JOURNEY TO BECOME HIS BRIDE (STORY OF HANUKKAH #2) – BATTLE TO RE-DEDICATE GOD’S ALTAR

Our difficult battle to re-dedicate our hearts fully to God in our day is foreshadowed by the five battles the Maccabees fought.

Did you know that historically the first Hanukkah highlights Judah the Maccabee and his band of faithful men? Had this small ragtag remnant not taken their courageous stand against the Antichrist of their day and had they not overcome overwhelming odds to save their culture and religion from utter annihilation, both Judaism and Christianity most likely would not exist today.

Let’s begin where we left off yesterday. A righteous son of a High Priest refused to desecrate “The Name” by sacrificing a pig on God’s Altar. The zeal of the LORD consumed Mattisyahu when one of his countrymen, who was supposed to be set apart, tried to make a pagan sacrifice in his stead. Not only did Mattisyahu slay the Jew upon the pagan altar, but he slew the pagan king’s emissary as well. After tearing down the pagan altar set up in his little town of Modin, Mattisyahu ran through the streets shouting: “Whoever is zealous for the Torah and is steadfast in the Covenant let him follow me!” (I Macc 2:27).

Mattisyahu, his sons and many who sought to live according to righteousness fled to the mountains and settled in the Judean Desert (I Macc 2:28-30). They left all their worldly possessions. Antiochus’s forces could not disregard this challenge to their authority. Six thousand combat-ready loyal Jews gathered under Mattusyahu’s banner. They began to strike back by destroying idolatrous altars in nocturnal raids (I Macc 2:45).

Mattisyahu died within a year in 166 BC. He did not see the results of what had been set in motion, but before the patriarch died he gathered his five sons: Shimon (Simon), Yehudah the Maccabee (Judah), Elazar (Eleazar), Yochanan (John) and Yonasan (Jonathan). He urged them to stand steadfast and continue the good fight against the Syrian Greeks (I Macc 2:49-69). Mattisyahu’s last words established Shimon as “a wise man; listen to him always” and Judah “a warrior from his youth shall be the leader of your army and direct the war against the nations” (I Macc 2:65-66).

The official appointed to administer Judea (Philip) did not take the Mattisyahu revolt seriously. He felt they could be contained by the troops stationed in the vicinity of Judea. Philip first called up Apollonius, the military commander of Samaria. Before Apollonius and the Cutheans could attack, Judah was forewarned and struck first killing Apollonius with much of his army (I Macc 3:10-12).

Second, Seron the commander of the army in Syria heard about the Maccabee revolt, and he decided to gain a reputation by crushing Judah (I Macc 3:13-14). He gathered a large and well-equipped army and marched to Judea. As Seron approached Beth Choron, Judah and his men saw Seron’s vast army. Judah’s men had been fasting and were frightened, but Judah remembering his father’s last words reassured his men: “It is easy for the many to be handed over to the few, for there is no difference in God’s eyes between saving through a large force or through a tiny force. Triumph in battle does not depend on the size of an army – for strength comes from heaven. Our enemy opposes us full of violence and lawlessness, to destroy us, our wives and our children, and to plunder us. But we are fighting for our lives and our Torah. God will crush them before us and you must not fear them!” (I Macc 3:18-22). When Judah finished speaking, he wasted no time by suddenly rushing Seron’s army crushing them (I Macc 3:23). The enemy’s plan became their portion.

Upon hearing about his troops defeat by a bunch of circumcised nincompoops, Antiochus flew into another rage. He commanded that his entire army gather together. He opened his treasure chests and paid his soldiers a full year’s wages. Antiochus then realized that his coffers had been depleted through his military campaigns and his lavish spending for banquets, grandiose buildings and gladiator games.  So King Antiochus was advised to go to Persia to collect tribute owed him while Lysias (a kinsman) was entrusted with the care of the young heir to the throne (later Antiochus V Eupator). Antiochus IV equipped half the army with war elephants (ancient equivalent of tanks) and assigned them to Lysias command with orders to march to Judea and crush the Jewish nation. Lysias promptly appoints three of Syria’s ablest generals: Ptolemy son of Dorimenes, Nikanor, and Gorgias. He puts them in charge of 40,000 foot soldiers and 7,000 cavalry. They marched into Judea as far as Emmaus (I Macc 3:27-40). Emmaus is the town where later Yeshua would reveal himself to His disciples after His resurrection. Once they recognized Him in the breaking of bread, Yeshua disappeared.

