What if the seeds of revival were planted long before the birth of Christ? And what if the struggle to preserve faith in the face of overwhelming cultural pressure laid the foundation for the Gospel’s explosive spread across the ancient world?
In this episode of Revival Radio TV, we uncover a forgotten battleground where faith clashed with the seductive allure of Greek philosophy. During the Second Temple period, Judaism itself was torn between two worlds: 1 Maccabees—a political manifesto aimed at legitimizing the Hasmonean dynasty, stripped of miracles and divine intervention—and 2 Maccabees—a passionate defense of traditional faith filled with miracles, martyrdom, and divine deliverance.
The influence of Hellenism reached deep into Jewish culture, dividing the nation between those who compromised with Greek thought and those who clung to the faith of their fathers. It was a culture war that shaped the very world Jesus was born into. But more than that, it laid the groundwork for the great revival to come.
How did this clash of cultures prepare the way for the Messiah? And how does this ancient battle continue to echo through history, even affecting the Church today? Join us as we unravel the mystery of faith, culture, and revival.
RRTV_250413
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
♪
What is the real storyof the Maccabees?
It is the epic clashof Greek Humanism
infiltrating the Jewishbiblical worldview.
When Alexander theGreat conquered Israel,
he brought more than armies.
He brought Greek culture,language, and philosophy.
(00:20):
Greek ways quickly tookroot among Israel's elites,
enticing them to abandonthe covenant with God
for what they saw asenlightenment.
Epicureanism, with its denialof divine intervention
and a personal God,spread like wildfire.
But to the faithful,this was betrayal.
(00:42):
Tensions explodedwhen the Greek king,
Antiochus IVEpiphanes,
outlawed Jewish worship,
banned the scriptures,
and desecrated the templewith an idol of Zeus.
His brutal enforcementsparked a bloody civil war,
pitting the Hellenized Jewsagainst those who clung
to the faith of their fathers.
(01:04):
In the hills of Judea, anaging priest named Mattathias
and his sons, the Maccabees,the Hammer, rose up.
Against overwhelming odds,they reclaimed the temple,
purified it, and restoredworship to the God of Israel.
Their victory established anindependent Jewish state
(01:24):
for the first time in centuries,
but the scars of theconflict never healed.
The nation remained divided,fractured into sects.
The Pharisees, strivingto keep the law pure.
The Sadducees, compromisingwith Greek culture for power.
And the Essenes, retreatingto the wilderness to preserve
(01:45):
their own visionof faithfulness.
Israel was free, but the soulof the nation remained at war.
♪
In every generation,
there have been revivals,
massive moves of the Spirit
that changed thecourse of history.
(02:06):
In every revival, therewere believers like you
who chose to answer the call
to become the one intheir generation.
Discover your callto be the one
in your generation.
♪
Look at what I have here.
This is an original1611 King James Bible.
(02:28):
It's quite large.
For centuries, the King JamesBible was a cornerstone
in Christian homes, giving themoral and cultural fabric
of the English-speaking world.
And within these reveredpages, one could once find
the books of the Maccabees.
Let me show you.
Here it is right here.
Nestled between the Old andthe New Testaments until
(02:49):
the late 19th century, thesetexts were recognized
not only for theirhistorical significance,
but also as the key records ofthe Second Temple period.
While they may not have madetheir way into biblical canon,
they were revered byearly church fathers,
valued for their account of theso-called 400 silent years,
the years between the Oldand the New Testaments,
(03:12):
when God's voice wasthought absent, but history
told a different story.
Today, most people thinkof the Maccabees only
in the context of themiracle of Hanukkah,
kind of a Jewish version
of the Christmasholiday season.
But why is this important?
Because the real story ofthe Maccabees is filled
(03:34):
with rebellion, persecution,and divine perseverance.
And it's foundationalfor understanding
the Jewish culture
that Jesus was borninto, a culture under siege,
split between the embrace ofHellenistic ideals
and the fierce defenseof Jewish identity.
These texts held a mirrorto a world where faith
(03:55):
and foreign dominion collided.
And it was from this cruciblethat the Second Temple,
Judaism, and laterChristianity actually emerged.
Early Christians, likethe church fathers Origen
and Augustine, reveredthe Maccabees.
They saw in these storiesa blueprint for standing firm
(04:15):
in the face of culturalpressure and persecution.
This was commonknowledge for centuries.
Every generationknew of the valor of Judas Maccabeus,
who led his peopleto victory
against overwhelming odds,
holding fast to theirtraditions and faith.
It was this story of defianceand faith that inspired later
(04:38):
generations, even asnew struggles arose.
Take, for example, WinstonChurchill, a man steeped
in the scriptures like mostEnglishmen of his day.
Churchill faced his owncultural war as Europe
teetered under the heelof Nazi oppression.
The swift collapse of nationsleft England vulnerable,
(05:02):
and his people lookedto him for guidance.
In his iconic speech atthe dawn of World War II,
Churchill declared,
"We shall fight themon the beaches,
we shall never surrender."
He rallied his nation withthe courage of a people
once familiar withthe Word of God,
closing with a passagefrom the Maccabees,
(05:22):
a powerful testament tothe endurance of spirit.
In the dark hours of 1940, theskies over London burned red
as the blitz raged on.
Night after night, the thunderof German bombers filled
the air, unleashing fire andruin on a city determined
not to break.
(05:42):
The wail of sirensbecame a nightly hymn,
and the smoke mingled
with the steadfastcourage of a nation
standing alone against anunrelenting enemy.
