EAST MEETS WEST

Purim, Hanukkah and
God’s Timeline for Isra’el

The End of the Second Temple Era

The destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 CE was by no means an accident of History. As we saw in the previous panel it was the direct result of the failure of Isra’el to acknowledge the times in which they lived and the promise YHVH had given to Y’hudah (Judah) through the teaching, death, and resurrection of Yeshua. Their failure to recognise Yeshua as their Mashiach and their need to do T’shuvah (repentance) and return to YHVH resulted in the Zealots rebelling against the established order. That rebellion brought Y’hudah to the climax of its history.

The destruction occurred between 66-74 CE having been foretold in the prophesies of Daniel chapter 9. To help understand more clearly why YHVH drove Y’hudah into a 1900-year exile, it is necessary to turn back the pages of history and consider how Y’hudah had earlier been impacted upon by two external forces, one from the east and the other from the west. The impact of those two empires changed the course of history in Y’hudah forever.

The impact of both empires occurred during what might be called the scripturally silent years, the years between the destruction of the 1st Temple and the birth of Yeshua. Both empires impacted Y’hudah during the 2nd Temple period following the return of the exiles from Babylon in 537 BCE. During the period between 537 and 63 BCE the people of Y’hudah were vassals firstly of the Media-Persians and after 333 BCE to the Hellenistic Seleucids.

One king from each of those two empires tried to bring an end to the Jewish people, but in both circumstances YHVH stepped in and saved his people and his Torah from total annihilation. That is why as Talmidim of Yeshua we acknowledge the intervention of YHVH on those two occasions with the celebration of both Purim and Hanukkah.

Persia and Purim

Firstly, the Book of Ester records the events that took place in Persia around 447 BCE.
The genocidal plot was engendered by Haman a court advisor to Achashverosh (Xerxes I) the king of Persia. Haman is recorded in scripture as a direct descendant of king Agag the Amalekite, whom king Sha’ul of Isra’el failed to kill as recorded in 1 Samuel Chapter 15. Haman, as the descendant of Agag held a deep-seated hatred toward the people of Isra’el. That is why he managed to coerce king Achashverosh into joining him in a plot to kill all the Jews in the Persian Empire. However, the plot was exposed and quashed as recorded in the narrative of the Book of Ester. The resultant festival of Purim is therefore celebrated annually by Talmidei Yeshua Messianic Ministry of New Zealand (TYMMNZ) as a reminder of how YHVH intervened to protect his people Isra’el.

The Book of Ester is found in the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) and is largely ignored or treated as an insignificant celebration by Christianity. But when we look at the timing of that event, it becomes apparent that it occurred at a critical point in the history of Y’hudah and paved the way for the later prophesies set forth in the Book of Dani’el.

Persia and Isra’el

Appreciating the significance of Purim as part of the history of Y’hudah, it is important to look back at what transpired in Y’hudah between the end of the Babylonian Exile and the time of Purim. In the year 537 BCE Koresh king of Persia conquered the Babylonians as recorded in Ezra 1:1-4. Under divine inspiration, he released the exiles to return to Eretz-Yisra’el to build a new Temple for YHVH. However, as work began on the Temple the people of Shomron (Samaria) who had remained in the territory during the 70-year exile objected strongly to the returnees attempts to rebuild the city and particularly the Temple. (an early reflection of what happened when the modern State of Israel as declared in 1948). Those who opposed to the construction sent a letter to the king of Persia (Achashverosh) demanding that work cease immediately. The reason given was that if Y’hudah built a new Temple and fortified the city, they would become independent and refuse to pay taxes to the king of Persia. In response Achashverosh commanded that all work was to cease. So, the city of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) languished in ruins for another forty-one years. Then in 445 BCE the Artaxerxes I gave approval for Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Yerushalayim as recorded in Nehemiah 1:1-3 and 2:1-8. Artaxerxes I was the son of King Achashverosh and Queen Ester. As the son of Ester, he looked favourably upon his mother’s people.

Once, the walls were rebuilt, they began building on the foundations of the 2nd Temple. The work recommenced in the 1st year of Daryavesh II, which was the same year that Daniel received his vision regarding the future of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim. The period of 490 years Daniel was shown in 9:24 was a period set forth for the repentance of Isra’el. It was to be a time in which Y’hudah could do T’shuvah and return to a true relationship with YHVH and his Torah. The 490-year period that began in the 1st year of Daryavesh II (423 BCE) and ended in 67 CE, with the onset of the Jewish revolt against Roman rule that ended in the destruction of the 2nd Temple just three years later 70 CE.

