From Pastor Bill

I am optimistic about my future. In my last article, I talked about the blessings and curses in the Old Testament. In this article, I am going to apply them directly to myself. These blessings will work for you, in your life-where you live. I invite you to join me in the pursuit of personal prosperity from the Word of God. You also can be optimistic about your prospects and confident in your future.

I am writing for this Winter Issue in late summer. I do not know the outcome of an election which will take place before this issue gets distributed. Either way, things will turn out well for me. If you take this little adventure with me, things will turn out well for you. Set up your priorities. God must come first. “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2-3). What do I mean by put God first? Obey Him by keeping His Commandments. This is the single greatest thing any of us can to for a prosperous life.

God promises blessing for those who obey Him. “These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you” (Deuteronomy 6:1-3). When God has your back, it is much easier to have success. Put God first, everything else will work out. (You will still have to work.) The rules in the first five books of the Bible are easy; so easy a “cave man” could do it. Compare them with the thousands of nonsensical rules coming out of our government. Go with God.

We find ourselves in the richest, most prosperous, most successful country on planet earth, and likely for all of time. It is time for the righteous of God to participate in that prosperity. “When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you--a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant-then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Deuteronomy 6:10-12). We must remember that this great USA was built by people who feared the Lord. We need to start a revival in this country; we do that by praising God for the suc- cess with which He has blessed us. Praising God makes it more likely that we will continue in His blessing.

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today” (Deuteronomy 8:10-14, 18). Many in these United States have forgotten the Lord God of Israel. Our founding Fathers called our country God’s great American Israel. They modeled our country on the Holy Bible. I wrote about that in previous issues. We have inherited all of this from them. If we want to keep it, then we must return to God and praise Him for what we have.

Many of our great American Presidents have said that God has given us the best land on earth; and He has. “However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you” (Deuteronomy 15:4-6). Our land is rich with every possible mineral resource. We are possessed of the best farm land on the planet. We get abundant rain, we have pleasant weather; we are truly blessed.

I am optimistic about my prospects. You can be, also. Put God first in your life by obeying Him. His rules are easy and his burden is light, especially when you consider the manmade rules which we have to live under. God promised you long life and good health. He promised that you will increase. God promised you a good life, if you will obey Him. What is not to like?

God Bless, Bill Shults

Hanukah is the Jewish festival of lights. Jesus Christ was born on Rosh ha Shannah in September. Jewish legend has it that Adam was created on Rosh ha Shannah. It seems that the second man Adam came into the world on the same day as the first man Adam. When you take a pregnancy calendar and set the birth date on Rosh ha Shannah the conception date is Hanukah. The Light of the World came into a woman during the festival of lights.

So much in modern science is trying to explain the creation without a creator. Scientists use closed systems called models. Scientists think out, then define the parameters of a model and then run complex mathematics to see how closely it resembles observed behavior. That is, do the observable numbers from experimentation work within their mathematic formulas? Scientists keep on coming up with errors in their formulas. Scientists need numbers called constants, to plug into their formulas to make them work.

Within an atom, electrons move around the nucleus in stationary patterns called orbitals. Light, a photon, is absorbed or released when an atomic electron moves between stationary orbitals. A photon is absorbed when it moves further away from the nucleus and a photon is released when it moves closer to the nucleus. It seems that light permeates this creation.

“The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him” (John 1:9-10). The person of the God family, who we know as Jesus, manifests all light within this creation. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). He is the radiance of the Father’s unapproachable light. He sustains the entire creation with a word. He uses what we call light to do that.

Light is the electro-magnetic spectrum. We call it a wave, and it demonstrates many wave characteristics. In 1672 Isaac Newton published a paper in which he

By Pastor Bill Shults

described light as a vibration in the “ether.” We don’t like talking about the “ether.” That idea was supposed to be finished back in the 1800’s. The reason it keeps coming back is because we keep finding inconsistencies with our models. When light interacts with atomic and subatomic particles it behaves like a particle, which we call a photon. On closer examination, we find out that matter, particulate matter, can behave like a wave. Electrons and neutrons can demonstrate refractive spectra through a prism. How can something demonstrate separate types of behaviors? Now we’re getting into really deep quantum physics.

