From Eliyahu
Consider this:
Here is a funny quote about
history:
"Why is history so boring?
..It repeats itself!!!"
A lot of people think history is
boring. Actually, it is precisely BECAUSE it repeats itself that it is
not boring! Think of history as a series of failed experiments. By being
aware of those failures in history we can avoid them in our present. That's
not boring - that is wisdom.
With our world falling apart
around our ears, right now is a great time to learn from history. In
Biblical history the generation proceeding from Yeshua's birth forward
provides a close parallel to the generation we are living in right now. I
think you would agree with me that a lot of our problems today come to us
because of decades of corruption at every level, and especially in
government. This was true in Yeshua's day as well. In fact, the corruption
of the elite and ruling classes of His day was a major element of His story
in the Gospels. This should matter to us - because that generation ended in
one of the biggest disasters in history, a history so close to conditions of
our modern world that a disastrously similar outcome is certain.
Our latest message deals with
"Judean Government." Understanding this backdrop of history will bring His
story into much clearer focus as we follow Him through the Gospels.
Actually, the stage for 1st Century Judean government began to be set by a
family of Jewish heroes known as the Maccabees around 167 BC. They
were a Levitical priestly family who led a revolt against the Seleucid
oppressors, to liberate the Temple worship. The holiday known as Hanukkah
commemorates the rededication of the Temple liberated by the Maccabees. That
would have been great, if only the Maccabees had been content with their
God-appointed role. They were not. Instead, they used the victory fervor to
found the Hasmonean dynasty, which ruled from 167 BC to 37 BC.
The Hasmonean dynasty was not of
the House of David, so were illegitimate in the kingly role. The Davidic
Covenant established the House of David in the leadership role, but now, the
Hasmoneans had pushed them aside. This turned out to be a disaster, because
a great deal of corruption came into the country through the Hasmoneans.
Perhaps the worst was converting the Edomites to Judaism at the point of a
sword. This, of course, brought Edomites into Judaism in large numbers,
eventually making the way for the Edomite king, Herod, to displace the
Hasmoneans, establishing his own bloody and corrupt dynasty over Judea. In
saying all of this I am only repeating the opinion of Orthodox Judaism, as
highlighted below:
" The
Hasmoneans, also known as the Maccabees, established their own monarchy
in Judea following their revolt against the Hellenistic Seleucid
dynasty. The Hasmoneans were not considered connected to the Davidic
line nor to the Tribe of Judah.
The Levites had always been excluded
from the Israelite monarchy, so when the Maccabees
assumed the throne in order to rededicate the defiled Second Temple, a
cardinal rule was broken.
According to scholars within Orthodox Judaism, this is
considered to have contributed to their downfall and the eventual
downfall of Judea; internal
strife allowing for Roman occupation and the violent installation of
Herod the Great as client king over the Roman province of Judea;
and the subsequent destruction of the Second Temple by
the future Emperor Titus. During the Hasmonean period the Davidic line
was largely excluded from the royal house in Judea..."
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davidic_line]
"Jewish tradition holds that the claiming of kingship
by the later Hasmoneans led to their eventual downfall, since that title
was only to be held by descendants of the line of King David.[85]
The Hasmonean bureaucracy was filled with men with Greek names, and the
dynasty eventually became very Hellenized, to the annoyance of many of
its more traditionally-minded Jewish subjects.[86][87] Frequent dynastic
quarrels also contributed to the view among Jews of later generations
that the latter Hasmoneans were degenerate."
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasmonean_dynasty]
85. Catherwood, Christopher
(2011). A Brief History of the Middle East. Hachette Book Group.
ISBN 978-0762441020.
86. Eyal, Regev (2013). The Hasmoneans: Ideology, Archaeology,
Identity. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. p. 18. ISBN 978-3647550435.
87. Elon Gilad (23 December 2014). "Meet the Hasmoneans: A Brief
History of a Violent Epoch". Haaretz.
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The Hasmoneans had no right to
rule as per the Davidic Covenant, but they had the power to grab the thrown,
so they did. Later, according to the Torah, their founding document, they
had no right to bring Edom into their nation wholesale, but they did, thus
admitting large numbers of foreign people they thought would be grateful
enough to support their rule. To the Edomites "convert or die" gave them the
perfect Trojan Horse opportunity that led to Edomite rule. (Duet 23:7+8)
Today we would be grateful if
the corruption in government was not worse than the Hasmoneans. Here in
America the Constitution, the founding document here, is largely ignored or
circumvented by those at the highest levels of power, elections are
routinely subverted (even by government agencies), and the unrighteous rule
through deception, corruption and force. Besides all that, the southern
border of the country is wide open to illegal entry by foreigners, some from
as far away as China. How many of them enter the country for destructive
purposes is impossible to know. How is this not similar to the corruptions
of the Hasmoneans? How shall the country not end up ruled and destroyed just
as they were, by the machinations of infiltrated foreign powers and corrupt
traitors within?
Here is the good news: Yeshua was born into a
system that was completely corrupt, and yet, He remained strong and true in
righteousness. Yes, they hated Him. Yes, they even killed Him. But no, they
could not defeat Him. On the contrary, He defeated the evil world that put
Him to the cross, staying courageously steadfast even unto death - and then
rising from the grave in victory over all evil! Now, it is our turn to look
the monster in the eye! Do not fear the defeated enemy. Know what you are up
against - but also know the One in whom our victory is secure. Know Him -
Yeshua the Messiah, who is coming soon.
Judean Government is our topic tonight.
Join our live stream tonight,
June 3, at Tsiyon.Net
at 8 PM, Central. This topic is sure to give you greater insight
into the life and ministry of our Lord.
In His Name,
Eliyahu
Tsiyon.Org
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