Matthew 24 and Chanukah: Why Yeshua warned believers to run to the hills

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Why Yeshua (Jesus) went to the Temple on Chanukah, aka the Festival of Dedication and the Festival of Lights, wrapped in the history recorded in 1-4 Maccabees.

Those are prequels of sorts to the Gospels. You see why the Romans are in the Holy Land, why Yeshua  warned in Matthew 24 that in the last days God’s people will have to “run to the hills,” and what the “abomination of desolation” (Dan. 11:31; 12:11; Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14) actually looks like. 

The date of this discussion is a triple header: Shabbat, Chanukah and Rosh Chodesh (New Moon). We will do a deep dive into centuries of history from the life of Yosef (Joseph) to the Maccabees. 

The title for the Torah reading מִקֵּץ Miketz (Genesis 41:1–44:17) means “from the end,” related to the “end of the two years” (Gen. 41:1). The sages and later commentators have noted over the centuries that this phrase points to the future. 

Two major themes of Miketz: 

1.  The rise of Yosef (Joseph) to power. Key to this is the God  given insight into pharaoh’s dreams which positions him as the savior of Mitzraim (Egypt) and Israel.
2. Yisrael’s descent into Mitzraim. Famine drove the people of Israel into Mitzraim for food. This was the Lord’s doing. There was food in Egypt because of God’s provision. 

Like Yosef’s staying true to the LORD while being surrounded by temptation and being framed in Mitzraim, if you keep and develop a good character, it will shine through, no matter your station. If you puff yourself up and live as a phony, people will see that. If you live in righteousness and humility, people will see that too. 

Israel’s “bailout” from the famine led to the “house of slaves” (Ex. 13:3, 14; 20:2; Deut. 5:6) just before the Exodus. Yosef tells the brothers that God worked it all out for good (Gen. 50:20), a thought the apostle Paul echoes many centuries later (Rom. 8:28).

‘Who is like You among the gods?’

The Maccabean movement overcame a far larger, better-trained and equipped army under the second century B.C. Seleucid king Antiochus IV, aka Epiphanies, who profaned the Temple. Antiochus IV did not begin his rule as a reign of terror for the Jewish people. His oppression came a little at a time. There were some in the Jewish community who had no problem with assimilating Greek culture or blending Judaism with Hellenism. 

The Temple in Jerusalem had been defiled for seven years before the Maccabees reconquered Jerusalem and restored the Temple. They weren’t able to celebrate the eight days of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths)¹ during its regular appointed time, so when they finally had the Temple cleaned up, they decided to have a second Sukkot beginning on Kislev 25 (25th day of the ninth month of Israel’s calendar). That is now the holiday we call Chanukah.

Here are some lowlights of the atrocities under the forced assimilation under Antiochus IV:

“In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.” (1 Maccabees 1:11 Benton’s translation of the Septuagint)

“and spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel.” (1 Maccabees 1:30 LXX-B)

“Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, and every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king. Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.” (1 Maccabees 1:41–43 LXX-B)

“Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side; and burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets. And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.” (1 Maccabees 1:54–56 LXX-B)

“Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing. Wherefore they chose rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died. And there was very great wrath upon Israel.” (1 Maccabees 1:62–64 LXX-B)

Why Shabbat, food laws and circumcision were big issues in Paul’s letters

The events of the Maccabees were recent history to the people of the first century A.D., when Yeshua as on Earth, just as the events of the American Revolution are relatively recent history to us. 

There were three Jewish practices which were an instant death sentence during the Maccabean period: Shabbat observance, the food laws and circumcision. That is why in the first century A.D., these three practices were considered key entry points into joining the Jewish people. 

A Polish woman who at the age of 16 gave a bowl of soup to a Jew and was sentenced to Auschwitz for that “crime” said in an interview: 

“Remember, the Righteous [Among the Nations] didn’t suddenly become righteous. They just refused to go over the cliff with the rest of society.” 

How dedicated are we to the Kingdom? Where is our society heading? Is it accelerating towards the cliff? Every generation has to face the possibility that they will go off the cliff. Yosef’s character didn’t start with Potiphar’s wife haranguing him daily. His character had already been formed before facing that temptation.

Emergency preparedness should not be limited to stockpiling food and water but stockpiling the Word of God in your heart to form your character so it’s the same when times are good and when times are bad. 

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.” (Hebrews 11:1–2 NASB)

Faith in Greek is pistis (G4102), which is used in the Septuagint for emuna, several times for emet and amana, faith; trust. It’s not a touchy-feely, foggy feeling, but something that is to be a firm foundation. It’s something worth holding onto and keep close.

Assurance in Greek is hupostasis (G5287), which means setting or placing under; a thing put under. It’s a reference to a foundation, that stands firm. It’s also interchangeable with hope.

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Hebrews 1:1–3 NASB)

Yeshua is the representation of the 10 Commandments (John 1:14). And among the Big 10 is a command not to represent any form for veneration, whether of the LORD or anything else in Heaven or on Earth (Ex. 20:4–6). We can quibble about applicability to us — “God knows our heart” — but we see the foresight in this instruction later in Israel’s history. 

