Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Foundations: Heroes of the Faith - Day 26

The Maccabees (167-160 BC)
For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. “The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. 2 Kings 19:31 (NIV)

READ: Romans 11

We have already seen the breakdown of the Kingdom Israel into the Northern and Southern kingdoms and how each fell into the hands of their oppressors.  The Northern Kingdom fell to Assyria and was never re-established whereas the Southern Kingdom was taken into captivity to Babylon.  The Babylonians fell to the Persians, who were conquered by the Greek who under the leadership of Antiochus IV killed, plundered and destroyed Jerusalem.  He blasphemed the temple and heavily persecuted the Jews, many of which refused to comply and were tortured and killed. The nation of Israel and their religion were in danger of extinction.  Mattathias was a priest who refused to offer sacrifice to a pagan god and started a revolt against the officer who ordered the sacrifice.  He and his sons (known as the Maccabees) fled to the hills and after his death his son Judas defeated their oppressors and re-established the Jewish religious practices.  Pagan elements were removed from the Temple and the altar was rebuilt and rededicated.  The Jewish people had their religious freedoms back.  Eventually Judea came under the control of the Romans.  The independence that the Maccabees so bravely won only lasted eighty years yet we can see the hand of God upon His people this entire time.  God has always preserved a remnant.  Even though His children experienced captivity and exile and were persecuted and suffered much, He would fulfill His promise to Abraham that all the families of the earth shall be blessed through his seed, the coming Messiah!  


JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. Where do you feel weak in your faith?
2. Ask God how He wants to grow your faith this summer. What does He want to do in your heart?
3. Thank God for what He has shown you, and pray that it would become a reality in your life.