- HOME
- MESSIAH
- THE BODY OF MESSIAH
- ONE NEW MAN
- THE OLIVE TREE
- THE BRANCHES
- LAW AND GRACE
- UNITY
- OBEDIENCE
- KINGDOM LIVING
- UNIVERSAL CHURCH
- BIBLICAL HOLIDAYS
- MESSIANIC
-
SCRIPTURE INSIGHTS
- WISDOM
- WORSHIP
- TRUTH
- PRAYER
- THE TRINITY
- THE ANNOINTED ONE
- WHAT IS SIN?
- FORGIVENESS
- ANTICHRIST
- FAITH BUILDERS
- BRIDGE OF UNDERSTANDING
- TABERNACLE
- THINGS TO PONDER
- DISTORTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY
- ISRAEL
-
RELIGIOUS HISTORY
- FAITH THROUGH THE CENTURIES
- THE END TIMES
- RAPTURE
- OUR COMMISSION
- HEAVEN
- GLOBAL VISION
- BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW
- DEVOTIONALS
- SALVATION
- ENCOURAGEMENT
- GIVING
- BIBLE TOOLS
- RESOURCES
- ABOUT THIS SITE
- MISSION STATEMENT
- DEDICATION
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- GUEST BOOK
- BLOG
198 BC SELEUCIDS GAIN COMPLETE CONTROL OF PALESTINE
In 203 BC, Antiochus III (r. 223-187 BC) initiated his final and decisive campaign against the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt to gain control of Palestine. The final victory came at Paneas in northern Galilee in 198 BC, when his Syrian army defeated the Egyptian army of Ptolemy V (r. 203-181 BC). At first the Jewish community welcomed the new Seleucid rulers. Historian Josephus (AD 37-100) attests to the favor granted early on in Seleucid rule to the Jews who had opened the gates of Jerusalem for Antiochus and his army. However, the good relations were not to endure as Seleucid rulers sought to impose more and more Greek culture on the Jews. Religious quarrels ensued and tension mounted until the Jewish revolt of the Maccabees in the mid-second century BC.
167 BC FIRST ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION OCCURS
The first abomination of desolation occurred on December 25, 167 BC. On that date, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Seleucid king from 175 to 164 BC, ordered that an altar to Zeus be built on top of the altar of burnt offering in the Jerusalem Temple. Antiochus IV Epiphanes then offered swine flesh to Zeus on the altar. Daniel 11:31 prophesies of this as "setting up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration." This act led ultimately to the Maccabean revolt.
THE MANIFESTATION OF ZEUS
December 16, 167 BC
It happened just as the Bible said it would.
After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, four of his generals divided up his kingdom among themselves, with Seleucus gaining control of Syria and Ptolemy controlling Egypt. Palestine was under the rule of the Ptolemies until 198 BC, when the Seleucids won control.
During the early reign of the Seleucids, the Jews enjoyed a period of brief tranquil-ity. The Seleucid ruler Antioch us III permitted the Jewish people to worship according to their law.
In 187 BC, Antiochus III was succeeded by his eldest son, Seleucus IV Philopater, and then by his youngest son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, in 175 BC.
The kingdom inherited by Antiochus IV Epiphanes was unstable. Antiochus IV's remedy for this was a vigorous program of Hellenization, introducing Greek culture throughout his kingdom. In his mind one of the unifying factors was religion. Therefore in about 169 BC, he began encouraging his subjects to worship him as the manifestation of Zeus. On coins his image bore the words Theos Epiphanes, meaning "the manifest god." However, his enemies changed just one Greek letter in his name, making it Epimanes, meaning "madman."
One of the first disputes that Antiochus IV had to settle was between the Jewish high priest Onias III, who supported Egypt, and his brother Jason, who was a supporter of the Seleucids. By out-bribing Onias, Jason secured the high priesthood and made Jerusalem a Greek city (1 Maccabees 1:10-15; 2 Maccabees 4:7-17). In 171 BC, Jason's friend Menelaus bid even more than Jason for the high priesthood, and Antiochus, needing money, gave the position to him, even though Menelaus was not a descendant of Aaron and thus was not qualified for the office. Jason fled as a result (2 Maccabees 4:23-29).
Menelaus then plundered the temple, causing a riot. Jason returned to help the Jerusalemites avenge the mistreatment of their house of worship. Antiochus interpreted the attack on his high priest as a revolt against himself and determined to subdue Jerusalem. Returning there with Menelaus, he robbed the temple of its remaining treasures and left the city in the control of one of his commanders (1 Maccabees 1:20-29; 2 Maccabees 5:11-22).
In his self-appointed role as Zeus manifest, Antiochus ordered the elimination of the Jewish religion. He ordered the destruction of all copies of the Torah and forbade Jews to keep the Sabbath, to offer sacrifices, or to circumcise.
The ultimate desecration of the Jewish Temple occurred on December 16, 167 BC, when Antiochus ordered that an altar of Zeus be built on top of the altar of burnt offering. There swine's flesh was offered to Zeus (1 Maccabees 1:41-64; 2 Maccabees 6:1-11).