One hundred years later we’re having the same debates. First of all the creation is not a closed system. Matter can be created and destroyed and so can energy. Not only so, but matter and energy can be transferred back and forth by the Creator. Burn a log of wood. Look how much energy is released in the form of light and heat. Look at how few ashes are left. Why is light released from the wood? Did the tree really absorb all of that light and hold it? Some of us know better. The tree used light to make sugar. So why is light emitted in a fire? Burning a log is neither electric, nor magnetic (electromagnetic spectrum). Light is the primary energy holding together atoms and molecules forming the substances we call matter in this creation. Yeshua manifests His word in this creation with light, sustaining the whole creation by His power. His power, His energy, used to sustain the creation manifests in this cosmos as light.

Jesus Christ taught that He is not from this cosmos. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world” (John 8:23). The Greek word for “world” is kosmos. That means there are at least two cosmos: this one and the one He is from. The human spirit is a piece of His cosmos placed within our flesh making us able to contact Him. The Holy Spirit is a piece of Divinity which we receive when we accept Jesus’ death as payment for our sin. “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, Continued on Page 4

The Light of the World, continued who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age” (Hebrews 6:4-5). The Holy Spirit gives us a small experience with the powers of the coming age. It pours into us the light from Jesus Christ.

Unlike the tree, we don’t produce sugar from His light; we store it up within our spirit. The spirit of man and the Holy Spirit combine to form the new creature in Christ, which can store up an unlimited amount of Jesus’ Light. Our new creature can fill with Light from Jesus. Breaking into a thought in Ephesians 5:27: “and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” “Radiant” comes from the Greek word doxa and means that light is coming out of you. Two ways this can happen, first is you absorb light from Jesus and later release it. Second, you receive from Yeshua the ability to produce your own light from the Morning Star rising within your heart.

This process takes place in your new creation. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23). In the gospel of Luke it is recorded with a little more detail. “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you” (Luke 11:33-36). Visible light is a very small slice of the electromagnetic spectrum. Modern Science has also discovered “dark” light. Imagine that, Jesus already knew that. Light light is what we call the electromagnetic spectrum. Those waves are in the form known as standing waves, which means the wavelengths are in phase. Dark light is light waves out of phase. It is the same light energy, one is in phase and manifested in this creation; the other is out of phase and not manifested in our creation.

Light is not from this cosmos. Light is from His cosmos. What we call light, or the electromagnetic spectrum, is how His power and energy manifests in this creation. Because light energy is what holds together the particulate nature of atoms and molecules, which we call substance, He permeates His creation. His powerful Word is the “ether.” This power from His cosmos interacts with the substance of this cosmos in ways that reveal both the particulate and wave nature of both matter and energy.

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). The Hebrew word for light is OR which consists of an aleph, vav-o and resh. Aleph represents Elohim and originally was a pictograph of an ox head, because oxen were sacrificed to Elohim. Vav represents a person with their head bent in prayer. A dot, also called a dagesh, above the vav makes it a vav-o. We have discovered that the dagesh represents the morning star rising. The resh represents the Prince, or in this case Jesus Christ. Another way to put it could be that Elohim raises the morning star within those who know the prince. Right in the very beginning God, or Jesus, revealed many things concerning light.

“God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars” (Genesis 1:14). The Hebrew for “greater light” is M’OR. Adding a mem to OR, which can often mean spring, or fountain. Could this be a way of explaining to humanity that Jesus pours His light energy into our solar system from the sun? That would seem rather obvious. Even when Jesus resets planet earth after the Angelic flood, it would seem that He gives a revelation of light as a part of His cosmos, coming into this cosmos.

The new creation within a human being can be regarded as a vessel to hold God’s light, or it can become a torch of God’s light. We call this torch the morning star. We can absorb the light of God on a passive basis in worship. Or, we can receive the light of God on our own directly from Jesus. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:17-18). The Father is a God of Light, no wonder; Jesus is His express image and the radiance of His glory. The phrase “firstfruits of all he created” can also be rendered “the firstfruits of His kind of creatures.” Was mankind created to radiate the light of God because of the morning star rising in our hearts?

“I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him” (Ezekiel 1:27-28). If we are the first fruits of His

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Daniel 11 is among the most important prophetic chapters in the Bible. One major reason is due to the amount of historical detail it contains. Daniel lived from the late seventh century into the sixth century BC, yet the events he wrote about happened hundreds of years later. The chapter’s central focus are two kingdoms: the Greek Seleucid Kingdom, based out of modern-day Syria, and the Greek Ptolemaic Kingdom, based out of modern-day Egypt.

