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The Amazing Story of Hanukkah And Miracle Of The Endless Oil

We begin the story of Hanukkah during the reign of the Greek king, Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and the Land of Israel and annexed them into his kingdom. He was a benevolent king who allowed the people in all of his lands to continue to observe their own religious beliefs and customs.

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They began in the Temple, clearing it of all pagan idols and building a new altar. The golden Menorah has been stolen by the Syrians and Greeks so the Maccabees made a new one from what they could find.

“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Exodus 15:11 (KJV)

In the beginning. We begin the story of Hanukkah during the reign of the Greek king, Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and the Land of Israel and annexed them into his kingdom. He was a benevolent king who allowed the people in all of his lands to continue to observe their own religious beliefs and customs. Nevertheless, during this time of quiet, many Jews chose to assimilate into Greek culture. This group was termed Hellenistic Jews.

Alexander’s empire divided

When Alexander the Great died, his Empire was divided amongst his generals. The Land of Israel has given to Seleucus. For over 100 years the Jews were afforded much of the same privileges and rights as other citizens of the Empire. However, Antiochus III, the great-greatgrandson of Seleucus, was forced to fight a costly war against the Romans. As a result the Jewish people fell out of favor with Antiochus III and thus the beginning of the end of equality for the Jews in the Syrian-Greek Empire.

In 174 BCE Antiochus III’s son, Antiochus IV, began his reign over the Empire. He was a harsh and cruel king; a tyrant of reckless nature and contemptuous of religions and customs that were not his own.

Antiochus IV – the cruel king

Antiochus IV wanted to unite his kingdom under his religion, worship of the Greek idol Zeus. Within the Empire he stifled all Jewish Law. He removed the righteous High Priest Yochanan from the Temple in Jerusalem. Yochanan was replaced with his brother Joshua – a Hellenistic Jew who called himself by the Greek name Jason. Jason used his position as High Priest to infect the priesthood and the Jewish people with the traditions and religion of the Greeks. Jason was soon replaced by another named Menelaus who defiled the Temple with the worship of Greek idols.

ISRAEL’S National Anthem – HATIKVAH

Yochanan was outraged by his brother’s behavior and that of Menelaus. When Antiochus IV was away fighting a war against Egypt Yochanan began to rally the Jews to disobey the new customs and religion being forced on them. The Jewish people were afraid of Antiochus’ reprisals and mostly did nothing. However, when the Romans spread a rumor that Antiochus IV had been killed, the Jewish people rebelled against Menelaus causing him to flee.

Much to the horror of the Jews, Antiochus returned from battle alive and enraged by Roman meddling and Jewish rebellion. He ordered his army to strike out against the Jews killing thousands. Antiochus IV then ordered a series of extremely harsh decrees against the Jewish people and religion.

All Jewish worship was forbidden. All Scrolls of the Law were confiscated and burned. Observation of Shabbat, the Brit Milah, and abiding by Kashrut were all prohibited under penalty of death. As the soldiers went town to town ravaging the Land of Israel they forced Jewish inhabitants to worship their pagan idols and eat the flesh of pigs. Many complied, but some refused and died for their beliefs.

One day Antiochus’ soldiers arrived in a town called Modiin just outside Jerusalem. An old, great priest named Mattiyahu was an inhabitant of this town. The soidiers built an altar to their pagan idols in the center of town and ordered Mattiyahu to worship at it. Mattiyahu refused. A Hellenistic Jew approached the altar to offer a sacrifice. Mattiyahu took out his sword and killed him, and his sons and neighbors sprang on the Greek soldiers killing or chasing them away.

Mattiyahu knew when Antiochus IV heard of this rebellion there would be a heavy price to pay. He fled together with his sons and neighbors to the hills of Judah. Here they lived in the caves and encouraged all loyal and courageous Jews to join them. They formed legions and would carefully leave the caves to attach outposts of Greek and Syrian soldiers and destroy pagan altars.

When old Mattiyahu was on his deathbed, he called his sons together. He encouraged them to defend God’s Torah. He asked that the tactical leader be Shimon the Wise and in battle the leader be Judah the Strong. Judah was known as Maccabee – a contraction for “Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim HaShem” translated as “Who is like you, O God.” This was sung to God by Moses and the Israelites after God parted the Red Sea giving them safe passage and destroying the Egyptians (Exodus 15:11).

Rise of the Maccabees, and the fall of Antiochus

Judah’s followers became known as “The Maccabees” and caused great havoc to the Empire. Eventually Antiochus sent one of his best generals to wipe out this little band of Jewish fighters. Even though the Empire’s army was much better equipped and greater in number, the Maccabees were triumphant in battle again and again.

Antiochus IV realized that he needed to put an end to this rebellion once and for all. He sent an army of 40,000 men in to the Judean hills. When Judah and the Maccabees heard the army coming they cried, “Let us fight to the death in defense of our souls and our Temple!” The Maccabees fought with God in their hearts and the honor of Judaism in their souls. They fought for their Torah and for their Temple. After a series of bloody battles, it was done. They had defeated the powerful army of Antiochus.