Amid the rubble of bombed-outstreets, the English people
braced themselves for whatseemed an impossible task,
to hold the line againstan invincible foe.
(06:03):
(sounds of explosion)
[Churchill] I speak to you forthe first time as Prime Minister
in a solemn hour for the lifeof our country and above
all of the cause of freedom.
It was in this crucible ofdespair that their leader,
Winston Churchill, roseto embody their resolve.
(06:24):
Churchill, with his defiantvoice and unshakable vision,
became the heartbeatof the nation,
a lion roaringagainst the storm.
[Churchill] Unless we conquer,
as conquer we must,as conquer we shall.
To rouse his listeners andsteal their hearts, he reached
back into his vast knowledgeof history and faith,
(06:47):
drawing forth the words ofancient Maccabean warriors,
men who, like the British, hadstood against overwhelming odds.
[Churchill] Centuries ago, wordswere written to be a call
and a spur to the faithfulservants of truth and justice.
With the weight ofhistory on his shoulders
(07:07):
and the resilience of hispeople in his voice,
Churchill closed his speech witha verse that pierced the air
like the toll of a church bell.
♪
[Churchill] Arm yourselvesand be men of valor,
and be in readinessfor the conflict,
for it is betterfor us to perish in battle
than to look uponthe outrage of our nation
(07:30):
and our altar, asthe will of God is in heaven.
Even so, let him do.
Here, the Maccabean spirithad awakened once more
in a modern world.
It was no surprise that inthe greatest of trials,
(07:50):
Churchill reached back intothe deep well of scripture,
speaking the words thatinspired generations
of Christians before him.
Though the world had changed,the reverence for the book
of Maccabees persisted, a symbolof resistance, courage,
and faith in the face ofinsurmountable odds.
(08:11):
Yet, as the 20th centuryprogressed, the cultural war
that had once shaped nationsreignited and knowledge
of these ancient texts faded.
But their story, thoughseemingly forgotten,
still waits, lingering inthe shadows of history,
reminding us of a time whenthe battle for faith
(08:32):
was fought not just ondistant battlefields,
but within the veryhearts and minds
of God's people.
This invites us to ask, howdid these texts, once held
as scripture, fall from favor,and why might their wisdom
still resonate in a world thatseems to have forgotten them?
(08:52):
What if two ancient bookstelling the same story
could reveal how deeplyforeign ideas can transform
a culture from within?
What mysteries lie in theircontrasting views of God,
history, and human destiny?
The story of the MaccabeanRevolt comes down to us
in two books, eachtelling the same events,
(09:14):
but revealing two radicallydifferent world views.
Imagine standing at acrossroads where two worlds
collide, one rooted in ancientfaith, the other embracing
new philosophical ideas.
How do you maintain youridentity when everything
around you is changing?
The answers may lie inthese ancient texts,
(09:35):
waiting for those with eyesto see and ears to hear.
Zechariah 9:13, the versereads like this, "I will arouse
your son, Zion, againstyour sons, Greece."
Noah, Zechariah, andDaniel all prophesied
about the coming of the Greeksand the Greek Antichrist spirit.
(09:58):
As Christians familiarwith the New Testament,
we tend to not appreciatethe immense changes
in Jewish society justbefore the time of Jesus.
It was brought about bythe introduction
of Greek humanism, ideas thatwere brought into Israel
by the Greek conquest ofAlexander the Great.
And this completely changedthe world Jesus was born into.
(10:23):
Could it be that Greekphilosophy began to reshape
the very heart ofbiblical Jewish faith?
What if the priests and rulingclass, who once guarded
the ancient covenant, graduallyembraced these new ideas,
steering society onto apath we now call Hellenism?
And is Hellenism truly justabout Greek language
(10:45):
and custom?
Or could it be a far-reachingworldview that places
human reason abovedivine authority,
acting like an acid,slowly dissolving
the foundationsof faith from within?
Might this have been thesubtle force that Jesus,
Paul, and the early churchhad to contend with?
A corrosive influence theyresisted and overcame?
(11:09):
It's possible that we'rewitnessing right now
a renewed drift away fromthe Christian worldview
that once shaped Western society
because of this sameGreek philosophy.
We see echoes of thesequestions all around us today.
How do we know these tensionschallenged ancient Judea?
Because we have a witnessin two ancient books.
(11:33):
Look at what I have here.
The books of the firstand the second Maccabees.
They provide a hidden clue,evidence to the effects
of Hellenism in thetime of Jesus.
Could it be that thesetwo ancient books,
first and second Maccabees,
offer us a unique windowinto how Hellenistic ideas
(11:54):
transformed Jewishfaith and culture?
Indeed, that seems to beprecisely their significance.
Each is a snapshot in time,penned by different authors,
revealing the subtle andsometimes not-so-subtle
influence of Greekthought on Judaism.
Could it be that theintroduction of Hellenism
(12:14):
and its more skeptical, evenatheistic currents triggered
a split within Jewish society?
The evidencestrongly suggests so.
In Judea itself, where Greekphilosophies took root,
we see sectarianism emerge.
Yet in diaspora communitiesacross the Mediterranean,
(12:35):
those that resistedassimilation, this same
fragmentation neverfully took hold.
What if these contrastingperspectives are best seen
by comparing the twoMaccabean accounts?
They indeed show us twosides of Jewish identity
under Greek influence.
First Maccabees.
(12:56):
Pragmatic and politicallydriven, it highlights
human achievement andmilitary success.