Many of the events described in this chapter form the background for the Hanukkah story. The key antagonist from Hanukkah story is Antiochus IV, who is also called Epiphanes. He ruled the Seleucid Kingdom from 175-164 BC. He tried to force the Greek religion and culture on the Jewish people. He defiled God’s temple and committed the abomination which makes desolate (Daniel 11:31). They fought back and won their religious freedom.

What many people may not realize is that Antiochus foreshadows a future figure called the man of lawlessness. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, the Apostle Paul wrote: “…for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God…” (NIV).

In verse 3, the Greek word translated as lawlessness is anomias, and it means one who transgresses God’s law. Paul described a future time where a leader will appear who mandates lawlessness worldwide. This means that the commandments of God will be outlawed, including the Sabbath. It is prophesied that this man will sit in God’s Temple and proclaim himself to be ‘god.’ The rest of the chapter describes the false signs and wonders that will accompany his appearance.

In this article, we will examine the family and life of Antiochus. What factors contributed to him being the ancient model for the man of lawlessness? What did ancient writers say about him? This study will provide fascinating corroboration between the Biblical and historical records. It will also provide clues for us to identify characteristics of the future man of lawlessness.

To understand the reign of Antiochus IV, it is first necessary for us to revisit the exploits of his father, Antiochus III, who is referenced in Daniel 11:10-19. Antiochus III inherited a disorganized and weakened kingdom at the young age of 18. Early in his reign, he tried to take Jerusalem and Judea by force. He was defeated by the King of the South.

After this disappointment, the king turned his attention towards the east, where he hoped to have better fortunes. Within 20 years, he forced the submission of rulers from Armenia, Bactria, Lesser Media, and Parthia. He conquered all the way to the Kabul Valley in modern-day Afghanistan. One of the kings of India paid him homage. His military actions mirrored that of Alexander the Great and thus earned him the title “the Great.”

After these events, Antiochus the Great made a major policy shift which helped him counter the Ptolemies. He made an alliance with Philip of Macedonia to take territory from the Kingdom of the South. The two kings invaded from different directions; Antiochus conquered all the way to the border of Egypt. Finally, Judea was under his control. No previous ruler in the Seleucid dynasty had succeeded in this venture. These events are described in Daniel 11:13-16.

Antiochus III was considered so formidable that even the Romans were concerned about his prowess. The Roman historian Cassius Dio said that “…he was regarded as a mighty ruler even by virtue of his own power, by which he had subjugated Media among other exploits…” (Roman History, 19.18).

While Antiochus had a mostly successful career, his last years did not fare so well. In 192, he invaded Greece. His campaign started well, but the Romans soon took notice (ibid). Roman generals defeated Antiochus in Greece and then Asia Minor.

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Antiochus, continued. His downfall is described in Daniel 11:18-19: “18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him. 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more.”

The war was costly on both sides. The Seleucid Kingdom was placed under a heavy tribute by the Romans to pay for its expenses. As a part of the terms of surrender, Antiochus III agreed to send his son, Antiochus IV, to Rome as a hostage.

“…he made additional demands upon the king, besides requiring him to give hostages, one of whom should be his son Antiochus [IV]…On these conditions Antiochus [III] sent envoys to Rome and secured peace…” (ibid, 19.20).

Antiochus III did not live very much longer after these events. He died while plundering a temple around 188; this concluded the prophecy about his life from Daniel 11:19. The heavy Roman tax was passed on to his son and successor, Seleucus IV.

After coming to the throne, Seleucus sent out his treasurer Heliodorus to collect money to satisfy this debt. Unfortunately for this king, his father’s failures limited him to an ineffective and unproductive reign. The ancient historian Appian wrote: “The former [Seleucus IV] reigned twelve years, but feebly and without success by reason of his father’s misfortune” (Roman History, 11.66).

Seleucus IV was murdered by Heliodorus. Just before this occurred, the king triggered a provision from his father’s treaty with the Romans. It allowed a hostage exchange. His son Demetrius was sent to Rome, likely for protection, in exchange for his brother Antiochus IV.