Nearly four hundred years earlier, the prophet Daniel had prophesied this exact event in Daniel 11:11-32. Antiochus fulfilled the prophecy precisely when his army took over "the Temple fortress, polluting the sanctuary, putting a stop to the daily sacrifices, and setting up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration" (Daniel 11:31).
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
167 BC MATTATHIAS AND SONS REBEL
In response to the persecutions instituted by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175-164 BC), the Maccabean revolt began in 167 BC. In the town of Modein, eighteen miles from Jerusalem, an aged priest named Mattathias (d. 166 BC) killed a Jewish man who had come to sacrifice to the heathen gods as commanded by Antiochus. He also killed the Syrian officer who had come to supervise the sacrifice. Mattathias called on all who were zealous for the Law to follow him and his sons to the mountains to overthrow the Syrians. Mattathias died the next year, but his five sons and their followers carried on guerrilla-type warfare from the mountains against the Syrian forces of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. They tore down pagan altars, attacked at night, and forcibly circumcised children.
166 BC JUDAS MACCABEUS LEADS A REVOLT
In 166 BC, following the death of the priest Mattathias who started the Maccabean rebellion, his third son, Judas Maccabeus (d. 161 BC), became the leader of the rebel movement. He proved to be a competent military chief and earned the nickname Maccabee, which means "the hammerer." The rebels fought the Syrian forces of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175-164 BC), who also were at war with the Parthians. In 165 BC, the Syrian regent Lysias was forced to make peace with Judas and to withdraw the decrees against Jewish worship practices because he did not have enough soldiers to fight on two fronts. Judas then marched to Jerusalem, and amidst great celebration the Temple was solemnly cleansed and the worship of God restored. This event is commemorated annually at the feast of Hanukkah.
161 BC JUDAS MACCABEUS DEFEATS NICANOR
In 161 BC, Judas Maccabeus had his final military victory in the Battle of Adasa over the Seleucid general Nicanor. Following the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175-164 BC), his nephew Demetrius I (r. 162-150 BC) ascended the throne after killing Antiochus' son and his general. Demetrius appointed the pro-Syrian Alcimus as high priest in 161 BC. He then sent a large Syrian force under the leadership of Nicanor to oppose Judas. The two forces met at Kapharsalama, and Judas was victorious. In response, Nicanor vented his wrath on the priests in Jerusalem and threatened to destroy the Temple. Judas then faced Nicanor at the Battle of Adasa in Judea in 161 BC. Nicanor died in the battle, and his army was completely routed by Judas' forces. The Jews celebrate the thirteenth of Adara on the Jewish calendar as Nicanor's Day.
WHO WERE THE MACCABEES?
March 9, 161 BC
They won against all odds.
On December 16, 167 BC, the Syrian ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes had committed the ultimate desecration of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. He offered the flesh of a pig as a sacrifice to Zeus on an altar constructed over the altar of burnt offering (1 Maccabees 1:41-64; 2 Maccabees 6:1-11; Daniel 11:31).
The following year, Antiochus commanded everyone in Palestine to sacrifice to the heathen gods under the supervision of an imperial representative. Mattathias, an aged priest, had moved with his family to the village of Modein to try to escape the idolatry of Antiochus. But Antiochus' officers finally came to Modein. Mattathias and his sons were forced to assemble along with the other villagers before an altar the officers had built (1 Maccabees 2:1-18).
When a Jew came forward to offer his sacrifice to the heathen gods, Mattathias ran up and killed him on the altar. He then killed the officer who had commanded them to sacrifice and tore down the altar (1 Maccabees 2:23-26). Then Mattathias and his sons fled into the hills, where many Jews followed them (1 Maccabees 2:27-30).
From the hills they conducted guerilla warfare, with leadership passing to Mattathias' son Judas. Judas was called Maccabeus, which means "hammer," because of the blows he inflicted on the Syrians. The name was applied to Judas' brothers and then to all who took part in the rebellion.
The first battles of the Maccabean Revolt during the 160s BC were against the Syrian army led by Nicanor. In 166 BC, the Syrians were so sure that Nicanor would defeat Judas that they brought traders along to buy Jewish slaves. However, the Maccabees were victorious.
In 164 BC, after three years of fighting, Judas won control of Jerusalem. He cleansed and rededicated the Temple with "songs and harps and lutes, and cymbals" (1 Maccabees 4:54). The eight-day celebration was the beginning of Hanukkah, the Jewish Feast of Dedication, or Lights.
The fight was ongoing. The leaders of Syria changed, but Nicanor continued as commander in chief of the Syrian forces waging war against the Maccabees.
Finally in 161 BC, the Syrian ruler—now Demetrius I Soter, the nephew of Antiochus IV Epiphanes—sent Nicanor and his army one more time against Judas Maccabeus. Before the battle on March 9, 161 BC, Judas prayed, "By the might of thy arm may these blasphemers who come against thy holy people be struck down" (2 Maccabees 15:23-24). God answered. Judas was victorious, and Nicanor was killed. The Jews celebrate this day as Nicanor's Day.