During that same vision Daniel was also shown the time period that would lapse between the decree to rebuild the city wall and the arrival of an anointed prince. Here we see a direct connection between the words given to Daniel and the approval for Nehemiah to rebuild the city wall, which happened in 445 BCE. Daniel was told in 9:25 to count forward 7x7=49 years until the coming of the anointed prince. That 49-year period ended with the arrival of Ezra the Priest / Scribe, who was the anointed prince in Daniel’s vision. Ezra arrived in Yerushalayim in 396 BCE during the 9th year of Artaxerxes II, after the completion of the 2nd Temple.

The arrival of Ezra the Prince started the count of the 62x7=434 years until the cutting off of Mashiach in 30 CE in (Daniel 9:25-26), which completed the second part of the 69-week long vision given to Daniel. The cutting off of Mashiach did not bring an end to the specified time in verse 24, because the Temple remained for a further 40-years, until 70 CE. That extended period was foretold in a prophecy in the Book of Ezekiel, where he was commanded by YHVH to lie on his right side for 40-days on behalf of Y’hudah. That happened as recorded in Ezekiel 4:4-8. His lying down was to represent a day for a year. Firstly, he was told to lie on his left side for 390-days, which was a foreshadow of the 390-years between the end of Shlomo’s (Solomon’s) reign and the destruction of the 1st Temple. Then he was told to lie on his right side for 40-days, which modelled the 40-years between the death of Yeshua and the destruction of the 2nd Temple.

We can see from these dates and time frames that the Scroll of Ester and the events of Purim were the starting point for the prophecies of Daniel and Ezekiel as they relate to Yeshua and the 2nd Temple. Hence, the celebration of Purim is a profoundly importance part of the scriptural narrative and must be recognised as an important scriptural celebration.

Another important point to consider is that there were three separate visions being given to Dani’el in verses 9:24-27, which many commentators have melded together as one entwined event. The blending of those four verses as one scriptural saga has caused considerable confusion and misunderstanding about the true timeline of Scripture. Many in the Christian world are still awaiting an imagined future fulfilment of verse 24.

Antiochus IV and Hanukkah

The second attempt to remove all traces of Hebrew customs and religion came through the pernicious actions of Antiochus IV the Seleucid king who ruled between 175-164 BCE and who desecrated the Temple in Yerushalayim in 167 BCE. His father Antiochus III brokered an agreement with Y’hudah, that providing they paid their taxes, they were at liberty to practice their religion with impunity. However, when his son Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) came to power he revoked the treaty his father had made and increased the tax burden upon Y’hudah immensely.

Further, during his reign, Epiphanes took upon himself the responsibility of appointing the Cohen G’dolim (High Priests) of Y’hudah. Up until that time, no external force had ever imposed such an ordinance upon the people of Isra’el. The imposition of that action lead to bribery and corruption between rival candidates for the priesthood. Coupled with the corruption of the priesthood, many of the people also became enamoured with the Hellenistic culture of the Seleucids. The outcome was that during his journey home from a failed battle against Ptolemy of Egypt, Epiphanes sacked the Jewish Temple in Yerushalayim removing all the equipment and money from the treasury. He even went as far as profaning the altar by sacrificing pigs. The consequence was total degradation of both the land and the people. However, within three short years a small band of militant Jews under the leadership of Y’hudah Maccabee, managed with the support of YHVH to overpower the might of the Seleucid army and take back ownership and control of the Temple and the Land.

Conquest of the territory of Y’hudah by the Maccabees was celebrated with a festival starting on the 25th day of the 9th month (mid-December) in the Aviv (Scriptural) Calendar. The festival lasted for eight days, during which time, Rabbinic legend suggests one small cruse of olive oil kept the Menorah (light) in the Temple burning for the full eight nights, that was until new oil could be prepared. That same festival has been celebrated by Jews throughout the world as an annual reminder of how YHVH saved his people from destruction by the Antiochus Epiphanes and his Seleucid forces.

As Talmidim of Yeshua we also remember the events of Hanukkah in a special way, during those eight days, by lighting candles and reciting prayers of thanksgiving for the care YHVH showed his people. It is also a poignant annual reminder that it was because of the syncretism between Y’hudah and the Hellenistic culture that the Temple was desecrated.

The whole story of Hanukkah is recorded in the Books 1 & 2 Maccabees, which was never canonised into Scriptures of Isra’el, has remained as an acknowledged factual historical reference work.

As we reflect on the narratives of Purim and Hanukkah each year, we celebrate how YHVH rescued the people of Y’hudah twice during the scripturally silent years between the Galut (exile) in Babylon and the coming of Yeshua. Along with those two events, we also reflect on the prophesies of Daniel 9:24-27 and how Y’hudah was finally forced into the Hellenist Galut for a period of 1900-years. Through the two narratives of Purim, Hanukkah, and the words of Daniel we see how the external forces of East and West impacted directly upon Y’hudah.