Appian described it this way: “He gave his son Demetrius as a hostage in place of his brother Antiochus. When the latter arrived at Athens on his way home, Seleucus was assassinated as the result of a conspiracy of a certain Heliodorus, one of the court officers. When Heliodorus sought to possess himself of the government he was driven out by Eumenes and Attalus, who installed Antiochus therein in order to secure his good-will; for, by reason of certain bickerings, they had already grown suspicious of the Romans. Thus Antiochus, the son of Antiochus the Great, ascended the throne of Syria. He was called Epiphanes, ‘the Illustri- ous’, by the Syrians…” (ibid, 11.45).

While Antiochus was en route to Syria, his brother was murdered. Even though he was of royal blood, Antiochus was not the rightful heir. His friends Eumenes and Attalus assured that he would be king. Instead of putting the rightful heir, Demetrius, on the throne, he kept it for himself. Because he suddenly appeared to take the throne instead of the usurper Heliodorus, he was given the title Epiphanes, which means the illustrious, manifest, or even rising star.

The Roman historian Titus Livius (also called Livy) wrote: “Eumenes and Attalus expelled him aiming at the crown, and put Antiochus in possession of it…Antiochus, having gained the kingdom by their aid, was received by the people with such transports of joy, that they gave him the surname of Epiphanes, or Rising Star, because when aliens to the royal blood were about to seize the throne, he appeared like a propitious star, to assert his hereditary right” (Roman History, 41.19).

Centuries before, God foretold the fall of Seleucus IV and the rise of Antiochus IV. “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle. He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue” (Daniel 11:20-21).

The intrigue that allowed Antiochus IV to seize the Kingdom was the murder of his brother and the power grab by Heliodorus. His two friends helped him secure the throne. They hoped to control him and receive favors.

In Daniel 11:21, Antiochus Epiphanes was described as a contemptible person. This can also be translated as a person who is disdained, vile, or despised. One way he fulfilled this prophecy was unlawfully taking the throne.

However, the historical record provides more depth to confirm this description. There are many other ways in which ancient peoples thought Antiochus acted contrary to the behavior of a king. Below, we will provide primary sources from Livy, Polybius, and Diodorus of Sicily that describe his erratic and inexplicable behavior.

“…He was not deficient in capacity or vigour of mind to make figure in war; but he was so perverse and indiscreet in the whole tenor of his conduct and behaviour, that they soon changed the surname which they had given him, and instead of Epiphanes, called him Epimanes or Madman…” (Livy, Roman History, 41.19).

“For often having gone forth from the palace without the knowledge of his servants, with one or two attendants, crowned with roses, and dressed in robes embroidered with gold, he used to go through the city, sometimes striking those that he met with stones that he carried under his arms; sometimes, on the other hand, throwing money among the mob, and shouting out, ‘Let him take to whom fortune shall give.’ But at another time he used to go through the workshops of the goldsmiths, and engravers and other artisans, arguing vainly concerning the art of each: at another time he engaged in conversation in public with any of the plebeians he met: again, wandering around the common taverns, he indulged in potations [drinking] with foreigners and strangers of the lowest grade…” (ibid).

“In consequence all respectable men were entirely puzzled about him, some looking upon him as a plain simple man and others as a madman. His conduct too was very similar as regards the presents he made…To some people he used to give gazelles’ knucklebones, to others dates, and to others money. Occasionally he used to address people he had never seen before when he met them, and make them the most unexpected kind of presents” (Polybius, The Histories, 26.1.7-9).

“Certain of the enterprises and acts of Antiochus were kingly and altogether admirable, while others again were so cheap and so tawdry as to bring upon him the utter scorn of all mankind…but for the diadem, no one who did not already know him would have believed that this person was the king, lord of the whole domain, seeing that his appearance was not even that of an average subordinate. At the drinking parties, stationing himself at the entrance he would lead some of the guests in, seat others at their places, and assign to their posts the attendants who were serving food…when, however, he [a visitor] focused his attention on the king himself and his unacceptable behaviour, he could not believe that it was possible for such excellence and such baseness to exist in one and the same character” (Diodorus of Sicily, The Library of History, 31.16.1-3).

These quotes help us to understand some of the behaviors that would earn him the description of ‘contemptible.’ He often acted in a manner which was inappropriate for kings. He engaged with other people concerning their trades while he let matters of the kingdom fall by the wayside. Some people simply found it hard to take him seriously. He was so erratic and unpredictable that some mocked him with the title ‘Epimanes’ or madman instead of Epiphanes.