Although as the years passed the Maccabean dynasty became less noble in their purposes, the independent nation they established lasted until 63 BC, when Pompey established a Roman protectorate over Palestine.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
160 BC JONATHAN BECOMES LEADER OF THE MACCABEES
Following the death of Judas Maccabeus in 161 BC, his youngest brother, Jonathan (d. 143 BC), became the leader of the Maccabean party. For eight years he fought a guerilla war against the Syrian armies of the Seleucid dynasty. Internal strife among the Seleucids distracted their attention from fighting against Jonathan, and he grew in power until he was the effective ruler of all Judea. Rivals attempting to sit on the Seleucid throne then solicited his support, and in 153 BC, Alexander Balas, a contender for the throne, appointed Jonathan as high priest. In 150 BC, Jonathan was also appointed as the official military and civil governor of Judea. Jonathan continued to exploit the weakness of the Seleucid dynasty until he was treacherously killed in 143 BC by a false ally.
154 BC JEWISH TEMPLE IS BUILT IN LEONTOPOLIS, EGYPT
Having fled the persecution of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175-164 BC), Onias IV built a Jewish temple at Leontopolis, Egypt, with the permission of Cleopatra (69-30 BC). Onias IV was the son of Onias III (high priest 190-172 BC), the high priest at Jerusalem before the persecution erupted. The temple in Leontopolis imitated the Jerusalem Temple, but was smaller and less elaborate. It was built on an artificial mound and resembled a tower. The temple remained in use until the Roman emperor Vespasian (AD 9-79) shut it down in AD 73, three years after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, fearing that it might become a new center for Jewish rebellion. Vespasian then confiscated the interior furnishings of the Temple for his personal treasury.
142 BC HIGH PRIEST SIMON MACCABEUS ESTABLISHES HASMONEAN DYNASTY
In approximately 142 BC, Simon Maccabeus succeeded his brother Jonathan (d. 143 BC) as the high priest and ruler of Judea. Simon was a shrewd diplomat and secured Judea's independence from the Seleucid king Demetrius II (r. 145-138 BC), releasing the Jews from their obligation to pay tribute to the Syrian kings. In 140 BC, the Jewish popular assembly decided that in light of the accomplishments of Simon and his brothers, Simon should be appointed as the national governor, the commander in chief of the army, and the hereditary high priest. These titles were passed on to his descendants and successors in what was known as the Hasmonean Dynasty. In approximately 134 BC, Simon was assassinated by the Ptolemies of Egypt, who were trying to gain power in Judea.
134 BC JOHN HYRCANUS COMES TO POWER
John Hyrcanus (d. 104 BC), the son of Simon Maccabeus (d. 134 BC), came to power in approximately 134 BC, after the death of his father. For the first few years that John Hyrcanus ruled, the Seleucid king Antiochus VII (r. 139-130 BC) imposed taxes on Judea. However, the death of Antiochus VII in approximately 130 BC in a battle with the Parthians proved to be the decisive end of Seleucid power over Judea. Thus, Judea firmly established its national independence under the reign of John Hyrcanus. He reigned until his death in 104 BC, when he was succeeded by his son Aristobulus I.
104 BC ARISTOBULUS RULES JUDEA
Following John Hyrcanus' death (d. 104 BC), his son Aristobulus I ruled for one year, from 104 to 103 BC. He carried on the conquests his father had begun and forced the Galileans to accept the Jewish religion. According to historian Josephus (AD 37-100), Aristobulus I wore a crown and took the title of "king" rather than "ethnarch," as his father and grandfather had been called.
He hoped that this would cause the neighboring Gentiles to hold him in higher esteem. However, he died in 103 BC and was succeeded by his brother, Alexander Janneus (d. 76 BC).
102 BC ALEXANDER JANNEUS RULES JUDEA
When Aristobulus I, the high priest and ruler of Judea, died in 102 BC, his brother Alexander Janneus (d. 76 BC) succeeded him as high priest and proclaimed himself king. He also married Salome Alexandra (d. 67 BC), the widow of Aristobulus. Janneus was a ruthless ruler, even killing one of his own brothers. In a six-year civil war with the Pharisees, his mercenaries killed more than fifty thousand Jews. Despite the nation's internal turmoil under his reign, Janneus proved competent militarily and successfully led campaigns both to keep out invaders and to extend the borders of Judea. At the end of his reign, he ruled more territory than any Judean king had since Solomon. When he died in battle in 76 BC, his wife, Alexandra, ascended to the throne.
76 BC SALOME ALEXANDRA RULES JUDEA
Upon the death of her husband, King Alexander Janneus (d. 76 BC), Salome Alexandra (d. 67 BC) ascended to the throne as queen of Judea. Peace marked her ten-year reign. As enemies kept their distance from Jerusalem, the city enjoyed a season of political, economical, and religious advancement. This season of stability also brought an increased number of pilgrims to Jerusalem and donations from Jews scattered abroad. Alexandra welcomed the Pharisees, who were rising quickly in prominence, to join the Sanhedrin; she stripped privileges and leadership posts from Sadducees who were hostile to the Pharisees. In 67 BC, Alexandra died, and civil war over the throne soon ensued between her sons Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC) and Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC).
