And such as do wickedly against The Covenant,

Shall He[Antiochus IV(175 B.C.E. – 164 B.C.E.)] corrupt with Flatteries;

But The People That Know Their GOD shall be Strong,

And Do Exploits.

(Daniel 11:32)

One of the ways in which Antiochus IV endeavoured to corrupt the Jewish Nation was when Jason, the brother of the godly high priest, Onias, after having persuaded Antiochus IV to make him high priest in his brother’s place, established a stadium where young men could train. The finest young men were tempted to adopt the Greek custom of participating in athletic events. (Hellenism exalts the body almost to the point of worship.) Even the young priests, in the time of Jason, lost all interest in their priestly duties; they prized only Greek honours.

Hellenism was also imposed forcefully. Women were arrested for having their babies circumcised. Their punishment was too barbaric to even describe. (See II Maccabees 6:10)

Both I Maccabees and II Maccabees describe the cruel and blasphemous acts of Antiochus IV towards the Jewish Nation but as the verse further describes, there were countless Jews who endured unspeakable torture rather than break The Laws of Their GOD. II Maccabees in Chapters Six and Seven describes the heroism of:

• an aged man, Eleazar, who refused to eat the forbidden pork. He desired to set a good example of the way young people should be willing and glad to die for The Sacred Law of GOD

• A Jewish mother and her seven sons who likewise refused to eat the forbidden pork. All seven sons refused to disobey THE LAW OF GOD and their mother.

The youngest son’s words to Antiochus IV ring out through The Portals of Faithfulness To GOD:

“My Brothers, Antiochus, suffered briefly because of our faithfulness to GOD’S COVENANT, but now They have entered Eternal Life. But You will fall under GOD’S JUDGEMENT and be punished for your arrogance. I now give up my body and my life for The Law of Our Ancestors, just as My Brothers did.”

As The Apostle, Paul, writes ” Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain A Better Resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35), just OUR LORD JESUS endured The Cross (Hebrews 12:2).

Next Week: Daniel 11:33