The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 291: The Rise of King Alexander (2022)

Episode Date: October 18, 2022

Fr. Mike breaks down the dramatic events from our reading of 1 Maccabees today, including; Jonathan's new role as high priest, Demetrius' defeat in battle, and King Alexander Epiphanes formidable alliance with Egypt formed by marrying Cleopatra. In Sirach, Fr. Mike reminds us that the good qualities wives are called to possess are also applicable to husbands. Today we read 1 Maccabees 10, Sirach 26-27, and Proverbs 23:5-8. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible Timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 291. Gosh, well done, you guys. We're reading 1 Maccabees chapter 10, Sirach chapter 26 and 27, as well as Proverbs chapter 23, verses 5 through 8. As always,

the Bible translation I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. You can also subscribe to this podcast to receive daily episodes and daily updates. It's day 290 and we have not too far to go. Holy smokes. This, what a gift. We're reading first book of Maccabees chapter 10, Sirach chapter 26 and 27, as well as Proverbs chapter 23 verses five through eight. The first book of Maccabees chapter 10, revolt of Alexander Epiphanes. In the 160th year, Alexander Epiphanes, the son of Maccabees, Chapter 10, Revolt of Alexander Epiphanes. In the 160th year, Alexander Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus, landed and occupied Ptolemaeus.

They welcomed him, and there he began to reign. When Demetrius, the king, heard of it, he assembled a very large army and marched out to meet him in battle. And Demetrius sent Jonathan a letter in peaceable words to honor him. For he said, Let us act first to make peace with him before he makes peace with Alexander against us, for he will remember all the wrongs which he did to him and to his brothers and his nation. So Demetrius gave him authority to recruit troops, to equip them with arms, and to become his ally. And he commanded that the hostages in the citadel should be released to him. Then Jonathan came to Jerusalem and read the letter in the hearing of all the people and of the men in the citadel.

They were greatly alarmed when they heard that the king had given him authority to recruit troops, but the men in the citadel released the hostages to Jonathan and he returned them to their parents. And Jonathan dwelt in Jerusalem and began to rebuild and restore the city. He directed those who were doing the work to build the walls and encircle Mount Zion with squared stones for better fortification, and they did so. Then the foreigners who were in the stronghold that Bacchides had built fled, each left his place and departed to his own land. Only in Beth-Zur did some remain who had forsaken the law and the commandments, for it served as a place of refuge. Now Alexander the

king heard of all the promises which Demetrius had sent to Jonathan, and men told him of the battles that Jonathan and his brothers had fought, of the brave deeds that they had done, and of the troubles that they had endured. So he said, Shall we find another such man? Come now, we will make him our friend and ally. And he wrote a letter and sent it to him in the following words. Jonathan becomes high priest. King Alexander to his brother Jonathan greeting. We have heard about you, that you are a mighty warrior and worthy to be our friend. And so we have appointed you today to be the high priest of your nation.

You are to be called the king's friend. And he sent to him a purple robe and a golden crown. And you are to take our side and keep friendship with us. Demetrius writes to Jonathan. So Jonathan put on the holy garments in the seventh month of the 160th year at the feast of tabernacles, and he recruited troops and equipped them with arms in abundance. When Demetrius heard of these things, he was grieved and said, What is this that we have done? Alexander has gotten ahead of us in forming a friendship with the Jews to strengthen himself. I also will write them words of encouragement and promise them honor and gifts that I may have their help. So he sent a message to them in the

following words. King Demetrius, to the nation of the Jews, greeting. Since you have kept your agreement with us and have continued your friendship with us and have not sided with our enemies, we have heard of it and rejoiced. And now continue still to keep faith with us and we will repay you with good for what you do for us. We will grant you many immunities and give you gifts. And now I free you and exempt all the Jews from payment of tribute and salt tax and crown levies. And instead of collecting the third of the grain and half of the fruit of the trees that I should receive, I release them from this day and henceforth. I will not collect them from the land of Judah or from the three districts added to it from Samaria and Galilee from this day

and for all time. And let Jerusalem and her environs, her tithes and her revenues, be holy and free from tax. I release also my control of the citadel in Jerusalem, and give it to the high priest, that he may station in it men of his own choice to guard it. And every one of the Jews, taken as a captive from the land of Judah into any part of my kingdom,

