-jacked by Greco-Roman believers who in less than two hundred years displayed Him as a Roman god dressed as a Greek Adonis teaching Greek philosophy. Under a twisted ignorant interpretation of Paul's epistles, this identity theft of our Messiah included the same set of religious reforms initiated by Antiochus Epiphanes which are to stop observing the Sabbath, practicing circumcision, eating according to biblical dietary laws, and studying theology as per the Torah. As a Jewish believer, I find myself in awe that today, my non-Jewish brothers live by the same religious reforms as those pushed by Antiochus Epiphanes and even find myself shunned from their fellowship as one whose, to say the least, theology is overly influenced by Judaism. I wonder what Yeshua would think of the fact that if I want fellowship with non-Jewish believers, I have to live by Antiochus Epiphanes rules. It may be OK for others, but Jewish believers need another Chanukah revolt where with Matthias Maccabee we say "NO" to Antiochus Epiphanes' rules and live our faith in Messiah according to the terms of the covenant Hashem gave to His people. Maybe that Day will be the Day of Messiah. May Hashem give us another Matthias Maccabee who will stand for us and lead us into the cultural battle to defeat Antiochus Epiphanes once and for all! May it be soon Abba, even in our days.
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John 10:10-11, 22
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, Tonight is the first night of Chanukah. This evening the majority of Jews around the world, believers and non-believers alike, will remember this joyous event by lighting the first candle of the nine branch candelabrum. Since this week we are also looking at the story of Joseph, let us find a connection. Just like there are many foreshadows of Messiah, there are also many foreshadows of the Anti-Messiah. Like many did before him and others continued after him, Antiochus Epiphanes established himself on the world of his day to bring darkness, fear, sorrow and perdition to God’s people. Joseph on the other hand was established on the world of his day to bring light, safety, joy, and the redemption of God’s people. We could therefore think of the story of Joseph as a ‘Chanukah’ in reverse. Our Master Yeshua taught us that Chanukah was a foreshadow of events yet to come (Matthew 24:15-31). When He went to Jerusalem to celebrate this glorious festival He used the opportunity to teach us about the evil one, about the false shepherd and the thief that will one day manifest himself and devour God’s flock (John 10:1-22). Yes, there will be another ‘Chanukah’. Its story echoes the ones of Passover with Moses, and that of Purim with Mordechai and Queen Esther. At that time, may we remember that as there was a Pharaoh, a Haman, and an Antiochus Epiphanes who all willed the annihilation of God’s people if they did not conform, there will also be a Moses, a Mordechai, and a Mathias Maccabee who will rescue us away from the hands of the Evil One. Yes, at that time The Good Shepherd, Our Mashiach, like David of old who killed a lion and bear to protect the flocks of his father (1 Samuel 17:34-36), will come and rescue us from the hands the Evil One. May we when that time comes be found on the right side of History! Revelations 19:16
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Bible luminaries of the past have established themes between the Torah and the prophetic books. Look at, 'Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years', along with, 'Now King David was old and advanced in years' which our sages have put together (Genesis 24:1; 1 Kings 1:1). It seems that the events behind these introductory clauses belong to a cosmic dimension. In both following narrations, the old patriarchs establish one of their sons as the sole carriers of their dynasty. Both heirs also have an older brother from their father's previous wife, and both older brothers would be jealous for the position of their chosen sibling. Samuel's narration in the Book of Kings tells us that Adonijah, the oldest of David's sons alive, tried to pull a fast one on his father by organizing his own coronation behind his back. When Bat-Shebah (meaning: Daughter of an Oath) found out, she quickly reminded her old husband of his oath that Solomon should be king after him (leave it to a Mom to stand up for her son to be king). David immediately took action sending Solomon to a coronation ceremony. The people of Jerusalem were seeing two concurrent coronations and were faced with a choice of leader: the one whom the king had appointed, and the one who appointed himself. The choice was easy to make for those who were loyal to God in the House of David, for only Solomon had with him the king's prophet, the king's priest, the King's mule, and the oil from the Temple for the anointing. All Adonijah had was Joab, David's disgruntled general, and a corrupt priest. When the people who ignorantly followed Adonijah found out they had been fooled, they immediately gathered around Solomon who ushered in Israel a time when everyone sat under their own vine and fig tree, thus foreshadowing the Messianic era that will one cover the earth as the waters cover the sea "; may it come soon, Abba, even in our days" (1 kings 4:25; Micah 4:4). This is such a repetitive theme. Ishmael contended for Isaac's inheritance; Esau for Jacob's, and Adonijah for Solomon's. Even so now, there is One who from the creation of man contends for Messiah's Kingship over us. Until today, much like Adonijah, he tries to fool the ignorant, the rebellious, and the disgruntled into making him king over them, thus stealing the crown of the Only Legal Heir on the throne of David. In ignorance, some may get fooled by a counterfeit pretender for a while, but when the true King descends from the Throne of the Father, the Only One whom the Father sends, the One who is also called the Prophet, the Priest according to the Order of Melchizedek; when this True One anointed with the oil of the Spirit and mounted on the vesting of Hashem's authority comes, may we all gather together around Him to give glory, loyalty, and honor. Long Live the King! |
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