So confident were the Syrian Greeks of their victory that Nikanor had summoned slave dealers from the coastal cities and promised them Jewish slaves at an unprecedentedly low prices. Instead of Judah losing heart, the faithful band of Maccabean brothers went to Mitzpah to fast and pray. Mitzpah was a city that had been a place of prayer for God’s salvation in the days of Samuel.

As they all fasted and prayed, “they unrolled the scroll of the law, to learn about the things for which Gentiles consulted the images of their idols. They brought with them the priestly vestments (kings and priests of the Order of Melchizedek take note), the first fruits, and the tithes; and they brought forward the Nazarites who had completed the time of their vows. And they cried aloud to Heaven: ‘What shall we do with these men, and where shall we take them? For Your sanctuary has been trampled on and profaned, and your priests are in mourning and humiliation. Now the Gentiles are gathered together against us to destroy us. How shall we be able to resist them unless you help us?’ Then they blew the trumpets and cried out loudly.” (I Macc 3:48-54).

Judah appointed officers over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties and over tens. They camped south of Emmaus, as Judah exhorted his troops: “Arm yourselves and be brave; in the morning be ready to fight these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. It is better for us to die in battle than to witness the ruin of our nation and our sanctuary. Whatever heaven wills, He will do” (I Macc 3:57-59).

At daybreak, Judah and 3,000 ill-equipped men sees the vast expanse of expert soldiers. Judah exhorts his ragtag remnant again: “Do not be afraid of their numbers or dread their attack. Remember how our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army” (I Macc 4:8-9). The foreigners come out for battle when they look up and see the Maccabees marching toward them. When the men with Judah blew the trumpet (as one), the Syrians’ orderly phalanxes dissolve and the Jews decimate the rear guard. They set the Syrian camp on fire, and keep pursuing the enemy a long way. Judah cautions his men that a large part of the enemy is still in the mountains, but Gorgias and his troops flee the battlefield once they see fire rising from their main camp.

After Lysias licks his wounds for a year (165 BC), he sends a stronger force of 60,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. Judah and his band of faith-filled men meet them at Beth Tzur with 10,000 loyal Jews. Again Judah appeals to heaven when he sees their vastly greater force: “Blessed are You, O, Savior of Israel, who halted the charge of the Philistine champion, Goliath, through Your servant David and who delivered a Philistine camp into the hands of Jonathan ben Saul and his armor bearer. Do the same to this camp – let them be ashamed of their army and their cavalry. Make them cowardly, melt their boldness, make them tremble at their imminent destruction. Strike them down with the sword of those who love You and let all who know Your Name sing praises to You” (I Macc 4:30-33). Hand-to-hand combat ensues and approximately 5,000 of Lysias’ men are killed. Seeing the determination of the Jews where they would rather die than surrender, Lysias withdraws his troops back to Antioch. When Judah sees that the Syrian Greeks will not mount another offensive in the foreseeable future, he tells his brothers: “Let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.” (I Macc 4:36).

It’s time to go up!!! It’s time to go up to the Jerusalem above, which is free to present oneself as a PURE AND LIVING SACRIFICE. If the powers that be of this world have tried to hide the importance of the re-dedication of God’s Altar, don’t you think that we should pay particular attention to it?

It is no coincidence that God’s faith-filled sons have to battle the world’s superpower (the Antichrist) to save the culture of the Kingdom of God; and it’s a small remnant doing the work. The Antichrist sets up his own high priest in God’s Temple while the job of the Order of Melchizedek is to set up Yeshua Ha Machiach (Jesus Christ) as the sole High Priest in our Temple. Don’t you know that you are the Temple of God (1 Cor 3:17; 6:19)? The Order of Melchizedek is made up of sons of righteousness who built His Temple and “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 2:5). The wife of the Lamb is His Dwelling Place (Rev 21:3). She is ONE with the All-Consuming Fire being a continual fiery sacrifice – a Blazing Fire Bride.