Written to justify theHasmonean ruler's quest
for autonomy.
God is present, butoften in the background,
as the text leans toward
a secular interpretationof events.
Second Maccabees.
(13:16):
More theologically focused,it underscores piety,
strict adherence to thelaw, and even martyrdom,
viewing history through thelens of divine providence.
Authored by and for thediaspora community,
it exalts God's intervention
and warns of theconsequences of sin.
Could it be that by examiningboth books side by side,
(13:40):
we uncover the real impact ofHellenism on Jewish thought?
Absolutely.
Together, they stand as twovoices from a single moment,
reminding us how deeplyculture and philosophy
can shape, and sometimesdivide, a faith tradition.
While both books recount thesame historical events,
(14:03):
their interpretations andtheir underlying messages
are vastly different.
They highlight thediversity of Jewish thought
and experience during thisperiod, showcasing how
the same events could beunderstood through both
a secular political lens and areligious theological one.
♪
(14:23):
Let's look closely at thesetwo accounts, because
they reveal somethingfascinating about
what was happening toJewish society
just before the time of Jesus.
First Maccabees was writtenin Judea itself, in Hebrew,
deliberately using thestyle of biblical books.
You'd think this would makeit more authentically Jewish.
But here's what's remarkable.
(14:45):
While it uses biblicallanguage, it's actually
telling us a secular story.
When First Maccabeesdiscusses why the persecution
under Antiochus happened,there's no mention of covenant,
no divine purpose.
It simply says that sometimesbad people do bad things.
Even more telling,it carefully avoids
(15:06):
using God's name, preferringthe vague term heaven.
There are no miracles, nodivine interventions,
no sense of God's activepresence in history.
Now contrast this withSecond Maccabees,
written in Alexandria insophisticated Greek.
You might expect this diasporaaccount to be more secular,
(15:28):
more Hellenized.
Instead, it's thoroughlybiblical in its theology,
even while using Greekliterary forms.
Second Maccabees doesn'tpretend to be a biblical book,
but it thinks biblically.
It follows the patternlaid out in Moses' song
in Deuteronomy 32, explainingthat the persecution came
(15:50):
because the people had abandoned
their covenant with God.
But it also shows God's mercyin eventually delivering them.
This book is filledwith angels appearing
on battlefields, divineinterventions, and most
importantly, a clear sensethat God is actively
involved in Israel's history.
(16:12):
Perhaps the most strikingdifference comes in
their treatment of martyrdom.
Second Maccabees gives usthe powerful story
of a mother, Hannah.
Her story is recountedin Second Maccabees 7,
her and her seven sons whochoose death rather than
violate God's lawby eating pork.
As each son faces death,they proclaim their faith
(16:35):
in resurrectionand eternal life.
This is actually the firstclear Jewish teaching
about life after death.
First Maccabees, bycontrast, has no concept
of resurrection.
When you're dead,you're just dead.
This story, along with manyother miracle stories,
fill the pages ofSecond Maccabees.
(16:57):
But here's where itgets interesting.
First Maccabees was writtenspecifically to justify
the Hasmonean dynasty.
These priests who madethemselves kings,
they even inserted this cleverclause about ruling until
a faithful prophet shouldarise, using religious language
to legitimize their power grab.
(17:20):
History often hides its mostprofound lessons in irony.
Could it be that a rulingfamily that once stood
valiantly against Greekcustoms would, in time,
become Hellenism'sgreatest champion?
Consider theHasmonean dynasty.
They rose to prominence bydefying foreign oppression,
only to adopt the very ideasthey had once sought to purge.
(17:44):
What happens when thedefenders of faith cross
a threshold and becomeits gravest threat?
Perhaps the real surprise liesin how these transformations
are recorded.
The books of First and SecondMaccabees both commemorate
the revolt, but they also hintat a far more unsettling truth.
(18:04):
The seeds of compromise wereplanted from the beginning.
Could it be that the victoriesthat safeguarded Jewish
identity ironically opened thedoor to its slow dilution?
The ripple effects of theMaccabean Revolt, instead of
uniting the nation underrenewed devotion, sparked
sectarianism that fracturedJewish society, paving the way
(18:27):
for the emergence of theSadducees, Pharisees,
and Essenes.
Such is the paradox.
A dynasty born to protecttradition became the very force
that left lastingscars on its people.
♪
And here's the tragic irony.
These same Hasmonean rulers,whose story First Maccabees
(18:49):
tries to justify, ended upembracing the very Greek
customs their ancestorshad fought against.
Things got so bad, theyactually crucified Pharisees
on the Temple Mount, killingtheir wives and children
while they died.
The Sadducees, who nowcontrolled the Temple,
(19:12):
had become thoroughlyHellenized.
This caused a massivesplit in Jewish society.
The faithful priests whocouldn't tolerate this corruption
went out to the desertand became the Essenes.
The legitimate high priest,Onias, fled to Egypt
where he establishedanother temple.
(19:33):
That's actually why the Jewishpopulation in Alexandria grew
so large and vibrant.
Second Maccabeesreflects this reality.
Written by believingJews in Alexandria,
it uses Greek literary style
but preservesauthentic Jewish faith.
It doesn't need to pretendto be something it's not.
(19:56):
Meanwhile, First Maccabeesuses biblical Hebrew
to mask what is essentially asecular political document.
♪
Could it be that living farfrom home is precisely
what safeguarded acommunity's faith?
Perhaps the greatest threatto spiritual identity
is not blatant hostility fromoutside, but the quiet pull
(20:20):
of new philosophies from within.