The Lasting Impact of Hellenism

Until the conquest of Media-Persia by Alexander the Great, Y’hudah had only experienced the rulership of the Semitic kingdoms of Babylon and Media-Persia. Then with the arrival of Alexander the Great from the west, Y’hudah was suddenly thrust into rulership by a culture that they had never encountered before. The Hellenistic culture was such a contrast with what they had previously known resulted in many finding it frightening while others found it fascinating. In fact, so fascinating that they were prepared to forsake their love of YHVH and Torah and whole heartedly embrace the newfound culture, particularly since the Hellenistic Greek worldview was diametrically opposite from all they had ever previously known.

Aristotle who lived from 384-322 BCE, had profoundly influenced the Greek thinking of his era by developing systems of logical argument. He taught truth could only be established by systematic reasoning based on the concept of "assumption leading to decision." You first begin with an assumption and by working through a series of logical steps you come to the desired decision.

Aristotle became the tutor of Alexander the Great. His teaching began in 343 BCE when Alexander was 13-years old. In turn, Alexander spread Aristotle’s methods of reasoning all over the conquered world. Hence, Alexander’s strategy when conquering nations was to impose the Hellenistic Greek culture upon the vanquished people. He believed the best way to accomplish his aim was through changes in language. He knew that if he could change a people's language, he could change their basic worldview and thereby change a person’s thought and emotion paradigms. That way he would win over a person to the Hellenistic culture. He understood that language shaped, moulded, and defined the culture. Therefore, if fear and hatred could be turned into acceptance and admiration, then the people would volunteer to change their personal paradigm. Alexander carried out his conquests leaving a legacy of cultural diffusion and syncretism, which impacted heavily on all his vassal nations and their former cultures. (Wikipedia - Alexander the Great)

"Regarding “cultural diffusion” it is defined by Leo Frobenius in his 1897 publication Der westafrikanische Kulturkreis, as the spread of cultural content—such as ideas, styles, religions, technologies, languages—between individuals, whether within a single culture or from one culture to another." (Wikipedia - Trans-cultural diffusion) "A similar pattern emerges with Syncretism, which can be defined as the blending of different beliefs and practices from various schools of thought. Syncretism involved the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete and separate traditions, bringing them together into one new mythology or theology. Syncretism gives an underlying sense of unity, that allows for an inclusive approach between two or more faiths. Syncretism goes beyond just religion and occurs extensively in various expressions of the arts and culture." (Wikipedia - Alexander the Great) Alexander managed to pass the same philosophy on to his four generals, who as the new rulers of the empire also imparted the Hellenistic culture to each subsequent generation.

The people of Y’hudah found themselves caught in a wave of fascination with the newfound cultural norms. So much so, that during the reign of Ptolemy II (Philadelphus) seventy-two Jewish scholars were commanded to translate the Torah from Biblical Hebrew into Greek. Legend say that the reason for the translation was for the inclusion of the Torah in the Library of Alexandria. But it is much more likely to have been Ptolemy’s way of coercing the Jews of Alexandria into leaving behind their former Hebrew language and culture in favour of Greek Hellenism. Along with the translation of Torah into the Greek Septuagint around 260 BCE, there was also a progressive adoption of the Hellenistic culture by many Jews both in the territory of Y’hudah and the region of Alexandria. The latter was where many had been placed as exiles following the conquest of Eretz-Yisra’el by Alexander the Great.

The new cultural norms that Alexandria took eastward during his conquests impacted heavily on the people in Y’hudah, with many including the Cohen Gadol being led away from Torah. A Greek style gymnasium was built alongside the Temple in Yerushalayim, at the behest of the Cohen Gadol, with many Cohanim (priests) engaging in wrestling matches in the Palaestra. All seemed to be oblivious to the damage they were doing to their own religion and culture. The Cohanim lost sight of the example they were setting for the people of Y’hudah. They did not consider such activities as being in conflict their priestly duties. The Cohanim failed to reflect on words of their forebears in Ezra chapter 10 and Nehemiah chapters 8-10, which recorded the similar struggles both authors faced among the people of Y’hudah. The responsibility of both Ezra and Nehemiah had been to bring the returnees from Babylon to a place of repentance returning them to YHVH and Torah. Both Ezra and Nehemiah advocated that Y’hudah remain separate from the neighbouring people groups, who were dispersed in their midst and in that way prevent cultural contamination.

The Cohanim in Y’hudah following the conquest by Alexander seemed to be so enamoured with their newfound Hellenistic culture, that they failed to see what was becoming a primary source of conflict and that it was dividing the people of Y’hudah. They were standing in a religious divide between the obedience to Torah and the embrace of Hellenistic practices and cultural norms. Their failure to acknowledge what had gone before, helped bring upon them the desecration of their Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes.

