The Maccabean Revolt, also known as the Maccabean Rebellion or the Hasmonean Revolt, was a Jewish uprising against the Seleucid Empire that took place in the 2nd century BCE. It is a significant event in Jewish history and is commemorated by the holiday of Hanukkah. The revolt was primarily led by a Jewish family known as the Maccabees, specifically by a priest named Mattathias and his sons, particularly Judah Maccabee.
The Maccabean Revolt was triggered by the oppressive policies of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who attempted to force Hellenistic culture and religion on the Jewish population of Judea. In 167 BCE, Antiochus desecrated the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem by erecting a statue of Zeus and demanding that sacrifices be made to the Greek gods. These actions, along with other harsh measures, led to widespread resistance among the Jewish people.
Mattathias and his sons initiated the revolt in response to these religious and cultural persecutions. They organized a guerrilla war against the Seleucid forces, engaging in hit-and-run tactics and military confrontations. Over time, they gained support from various Jewish factions and managed to retake control of Jerusalem and cleanse the desecrated Temple.
In 164 BCE, the Maccabees successfully reclaimed and rededicated the Second Temple in Jerusalem, an event celebrated as the miracle of Hanukkah. According to tradition, a single flask of oil, sufficient for only one day, miraculously burned for eight days, providing the time needed to prepare more sacred oil.
The Maccabees’ victories led to the establishment of the Hasmonean dynasty, with Judah Maccabee’s brother, Simon, becoming the first ruler. The Hasmoneans ruled an independent Jewish state for a period of about 80 years until they were eventually supplanted by the Roman Empire.
The Maccabean Revolt is a symbol of Jewish resistance against religious persecution and cultural assimilation, and it played a crucial role in preserving Jewish identity and traditions. The story of the Maccabees continues to be remembered and celebrated during Hanukkah as a testament to the resilience and determination of the Jewish people.
Related Commentary:
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The “abomination that causes desolation” is a phrase taken from three cryptic references in Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 to a scandal that would defile and profane the Jerusalem temple. The same phrase is used in 1 Macc 1:54 to describe Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), the Syrian general who outraged the Jews in 168 B.C. by erecting an altar to Zeus on the altar of burnt offering in the temple and sacrificing a sow on it. The sacrilege of Antiochus in the Jerusalem temple became the dramatic provocation for the Maccabean Revolt, which against all odds earned Jews their only century of political self-rule between the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. and the formation of the State of Israel in 1948.
Related Scripture:
Mark 13:14-18 (NLT) “The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where he should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter.
