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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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antisemitism

Kristallnacht Comes To Hamilton Hall At Columbia University With ‘Night Of Broken Glass’ In Support Of Hamas, Openly Calling For Genocide Of The Jews

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The Kristallnacht takeover of Hamilton Hall by pro-Palestinian protesters comes after the university announced it was suspending students after previously asking protesters involved in the anti-Israel encampment to leave by 2:00 p.m.

The breaking of the glass windows at Hamilton Hall at Columbia University last night was done in a careful, methodical and highly intentional way. The breakers of the glass very much wanted to bring to your remembrance an event that took place in Nazi Germany in 1938 called Kristallnacht, the ‘night of broken glass’. This seminal event was the kick-off to the 7 years of Jewish-specific concentration camps which would extinguish the lives of 6 million Jews. This is exactly what the rioters at Columbia University wanted you to think of last night. The horror of the gas chambers and the ovens was the end point for what started with Nazi soldiers writing threatening words on the windows of Jewish shopkeepers using a ten cent bar of soap. Think about that.

“Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.” Jeremiah 16:16 (KJB)

This world is preparing itself to receive Antichrist, and because of that, we are seeing a huge uptick in violent antisemitism not only in America but around the world as well. On college campuses like Columbia, they are calling for the genocide of the Jews to such a degree that Jewish students can no longer attend classes. Columbia University officials are advising “members of the University community” to avoid going to the Morningside campus if possible on Tuesday in light of the protesters occupying Hamilton Hall, according to a campus alert from Columbia Public Safety. This not only antisemitism, this is the end times. Pick a side, Christian, pick a side. Am Yisrael Chai.

Anti-Israel Protesters Seize Administrative Building at Columbia University

FROM BREITBART NEWS: Anti-Israel protesters involved in an encampment at Columbia University took over an administrative building early Tuesday morning. Video footage posted to X showed anti-Israel protesters carrying barricades into Hamilton Hall, an academic building on the university’s campus.

In its Telegram channel, Within Our Lifetime (WOL) Palestine posted an announcement calling for protection of the anti-Israel encampment on the campus.

“Student organizers have called on everyone to come to Columbia TONIGHT and defend the encampment after administration’s threats this morning,” the group wrote in a post on the channel.

Other videos posted to X showed anti-Israel protesters smashing the glass doors of Hamilton Hall, as people can be heard chanting, “Disclose. Divest. We will not stop, we will not rest.” Anti-Israel protesters who occupied Hamilton Hall were photographed hanging pro-Palestinian posters from the windows of the building. Protesters were videotaped hanging a banner from the windows of the building that read, “Intifada,” as anti-Israel protesters can be heard chanting, “Free, free, free, free, Palestine. From the river to the sea…”

The takeover of Hamilton Hall by pro-Palestinian protesters comes after the university announced it was suspending students after previously asking protesters involved in the anti-Israel encampment to leave by 2:00 p.m.

An initial encampment was started on Columbia University’s campus on April 17. The next day several students were suspended, and hundreds of protesters involved in the encampment were arrested. Columbia University had removed the initial encampment, but since then, it has returned. Since the start of the encampment at Columbia University, others have been established at the University of California Los Angeles, Yale University, Harvard University, George Washington University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, among others. 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.

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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 SHORTTO 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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antisemitism

Jews Have Been Driven Off Of Campus At Columbia University As Violent Pro-Hamas And Anti-Israel Protests Threaten To Spread Across Nation

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Student demonstrators at Columbia University have forced Jews off campus, as tensions rose on the campus at the epicenter of pro-Palestinian anti-Israel protests across US colleges.

A storm is brewing on college campuses across America, to quote Uncle Billy from ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, it’s shaping up to be a squall. Nearly all the Jewish students at Columbia University have been driven off campus due to the violent threats and incendiary rhetoric coming from the pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian rioters at the school. The Declaration of Independence says “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble…” Once things turn ugly, the protest has become a riot, and that is not protected by our Constitution.

“And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Matthew 27:37 (KJB)

If you are old enough to remember the protests on college campuses over the Vietnam War, then much of what you’re seeing right now is eerily reminiscent of that time. You will also remember that when other agitator factions entered into the mix, things got real violent real fast, and people started dying. If present trends continue, I would have to believe that we are getting close to that scenario once again. The presidential conventions for the GOP and DNC are in July and August respectively, and it’s a pretty fair bet that these riots will be present during those gatherings.

Columbia University on edge as talks collapse over Gaza protests

FROM BREITBART NEWS: Police arrested around 275 people on four separate campuses in the United States over the weekend, with the White House calling on the growing protests in recent weeks to remain peaceful. Columbia University said Monday that many Jewish students have left its campus and it demanded that the protestors’ encampment must be cleared, adding that Columbia would not divest financial holdings linked to Israel — a key demand of demonstrators.

Students pushed back, vowing to defend their camp on the New York institution’s main lawn, despite the threat of suspensions and disciplinary action from the college. As of midday only students with university ID cards were free to walk onto campus, AFP observed.