Following the overthrow of the Seleucid army and the re-establishment of the Temple and the altar, Y’hudah settled into a period of self rule under internal kingship of the Hasmonean Dynasty. However, Hellenistic influences from the Greek-speaking Jews living in the Galut, prevented Y’hudah from returning to a truly Torah observant way of life.

When Rome conquered Greece, in 63 BCE the new rulers imposed upon Y’hudah the more of the same philosophical doctrines as previously, only the titles were changed. Finally, with increasing internal divisions within the Hasmonean Dynasty, their control of over the people of Y’hudah was subtlety undermined by the rise of the Herodians through the presence of Antipater. He was a native of Ituraea (Edom) and in time Antipater became a powerful official in the courts of the Hasmonean kings. But he sold himself out to the Roman general Pompey who had conquered Y’hudah in the name of the Roman Republic. Even with the change of governance, the Hellenistic culture remained, because the social structure of Rome, like Y’hudah in the time of Alexander, became beguiled by the Hellenistic lifestyle and culture. That same culture that pervaded Rome was also passed down through the Christianised western world and has remained until today. Adoption of Hellenism into Roman society and latterly into the European nations and finally into the New World countries of the America’s, has seen the same Hellenistic cultural norms continue as the main dividing force between the Jewish and Christian worldviews.

YHVH and Y’hudah

Having considered how YHVH delivered his people from the genocidal plot of the Persians and again delivery of his people from the tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes and the Seleucid army followed by the restoration of the Temple, it must be asked, why did YHVH not deliver his people from the onslaught of the Romans in 70 CE?

In answering that question, we need to again reflect back to the time of the last king of Isra’el. During the reign of King Hoshea of Isra’el, YHVH removed the ten northern tribes at the hand of the Assyrians, into an exile that is yet to end. Then about 120-years later YHVH removed Y’hudah into exile in Babylon. He also prophesied through Jeremiah that Y’hudah would return to Eretz-Yisra’el after seventy-years in Babylon. The sole reason for their return was to enable Yeshua to be born in the land through the tribe of Y’hudah in fulfilment of the words spoken by Ya’akov (Jacob) in the blessing over his son Y’hudah in Genesis 49:10. YHVH had to ensure that the 2nd Temple remained in place with Y’hudah in the Land.

But, once Yeshua had finally ratified the New Covenant through his death and resurrection, as spoken about in Jeremiah 31:30-33, there was no longer any need for Y’hudah to remain in Eretz-Yisra’el. In fulfilment of the prophecy of Ezeki’el 4:4-8 the generation that heard the words of Yeshua in person were given a 40-year window in which to repent and turn back to G-d and Torah. But, as they failed to heed the message, they like the ten tribes before them were cast out into prolonged exile. The stack difference between the exile of the ten tribes and that of Y’hudah is that the tribes were taken eastward into exile among the Semitic nations that descended from Ashur (Assyria) while Y’hudah was taken westward into the Roman world of Europe and Spain and finally became dispersed throughout the New World.

Unlike the ten tribes, Y’hudah was vested with the responsibility of carrying the Torah through their 1900-year exile, so that it would never be lost to history.

The Modern State of Isra’el

In 1948 the modern State of Isra’el was formed, not because the UN deemed it appropriate, but rather because YHVH moved the nations to vote in favour of Resolution 181 on the 29th day of November 1947. that resolution divided Great Britain's former Palestinian mandate into Jewish and Arab states in May 1948 when the British mandate was scheduled to end. (USA Office of the Historian - Milestones : 1945-1952 - Creation of Israel)

YHVH deemed that the modern State of Isra’el was necessary so that the words of Yeshua could be fulfilled when he said in Luke 21:24 - Yerushalayim will be trampled down by the Goyim until the age of the Goyim has run its course.

As we have previously seen that verse was fulfilled during the Six-day War of June 1967 bringing to an end the Hellenistic domination of Isra’el and more particularly Yerushalayim. It was the same event spoken about by Daniel’s prophecy in Chapter 8, where the vision details the start of Gentile domination of Y’hudah, beginning with the arrival of Alexander the Great in 333 BCE and which lasted 2,300-years ending in the war of 1967. While that war saw the end of the Hellenistic (Gentile) domination of Y’hudah, there still remains one more event for which Y’hudah must remain in Eretz-Yisra’el to fulfil. That is the return of Yeshua an event that is yet to take place. What we have seen from the prophetic words of Dani’el is that YHVH foresaw when all the events would occur, that is why Y’hudah is now in the Land. But, what about the Yovel (50-year) cycle between 1967 and 2017 CE? That will be considered in the next panel.

"This essay was written by Graeme Purdie – Founder of Talmidei Yeshua Messianic Ministry of NZ and may only be shared in full and must include this citation at all times. All scriptural references, unless stated otherwise, have been taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029 www.messianicjewish.net."