A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Class 084

         


Overwhelming Odds And A Miracle  

The First Hanukkah

Mattathias dies, leaving his son Simon as head of the Hasmonean family and his son Judas Maccabeus as leader of the army--a euphemism for a force of about 6K. 

Judas and his men rely on God and shrewd tactics. They fight a classic guerrilla war, consistently outflanking, outmaneuvering, and outsmarting Seleucid forces ten times larger. More fighters join the resistance.

Finally, after three years of fighting, they are able to beat back the Seleucids, leaving only a garrison ensconced in the heavily fortified citadel near theTemple. Judas and his men find the Temple in shambles and set about to repair it. Finding only one day’s worth of untainted oil, they begin an eight-day celebration, and the oil burns without ceasing. It’s a miracle, the very first Hanukkah!

1&2 Maccabees overlap, so refer to the Maccabees Chronology to guide your reading.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

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