Ironically, Jewishcommunities in Alexandria,
though they breathed the airof Greek culture daily,
refused to let foreignideas strip God
of his centralplace in history.
They blended Greek literaryforms with a covenant-centered
worldview, preservingtheir biblical faith
(20:42):
even in foreign lands.
Contrast this with the elitein Judea who stood mere steps
from the Temple itself yetgradually replaced
true devotion with a worldviewshaped by Hellenism.
For them, adopting Greeklanguage and custom
wasn't just a matterof convenience,
it became a deep cultural shift.
(21:05):
Even works written in Hebrew,like First Maccabees,
betray a distant view of God,
showing how thoroughlyHellenism took root
at the heartof the homeland.
It was the corrosive natureof humanist ideas that eroded
their biblical heritage.
Isn't it ironic?
The ones who weregeographically in the land
(21:27):
of the covenant lost theirspiritual core while those
far from home keptthe flame alive.
Could it be that amid theswirl of Greek philosophies
captivating Judean elites,
the Greek philosopherEpicurus' ideas
had the mostprofound impact?
He taught that the universeemerged with no divine creator
(21:49):
guiding events.
If the gods existed at all,they were too distant
to intervene inhuman affairs.
Because there was noresurrection or eternal judgment,
death was simplythe end of consciousness.
Epicurus thus urged hisfollowers to pursue a life
of pleasure, free fromfear or superstition.
(22:10):
In effect, he told them toeat, drink, and be merry,
for this life is all there is.
Freed from any fear of divinejudgment, they found comfort
in the belief thateverything ended at death.
Such a worldview stood in starkcontrast to the Jewish covenant,
yet it stealthily seeped intothe once devout hearts
(22:32):
of the Sadducee, theruling priestly class,
those who still claimeddevotion to the God of Israel.
This division in Jewishsociety had profound
consequences that shaped theworld that Jesus entered.
By His time, Jerusalem wascontrolled by the Sadducees,
who, like the authors of 1Maccabees, didn't believe
(22:55):
in resurrection, angels,or divine intervention.
Josephus actually describesthem as Epicureans.
They completely absorbed Greekphilosophical ideas while
maintaining theirreligious positions
and their Hebrew identity.
The early church fathersunderstood how significant
(23:15):
these books were.
They saw them not just inhistorical accounts, but as
a warning about how faithcommunities can maintain
religious forms while losingtheir spiritual essence.
That's why these booksremained in Christian Bibles
right up untilthe 19th century.
When early Christians facedtheir own struggles with Greek
(23:37):
philosophy, they looked tothese books to understand
the pattern.
Take Paul's encounter withEpicureans on Mars Hill
in Acts 17.
He was dealing with the samephilosophical system that had
transformed Jerusalem's elite.
The early church successfullycountered these ideas,
(23:59):
and by Augustine's time, theEpicurean schools had closed.
But the pattern we see in theMaccabean books of subtle
cultural influence maskingitself in religious language
continues to repeat.
♪
Just as the Reformation wasbeginning in Europe in 1415,
(24:21):
a man named Poggio, thesecretary of the Pope,
was on a quest through theancient corridors of monasteries
in search for old manuscriptsamidst the forgotten shelves
of a monastery inFulda, Germany.
He found a dusty relic,the title in Latin,
De Rerum Natura, which meant,
(24:41):
On the Nature ofThings, by the Roman poet
Lucretius, lostfor a millennium.
This literal phoenix rose fromthe ashes of forgotten lore.
It was a poem that explainedEpicure's theory of evolution,
a portal to a bygone worldwaiting to be reopened.
(25:01):
In Florence, the city of therebirth of all things,
Greek and Roman.
Poggio translated thecryptic verses within
Lucretius' verses.
A radical manifesto unfurled.
A covert movement emerged,quietly challenging
the Orthodox Christian order.
(25:22):
The radical Enlightenment,now a clandestine journey,
embarked on an odyssey ofintellectual insurgency.
It painted a new narrative,one that questioned
traditional beliefs andignited a spark of clandestine
rebellion, setting thestage for a secular
counter-reformation in the heartof this intellectual storm.
(25:43):
The Lost Book stood as aharbinger of change,
its journey echoing through theannals of history, becoming
catalysts for a profound shiftthat would corrupt the minds
of generations and alter thecourse of the ages away
from Christianity and toward anatheist Greek worldview.
The Jews in Judea, trying sohard to sound biblical
(26:06):
while adopting Greek thinking,
ended up losing theirspiritual core.
Meanwhile, the Jews inAlexandria, comfortable
using the Greek languagein literary forms,
preserved the essence ofbiblical faith.
It wasn't the externalforms that mattered,
it was the underlying worldview.
(26:28):
The Greek philosophicalideas that transformed
Jerusalem's elite, particularlyEpicureanism's denial
of divine providence,
have re-emerged to modernsecular humanism.
Just as the Jews in Judeaadopted Greek categories
of thought whilemaintaining Hebrew forms,
(26:49):
many Christian institutionstoday use biblical language
while their underlyingassumptions,
well, they'rethoroughly secular.
So let's wrapthis up in prayer.
Heavenly Father, as we'veopened up the books
of the Maccabees andwe've talked about
the book of Lucretiusand the scripture,
(27:10):
Father, we callon each other
and we repent to you today ofhow we have taken a lax result,
a lax approach to ourown Christianity.
