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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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THE PROPHECY NEWS PODCAST: Jared Kushner Becomes The Most Powerful Man In The Middle East As He’s Now Tasked With Bringing Peace To Iran War

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From Abraham Accords To Gaza Peace Board To Iran War: Is Jared Kushner Quietly Assembling A Regional Covenant?

Jared Kushner has already laid the groundwork in the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, proving he can do what few others have done—bring Arab nations and Israel into agreement. Then he was given billions of dollars from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to start his wealth management fund, Affinity Partners. Next  he was appointed as the ‘Special Envoy of Peace’ that has taken control of the ruins formally known as Gaza. Now, President Trump has tasked Kushner with implementing his 15 Point Peace Plan to end the war in Iran.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Daniel 9:27 (KJB)

On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, now here’s the part most people ignore, but NTEB doesn’t. Kushner is not just a diplomat—he is backed by billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and Gulf state sovereign wealth funds. Let that sink in. The very nations that must be part of any Middle East peace agreement are also financially tied to the man brokering deals in that same region. That is not coincidence. That is alignment of money, influence, and geopolitical power. In one man, Jared Kushner, you now have a man with access to Israel, a man accepted by Arab nations, and a man connected to massive financial backing That is a trifecta you almost never see in one individual. No, we are not declaring Jared Kushner to be the biblical Antichrist. But if you’re looking for the type of man the Bible describes, you’re looking for someone who checks boxes exactly like these. And for the first time in a long time…you can actually see what that might look like. Today we venture into the belly of the Beast and show you everything that the Central Casting Antichrist Jared Kushner has been up to.

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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!!!

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As Iran Tensions Explode, USS Tripoli Strike Group With A Full Marine Expeditionary Unit Arriving To Reinforce 50,000 U.S. Troops Already Deployed In Region

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Strait Of Hormuz Becomes Flashpoint As USS Tripoli And Combat Marines Enter Region Backed By Tens Of Thousands Of U.S. Forces

The USS Tripoli is not a symbol. It is not a diplomatic gesture. It is a fully operational, forward-deployed invasion platform. A Marine Expeditionary Unit is specifically designed for one thing: to hit fast, hit hard, and establish a foothold before the enemy can react. On Friday it will arrive to reopen the Strait of Hormuz replete with 2,200 US Marines who will be joining the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit of 2,500 Marines that’s due to arrive mid-April. And you think this war is winding down? Guess again.

“Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.” Joshua 11:18 (KJB)

The Strait of Hormuz is the economic jugular vein of the planet, where a massive portion of the world’s oil supply flows every single day. Whoever controls that chokepoint holds leverage over global markets, economies, and stability itself. Right now, Iran has their fingers on the controls, something that President Donald Trump would love dearly to see come to a sooner rather than later end. The USS Tripoli is not just a ship, it is a floating strike platform, a fully armed and operational war machine positioned at sea. On board are F-35B stealth fighter jets, MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, attack and transport helicopters, and ground combat Marines trained and ready for amphibious assault. This is not a slow, piecemeal military buildup taking shape over time; this is a complete, self-contained invasion force, already assembled and capable of launching operations the very moment the order is given. And it doesn’t stand alone. Moving with it is the USS New Orleans, an amphibious transport dock, carrying roughly 2,200 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. Together, this is Day One war capability — not theoretical, not preparatory, but active and deployed. Everything needed for immediate combat operations is already in place, already in position, and ready to be unleashed.

Please pray for our amazing US Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen as they get ready to, hopefully, take control of the Strait of Hormuz and bring this war to an end. Semper Fi.

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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!!!

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Did Trump’s 2025 Saudi Visit Lay The Groundwork For Iran War? Mohammed Bin Salman Sees Iran Conflict As An ‘Historic Opportunity’ To Remake Middle East

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Prince Mohammed bin Salman sees a ‘historic opportunity’ to remake the region through Donald Trump’s war with Iran, according to people briefed by U.S. officials on the conversations.