I set free without payment, and let all officials cancel also the taxes on their cattle. And all the feasts and sabbaths and new moons I set free without payment. Let's read it. be of their own number, and let them live by their own laws, just as the king has commanded in the land of Judah. As for the three districts that have been added to Judea from the country of Samaria, let them be so annexed to Judea that they are considered to be under one ruler, and obey no other authority but the high priest. Ptolemaeus and the land adjoining it I have given as a gift to the sanctuary in Jerusalem, to meet the necessary expenses of the sanctuary. I also grant 15,000 shekels of silver yearly out of the king's revenues from appropriate places. And all the additional funds which the government officials have not paid as they did in the first years, they shall give from now on for the service of the temple. Moreover, the 5,000 shekels of silver which my officials have received every year from the income of the services of the temple, this too is canceled, because it belongs to the priests who minister

there. And whoever takes refuge at the temple in Jerusalem or in any of its precincts because he owes money to the king or has any debt, let him be released and receive back all his property in my kingdom. Let the cost of rebuilding and restoring the structures of the sanctuary be paid from the revenues of the king. And let the cost of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and fortifying it round about and the cost of rebuilding the walls in Judea also be paid from the revenues of the king. Death of Demetrius. When Jonathan and the people heard these words, they did not believe or accept them because they remembered the great wrongs which Demetrius had done in Israel, and now he had greatly oppressed them. They favored Alexander because he had been the first to speak peaceable words to them, and they remained his allies all his days. Now Alexander the king assembled large forces and encamped opposite Demetrius.

The two kings met in battle, and the army of Demetrius fled, and Alexander pursued him and defeated them. He pressed the battle strongly until the sun set, and Demetrius fell on that day. Treaty of Ptolemy and Alexander Then Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, with the following message. Since I have returned to my kingdom, and have taken my seat on the throne of my fathers, and established my rule, for I crushed Demetrius and gained control of our country. I met him in battle and he and his army were crushed by us and we have taken our seat on the throne of his kingdom. Now, therefore, let us establish friendship with one another.

Give me now your daughter as my wife and I will become your son-in-law and will make gifts to you and to her in keeping with your position. Ptolemy the king replied and said, Happy was the day on which you returned to the land of your fathers and took your seat on the throne of your kingdom. And now I will do for you as you wrote, but meet me at Ptolemaeus, so that we may see one another, and I will become your father-in-law as you have said. So Ptolemy set out from Egypt, he and Cleopatra his daughter, and came to Ptolemaeus in the 162nd year. Alexander the king met him, and Ptolemy gave him Cleopatra his daughter in marriage, and celebrated her wedding at Ptolemaeus with great pomp as kings do. Then Alexander the king wrote to Jonathan to come to meet him. So he went with

pomp to Ptolemaeus and met with two kings. He gave them and their friends silver and gold and many gifts and found favor with them. A group of pestilent men from Israel, lawless men, gathered together against him to accuse him, but the king paid no attention to them. The king gave orders to take off Jonathan's garments and to clothe him in purple, and they did so. The king also seated him at his side, and he said to his officers, Go forth with him into the middle of the city and proclaim that no one is to bring charges against him about any matter, and let no one annoy him for any reason. And when his accusers saw the honor that was paid him, in accordance with the proclamation,

and saw him clothed in purple, they all fled. Thus the king honored him and enrolled him among his chief friends and made him general and governor of the province. And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem in peace and gladness. Apollonius is defeated by Jonathan. In the 165th year, Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, came to Crete to the land of his fathers. When Alexander the king heard of it, he was greatly grieved and returned to Antioch. And Demetrius, came to Crete to the land of his fathers. When Alexander the king heard of it, he was greatly grieved and returned to Antioch. And Demetrius appointed Apollonius the governor of Coel Syria, and he assembled a large force and encamped against Jamnia. Then he sent the following message to Jonathan the high priest. You are the only one to rise up against us,

and I have become a laughingstock and reproach because of you. Why do you assume authority against us in the hill country? If you now have confidence in your forces, come down to the plain to meet us and let us match strength with each other there. For I have with me the power of the cities. Ask and learn who I am and who the others are that are helping us. Men will tell you that you cannot stand before us

for your fathers were twice put to flight in their own land. And now you will not be able to withstand my cavalry and such an army in the plain where there is no stone or pebble or place to flee. When Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, his spirit was aroused. He chose 10,000 men and set out from Jerusalem and Simon, his brother met him to help him.