With their victory, the Maccabees climbed a mountain outside Jerusalem and looked upon the city. On the 25th of Kislev they descended the mountain to liberate Jerusalem and reclaim their Temple. As they marched into the Holy City they were distressed by what they saw – idols, impurity, and filth everywhere. They entered the Holy Temple and were shocked to see the same. Jerusalem and the the Temple needed to be made Holy again for God.

The miracle of the endless oil

They began in the Temple, clearing it of all pagan idols and building a new altar. The golden Menorah has been stolen by the Syrians and Greeks so the Maccabees made a new one from what they could find. They wanted in light the Menorah to rededicate the Temple to the One True God. They rummaged though the ruins seeking a flask of sanctified oil, but all had been defiled. Finally, they found a small jug in which the Kohen seal was still intact.

They carefully poured the oil into their makeshift Menorah even though they realized that there was only enough oil for one day. They also realized that it would take eight days to sanctify more oil for the Temple. Nevertheless, the Maccabees had faith and dedicated the Holy Temple and lit the Menorah.

Then a great miracle occurred. The oil burned through the first night an on to the second, then on to the third. The oil continued to burn for eight nights until more oil was ready for the Temple. This miracle proved that God was with the Maccabees all along. They fought for what they believed and held fast in face of death with God at their side. Their faith in God and the Torah never wavered and God showed them His Divine presence.

 

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James River Church That Last Year Fraudulently Claimed To Heal A Woman Of Her Missing Toes Now Holds Laodicean ‘Stronger Men’s Conference’ Circus

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April 16, 2024

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The Laodicean James River Church of ‘show me the toes’ fame held their annual ‘Stronger Men’s Conference’, and it was anything else but that

Last year, we showed you how Emergent Church huckster Bill Johnson of the notorious Bethel Church was promoting a ‘miracle’ that had supposedly taken place at the James River Church where a woman who was missing toes found them to be grown back after a ‘healing service’. Only problem was everyone connected to James River Church did their very best to not show you the regrown miracle toes. I wonder why? Now that same church just held their ‘Stronger Men’s Conference’ that looked like an unholy mashup of the UFC, monster trucks, and an AC/DC concert. Ahh, blessed be the ties that bind.

“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16 (KJB)

Do you want to know what creates ‘stronger men’? Men who get under the preaching and teaching of God’s preserved word in truth, sincerity and humbleness. If you need laser lights, rock music and over-the-top displays of ‘manly strength’, you have the world in all its glory. That’s not the gospel, that will never be the gospel, and mixing all that junk with a few nods to the Bible doesn’t change the equation one bit.

At one of his meetings, DL Moody watched a woman in the congregation of 20,000 stand up, and begin to give ‘enthusiastic utterances’ while he was preaching. Know what he did? He stopped preaching and had everyone sing an hymn while the woman was gently taken to another room and given the gospel. Why would he do that? Because in Acts 16:16 we see Paul dealing with a woman who, while she spoke the truth, was actually disturbing and disrupting the work of the Lord. As it turns out, her ‘spirit of divination’, so loved by today’s Charismatic church, turned out to be an evil spirit. Funny how that works, isn’t it? Look at the main image at the top of this article, it is from the ‘Stronger Men’s Conference’, what does that remind you of? If you answered the devil metal band AC/DC, you are correct. What is that symbolism doing in a church conference designed to create ‘stronger men’?

Your King James Bible tells you to seek the ‘old ways’ and to walk in the ‘old paths’, where the ‘good way’ is. The ‘good way’ for any Church is the old songs and hymns that magnify Jesus and minimize you, and preaching and teaching from God’s preserved word. No rock, no rap, no smoke machines, no laser lights. no ridiculous displays of false masculinity like what the ‘Stronger Men’s Conference’ is all about. You want to see how strong you are? Go preach the gospel on the street corner on a hot summer day for a couple of hours, hand out a few hundred tracts, compassionately tell lost people they are headed for Hell, and stand tall when the jeers, taunts and spit begins to fly. That’s what a strong, Christian man does.

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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Free Bible Program

God Is Giving Us An End Times Harvest With Over 230 Souls Who Prayed To Get Saved In Jail After Receiving A Bible From Our Bibles Behind Bars Program

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April 15, 2024

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Hundreds of thousands of pieces of gospel literature have been sent out, and hundreds have prayed to get saved after getting a copy of God’s word from Bibles Behind Bars in an amazing end times harvest

We have been sending out to the jails and prisons hundreds of thousands of King James Bibles, in English and Spanish, New Testaments, scripture portions and gospel tracts since 2021, that’s a lot of seeds planted for the Lord Jesus Christ. And those seeds, once planted, are being watered and cared for on a daily basis by the many chaplains and gospel workers who labour in the jails and prisons we send them out to. Today we report to you the happy news that the number of souls who have prayed to get saved is now past 230 and climbing. Praise the Lord!

