The Apostasy
I was looking for information about the man who had taken control of
the Israeli government from gravely ill, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He
is Sharon's Vice-Premier, Ehud Olmert. Something I found startled me. It
was an article tiled, The Apostasy of Ehud Olmert Read
it here.
What surprised me wasn't the revelation that Olmert had converted to
the idea of giving up the territories to the Palestinians. It was the title
above the information. Here we had a leftist peace activist calling their
own desired actions -- trading God's land for peace -- an apostasy.
Friends, evidently, even the unbelieving Jewish left can't say that
they don't know what they're doing by accepting the Gentile's solution
and trading their God-given land for peace. You see, if nothing else, most
Jewish people -- both religious and secular -- know their own history.
They're aware of what happened the last time their people turned away from
their God and His covenant.
If you haven't already, please read the following account that is found
in the first and second chapters of 1 Maccabees. After reading, you will
understand why even the unbelieving in Israel may know exactly what they're
doing.
It's called apostasy.
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1 Maccabees
Chapter 1
1: After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the
land of Kittim, had defeated Darius, king of the Persians and the Medes,
he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.)
2: He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death
the kings of the earth.
3: He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations.
When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was
lifted up.
4: He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations,
and princes, and they became tributary to him.
5: After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying.
6: So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up
with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still
alive.
7: And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.
8: Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place.
9: They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their sons after
them for many years; and they caused many evils on the earth.
10: From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of
Antiochus the king; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in
the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11: In those days lawless men came forth from Israel, and misled many,
saying, "Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles round about us,
for since we separated from them many evils have come upon us."
12: This proposal pleased them,
13: and some of the people eagerly went to the king. He authorized
them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles.
14: So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom,
15: and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant.
They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.
16: When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined
to become king of the land of Egypt, that he might reign over both kingdoms.
17: So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants
and cavalry and with a large fleet.
18: He engaged Ptolemy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned
and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell.
19: And they captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and
he plundered the land of Egypt.
20: After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred and
forty-third year. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with
a strong force.
21: He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar,
the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils.
22: He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups
for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns,
and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all
off.
23: He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took
also the hidden treasures which he found.
24: Taking them all, he departed to his own land. He committed deeds
of murder, and spoke with great arrogance.
25: Israel mourned deeply in every community,
26: rulers and elders groaned, maidens and young men became faint,
the beauty of women faded.
27: Every bridegroom took up the lament; she who sat in the bridal
chamber was mourning.
28: Even the land shook for its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob
was clothed with shame.
29: Two years later the king sent to the cities of Judah a chief collector
of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large force.
30: Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed
him; but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed
many people of Israel.
31: He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses
and its surrounding walls.
32: And they took captive the women and children, and seized the cattle.
33: Then they fortified the city of David with a great strong wall
and strong towers, and it became their citadel.
34: And they stationed there a sinful people, lawless men. These strengthened
their position;
35: they stored up arms and food, and collecting the spoils of Jerusalem
they stored them there, and became a great snare.
36: It became an ambush against the sanctuary, an evil adversary of
Israel continually.
37: On every side of the sanctuary they shed innocent blood; they even
defiled the sanctuary.
38: Because of them the residents of Jerusalem fled; she became a dwelling
of strangers; she became strange to her offspring, and her children forsook
her.
39: Her sanctuary became desolate as a desert; her feasts were turned
into mourning, her sabbaths into a reproach, her honor into contempt.
40: Her dishonor now grew as great as her glory; her exaltation was
turned into mourning.
41: Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one
people,
42: and that each should give up his customs.
43: All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from
Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned
the sabbath.
44: And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities
of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land,
45: to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in
the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and feasts,
46: to defile the sanctuary and the priests,
47: to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to
sacrifice swine and unclean animals,
48: and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves
abominable by everything unclean and profane,
49: so that they should forget the law and change all the ordinances.
50: "And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die."
51: In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. And he appointed inspectors
over all the people and commanded the cities of Judah to offer sacrifice,
city by city.
52: Many of the people, every one who forsook the law, joined them,
and they did evil in the land;
53: they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
54: Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth
year, they erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt offering.
They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah,
55: and burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets.
56: The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned
with fire.
57: Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any
one, or if any one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned
him to death.
58: They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month
after month in the cities.
59: And on the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice
on the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering.
60: According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their
children circumcised,
61: and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung
the infants from their mothers' necks.
62: But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts
not to eat unclean food.
63: They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane
the holy covenant; and they did die.
64: And very great wrath came upon Israel.
Chapter 2
1: In those days Mattathias the son of John, son of Simeon, a priest
of the sons of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein.
2: He had five sons, John surnamed Gaddi,
3: Simon called Thassi,
4: Judas called Maccabeus,
5: Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus.
6: He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem,
7: and said, "Alas! Why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people,
the ruin of the holy city, and to dwell there when it was given over to
the enemy, the sanctuary given over to aliens?