‘Show me the Father’

If you really want to know what the Father is like, look at the Son. The ancient heresy of Marcion that taught that there was a “New Testament God” v. the “Old Testament God” is a lie.

Children tend to take the character of their parents. This is why Yeshua is called God’s Son, because He is the exact, perfect representation of His Father. 

“For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”” (Hebrews 3:14–15 NASB)

Hope in Greek is elpizo (G1679), used in the Septuagint for batah, to trust; hasa, to flee for refuge; and yihel, to wait, to hope. This is not the “I hope it will happen” but it can go either way. It’s the kind of hope that you are depending on the outcome.

What we see here is something that is true, trustworthy, stable and you can flee to for refuge. You don’t flee for refuge to a country that is worse than yours. Refugees chose to flee to strong, safe, stable countries. 

Next, I want to take a look at Isaiah 11:10.

Most of the Apostolic Scriptures quoted from the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) when quoting from the TaNaK rather than quoting directly from the Hebrew, since most 1st Century Jews, particularly those in the diaspora, did not know Hebrew.

This can be confusing when modern English translations, such as the New American Standard Bible, choose to use the more modern Masoretic text to translate the TaNaK to English rather translating from the Septuagint.

“And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope, and his rest shall be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:10 LXX)

“Then in that day, the nations shall resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:10 NASB)

Wait a minute. The Septuagint talks about hope while the NASB talks about a resting place?

Some detractors of the Apostolic Scriptures from the middle ages to more recent times have used these differences to falsely accuse the Apostles of playing “fast and loose” with Scripture. 

Now that we have the Dead Sea Scrolls, we can compare them with the Septuagint and the Masoretic text. Both the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint (both are from 400-100 BCE/BC) are far more contemporary to the 1st century CE/AD than the Masoretic text, which was not written until around 800-1000 CE/AD. 

What biblical language scholars have found is that the Septuagint is far more in line with the Dead Sea scrolls than the Masoretic text is. In other words, the Apostles did not play fast and loose with scripture and neither did the translators of the Septuagint. 

Although the Septuagint is a dynamic, “thought for thought” translation rather than a literal word for word translation, the elders who wrote the Septuagint, translating the TaNaK from Hebrew to Greek, were not coming up with new ideas, or creating crazy interpretations of what was there.

Also, the Septuagint authors were before the time of Yeshua the Messiah. The Apostles and the early Church Fathers did not re-write the Septuagint to make it say what they wanted it to say. They were quoting from it with integrity.

What is a signal or a sign? Think of the common greeting of this time of year: ‘A Great Miracle Happened There – Nes Gadol Haya Sham’

A resting place or a comforter is something you will find in Rabbinic writings as a reference to the Mashiach.

During Hanukkah, the great miracle, the great sign that came to the Temple was the Messiah Himself.

“Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of martyrs surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 11:35–12:2 NASB)

The Jewish Annotated New Testament has a very interesting take on Hebrews 11. This was written by Jews who do not believe in Yeshua as Messiah at all. They decided to read through the New Testament as though it was Jewish literature (which it is).

They saw in Hebrews 11 examples of resurrection in the Old Testament, such as in the ministry of Elisha, when even the dead who had contact with his dead bones sprang back to life. They weren’t just revived but resurrected.

At the time of the writing of the book of Hebrews, the events of the Maccabees was relatively recent history, less than 200 years before the birth of Yeshua.

We also know from Israel’s history that those who were faithful to God during the Maccabean period suffered under horrendous torture. Some even had to watch every single member of their family be killed right in front of them. Yet they kept their hope in God and refused to give up God’s Law.

The faith of the Maccabean martyrs was not wishy-washy, touchy-feely trust or faith. That kind of “faith” does not help one overcome watching all seven of your sons be tortured and killed right in front of your eyes.

As we continue, Hebrews also hints at the brutal deaths of Zachariah, Isaiah and Jeremiah as well as the murderous reign of King Manasseh.

Right now, as we speak, there is a massive effort in the People’s Republic of China to put millions of religious Muslims and Christians, basically anyone who has faith in anything other than “The Party” into literal concentration camps.

Anyone who falls out of the good graces of The Party can end up in big trouble as their version of “big brother” takes away more of their privacy.

For the past couple of years, the Communist Chinese have set up a “social credit” system where the government can decide if they “like” you or not. This “social credit” system dictates whether one can travel on mass transit, such as the subways, trains or airplanes.

You have to ask yourself if your faith is worth enduring the snickering and disdain of your family and friends.

Will we be like the Polish Righteous Gentile who refused to go with the flow into evil? She could have died in Auschwitz, just as hundreds of thousands of others did. That’s a serious punishment to inflict on someone for giving a bowl of soup to a hungry person.

Hanuakkah Sameach! Why are we happy and joyous in this season? Do we lean on our Ma’oz Tzur Yeshua Ti?

Summary: Tammy