66 BC ARISTOBULUS II AND HYRCANUS II BATTLE
When Queen Salome Alexandra of Judea, died in 67 BC, her sons Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC) and Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC) competed for the throne. Meeting in battle near Jericho, Aristobulus was victorious, and Hyrcanus conceded defeat on condition that he be left alone. Hyrcanus' followers, however, refused to live with defeat and soon convinced him to seek the backing of foreign armies. They stormed Judea, overcame Aristobulus' army, and laid siege to the Temple where Aristobulus took refuge in 65 BC at the time of Passover. Meanwhile, the Roman general Pompey, who was conquering Asia Minor, sent a representative to Syria. Both Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II sent emissaries offering money for Roman support.
63 BC POMPEY CONQUERS PALESTINE; ROMAN RULE BEGINS
In 63 BC, Roman general Pompey (106-48 BC), who recently had arrived in the new Roman-controlled territory of Syria, swept into Palestine seeking to settle the dispute between brothers Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC) and Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC), who both claimed control of Palestine. Pompey conquered Jerusalem after a three-month siege and reinstated Hyrcanus II as high priest. The Roman rule that Pompey subsequently established over Palestine would last more than seven centuries. When civil war erupted between Pompey and Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) in 49 BC, Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated in 48 BC.
63 BC HYRCANUS II RULES UNDER ROME
In 63 BC, Roman general Pompey (106-48 BC) conquered Palestine for Rome, thereby settling the civil war between brothers Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC) and Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC). Pompey initially supported Aristobulus, who had been hiding in the Temple, but the following year he installed Hyrcanus II as high priest and sent Aristobulus away, captive to Rome. Hyrcanus ruled Palestine under Rome along with Antipater, whom Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) appointed regent over Palestine in 48 BC, until 40 BC when Hyrcanus was removed by Aristobulus' son, Antigonus (d. 37 BC), with help from the Parthians.
44 BC JULIUS CAESAR DIES; CAESAR AUGUSTUS REIGNS
On the eve of March 15, 44 BC, Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) indicated in conversation that he desired his death to be "a sudden one." The next day Caesar was attacked and murdered by a group led by his friend Brutus (85-42 BC). Before his death, Caesar had named his grandnephew, Gaius Octavian (63 BC-AD 14), his heir. After Caesar's death, Octavian eventually defeated the challenge of Mark Antony (83-30 BC) and consolidated his power in 30 BC. Octavian, who later was called "Caesar Augustus" in honor of his accomplishments, referred to his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, as a god and allowed others to call him "the son of god." His accomplishment of bringing peace to the world also brought him the title "savior." However, it was under his reign that the true Son of God and Savior of the world was born, not in a palace in Rome, but in a manger in Bethlehem.
40 BC PARTHIANS CONQUER JERUSALEM
In 40 BC, Antigonus (d. 37 BC), son of former Judean king Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC), joined with the Parthians and stormed Jerusalem to unseat his uncle Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC). Fighting in Jerusalem continued until the Parthians tricked Hyrcanus into meeting in Galilee for peace talks. There he was captured and mutilated to disqualify him from serving as high priest in any future regime, and Antigonus was made king. Meanwhile, Herod (73-4 BC), the Judean governor, fled to Rome to seek help from Octavian (63 BC-AD 14) and Mark Antony (83-30 BC). They declared Herod the rightful king. In the spring of 37 BC, Antony's promise of military help came to fruition, and Herod marched into Jerusalem with two legions of Roman soldiers.
37 BC JERUSALEM SUFFERS A SIX-MONTH SIEGE
In the spring of 37 BC, Herod (73-4 BC) came to the defense of Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC) and laid siege to Jerusalem with the aid of two legions of Roman soldiers commissioned by Mark Antony (83-30 BC). By the summer of 37 BC, the Roman army proved too strong and Jerusalem fell to Rome. Herod bribed Sossius—the commander of Antony's army—and his Roman soldiers to refrain from laying waste to the Temple, their intended course of action. At Herod's behest, the Romans beheaded Antigonus, and Herod married Hyrcanus' granddaughter, Mariamne, strengthening his right to the throne in the eyes of the Judeans. In 31 BC, Herod charged Hyrcanus with treason and executed him in 30 BC to prevent Roman emperor Augustus from putting any descendants of the Maccabees in charge of Judea.
27 BC THE TITLE "AUGUSTUS" IS BESTOWED ON OCTAVIAN
Following the assassination of Julius Caesar (100-44 BC), his grandnephew Octavian (63 BC-AD 14) proceeded to Rome to claim the throne. Octavian allied himself with Mark Antony (83-30 BC) and Lepidus to form the triumvirate that ruled the Roman Empire in Caesar's stead. Before long, Octavian won over Lepidus' troops and divided the empire with Antony. When Antony chose to pursue Cleopatra (69-30 BC) over Octavian's sister, Octavian used it as a cause for civil war and narrowly defeated Antony, garnering sole control of the empire in 30 BC. In 27 BC, the senate honored Octavian with the title Augustus, meaning "exalted." Stability and technological advancement marked his rule. His census decree in 6 BC brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem for Jesus' birth (Luke 2:1), in approximately 5 BC. Augustus died in AD 14, leaving Tiberius as his successor.