Father, I pray as people watchtoday that they are encouraged
to return to the veryfoundations of the scriptures
(27:33):
themselves, theoriginal intent.
Let us always be holy and100% committed to the Word
as it was written.
In Jesus' name, amen and amen.
Thanks for watchingRevival Radio.
See you next time.
♪
Thank you for supporting themission of Revival Radio TV.
(27:56):
Just follow the information onthe screen to join us
in partnership here on theVictory Channel as we dig deep
into the history ofrevival together.
♪
Just text RRTV to 36609
or on the web atgovictory.com/RRTV.
(28:18):
♪
♪
What is the real storyof the Maccabees?
It is the epic clashof Greek Humanism
infiltrating the Jewishbiblical worldview.
When Alexander theGreat conquered Israel,
he brought more than armies.
He brought Greek culture,language, and philosophy.
(00:20):
Greek ways quickly tookroot among Israel's elites,
enticing them to abandonthe covenant with God
for what they saw asenlightenment.
Epicureanism, with its denialof divine intervention
and a personal God,spread like wildfire.
But to the faithful,this was betrayal.
(00:42):
Tensions explodedwhen the Greek king,
Antiochus IVEpiphanes,
outlawed Jewish worship,
banned the scriptures,
and desecrated the templewith an idol of Zeus.
His brutal enforcementsparked a bloody civil war,
pitting the Hellenized Jewsagainst those who clung
to the faith of their fathers.
(01:04):
In the hills of Judea, anaging priest named Mattathias
and his sons, the Maccabees,the Hammer, rose up.
Against overwhelming odds,they reclaimed the temple,
purified it, and restoredworship to the God of Israel.
Their victory established anindependent Jewish state
(01:24):
for the first time in centuries,
but the scars of theconflict never healed.
The nation remained divided,fractured into sects.
The Pharisees, strivingto keep the law pure.
The Sadducees, compromisingwith Greek culture for power.
And the Essenes, retreatingto the wilderness to preserve
(01:45):
their own visionof faithfulness.
Israel was free, but the soulof the nation remained at war.
♪
In every generation,
there have been revivals,
massive moves of the Spirit
that changed thecourse of history.
(02:06):
In every revival, therewere believers like you
who chose to answer the call
to become the one intheir generation.
Discover your callto be the one
in your generation.
♪
Look at what I have here.
This is an original1611 King James Bible.
(02:28):
It's quite large.
For centuries, the King JamesBible was a cornerstone
in Christian homes, giving themoral and cultural fabric
of the English-speaking world.
And within these reveredpages, one could once find
the books of the Maccabees.
Let me show you.
Here it is right here.
Nestled between the Old andthe New Testaments until
(02:49):
the late 19th century, thesetexts were recognized
not only for theirhistorical significance,
but also as the key records ofthe Second Temple period.
While they may not have madetheir way into biblical canon,
they were revered byearly church fathers,
valued for their account of theso-called 400 silent years,
the years between the Oldand the New Testaments,
(03:12):
when God's voice wasthought absent, but history
told a different story.
Today, most people thinkof the Maccabees only
in the context of themiracle of Hanukkah,
kind of a Jewish version
of the Christmasholiday season.
But why is this important?
Because the real story ofthe Maccabees is filled
(03:34):
with rebellion, persecution,and divine perseverance.
And it's foundationalfor understanding
the Jewish culture
that Jesus was borninto, a culture under siege,
split between the embrace ofHellenistic ideals
and the fierce defenseof Jewish identity.
These texts held a mirrorto a world where faith
(03:55):
and foreign dominion collided.
And it was from this cruciblethat the Second Temple,
Judaism, and laterChristianity actually emerged.
Early Christians, likethe church fathers Origen
and Augustine, reveredthe Maccabees.
They saw in these storiesa blueprint for standing firm
(04:15):
in the face of culturalpressure and persecution.
This was commonknowledge for centuries.
Every generationknew of the valor of Judas Maccabeus,
who led his peopleto victory
against overwhelming odds,
holding fast to theirtraditions and faith.
It was this story of defianceand faith that inspired later
(04:38):
generations, even asnew struggles arose.
Take, for example, WinstonChurchill, a man steeped
in the scriptures like mostEnglishmen of his day.
Churchill faced his owncultural war as Europe
teetered under the heelof Nazi oppression.
The swift collapse of nationsleft England vulnerable,
(05:02):
and his people lookedto him for guidance.
In his iconic speech atthe dawn of World War II,
Churchill declared,
"We shall fight themon the beaches,
we shall never surrender."
He rallied his nation withthe courage of a people
once familiar withthe Word of God,
closing with a passagefrom the Maccabees,
(05:22):
a powerful testament tothe endurance of spirit.
In the dark hours of 1940, theskies over London burned red
as the blitz raged on.
Night after night, the thunderof German bombers filled
the air, unleashing fire andruin on a city determined
not to break.
(05:42):
The wail of sirensbecame a nightly hymn,
and the smoke mingled
with the steadfastcourage of a nation
standing alone against anunrelenting enemy.
Amid the rubble of bombed-outstreets, the English people
braced themselves for whatseemed an impossible task,
to hold the line againstan invincible foe.
(06:03):
(sounds of explosion)
[Churchill] I speak to you forthe first time as Prime Minister
in a solemn hour for the lifeof our country and above
all of the cause of freedom.
It was in this crucible ofdespair that their leader,
Winston Churchill, roseto embody their resolve.
(06:24):
Churchill, with his defiantvoice and unshakable vision,
became the heartbeatof the nation,
a lion roaringagainst the storm.