8: Her temple has become like a man without honor;
9: her glorious vessels have been carried into captivity. Her babes
have been killed in her streets, her youths by the sword of the foe.
10: What nation has not inherited her palaces and has not seized her
spoils?
11: All her adornment has been taken away; no longer free, she has
become a slave.
12: And behold, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been
laid waste; the Gentiles have profaned it.
13: Why should we live any longer?"
14: And Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, put on sackcloth,
and mourned greatly.
15: Then the king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy
came to the city of Modein to make them offer sacrifice.
16: Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were
assembled.
17: Then the king's officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: "You are
a leader, honored and great in this city, and supported by sons and brothers.
18: Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all
the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem
have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of
the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and
many gifts."
19: But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: "Even if all
the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen
to do his commandments, departing each one from the religion of his fathers,
20: yet I and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of
our fathers.
21: Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances.
22: We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion
to the right hand or to the left."
23: When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in
the sight of all to offer sacrifice upon the altar in Modein, according
to the king's command.
24: When Mattathias saw it, be burned with zeal and his heart was stirred.
He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him upon the altar.
25: At the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them
to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar.
26: Thus he burned with zeal for the law, as Phinehas did against Zimri
the son of Salu.
27: Then Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying:
"Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come
out with me!"
28: And he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had
in the city.
29: Then many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down
to the wilderness to dwell there,
30: they, their sons, their wives, and their cattle, because evils
pressed heavily upon them.
31: And it was reported to the king's officers, and to the troops in
Jerusalem the city of David, that men who had rejected the king's command
had gone down to the hiding places in the wilderness.
32: Many pursued them, and overtook them; they encamped opposite them
and prepared for battle against them on the sabbath day.
33: And they said to them, "Enough of this! Come out and do what the
king commands, and you will live."
34: But they said, "We will not come out, nor will we do what the king
commands and so profane the sabbath day."
35: Then the enemy hastened to attack them.
36: But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up
their hiding places,
37: for they said, "Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth
testify for us that you are killing us unjustly."
38: So they attacked them on the sabbath, and they died, with their
wives and children and cattle, to the number of a thousand persons.
39: When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for
them deeply.
40: And each said to his neighbor: "If we all do as our brethren have
done and refuse to fight with the Gentiles for our lives and for our ordinances,
they will quickly destroy us from the earth."
41: So they made this decision that day: "Let us fight against every
man who comes to attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our
brethren died in their hiding places."
42: Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors
of Israel, every one who offered himself willingly for the law.
43: And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them
and reinforced them.
44: They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger
and lawless men in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for
safety.
45: And Mattathias and his friends went about and tore down the altars;
46: they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they
found within the borders of Israel.
47: They hunted down the arrogant men, and the work prospered in their
hands.
48: They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings,
and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.
49: Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his
sons: "Arrogance and reproach have now become strong; it is a time of ruin
and furious anger.
50: Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for
the covenant of our fathers.
51: "Remember the deeds of the fathers, which they did in their generations;
and receive great honor and an everlasting name.
52: Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned
to him as righteousness?
53: Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became
lord of Egypt.
54: Phinehas our father, because he was deeply zealous, received the
covenant of everlasting priesthood.
55: Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel.
56: Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance
in the land.
57: David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom
for ever.
58: Elijah because of great zeal for the law was taken up into heaven.
59: Hannaniah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the
flame.
60: Daniel because of his innocence was delivered from the mouth of
the lions.
61: "And so observe, from generation to generation, that none who put
their trust in him will lack strength.
62: Do not fear the words of a sinner, for his splendor will turn into
dung and worms.
63: Today he will be exalted, but tomorrow he will not be found, because
he has returned to the dust, and his plans will perish.
64: My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it
you will gain honor.
65: "Now behold, I know that Simeon your brother is wise in counsel;
always listen to him; he shall be your father.
66: Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall
command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples.
67: You shall rally about you all who observe the law, and avenge the
wrong done to your people.
68: Pay back the Gentiles in full, and heed what the law commands."
69: Then he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.
70: He died in the one hundred and forty-sixth year and was buried
in the tomb of his fathers at Modein. And all Israel mourned for him with
great lamentation.
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Keeping the above account in mind, take another look at what the Apostle
Paul had to say:
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly
shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message
or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy
comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship,
so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being
God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 New American Standard Bible).
Also consider Paul saying:
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of
anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the
day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are
saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly
like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape (2 Thessalonians
5: 1-3).
Friends, we believers in Jesus are not to be part of this apostasy.
We, whether Jew or Gentile, are to see it for what is is and warn others.
Paul also said:
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake
you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are
not of night nor of darkness ( 1 Thessalonians 5: 4-5).
Friends, there have always been apostasies. However, I believe what
we're now seeing is a specific apostasy -- the one that is foretold in
Scripture. It's the apostasy that precedes the appearing of the Anti-christ.
And, it's our job to say so.
01-05-06
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