19 BC HEROD'S TEMPLE RESTORATION BEGINS
When Herod (73-4 BC) ascended to the throne of Judea in 37 BC, with the help and protection of Rome, his authority over the region was limited by the regal presence of Mark Antony (83-30 BC). But after Antony's death in 30 BC, Herod discovered much more leeway and soon embarked on a building program of remarkable magnitude throughout Palestine. Among the impressive roads, fortresses, and palaces, the highlight for the Jews was the restoration and renovation of the Temple, which commenced in 19 BC. The Temple grounds were expanded to 36 acres, and the Temple itself reached its culmination of beauty. This unparalleled structure served as the Temple throughout Jesus' life.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
In 203 BC, Antiochus III (r. 223-187 BC) initiated his final and decisive campaign against the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt to gain control of Palestine. The final victory came at Paneas in northern Galilee in 198 BC, when his Syrian army defeated the Egyptian army of Ptolemy V (r. 203-181 BC). At first the Jewish community welcomed the new Seleucid rulers. Historian Josephus (AD 37-100) attests to the favor granted early on in Seleucid rule to the Jews who had opened the gates of Jerusalem for Antiochus and his army. However, the good relations were not to endure as Seleucid rulers sought to impose more and more Greek culture on the Jews. Religious quarrels ensued and tension mounted until the Jewish revolt of the Maccabees in the mid-second century BC.
167 BC FIRST ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION OCCURS
The first abomination of desolation occurred on December 25, 167 BC. On that date, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Seleucid king from 175 to 164 BC, ordered that an altar to Zeus be built on top of the altar of burnt offering in the Jerusalem Temple. Antiochus IV Epiphanes then offered swine flesh to Zeus on the altar. Daniel 11:31 prophesies of this as "setting up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration." This act led ultimately to the Maccabean revolt.
THE MANIFESTATION OF ZEUS
December 16, 167 BC
It happened just as the Bible said it would.
After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, four of his generals divided up his kingdom among themselves, with Seleucus gaining control of Syria and Ptolemy controlling Egypt. Palestine was under the rule of the Ptolemies until 198 BC, when the Seleucids won control.
During the early reign of the Seleucids, the Jews enjoyed a period of brief tranquil-ity. The Seleucid ruler Antioch us III permitted the Jewish people to worship according to their law.
In 187 BC, Antiochus III was succeeded by his eldest son, Seleucus IV Philopater, and then by his youngest son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, in 175 BC.
The kingdom inherited by Antiochus IV Epiphanes was unstable. Antiochus IV's remedy for this was a vigorous program of Hellenization, introducing Greek culture throughout his kingdom. In his mind one of the unifying factors was religion. Therefore in about 169 BC, he began encouraging his subjects to worship him as the manifestation of Zeus. On coins his image bore the words Theos Epiphanes, meaning "the manifest god." However, his enemies changed just one Greek letter in his name, making it Epimanes, meaning "madman."
One of the first disputes that Antiochus IV had to settle was between the Jewish high priest Onias III, who supported Egypt, and his brother Jason, who was a supporter of the Seleucids. By out-bribing Onias, Jason secured the high priesthood and made Jerusalem a Greek city (1 Maccabees 1:10-15; 2 Maccabees 4:7-17). In 171 BC, Jason's friend Menelaus bid even more than Jason for the high priesthood, and Antiochus, needing money, gave the position to him, even though Menelaus was not a descendant of Aaron and thus was not qualified for the office. Jason fled as a result (2 Maccabees 4:23-29).
Menelaus then plundered the temple, causing a riot. Jason returned to help the Jerusalemites avenge the mistreatment of their house of worship. Antiochus interpreted the attack on his high priest as a revolt against himself and determined to subdue Jerusalem. Returning there with Menelaus, he robbed the temple of its remaining treasures and left the city in the control of one of his commanders (1 Maccabees 1:20-29; 2 Maccabees 5:11-22).
In his self-appointed role as Zeus manifest, Antiochus ordered the elimination of the Jewish religion. He ordered the destruction of all copies of the Torah and forbade Jews to keep the Sabbath, to offer sacrifices, or to circumcise.
The ultimate desecration of the Jewish Temple occurred on December 16, 167 BC, when Antiochus ordered that an altar of Zeus be built on top of the altar of burnt offering. There swine's flesh was offered to Zeus (1 Maccabees 1:41-64; 2 Maccabees 6:1-11).
Nearly four hundred years earlier, the prophet Daniel had prophesied this exact event in Daniel 11:11-32. Antiochus fulfilled the prophecy precisely when his army took over "the Temple fortress, polluting the sanctuary, putting a stop to the daily sacrifices, and setting up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration" (Daniel 11:31).
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
167 BC MATTATHIAS AND SONS REBEL
In response to the persecutions instituted by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175-164 BC), the Maccabean revolt began in 167 BC. In the town of Modein, eighteen miles from Jerusalem, an aged priest named Mattathias (d. 166 BC) killed a Jewish man who had come to sacrifice to the heathen gods as commanded by Antiochus. He also killed the Syrian officer who had come to supervise the sacrifice. Mattathias called on all who were zealous for the Law to follow him and his sons to the mountains to overthrow the Syrians. Mattathias died the next year, but his five sons and their followers carried on guerrilla-type warfare from the mountains against the Syrian forces of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. They tore down pagan altars, attacked at night, and forcibly circumcised children.
