5. Long ago, in the ancient land of Syria…
An evil king named Antiochus whose
nickname was “The Madman”Glaser, M. 2015)
Son of Antiochus III and Laodice III Married to Laodice IV and had son
Antiochus V
Antiochus IV Ruled in ancient Syria
in the Hellenistic Selecuid Dynasty
from 175 -164 B.C
Antiochus V Ruled from 163 -161
B.C.
Seleucid-Genealogy.com.(n.d.).
6. Feeling threatened by his Jewish subjects, he sent an official,
demanded and forced upon them to “abandon the customs of the
ancestors – the laws of GOD” -2 Maccabees 6:1
7. The Jews hated idols and would only bow to the GOD of their
fathers Abraham, Issac & Jacob (Glaser, M. 2015)
8. One Jewish man Mattathias and his son Judah Maccabee led a
grassroots rebellion
They fought hard
-and won! (Glaser, M. 2015)
9. Olive oil was used to fuel the lamp in the Temple
But only had enough for one day
A miracle – it lasted eight days! (Glaser, M. 2015)
10. ….But the real miracle was that GOD kept HIS promise to preserve HIS people
(Jeremiah 31:35-37, Romans 11:29)
Thus, the reason for the celebration of Hanukkah – Festival of
Lights (Glaser, M. 2015)
11. Nearly 200 years later the best was yet to
come…..the promise of a Savior.
Yeshua Jesus
Would be born into the world!
12. Had Antiochus’ plan worked the Messiah’s birth
could never have taken place
GOD used the Maccabees to
overthrow Antiochus’ plan to
destroy them
14. And there were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the field, watching
their sheep by night
And the angel said to them “Fear not…for
unto you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, which is Christ the LORD”
–Luke 2:8,10,11