Columbia University classics professor Joseph Howley told AFP the school’s statement Monday amounted to yielding to outside political pressure. He said Columbia is “affirming the false premise that the mere presence of political speech on behalf of Palestine is a threat to Jews like myself.”

He called such a position “absurd and dangerous.”

Protests against the Gaza war, with its high civilian death toll among Palestinian civilians, have posed a challenge to university administrators trying to balance free speech rights with complaints that the rallies have veered into anti-Semitism and hate speech.

For almost two weeks now a wave of protests against Israel’s war in Gaza has swept across US university campuses, coast to coast, after beginning at Columbia. Around 100 protesters were arrested there April 18. Footage of police in riot gear and summoned by university officials to break up rallies have been viewed around the world, recalling the protest movement that erupted during the Vietnam war.

At University of California, Los Angeles skirmishes broke out Sunday between pro-Palestinian protesters and supporters of Israel. These nationwide rallies have reignited debate on freedom of expression, anti-Zionism and what kind of language or behavior amount to being anti-Semitic.

The Gaza war started when Hamas militants staged an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 that left around 1,170 people dead, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Palestinian militants also took roughly 250 people hostage. Israel estimates 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead. 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.

campaign-1486-2024-new2

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 SHORTTO 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

European Union

Emmanuel Macron Offers The EU A ‘Nuclear Umbrella’ Spread Out Over Europe With 300 French Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles As Russia Deterrent

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French president Emmanuel Macron has suggested the submarine-launched nuclear warheads are fanned across the continent to create a ‘nuclear umbrella’ over Europe

Emmanuel Macron is in his second term as French president, and has just offered the entire weight of the nuclear arsenal of France to the European Union to create a massive ‘nuclear umbrella’ to protect EU nations from a Russian nuclear attack. Today Macron is the president of France, but soon he just may be the king of the world. No kidding.

“And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.” Daniel 11:23 (KJB)

If the European Union takes Macron up on his offer of all of France’s nuclear arsenal, guess what else comes with that? He does. Macron comes with that very generous offer, and it becomes the perfect tool to insert himself into a position whereby he gets closer and closer to ruling over all of Europe like Jupiter, just as he prophesied he would back in 2017. Emmanuel Macron is smart, very smart, and one day soon he is going to the leader of all Europe on his way to his 7-year appointment with his biblical destiny. Now that last part is just my opinion, mind you, but looks more and more likely as time goes on.

Europe planning new ‘nuclear umbrella’ with 300 French nuke missiles spread across continent for showdown with Russia

THE SUN US: Macron’s offer followed a German minister urging the UK and France to forge a “nuclear shield” to deter Russia. Leaders in Europe are worried about the ramifications of a possible Donald Trump win in the November presidential election. And nuclear threats are coming out of Russia thick and fast as Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine drags on.

Macron said he wanted to open up conversations about “missile defence, long-range weapons and nuclear weapons” across Europe. The French premier, who has been incredibly vocal about stepping up defence in the face of Putin, said we need a “credible European defence”.

The current US-led NATO alliance, he believes, does not offer enough protection.

France, he says, “is ready to contribute more to the defence of European soil,” independently from America, offering up the 300-ballistic and cruise missile store. But Russia’s nuclear stores dwarf their collective power, with the world’s most extensive and varied collection by a considerable amount. Even the US has fewer nukes.

Just this weekend, one of Putin’s state TV propaganda puppets issued a fresh nuclear threat against the West.

Dmitry Kiselyov warned: “If NATO countries deploy their forces to Ukraine in order to deal strategic defeat to Russia, then that very moment will come of which Putin has spoken. In that case, we’ll send everything flying everywhere! Sarmat, Yars and Avangard missiles. “American decision-making centres and launch sites on land and sea are already in our crosshairs. France, as a nuclear power, will have to be disarmed in an instant. The British isles will simply go underwater. We have the technologies for this.” By referring to “American decision-making centres and launch sites”, Kiselyov was referencing bases across Europe in allied countries. Just days ago Moscow warned that NATO’s nuclear weapons and facilities would be targeted if they are deployed in Poland.

Macron is suggesting France’s nuclear arsenal of submarine-launched ballistic missiles and air-launched cruise missiles are shared around the continent.

He urged: “French doctrine is that we can use nuclear arms when our vital interests are at stake … There is a European dimension in these vital interests. I am in favour of opening this debate, which must therefore include missile defence, long-range weapons and nuclear weapons for those who have them or who have American nuclear weapons on their soil. France will keep its specificity, but it is ready to contribute more to the defence of European soil.”

And last week he doubled down on a specifically European network of defence: “The European pillar of Nato that we are building is essential. But we should build a European defence framework.

“We have to … build a Europe able to show that it is never a vassal of the US.” READ MORE

French President Emmanuel Macron backed a common European defence featuring nuclear weapons on April 28. Macron also said that France is “ready to contribute more to the defence of Europe. In an interview published in several French newspapers Macron said France’s nuclear weapons could be part of a common European defence strategy. According to Macron, French nuclear warheads could be a “credible European defence” against possible Russian threats. France reportedly has about 300 nuclear warheads and is the only nuclear power in the European Union (EU).

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.

campaign-1486-2024-new2

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 SHORTTO 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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