Last week we saw Moses and Aaron finally confront Moses as God had commanded.  After the first few plagues, Pharaoh began to relent and promised to allow God’s people to go into the wilderness to worship Him.  However, Pharaoh continued to put stipulations on what he would allow and further hardened His heart as God […]

Trying to save costs in running the Empire and keep an army personally loyal to him, Demetrius made much of his army redundant.  This backfired in a way he did not expect.  Jonathan came to his aid and slaughtered many in Antioch to keep him in power.  However, Demetrius did not show loyalty or gratitude […]

Moses Confronts Pharaoh After a myriad of excuses that Moses makes, he finally relents after God tells him not to worry and that he will be God to Pharaoh.  And, thus, when Moses is doing what God has given him to do, Pharaoh is to see God behind Moses, not Moses the man. Through a […]

After playing two sides against each other, Jonathan finally supported Alexander, the man who also had a claim to the Seleucid throne.  Jonathan’s gamble paid off.  As long as Alexander remains king, Judea should be Jonathan’s domain where they can not only have religious freedom to worship Yahweh but also a significant amount of political […]

God Speaks Again to Moses (Exodus 6:1-10) At the end of the last lesson, Moses became downcast.  Pharaoh had rejected God’s words (through Moses) to let the Israelites go and Moses began to think that it was all for naught.  It’s at this point where we pick up God’s response to Moses.  Read Exodus 6:1-8 […]

After the Seleucid-appointed High Priest, Alcimus, died of a stroke, General Bacchides left Judea, for his mission was to ensure Alcimus remained as the High Priest.  With Alcimus dead, his mission was no more.  But Bacchides was drawn back into Judean politics.  Those who were pro-Hellenistic approached him with an easy way to assassinate Jonathan […]

When we finished last, Rome and Judea had finalized a mutual-defense treaty.  Even more, Rome sent word to the Seleucid Empire: “If [Judea] appeals again for help against you, we will defend their rights and fight you on sea and land.”  So, what will the Seleucids now do?   Read 1 Maccabees 9:1-10 –          Despite […]

Moses’ Youth (Exodus 2:1-25) Read Exodus 2:11-15 According to Acts 7:23, Moses was not a man of about 40. –          What did Moses do after he saw an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew man?   –          When Moses later tries to break up a fight, what does one of the men say to Moses?   –          […]

In chapter 6, we learned of an internal struggle for power following the death of Antiochus IV.  It was this struggle that brought Lysias to propose a peace treaty with Judea (Israel), so he could go back to Antioch to seize power.    Demetrius becomes King: 1 Maccabees 7:1-7 In this chapter, we learn of […]