[Churchill] Unless we conquer,
as conquer we must,as conquer we shall.
To rouse his listeners andsteal their hearts, he reached
back into his vast knowledgeof history and faith,
(06:47):
drawing forth the words ofancient Maccabean warriors,
men who, like the British, hadstood against overwhelming odds.
[Churchill] Centuries ago, wordswere written to be a call
and a spur to the faithfulservants of truth and justice.
With the weight ofhistory on his shoulders
(07:07):
and the resilience of hispeople in his voice,
Churchill closed his speech witha verse that pierced the air
like the toll of a church bell.
♪
[Churchill] Arm yourselvesand be men of valor,
and be in readinessfor the conflict,
for it is betterfor us to perish in battle
than to look uponthe outrage of our nation
(07:30):
and our altar, asthe will of God is in heaven.
Even so, let him do.
Here, the Maccabean spirithad awakened once more
in a modern world.
It was no surprise that inthe greatest of trials,
(07:50):
Churchill reached back intothe deep well of scripture,
speaking the words thatinspired generations
of Christians before him.
Though the world had changed,the reverence for the book
of Maccabees persisted, a symbolof resistance, courage,
and faith in the face ofinsurmountable odds.
(08:11):
Yet, as the 20th centuryprogressed, the cultural war
that had once shaped nationsreignited and knowledge
of these ancient texts faded.
But their story, thoughseemingly forgotten,
still waits, lingering inthe shadows of history,
reminding us of a time whenthe battle for faith
(08:32):
was fought not just ondistant battlefields,
but within the veryhearts and minds
of God's people.
This invites us to ask, howdid these texts, once held
as scripture, fall from favor,and why might their wisdom
still resonate in a world thatseems to have forgotten them?
(08:52):
What if two ancient bookstelling the same story
could reveal how deeplyforeign ideas can transform
a culture from within?
What mysteries lie in theircontrasting views of God,
history, and human destiny?
The story of the MaccabeanRevolt comes down to us
in two books, eachtelling the same events,
(09:14):
but revealing two radicallydifferent world views.
Imagine standing at acrossroads where two worlds
collide, one rooted in ancientfaith, the other embracing
new philosophical ideas.
How do you maintain youridentity when everything
around you is changing?
The answers may lie inthese ancient texts,
(09:35):
waiting for those with eyesto see and ears to hear.
Zechariah 9:13, the versereads like this, "I will arouse
your son, Zion, againstyour sons, Greece."
Noah, Zechariah, andDaniel all prophesied
about the coming of the Greeksand the Greek Antichrist spirit.
(09:58):
As Christians familiarwith the New Testament,
we tend to not appreciatethe immense changes
in Jewish society justbefore the time of Jesus.
It was brought about bythe introduction
of Greek humanism, ideas thatwere brought into Israel
by the Greek conquest ofAlexander the Great.
And this completely changedthe world Jesus was born into.
(10:23):
Could it be that Greekphilosophy began to reshape
the very heart ofbiblical Jewish faith?
What if the priests and rulingclass, who once guarded
the ancient covenant, graduallyembraced these new ideas,
steering society onto apath we now call Hellenism?
And is Hellenism truly justabout Greek language
(10:45):
and custom?
Or could it be a far-reachingworldview that places
human reason abovedivine authority,
acting like an acid,slowly dissolving
the foundationsof faith from within?
Might this have been thesubtle force that Jesus,
Paul, and the early churchhad to contend with?
A corrosive influence theyresisted and overcame?
(11:09):
It's possible that we'rewitnessing right now
a renewed drift away fromthe Christian worldview
that once shaped Western society
because of this sameGreek philosophy.
We see echoes of thesequestions all around us today.
How do we know these tensionschallenged ancient Judea?
Because we have a witnessin two ancient books.
(11:33):
Look at what I have here.
The books of the firstand the second Maccabees.
They provide a hidden clue,evidence to the effects
of Hellenism in thetime of Jesus.
Could it be that thesetwo ancient books,
first and second Maccabees,
offer us a unique windowinto how Hellenistic ideas
(11:54):
transformed Jewishfaith and culture?
Indeed, that seems to beprecisely their significance.
Each is a snapshot in time,penned by different authors,
revealing the subtle andsometimes not-so-subtle
influence of Greekthought on Judaism.
Could it be that theintroduction of Hellenism
(12:14):
and its more skeptical, evenatheistic currents triggered
a split within Jewish society?
The evidencestrongly suggests so.
In Judea itself, where Greekphilosophies took root,
we see sectarianism emerge.
Yet in diaspora communitiesacross the Mediterranean,
(12:35):
those that resistedassimilation, this same
fragmentation neverfully took hold.
What if these contrastingperspectives are best seen
by comparing the twoMaccabean accounts?
They indeed show us twosides of Jewish identity
under Greek influence.
First Maccabees.
(12:56):
Pragmatic and politicallydriven, it highlights
human achievement andmilitary success.
Written to justify theHasmonean ruler's quest
for autonomy.
God is present, butoften in the background,
as the text leans toward
a secular interpretationof events.
Second Maccabees.
(13:16):
More theologically focused,it underscores piety,
strict adherence to thelaw, and even martyrdom,
viewing history through thelens of divine providence.
Authored by and for thediaspora community,
it exalts God's intervention
and warns of theconsequences of sin.
Could it be that by examiningboth books side by side,
(13:40):
we uncover the real impact ofHellenism on Jewish thought?
Absolutely.