His first major military campaign was against the Kingdom of the South. This was foretold by God in Daniel 11:22-28. Ancient writers also described this attack (Diodorus of Sicily, 30.14-18; Polybius, 28). Several years before these events, the ruler of the Kingdom of the South died, leaving two sons. As foretold by God, poor advisors led to the swift defeat of their army.

Antiochus then took advantage of one orphan and used him as a pawn to gain control over much of the country. This was yet another way in which Antiochus showed himself to be contemptable. He nearly conquered the entire country and gained much wealth during his brief occupation.

Daniel 11:29-30, we learn about a second planned invasion of the Kingdom of the South. This expedition ended much differently. The Romans opposed him because they thought he was gaining too much influence. Compare Daniel 11:29-30 with Appian’s Roman History.

“29 At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant” (Daniel 11:29-30).

“…While he [Antiochus] was encamped near Alexandria, Popilius came to him as Roman ambassador, bringing an order in writing that he should not attack the Ptolemies. When he had read it he replied that he would think about it. Popilius drew a circle around him with a stick and said, ‘Think about it here.’ He was terrified and withdrew from the country…” (idem, 11.66).

The ships of the western coastlands in Daniel 11:29 refers to the Romans. Their representative dissuaded Antiochus from going forward with his campaign. According to Daniel 11, this setback motivated Antiochus to attack Jerusalem and commit the abomination which commits desolation (verses 30-35).

The ancient writer Diodorus Siculus described Antiochus’ mistreatment of the Jewish people. The quote is a summary and does not provide the full details of all his activities, but it corroborates with the Biblical record and other historical records (such as I Maccabees and Josephus).

“Antiochus, called Epiphanes, on defeating the Jews had entered the innermost sanctuary of the god’s temple, where it was lawful for the priest alone to enter…

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Antiochus, continued And since Epiphanes was shocked by such hatred directed against all humanity, he had set himself to break down their traditional practices…Accordingly, he sacrificed before the founder’s image and the open-air altar of the god a great sow and poured its blood over them. Then, having prepared its flesh, he ordered that their holy books, containing the xenophobic laws, should be sprinkled with the broth of the meat; that the lamp, which they call undying and which burns continually in the temple, should be extinguished; and that the high priest and the rest of the Jews should be compelled to partake of the meat [of swine]…” (The Library of History, 34.1-4).

One detail needs to be clarified from this account. There was never an image of any human or animal in the Temple (some ancient writers mistakenly thought this). As foretold by God in Daniel 11, Antiochus IV committed the abomination that makes desolate. He sacrificed a swine on God’s holy altar and sprinkled the blood on Torah scrolls. He defiled God’s Temple and profaned His holy place.

I Maccabees is another historical account of these events from a Jewish perspective. When Antiochus invaded their country, he also banned Biblical practices. In the first chapter of this work, we learn:

“41 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, 42 and that each should give up his customs…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.” (I Macc. 1:41-50, RSV).

Antiochus also declared himself to be ‘god manifest.’ Josephus mentions this detail, and a coin from his reign seems to confirm this detail (see picture below).

This coin was minted during the time that Antiochus committed these awful atrocities. On the left side, we see the face of Antiochus IV. On the other side Zeus is depicted. He is seated on a throne with a scepter in one hand and the goddess Nike on the other hand. The English translation of the Greek letters on this side of the coin read as follows: “King Antiochus, god Manifest, Bringer of Victory.”

While he seemed successful in his initial efforts against the Jewish people, we learn from I Maccabees and Josephus that God’s people resisted this invasion and defeated his forces. They founded what would become known as the Hasmonean dynasty.

When we read I Maccabees and Josephus, we learn that Antiochus was absent from Judea after the initial abomination set up in Jerusalem. What was he doing?

I Maccabees 3:27-31 informs us that the repeated losses of his forces in Judea angered him. He then wanted to amass an even larger army to completely end their resistance efforts. However, he realized that his treasury was empty because of his lavish gifts. He traveled to the eastern provinces to gather more money for the campaign. He hoped to pillage other temples for their treasures. Remember that this was his father’s downfall.

Other ancient writers also share that he was known for throwing lavish games. Most monarchs were known for hiding their wealth and true strength. Not so with Antiochus! Polybius described one instance where he held a thirty-day period of games in Antioch (idem, 30.26.1-9). It involved thousands of men dressed in military garb. Shields and other items made of precious metals such as gold, silver, and bronze were displayed with great opulence. Just after it, he provided gold jars of the most expensive ointments such as saffron and spikenard for those who worked out in the gymnasium. The opulence was unheard of among ancient monarchs (Diodorus of Sicily, The Library of History, 31.16.1).