May we press through these arduous battles to re-dedicate the altars of our hearts as well as our bodies solely to the ONE who deserves all the glory.

~ Robin Main

www.sapphirethroneministries.com
www.santa-tizing.com
www.mysticmentoring.com

Excerpts from the “Blazing New Wine of Hanukkah (Bridal Restoration of DNA), Part III – Journey to Become His Bride (Hanukkah Battles), p. 27-30

Copyright Dec 15, 2014 – Sapphire Throne Ministries – Robin Main

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Other “Blazing New Wine of Hanukkah (Bridal Restoration of DNA)” posts:

• BLAZING NEW WINE OF HANUKKAH (BRIDAL RESTORATION OF DNA) => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2018/12/29/blazing-new-wine-of-hanukkah-bridal-restoration-of-dna/

• LIGHT OF THE WORLD – BRIDAL RESTORATION OF DNA => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/light-of-the-world-bridal-restoration-of-dna/

• GOLDEN SCRIBE ANGEL => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/golden-scribe-angel/

• MELCHIZEDEK ENOCH IN MERKABAH FORM (METATRON) =>  https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/melchizedek-enoch-in-merkabah-form-metatron/

• COALS OF FIRE FROM THE BLAZING NEW WINE =>  https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/coals-of-fire-from-the-blazing-new-wine/

• YESHUA’S FULL GOVERNMENT DECLARATION DURING HANUKKAH => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/yeshuas-full-government-declaration-during-hanukkah/

• HANUKKAH MARKER TO CALCULATE FULFILLMENT OF ANTICHRIST => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/hanukkah-marker-to-calculate-fulfillment-of-antichrist/

• CHOOSE BEAUTY OR THE BEAST => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/choose-beauty-or-the-beast/

• SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/shot-heard-around-the-world/

• RE-DEDICATION OF LAUGHTER => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/re-dedication-of-laughter/

• ULTIMATE PROOF OF THE MESSIAH HAPPENED DURING HANUKKAH (HEALING MAN BORN BLIND) => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/ultimate-proof-of-the-messiah-happened-during-hanukkah-healing-man-born-blind/

• JOURNEY TO BECOME HIS BRIDE (STORY OF HANUKKAH #1) => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/journey-to-become-his-bride-story-of-hanukkah-1/

• JOURNEY TO BECOME HIS BRIDE (STORY OF HANUKKAH #2) – BATTLE TO RE-DEDICATE GOD’S ALTAR => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/journey-to-become-his-bride-story-of-hanukkah-2-battle-to-re-dedicate-gods-altar/

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RESOURCES AVAILABLE:
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• Ascension Manual book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578188511

• Understanding the Order of Melchizedek: Complete Series book => https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Order-Melchizedek-Robin-Main/dp/0998598240/

• MEL GEL Study Guide book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578188538/

• MEL GEL Study Guide: Volume 2 book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998598232/

• Set of Hebrew Living Letter Flash Cards => https://www.sapphirethroneministries.com/flashcards

• Blazing New Wine of Hanukkah: Bridal Restoration of DNA book => https://www.amazon.com/Blazing-Wine-Hanukkah-Bridal-Restoration/dp/1634430026/

• SANTA-TIZING: What’s wrong with Christmas and how to clean it up book => https://www.amazon.com/SANTA-TIZING-Whats-wrong-Christmas-clean/dp/1607911159/ was written to fulfill a vow made to Yeshua’s face to tell the Christian Church that “Christmas will be the Golden Calf of America.” It took 10 years of full-time research, a golden scribe angel and the Spirit’s leading to unearthing His Truth in the sands of time. It covers every argument that you have ever heard about Christmas.

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