Together, they stand as twovoices from a single moment,
reminding us how deeplyculture and philosophy
can shape, and sometimesdivide, a faith tradition.
While both books recount thesame historical events,
(14:03):
their interpretations andtheir underlying messages
are vastly different.
They highlight thediversity of Jewish thought
and experience during thisperiod, showcasing how
the same events could beunderstood through both
a secular political lens and areligious theological one.
♪
(14:23):
Let's look closely at thesetwo accounts, because
they reveal somethingfascinating about
what was happening toJewish society
just before the time of Jesus.
First Maccabees was writtenin Judea itself, in Hebrew,
deliberately using thestyle of biblical books.
You'd think this would makeit more authentically Jewish.
But here's what's remarkable.
(14:45):
While it uses biblicallanguage, it's actually
telling us a secular story.
When First Maccabeesdiscusses why the persecution
under Antiochus happened,there's no mention of covenant,
no divine purpose.
It simply says that sometimesbad people do bad things.
Even more telling,it carefully avoids
(15:06):
using God's name, preferringthe vague term heaven.
There are no miracles, nodivine interventions,
no sense of God's activepresence in history.
Now contrast this withSecond Maccabees,
written in Alexandria insophisticated Greek.
You might expect this diasporaaccount to be more secular,
(15:28):
more Hellenized.
Instead, it's thoroughlybiblical in its theology,
even while using Greekliterary forms.
Second Maccabees doesn'tpretend to be a biblical book,
but it thinks biblically.
It follows the patternlaid out in Moses' song
in Deuteronomy 32, explainingthat the persecution came
(15:50):
because the people had abandoned
their covenant with God.
But it also shows God's mercyin eventually delivering them.
This book is filledwith angels appearing
on battlefields, divineinterventions, and most
importantly, a clear sensethat God is actively
involved in Israel's history.
(16:12):
Perhaps the most strikingdifference comes in
their treatment of martyrdom.
Second Maccabees gives usthe powerful story
of a mother, Hannah.
Her story is recountedin Second Maccabees 7,
her and her seven sons whochoose death rather than
violate God's lawby eating pork.
As each son faces death,they proclaim their faith
(16:35):
in resurrectionand eternal life.
This is actually the firstclear Jewish teaching
about life after death.
First Maccabees, bycontrast, has no concept
of resurrection.
When you're dead,you're just dead.
This story, along with manyother miracle stories,
fill the pages ofSecond Maccabees.
(16:57):
But here's where itgets interesting.
First Maccabees was writtenspecifically to justify
the Hasmonean dynasty.
These priests who madethemselves kings,
they even inserted this cleverclause about ruling until
a faithful prophet shouldarise, using religious language
to legitimize their power grab.
(17:20):
History often hides its mostprofound lessons in irony.
Could it be that a rulingfamily that once stood
valiantly against Greekcustoms would, in time,
become Hellenism'sgreatest champion?
Consider theHasmonean dynasty.
They rose to prominence bydefying foreign oppression,
only to adopt the very ideasthey had once sought to purge.
(17:44):
What happens when thedefenders of faith cross
a threshold and becomeits gravest threat?
Perhaps the real surprise liesin how these transformations
are recorded.
The books of First and SecondMaccabees both commemorate
the revolt, but they also hintat a far more unsettling truth.
(18:04):
The seeds of compromise wereplanted from the beginning.
Could it be that the victoriesthat safeguarded Jewish
identity ironically opened thedoor to its slow dilution?
The ripple effects of theMaccabean Revolt, instead of
uniting the nation underrenewed devotion, sparked
sectarianism that fracturedJewish society, paving the way
(18:27):
for the emergence of theSadducees, Pharisees,
and Essenes.
Such is the paradox.
A dynasty born to protecttradition became the very force
that left lastingscars on its people.
♪
And here's the tragic irony.
These same Hasmonean rulers,whose story First Maccabees
(18:49):
tries to justify, ended upembracing the very Greek
customs their ancestorshad fought against.
Things got so bad, theyactually crucified Pharisees
on the Temple Mount, killingtheir wives and children
while they died.
The Sadducees, who nowcontrolled the Temple,
(19:12):
had become thoroughlyHellenized.
This caused a massivesplit in Jewish society.
The faithful priests whocouldn't tolerate this corruption
went out to the desertand became the Essenes.
The legitimate high priest,Onias, fled to Egypt
where he establishedanother temple.
(19:33):
That's actually why the Jewishpopulation in Alexandria grew
so large and vibrant.
Second Maccabeesreflects this reality.
Written by believingJews in Alexandria,
it uses Greek literary style
but preservesauthentic Jewish faith.
It doesn't need to pretendto be something it's not.
(19:56):
Meanwhile, First Maccabeesuses biblical Hebrew
to mask what is essentially asecular political document.
♪
Could it be that living farfrom home is precisely
what safeguarded acommunity's faith?
Perhaps the greatest threatto spiritual identity
is not blatant hostility fromoutside, but the quiet pull
(20:20):
of new philosophies from within.
Ironically, Jewishcommunities in Alexandria,
though they breathed the airof Greek culture daily,
refused to let foreignideas strip God
of his centralplace in history.
They blended Greek literaryforms with a covenant-centered
worldview, preservingtheir biblical faith
(20:42):
even in foreign lands.
Contrast this with the elitein Judea who stood mere steps
from the Temple itself yetgradually replaced
true devotion with a worldviewshaped by Hellenism.