He encamped before Joppa, but the men of the city closed its gates, for Apollonius had a garrison in Joppa. So they fought against it, and the men of the city became afraid and opened the gates, and Jonathan gained possession of Joppa. When Apollonius heard of it, he mustered three thousand cavalry and a large army and went to Azotus as though he were going farther. At the same time, he advanced into the plain, for he had a large troop of cavalry and put confidence in it. Jonathan pursued him to Azotus, and the armies engaged in battle. Now Apollonius had secretly left a thousand cavalry behind them. Jonathan learned that there was an ambush behind him, for they surrounded his army and shot arrows at his men from early morning till late afternoon. But his men stood fast as Jonathan commanded, and the enemy's horses grew tired.

Then Simon brought forward his force and engaged the phalanx in battle, for the cavalry was exhausted. They were overwhelmed by him and fled, and the cavalry was dispersed in the plain. They fled to Azotus and entered Beth Dagon, the temple of their idol, for safety. But Jonathan burned Azotus and the surrounding Beth Dagon, the temple of their idol, for safety. But Jonathan burned Azotus and the surrounding towns and plundered them and the temple of Dagon, and those who had taken refuge in it he burned with fire. The number of those who fell by the sword with those burned alive came to eight thousand men. Then Jonathan departed from there and encamped against Ascalon,

and the men of the city came out to meet him with great pomp. And Jonathan and those with him returned to Jerusalem with much booty. When Alexander the king heard of these things, he honored Jonathan still more, and he sent to him a golden buckle, such as it is the custom to give to the kinsmen of kings. He also gave him Ekron and all its environs as his possession. The book of Sirach, chapter 26. Happy is the husband of a good wife. The number of his days will be doubled. A loyal wife rejoices her husband and he will complete his years in peace.

A good wife is a great blessing. She will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord. Whether rich or poor, his heart is glad and at all times his face is cheerful. Of three things my heart is afraid and of a fourth I am frightened. The slander of a city, the gathering of a mob, and false accusation. All these are worse than death. There is grief of heart and sorrow when a wife is envious of a rival, and a tongue-lashing makes it known to all. An evil wife is an ox-yoke which chafes.

Taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion. There is great anger when a wife is drunken. She will not hide her shame. A wife's harlotry shows in her lustful eyes and she is known by her eyelids keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter lest when she finds liberty she use it to her hurt be on guard against her impudent eye and do not wonder if she sins against you as a thirsty wayfarer opens his mouth and drinks from any water near him, so will she sit in front of every post and open her quiver to the arrow. A wife's charm delights her husband, and her skill puts fat on his bones. A sensible and silent wife is a gift of the Lord, and there is nothing so precious as a disciplined soul. A modest wife adds charm to charm, and no balance can weigh the value of a

chaste soul. Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord, so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home. Like a shining lamp on the holy lampstand, so is a beautiful face on a stately figure. Like pillars of gold on a base of silver, so are beautiful feet with a steadfast heart. My son, keep sound the bloom of your youth, and do not give your strength to strangers. Seek a fertile field within the whole plain, and sow it with your own seed, trusting in your fine stock. So your offspring will survive, and having confidence in their good descent will grow great. A harlot is regarded as spittle, and a married woman as a tower of death to her lovers. A godless wife is given as a portion to a lawless man, but a pious wife is given to the man who fears the Lord.

A shameless woman constantly acts disgracefully, but a modest daughter will even be embarrassed before her husband. A headstrong wife is regarded as a dog, but one who has a sense of shame will fear the Lord. A wife honoring her husband will seem wise to all, but if she dishonors him in her pride, she will be known to all as ungodly. Happy is the husband of a good wife, for the number of his years will be doubled. A loud-voiced and garrulous wife is regarded as a war trumpet

for putting the enemy to flight, and every person like this lives in the anarchy of war. At two things my heart is grieved, and because of a third, anger comes over me. A warrior in want through poverty, and intelligent men who are treated contemptuously. A man who turns back from righteousness to sin, the Lord will prepare him for the sword. A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing, and a tradesman will not be declared innocent of sin. Chapter 27. Many have committed sin for a trifle, and whoever seeks to get rich will avert his eyes.