He used the treasure from the first Egyptian campaign and possibly the pillage of Jerusalem to fund these extravaganzas. These parades also appeared to give great honor to other gods. This corroborates with the description given in Maccabees and Josephus of Antiochus’ zeal for the Greek gods. The ‘abomination that makes desolate’ described by God in Daniel 11:31 was set up in God’s Temple because Antiochus wanted to honor these gods.

“13 The vast quantity of images it is impossible to enumerate. For representations of all the gods and spirits mentioned or worshipped by men and of all the heroes were carried along, some gilded and others draped in garments embroidered with gold, and they were all accompanied by representations executed in precious materials of the myths relating to them as traditionally narrated. 15 Behind them came images of Night and Day, of Earth and Heaven, and of Dawn and Midday” (The Histories, 30.25.13-15).

“10 But in the sacrifices he furnished to cities and in the honours he paid to the gods he far surpassed all his predecessors, 11 as we can tell from the temple of Olympian Zeus at Athens and the statues round the altar at Delos” (ibid, 26.1.10-11).

In two archeological findings from Babylon, we find a little bit more about Antiochus. One is called the Politai Chronicle and the other is Greek Community Chronicle. First, it appears that Antiochus founded a Greek community in Babylon. This was a city God said should never be rebuilt (Jeremiah 25:12-14). This shows a further defiance of God on his part. Secondly, we learn that Antiochus’ victories in Egypt were celebrated in Babylon with a procession and Greek ritual.

Eventually, Antiochus died of madness and disease. Diodorus claimed that he received this punishment after looting the temple of Artemis (idem, 31.18a.1). However, we know this end came because of his actions against the God of Israel. I Maccabees 6:1-13 mentions his final visit to Babylon towards the end of his life.

Truly, Antiochus IV foreshadows the future man of lawlessness. He seized the throne of a kingdom through intrigue after the death of his brother; he had a disregard for all holy things connected to the God of Israel; he trampled on God’s people; he banned the commandments of God; he took advantage of orphans; and he declared himself to be god. He was a man who looked at every situation for how it could benefit him rather than how he could help others. Truly, he exercised the opposite of the first and second greatest commandments.

Perhaps this opportunistic attitude came from his youth. He was reared without his father in a strange land. He was a hostage of the Romans while his brother ruled their homeland. At times, he seemed like an aimless person who went about his kingdom without purpose or drive. He was extremely unpredictable. At other times, he seemed very focused and driven, but usually for selfgain. His insatiable desire for wealth likely came from his expensive habits.

Antiochus was a ruler who wielded great power, but he had a lack of moral compass. Self was the center of his focus. This is the type of character one would expect from the future man of lawlessness – a vessel Satan can use to promote his lawless agenda.

The historical record only confirms what was revealed by God in Daniel 11. Truly, prophecy is history in advance.

Appian of Alexandria. Roman History, 11.45, 11.66. Translated by Horace White. vol. 1. London, 1899. pp 308, 322-323.

Cassius Dio. Roman History. 19.18, 19.20. Translated by Earnest Cary. Vol. 2. Harvard University Press, 1970. pp 303, 321.

Diodorus of Sicily, The Library of History, 30.14-18, 31.16.1-3, 31.18a.1, Translated by Francis Walton. vol. 11 Harvard University Press, 1980. pp 297-303, 351-353, 361.

Diodorus of Sicily, The Library of History, 34.1-4. Translated by Francis Walton. vol. 12. Harvard University Press, 1984. p 55. Greek Community Chronicle. Taken from: https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/bchp-14-greek-community-chronicle/

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Jewish Encyclopedia: Antiochus IV, Seleucid Dynasty Politai Chronicle. Taken from: https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/bchp-13-politai-chronicle/

Polybius, The Histories, 26.1.7-11. Translated by W. R. Paton. Vol. 5. Harvard University Press, 1973. p 483.

Polybius, The Histories, 28, 30.26.1-9,13-15. Translated by W. R. Paton. Vol. 6. Harvard University Press, 1963. Pp 2-48, 145-149. Titus Livius (Livy). The History of Rome, 41.19. Translated by William A. M’Devitte. London, 1900. pp 1942, 1943.