For them, adopting Greeklanguage and custom
wasn't just a matterof convenience,
it became a deep cultural shift.
(21:05):
Even works written in Hebrew,like First Maccabees,
betray a distant view of God,
showing how thoroughlyHellenism took root
at the heartof the homeland.
It was the corrosive natureof humanist ideas that eroded
their biblical heritage.
Isn't it ironic?
The ones who weregeographically in the land
(21:27):
of the covenant lost theirspiritual core while those
far from home keptthe flame alive.
Could it be that amid theswirl of Greek philosophies
captivating Judean elites,
the Greek philosopherEpicurus' ideas
had the mostprofound impact?
He taught that the universeemerged with no divine creator
(21:49):
guiding events.
If the gods existed at all,they were too distant
to intervene inhuman affairs.
Because there was noresurrection or eternal judgment,
death was simplythe end of consciousness.
Epicurus thus urged hisfollowers to pursue a life
of pleasure, free fromfear or superstition.
(22:10):
In effect, he told them toeat, drink, and be merry,
for this life is all there is.
Freed from any fear of divinejudgment, they found comfort
in the belief thateverything ended at death.
Such a worldview stood in starkcontrast to the Jewish covenant,
yet it stealthily seeped intothe once devout hearts
(22:32):
of the Sadducee, theruling priestly class,
those who still claimeddevotion to the God of Israel.
This division in Jewishsociety had profound
consequences that shaped theworld that Jesus entered.
By His time, Jerusalem wascontrolled by the Sadducees,
who, like the authors of 1Maccabees, didn't believe
(22:55):
in resurrection, angels,or divine intervention.
Josephus actually describesthem as Epicureans.
They completely absorbed Greekphilosophical ideas while
maintaining theirreligious positions
and their Hebrew identity.
The early church fathersunderstood how significant
(23:15):
these books were.
They saw them not just inhistorical accounts, but as
a warning about how faithcommunities can maintain
religious forms while losingtheir spiritual essence.
That's why these booksremained in Christian Bibles
right up untilthe 19th century.
When early Christians facedtheir own struggles with Greek
(23:37):
philosophy, they looked tothese books to understand
the pattern.
Take Paul's encounter withEpicureans on Mars Hill
in Acts 17.
He was dealing with the samephilosophical system that had
transformed Jerusalem's elite.
The early church successfullycountered these ideas,
(23:59):
and by Augustine's time, theEpicurean schools had closed.
But the pattern we see in theMaccabean books of subtle
cultural influence maskingitself in religious language
continues to repeat.
♪
Just as the Reformation wasbeginning in Europe in 1415,
(24:21):
a man named Poggio, thesecretary of the Pope,
was on a quest through theancient corridors of monasteries
in search for old manuscriptsamidst the forgotten shelves
of a monastery inFulda, Germany.
He found a dusty relic,the title in Latin,
De Rerum Natura, which meant,
(24:41):
On the Nature ofThings, by the Roman poet
Lucretius, lostfor a millennium.
This literal phoenix rose fromthe ashes of forgotten lore.
It was a poem that explainedEpicure's theory of evolution,
a portal to a bygone worldwaiting to be reopened.
(25:01):
In Florence, the city of therebirth of all things,
Greek and Roman.
Poggio translated thecryptic verses within
Lucretius' verses.
A radical manifesto unfurled.
A covert movement emerged,quietly challenging
the Orthodox Christian order.
(25:22):
The radical Enlightenment,now a clandestine journey,
embarked on an odyssey ofintellectual insurgency.
It painted a new narrative,one that questioned
traditional beliefs andignited a spark of clandestine
rebellion, setting thestage for a secular
counter-reformation in the heartof this intellectual storm.
(25:43):
The Lost Book stood as aharbinger of change,
its journey echoing through theannals of history, becoming
catalysts for a profound shiftthat would corrupt the minds
of generations and alter thecourse of the ages away
from Christianity and toward anatheist Greek worldview.
The Jews in Judea, trying sohard to sound biblical
(26:06):
while adopting Greek thinking,
ended up losing theirspiritual core.
Meanwhile, the Jews inAlexandria, comfortable
using the Greek languagein literary forms,
preserved the essence ofbiblical faith.
It wasn't the externalforms that mattered,
it was the underlying worldview.
(26:28):
The Greek philosophicalideas that transformed
Jerusalem's elite, particularlyEpicureanism's denial
of divine providence,
have re-emerged to modernsecular humanism.
Just as the Jews in Judeaadopted Greek categories
of thought whilemaintaining Hebrew forms,
(26:49):
many Christian institutionstoday use biblical language
while their underlyingassumptions,
well, they'rethoroughly secular.
So let's wrapthis up in prayer.
Heavenly Father, as we'veopened up the books
of the Maccabees andwe've talked about
the book of Lucretiusand the scripture,
(27:10):
Father, we callon each other
and we repent to you today ofhow we have taken a lax result,
a lax approach to ourown Christianity.
Father, I pray as people watchtoday that they are encouraged
to return to the veryfoundations of the scriptures
(27:33):
themselves, theoriginal intent.
Let us always be holy and100% committed to the Word
as it was written.
In Jesus' name, amen and amen.
Thanks for watchingRevival Radio.
See you next time.
♪
Thank you for supporting themission of Revival Radio TV.
(27:56):
Just follow the information onthe screen to join us
in partnership here on theVictory Channel as we dig deep
into the history ofrevival together.
♪
Just text RRTV to 36609
or on the web atgovictory.com/RRTV.
(28:18):
♪
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