As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones, so sin is wedged in between selling and buying. If a man is not steadfast and zealous in the fear of the Lord, his house will be quickly overthrown. When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains. So a man's filth remains in his thoughts. The kiln tests the potter's vessels, so the test of just men is in tribulation. The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree, so the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a man's mind. Do not praise a man before you hear him speak, for this is the test of men. If you pursue justice, you will attain it and wear it as a glorious robe. Birds flock with their kind, so truth returns to those who practice it.

A lion lies in wait for prey, so does sin for the workers of iniquity. The talk of a godly man is always wise, but the fool changes like the moon. Among stupid people, watch for a chance to leave, but among thoughtful people, stay on. The talk of fools is offensive, and their laughter is wantonly sinful. The talk of men given to swearing makes one hair stand on end, and their quarrels make a man stop his ears. The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed, and their abuse is grievous to hear. Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence, and he will never find a congenial friend. Love your friend and keep faith with him. But if you betray his secrets, do not run after him. For as a man destroys his enemy,

so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbor. And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand, so you have let your neighbor go and will not catch him again. Do not go after him, for he is too far off, and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare. For a wound may be bandaged, and there is reconciliation after abuse, but whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope. Whoever winks his eye plans evil deeds, and no one can keep him from them. In your presence his mouth is all sweetness, and he admires your words. But later he will twist his speech, and with your own words he will give offense. I have hated many things, but none to be compared to him.

Even the Lord will hate him. Whoever throws a stone straight up throws it on his own head, and a treacherous blow opens up wounds. He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who sets a snare will be caught in it. If a man does evil, it will roll back upon him, and he will not know where it came from. Mockery and abuse issue from the proud man,

but vengeance lies in wait for him like a lion. Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare, and pain will consume them before their death. Anger and wrath, these also are abominations, and the sinful man will possess them. The Book of Proverbs chapter 23 verses 4 through 8. for he is like one who is inwardly reckoning. Eat and drink, he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the morsels which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.

Father in heaven, we give you praise and thanks. Ah, gosh, thank you for this day. And thank you for the word, your word, which is planted in our minds and in our hearts. Help it to bear fruit. Help us to bear fruit by listening to your word and seeing the world the way you see the world. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. So God does shape our context, our vision, but golly, you look at this story and you think, the story of 1 Maccabees in chapter 10

here, I mean, the whole thing has been just drama mama. It has been, um, not just drama, like soap opera drama, more like epic battle. One King succeeds the next King. Here's this marriage that tries to shore up the Alliance and this whole, all this stuff. That is what we've been living in this, this time. So we have these rise of two Kings. We have Alexander Epiphanes, who's claims to be the son of Antiochus Epiphanes. And you also have Demetrius. We know Demetrius already because no bueno. We don't like Demetrius. Okay, so here's the context.

They're both trying to reach out to get Jonathan and the Maccabees and the Jews on their side. So we have this first letter from Alexander Epiphanes, right? Antiochus' son, basically saying, we've heard. You're amazing. You're incredible. And I declare you, Alexander, declare you a priest. And interestingly, Jonathan accepts it because, you know, he might be of the tribe of Levi, but he's not qualified to be a priest. Nonetheless, that's a whole nother story. You also have Demetrius writing to Jonathan and Demetrius, you know, Alexander's letter to Jonathan is pretty short, but you know, pretty flattering. If you want to talk about a deal, Demetrius is extending a deal, the deal of a lifetime

to Jonathan and to the Jews at this point, basically saying every, Hey, all of your taxes canceled. All your debts canceled. All you people who are enslaved freed. Also, if you want anything, we'll give it to you. Demetrius is making a hard, hard play to get Jonathan and the Jews on his side. And yet, Demetrius is the one who sent Bacchides to kill Jonathan's brother. So, and on the other Jews as well.