166 BC JUDAS MACCABEUS LEADS A REVOLT
In 166 BC, following the death of the priest Mattathias who started the Maccabean rebellion, his third son, Judas Maccabeus (d. 161 BC), became the leader of the rebel movement. He proved to be a competent military chief and earned the nickname Maccabee, which means "the hammerer." The rebels fought the Syrian forces of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175-164 BC), who also were at war with the Parthians. In 165 BC, the Syrian regent Lysias was forced to make peace with Judas and to withdraw the decrees against Jewish worship practices because he did not have enough soldiers to fight on two fronts. Judas then marched to Jerusalem, and amidst great celebration the Temple was solemnly cleansed and the worship of God restored. This event is commemorated annually at the feast of Hanukkah.
161 BC JUDAS MACCABEUS DEFEATS NICANOR
In 161 BC, Judas Maccabeus had his final military victory in the Battle of Adasa over the Seleucid general Nicanor. Following the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175-164 BC), his nephew Demetrius I (r. 162-150 BC) ascended the throne after killing Antiochus' son and his general. Demetrius appointed the pro-Syrian Alcimus as high priest in 161 BC. He then sent a large Syrian force under the leadership of Nicanor to oppose Judas. The two forces met at Kapharsalama, and Judas was victorious. In response, Nicanor vented his wrath on the priests in Jerusalem and threatened to destroy the Temple. Judas then faced Nicanor at the Battle of Adasa in Judea in 161 BC. Nicanor died in the battle, and his army was completely routed by Judas' forces. The Jews celebrate the thirteenth of Adara on the Jewish calendar as Nicanor's Day.
WHO WERE THE MACCABEES?
March 9, 161 BC
They won against all odds.
On December 16, 167 BC, the Syrian ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes had committed the ultimate desecration of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. He offered the flesh of a pig as a sacrifice to Zeus on an altar constructed over the altar of burnt offering (1 Maccabees 1:41-64; 2 Maccabees 6:1-11; Daniel 11:31).
The following year, Antiochus commanded everyone in Palestine to sacrifice to the heathen gods under the supervision of an imperial representative. Mattathias, an aged priest, had moved with his family to the village of Modein to try to escape the idolatry of Antiochus. But Antiochus' officers finally came to Modein. Mattathias and his sons were forced to assemble along with the other villagers before an altar the officers had built (1 Maccabees 2:1-18).
When a Jew came forward to offer his sacrifice to the heathen gods, Mattathias ran up and killed him on the altar. He then killed the officer who had commanded them to sacrifice and tore down the altar (1 Maccabees 2:23-26). Then Mattathias and his sons fled into the hills, where many Jews followed them (1 Maccabees 2:27-30).
From the hills they conducted guerilla warfare, with leadership passing to Mattathias' son Judas. Judas was called Maccabeus, which means "hammer," because of the blows he inflicted on the Syrians. The name was applied to Judas' brothers and then to all who took part in the rebellion.
The first battles of the Maccabean Revolt during the 160s BC were against the Syrian army led by Nicanor. In 166 BC, the Syrians were so sure that Nicanor would defeat Judas that they brought traders along to buy Jewish slaves. However, the Maccabees were victorious.
In 164 BC, after three years of fighting, Judas won control of Jerusalem. He cleansed and rededicated the Temple with "songs and harps and lutes, and cymbals" (1 Maccabees 4:54). The eight-day celebration was the beginning of Hanukkah, the Jewish Feast of Dedication, or Lights.
The fight was ongoing. The leaders of Syria changed, but Nicanor continued as commander in chief of the Syrian forces waging war against the Maccabees.
Finally in 161 BC, the Syrian ruler—now Demetrius I Soter, the nephew of Antiochus IV Epiphanes—sent Nicanor and his army one more time against Judas Maccabeus. Before the battle on March 9, 161 BC, Judas prayed, "By the might of thy arm may these blasphemers who come against thy holy people be struck down" (2 Maccabees 15:23-24). God answered. Judas was victorious, and Nicanor was killed. The Jews celebrate this day as Nicanor's Day.
Although as the years passed the Maccabean dynasty became less noble in their purposes, the independent nation they established lasted until 63 BC, when Pompey established a Roman protectorate over Palestine.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
160 BC JONATHAN BECOMES LEADER OF THE MACCABEES
Following the death of Judas Maccabeus in 161 BC, his youngest brother, Jonathan (d. 143 BC), became the leader of the Maccabean party. For eight years he fought a guerilla war against the Syrian armies of the Seleucid dynasty. Internal strife among the Seleucids distracted their attention from fighting against Jonathan, and he grew in power until he was the effective ruler of all Judea. Rivals attempting to sit on the Seleucid throne then solicited his support, and in 153 BC, Alexander Balas, a contender for the throne, appointed Jonathan as high priest. In 150 BC, Jonathan was also appointed as the official military and civil governor of Judea. Jonathan continued to exploit the weakness of the Seleucid dynasty until he was treacherously killed in 143 BC by a false ally.