The latest reporting paints a striking picture: Mohammed bin Salman privately urging Donald Trump to continue a war with Iran, describing the conflict not as a crisis to contain, but as a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East. That phrase alone should give pause. History is filled with leaders who believed they stood at the threshold of reshaping the region, but few did so without unleashing major consequences far beyond their control. Do you remember Trump’s May of 2025 magnum opus meeting they called ‘MAGA In The Desert’? Let me remind you.

“Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.” 2 Chronicles 9:14 (KJB)

What we are witnessing right now in the Middle East did not begin with missiles flying over Tehran or oil tankers sitting idle in the Strait of Hormuz. This moment was set in motion long before the first shot was fired, when Donald Trump stepped onto Saudi soil and locked in one of the largest economic and military partnerships in modern history. That visit was billed as dealmaking, and yes, the numbers were staggering, with agreements ranging from $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion in investments, defense systems, and strategic cooperation, but the real story was not the money. The real story was the alignment. That Saudi trip cemented a powerful alliance between Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, tying the United States and Saudi Arabia together through weapons deals, economic dependency, and shared regional objectives. Massive defense agreements, including advanced aircraft and hundreds of tanks, were not merely symbolic gestures, they were the building blocks of a military capability and deterrence alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Fast forward to today, and the region is engulfed in war. The United States and its allies are engaged in a full-scale conflict with Iran, striking thousands of targets while Tehran retaliates across the region, sending shockwaves through global energy markets and threatening to choke off the world’s oil supply. The war has already escalated into a multi-front confrontation involving Israel, proxy militias, and global powers scrambling to prevent total collapse of stability in the Middle East. This is no limited engagement—this is the kind of conflict that reshapes maps. And now comes the revelation that pulls the curtain back just a little further. According to reports based on briefings from U.S. officials, Mohammed bin Salman is urging Trump to stay the course, viewing the war with Iran as a “historic opportunity” to reshape the region in Saudi Arabia’s favor. That statement, if true, should stop you cold. Because it connects the dots between what was built in Saudi Arabia last year and what is unfolding right now on the battlefield. Are we fighting this war for Israel, for Mohammed bin Salman, for who then?

This is where the question becomes unavoidable. Did Trump’s Saudi visit lay the groundwork for what we are now seeing? No one is going to come out and say that openly, and Saudi officials publicly deny pushing for escalation. But the sequence of events speaks loudly. First came the alliance. Then came the investment. Then came the weapons. And now comes the war. So no, this is not just about contracts signed in Riyadh, and it is not just about bombs falling on Iran. This is about timing. It is about alliances forged in peace being leveraged in war. And it is about a Middle East that is rapidly being reshaped before our eyes, exactly as Scripture said it would be.

Saudi Prince Is Said to Push Trump to Continue Iran War in Recent Calls

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES: Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been pushing President Trump to continue the war against Iran, arguing that the U.S.-Israeli military campaign presents a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East, according to people briefed by American officials on the conversations.

In a series of conversations over the last week, Prince Mohammed has conveyed to Mr. Trump that he must press toward the destruction of Iran’s hard-line government, the people familiar with the conversations said. Prince Mohammed, the people familiar with the discussions said, has argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel also views Iran as a long-term threat, but analysts say Israeli officials would probably view a failed Iranian state that is too caught up in internal turmoil to menace Israel as a win, while Saudi Arabia views a failed state in Iran as a grave and direct security threat. But senior officials in both the Saudi and American governments worry that if the conflict drags on, Iran could deliver ever more punishing attacks on Saudi oil installations and the United States could be stuck in an endless war.

Prince Mohammed, an authoritarian royal who has led a sustained crackdown on dissent, is respected by Mr. Trump and has previously influenced the president’s decision-making. Prince Mohammed has argued that the United States should consider putting troops in Iran to seize energy infrastructure and force the government out of power, according to the people briefed by U.S. officials.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the administration “does not comment on the president’s private conversations.” 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.

nteb-free-king-james-bible-program-750-550

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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