And so this is not going to go well for Demetrius, even though he tried to essentially bribe the Jews to be on his side against Alexander. They were faithful, right? They saw right through this and realized, you know, Demetrius, he will promise these things because he did in the past. He'll promise these things and he will not deliver on them. And there's a wisdom here, right? We've been reading the book of Sirach and there's some wisdom in there, but there is

a great amount of wisdom here where they are not, even though Alexander only says a few things that are complimentary, only offers a few kind of sweet deals. And Demetrius offers all the sweet deals. When you know that the person offering all the sweet deals is not reliable, that they are a liar, that they have betrayed in the past. It is not wise to trust that person. And Jonathan does not trust Demetrius. And so, um, yeah, Alexander, the King assembles large forces does not trust Demetrius. And so, yeah, Alexander the king assembles large forces and camps opposite Demetrius. The two kings meet in battle and

Demetrius is crushed and he and his troops are killed. Now, another interesting thing that happens is in this chapter 10, we have the story of Cleopatra. So Alexander Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus, he enters into an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying Cleopatra. Now, Cleopatra will marry two other guys right after Alexander dies, spoiler alert. But in this case, we have this union, this alliance being made between Egypt and this Greco-Seleucid empire. Alexander also has kind of the support of the Roman Senate at this point. So he's kind of the dude right now. He's kind of on top of the world, having married Cleopatra, alliance with Egypt. He's at peace with Rome and he's got the Jews on his side as well. And so that's, we have this battle. We have Demetrius,

the son of Demetrius, not to be confusing at all. This is the end of chapter 10 of Maccabees. We have Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, who basically is aggressive because he does not, interesting, he does not like the idea that Jonathan and his men killed his father. So he basically says, this verse 70, you are the only one to rise up against us and I become a laughingstock and reproach because of you. And so he challenges him to battle on the plane. And this is remarkable because he has a ton, a ton of troops. And Jonathan does not have a ton of troops. In fact, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel. And yet Jonathan defeats the army. And it says that Alexander the King heard of this and he

sends to Jonathan a golden buckle, such as it is the custom to give to the kinsmen of kings. So Alexander is honoring Jonathan as kin in many ways, not just giving him lip service, but this real movement of honor. And that happens obviously here in Dacobes chapter 12. One thing I wanna highlight in Sirach, we didn't mention anything about Sirach yesterday, but you know why?

Because I'm avoiding all of the scripture that talks about a garrulous wife is like this. A wife you want to avoid is like that. Like, I don't need to go there, you guys. Just let the word of God say it. I don't need to add to anything like this. But I will add to this piece, which is the warning, of course, against here is marrying someone who ought not to marry.

Someone who is immodest. Someone who doesn't watch their mouth, someone who doesn't really treat people with kindness. Then it goes on to say, but on the other hand, a wife who has charm is a gift, and a wife who is sensible is a gift, and a wife who is disciplined is a gift, and a wife who is modest is a gift. And so basically, you think about this, you know, a husband who has charm is a gift, and a sensible husband is a gift, and a modest husband is a gift. And a wife who's modest is a gift. And so basically, you think about this, you know, a husband who has charm is a gift. And a sensible husband is a gift. And a modest husband is a gift.

And a chaste husband is a gift. Like all these pieces, they're not just about wives. Obviously, they're specifically in the context of Sarah writing to his son is going to be talking about wives. But there's this other piece that is talking about men. Well, any human being, but also men. It goes on to say, when a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains.

So a man's filth remains in his thoughts. You know, I think, I don't know if we put a lot of attention on what kind of stuff we take in. We have a sieve, right? You have like a strainer. And when it's shaken, the refuse remains. And so the stuff that we put into our minds, it sticks there. It goes on to say, the kiln tests the potter's vessels, so the test of just men is in tribulation. And what a gift it is to know that, yes, suffering is the test. Suffering reveals

the value of our hearts and the worth of our hearts. I love this. The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree, so the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a man's mind. Do not praise a man before you hear him speak, for this is the test of men. He goes on to talk about wise words and wise speech and unwise words and unwise speech. And we recognize, and just it's a conviction for me to be able to say, gosh, Lord, fill my heart with abundance of goodness. Fill my mind with abundance of goodness so that when I speak, it's not evil words. And when I speak, it's not unwise words.

Fill my heart with goodness so that everything that comes out of my mind, my mouth is good. And so we pray for each other like that. Fill your heart, fill your mind with goodness so that everything that comes out of your mind or your heart is good as well. Keep praying for each other. I'm praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike.

I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.