154 BC JEWISH TEMPLE IS BUILT IN LEONTOPOLIS, EGYPT
Having fled the persecution of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175-164 BC), Onias IV built a Jewish temple at Leontopolis, Egypt, with the permission of Cleopatra (69-30 BC). Onias IV was the son of Onias III (high priest 190-172 BC), the high priest at Jerusalem before the persecution erupted. The temple in Leontopolis imitated the Jerusalem Temple, but was smaller and less elaborate. It was built on an artificial mound and resembled a tower. The temple remained in use until the Roman emperor Vespasian (AD 9-79) shut it down in AD 73, three years after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, fearing that it might become a new center for Jewish rebellion. Vespasian then confiscated the interior furnishings of the Temple for his personal treasury.
142 BC HIGH PRIEST SIMON MACCABEUS ESTABLISHES HASMONEAN DYNASTY
In approximately 142 BC, Simon Maccabeus succeeded his brother Jonathan (d. 143 BC) as the high priest and ruler of Judea. Simon was a shrewd diplomat and secured Judea's independence from the Seleucid king Demetrius II (r. 145-138 BC), releasing the Jews from their obligation to pay tribute to the Syrian kings. In 140 BC, the Jewish popular assembly decided that in light of the accomplishments of Simon and his brothers, Simon should be appointed as the national governor, the commander in chief of the army, and the hereditary high priest. These titles were passed on to his descendants and successors in what was known as the Hasmonean Dynasty. In approximately 134 BC, Simon was assassinated by the Ptolemies of Egypt, who were trying to gain power in Judea.
134 BC JOHN HYRCANUS COMES TO POWER
John Hyrcanus (d. 104 BC), the son of Simon Maccabeus (d. 134 BC), came to power in approximately 134 BC, after the death of his father. For the first few years that John Hyrcanus ruled, the Seleucid king Antiochus VII (r. 139-130 BC) imposed taxes on Judea. However, the death of Antiochus VII in approximately 130 BC in a battle with the Parthians proved to be the decisive end of Seleucid power over Judea. Thus, Judea firmly established its national independence under the reign of John Hyrcanus. He reigned until his death in 104 BC, when he was succeeded by his son Aristobulus I.
104 BC ARISTOBULUS RULES JUDEA
Following John Hyrcanus' death (d. 104 BC), his son Aristobulus I ruled for one year, from 104 to 103 BC. He carried on the conquests his father had begun and forced the Galileans to accept the Jewish religion. According to historian Josephus (AD 37-100), Aristobulus I wore a crown and took the title of "king" rather than "ethnarch," as his father and grandfather had been called.
He hoped that this would cause the neighboring Gentiles to hold him in higher esteem. However, he died in 103 BC and was succeeded by his brother, Alexander Janneus (d. 76 BC).
102 BC ALEXANDER JANNEUS RULES JUDEA
When Aristobulus I, the high priest and ruler of Judea, died in 102 BC, his brother Alexander Janneus (d. 76 BC) succeeded him as high priest and proclaimed himself king. He also married Salome Alexandra (d. 67 BC), the widow of Aristobulus. Janneus was a ruthless ruler, even killing one of his own brothers. In a six-year civil war with the Pharisees, his mercenaries killed more than fifty thousand Jews. Despite the nation's internal turmoil under his reign, Janneus proved competent militarily and successfully led campaigns both to keep out invaders and to extend the borders of Judea. At the end of his reign, he ruled more territory than any Judean king had since Solomon. When he died in battle in 76 BC, his wife, Alexandra, ascended to the throne.
76 BC SALOME ALEXANDRA RULES JUDEA
Upon the death of her husband, King Alexander Janneus (d. 76 BC), Salome Alexandra (d. 67 BC) ascended to the throne as queen of Judea. Peace marked her ten-year reign. As enemies kept their distance from Jerusalem, the city enjoyed a season of political, economical, and religious advancement. This season of stability also brought an increased number of pilgrims to Jerusalem and donations from Jews scattered abroad. Alexandra welcomed the Pharisees, who were rising quickly in prominence, to join the Sanhedrin; she stripped privileges and leadership posts from Sadducees who were hostile to the Pharisees. In 67 BC, Alexandra died, and civil war over the throne soon ensued between her sons Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC) and Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC).
66 BC ARISTOBULUS II AND HYRCANUS II BATTLE
When Queen Salome Alexandra of Judea, died in 67 BC, her sons Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC) and Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC) competed for the throne. Meeting in battle near Jericho, Aristobulus was victorious, and Hyrcanus conceded defeat on condition that he be left alone. Hyrcanus' followers, however, refused to live with defeat and soon convinced him to seek the backing of foreign armies. They stormed Judea, overcame Aristobulus' army, and laid siege to the Temple where Aristobulus took refuge in 65 BC at the time of Passover. Meanwhile, the Roman general Pompey, who was conquering Asia Minor, sent a representative to Syria. Both Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II sent emissaries offering money for Roman support.