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” 1 Corinthians 3:6 (KJB)

As the end times rage around us, with bad news coming at us on every side, today we pause for just a little while to rejoice and revel in the harvest of souls that God is giving us through the Bibles Behind Bars Program. Inmates locked away, some for months and some for years on end, sit in their cell day after day with little hope for anything changing. In the midst of that comes to them a King James Bible, provided by all of you who pray and donate, handed to them by one of the jail and prison chaplains or personal workers. The gospel is preached to them, and so far, hundreds have responded to get saved. Right around 232 souls as near as I can figure from the reports we get. Chaplain Steve from the Adair County Jail will be preaching at the Camp Meeting, talking about the revival in his facility, you’re not going to want to miss that amazing testimony.

Thank you for being a part of this vital end times outreach, and caring enough to pray for these men and women who have been locked away and all but forgotten about. But the Lord didn’t forget about them, and He has raised up all of us here at NTEB to send in His word to those very dark places, bring hope and new life in Jesus Christ. If the God has prospered you, please take a moment to click on the links and make a generous donation to keep Bibles Behind Bars going. Thank you so much…TO THE FIGHT!!!

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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George Soros

Pro-Hamas Supporters Funded By George Soros Launched A ‘Global Strike For Gaza’ To Shut Down Highways Across America For Hours Today

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April 15, 2024

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Pro-Hamas protesters in dozens of cities across America are participating in the ‘Global Strike for Gaza’ and ‘Stop The World For Gaza’ today, funding comes from George Soros

All across America today, frustrated commuters were stopped for hours by Pro-Hamas supporters who united to ‘stop the world for Gaza’ by blocking access to major roads and bridges in dozens of cities. This is not free speech, this is really not a protest, this is soft terrorism on a mass scale much like the ANTIFA and Black Lives Matter riots in the summer of 2020 were. These anarchist groups receive money from the Third Wave Fund, which itself is funded by Proteus, which is funneled money through the many-headed hydra that is George Soros. It’s not about Gaza, it’s about fomenting civil war.

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs 29:2 (KJB)

Living here in the free state of Florida, we don’t have a whole lot of experience with terror-supporting groups locking arms and preventing the forward flow of traffic. I have watch multiple times as Black Lives Matter have reared their ugly heads, but as far as I know, they’ve never tried to commandeer the streets. They get away with this garbage because the Obama administration, operating covertly under ‘front man’ Joe Biden, allows it, protects it and encourages it. These mass protests have almost nothing to do with ‘free speech’ and everything to do with anarchy and rebellion. And speaking of Gaza, I stand with the Jews, pray for the safety of Israel and for the peace of Jerusalem. Am Yisrael Chai. There, I picked my side, now you pick yours.

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Pro-Hamas Supporters Blocking American Roads and Bridges ‘for Gaza’

FROM THE NATIONAL REVIEW: In Chicago, protesters organized by a group called Chicago Dissenters blocked the access road to O’Hare International Airport at around 8:30 a.m. to protest Boeing, which sells military equipment to Israel. Activists posted videos on social media of irritated airline customers walking along the shut-down road with luggage in tow.

Some of the comments on the post mocked “the privilege of being annoyed” and being “inconvenienced by having to walk to your flight while Palestinians are being murdered.” All of the participants in the blockade were masked.

They’re attempting to effect economic blockades to coincide with Tax Day. Iran’s attack on Israel this weekend didn’t deter the pro-Palestinian groups from holding the already-planned events.

The Dissenters are nationally funded by grants from the Third Wave Fund, an activist group started in 1992 to mobilize young radical feminists which has since shifted its focus to resourcing and supporting “youth-led, intersectional gender justice activism.” The Dissenters were given a “Mobilize Power Fund” grant in November 2023 to support “safety and security measures among their membership as part of their organizing to free Palestine.” As an aside, it’s worth mentioning that, along with aiding the “Free Palestine” movement, Third Wave Fund also finances a “Sex Worker Giving Circle,” which is “a diverse range of sex worker-led groups throughout the country and bringing current and former sex workers to the philanthropic decision-making table.”

Protesters have also blocked off Lockheed Martin in Virginia, the Golden Gate Bridge in California, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge in New York, and numerous highways and airports. I’m glad to see these activists putting themselves on display. Every one of these events publicizes how cowardly and extreme pro-Hamas activists are, hiding behind masks and hurling obscenities. With every demonstration since October 7, their signs have gotten more extreme, their chants more vile.

In October, protesters’ calls for “cease-fire” were almost knee-jerk; now the activists are cheering on Iranian missile attacks with glee and waving Hezbollah’s flag triumphantly. Full-throttle sympathy for terrorism was always the endgame, as we’ve written many times. Anyone who thought that calls for a cease-fire didn’t also mean the denial of Israel’s right to exist now have an array of evidence proving otherwise. READ MORE

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

Continue Reading

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