63 BC POMPEY CONQUERS PALESTINE; ROMAN RULE BEGINS
In 63 BC, Roman general Pompey (106-48 BC), who recently had arrived in the new Roman-controlled territory of Syria, swept into Palestine seeking to settle the dispute between brothers Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC) and Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC), who both claimed control of Palestine. Pompey conquered Jerusalem after a three-month siege and reinstated Hyrcanus II as high priest. The Roman rule that Pompey subsequently established over Palestine would last more than seven centuries. When civil war erupted between Pompey and Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) in 49 BC, Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated in 48 BC.
63 BC HYRCANUS II RULES UNDER ROME
In 63 BC, Roman general Pompey (106-48 BC) conquered Palestine for Rome, thereby settling the civil war between brothers Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC) and Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC). Pompey initially supported Aristobulus, who had been hiding in the Temple, but the following year he installed Hyrcanus II as high priest and sent Aristobulus away, captive to Rome. Hyrcanus ruled Palestine under Rome along with Antipater, whom Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) appointed regent over Palestine in 48 BC, until 40 BC when Hyrcanus was removed by Aristobulus' son, Antigonus (d. 37 BC), with help from the Parthians.
44 BC JULIUS CAESAR DIES; CAESAR AUGUSTUS REIGNS
On the eve of March 15, 44 BC, Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) indicated in conversation that he desired his death to be "a sudden one." The next day Caesar was attacked and murdered by a group led by his friend Brutus (85-42 BC). Before his death, Caesar had named his grandnephew, Gaius Octavian (63 BC-AD 14), his heir. After Caesar's death, Octavian eventually defeated the challenge of Mark Antony (83-30 BC) and consolidated his power in 30 BC. Octavian, who later was called "Caesar Augustus" in honor of his accomplishments, referred to his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, as a god and allowed others to call him "the son of god." His accomplishment of bringing peace to the world also brought him the title "savior." However, it was under his reign that the true Son of God and Savior of the world was born, not in a palace in Rome, but in a manger in Bethlehem.
40 BC PARTHIANS CONQUER JERUSALEM
In 40 BC, Antigonus (d. 37 BC), son of former Judean king Aristobulus II (d. 49 BC), joined with the Parthians and stormed Jerusalem to unseat his uncle Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC). Fighting in Jerusalem continued until the Parthians tricked Hyrcanus into meeting in Galilee for peace talks. There he was captured and mutilated to disqualify him from serving as high priest in any future regime, and Antigonus was made king. Meanwhile, Herod (73-4 BC), the Judean governor, fled to Rome to seek help from Octavian (63 BC-AD 14) and Mark Antony (83-30 BC). They declared Herod the rightful king. In the spring of 37 BC, Antony's promise of military help came to fruition, and Herod marched into Jerusalem with two legions of Roman soldiers.
37 BC JERUSALEM SUFFERS A SIX-MONTH SIEGE
In the spring of 37 BC, Herod (73-4 BC) came to the defense of Hyrcanus II (d. 30 BC) and laid siege to Jerusalem with the aid of two legions of Roman soldiers commissioned by Mark Antony (83-30 BC). By the summer of 37 BC, the Roman army proved too strong and Jerusalem fell to Rome. Herod bribed Sossius—the commander of Antony's army—and his Roman soldiers to refrain from laying waste to the Temple, their intended course of action. At Herod's behest, the Romans beheaded Antigonus, and Herod married Hyrcanus' granddaughter, Mariamne, strengthening his right to the throne in the eyes of the Judeans. In 31 BC, Herod charged Hyrcanus with treason and executed him in 30 BC to prevent Roman emperor Augustus from putting any descendants of the Maccabees in charge of Judea.
27 BC THE TITLE "AUGUSTUS" IS BESTOWED ON OCTAVIAN
Following the assassination of Julius Caesar (100-44 BC), his grandnephew Octavian (63 BC-AD 14) proceeded to Rome to claim the throne. Octavian allied himself with Mark Antony (83-30 BC) and Lepidus to form the triumvirate that ruled the Roman Empire in Caesar's stead. Before long, Octavian won over Lepidus' troops and divided the empire with Antony. When Antony chose to pursue Cleopatra (69-30 BC) over Octavian's sister, Octavian used it as a cause for civil war and narrowly defeated Antony, garnering sole control of the empire in 30 BC. In 27 BC, the senate honored Octavian with the title Augustus, meaning "exalted." Stability and technological advancement marked his rule. His census decree in 6 BC brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem for Jesus' birth (Luke 2:1), in approximately 5 BC. Augustus died in AD 14, leaving Tiberius as his successor.
19 BC HEROD'S TEMPLE RESTORATION BEGINS
When Herod (73-4 BC) ascended to the throne of Judea in 37 BC, with the help and protection of Rome, his authority over the region was limited by the regal presence of Mark Antony (83-30 BC). But after Antony's death in 30 BC, Herod discovered much more leeway and soon embarked on a building program of remarkable magnitude throughout Palestine. Among the impressive roads, fortresses, and palaces, the highlight for the Jews was the restoration and renovation of the Temple, which commenced in 19 BC. The Temple grounds were expanded to 36 acres, and the Temple itself reached its culmination of beauty. This unparalleled structure served as the Temple throughout Jesus' life.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The