what if I told you that some of the most astonishing stories of Faith sacrifice and miracles are hidden in books that most Christians have never even read welcome to the books of macabees three powerful texts from the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible that tell the gripping story of how the Jewish people fought to preserve their faith in the face of an Empire bent on destroying it these texts ban or excluded from many Christian Bibles contain stories of divine intervention heroic battles and the unshakable power of Faith the events in the books of macbes will challenge everything you
thought you knew about the history of the Bible so why were these Books banned What secrets do they reveal that you've been denied for centuries in this video we'll dive deep into all three books of mccabes uncovering the extraordinary details that set these stories apart from miracles on the battlefield to Martyrs who face death with unwavering Faith these books offer spiritual insights that might leave you in awe but we won't stop there if you want us to take an even deeper dive into each of these incredible books make sure to like this video and leave
us a comment below let us know if you'd like separate videos dedicated to the first second or third third book of mccabes and we'll make it happen and to make it even easier for you to follow along we've added chapter links in the description so you can jump back to any section of the video whenever you need if you haven't already check out the other videos in our series on the baned books of the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible we've already covered hidden gems like The Book of Enoch the book of jubilees and many more the links
are in the the description so be sure to explore those videos as well so now let's dive into the books of mccabes a hidden chapter of Biblical history where Faith meets resistance and divine Miracles what if I told you that the spark of one of the most significant rebellions in Jewish history began with a single act of Defiance the first book of mccabes isn't Just A Tale Of War it's a powerful story of Faith Under Fire where the very existence of the Jewish people's religious identity was at stake this ancient text excluded from many Christian
Bibles holds some of the most inspiring moments of Faith resistance and miraculous victories you've never heard of the maban Revolt took place in the 2 Century BC at a time when the Jewish people were being forced to abandon their sacred Traditions the seusd empire under Antiochus IV epiphanies was determined to erase Judaism replacing it with helenistic culture and Pagan worship the Temple of Jerusalem was desecrated and the people were ordered to offer sacrifices to Zeus for many Jews this was a line they could not cross does this sound familiar just as Daniel and his friends
stood up to King Nebuchadnezzar refusing to bow down to the golden image in Daniel 3 the Jews in first macbes faced the same choice either forsake their faith or face death the maban Revolt mirrors the trials faced by faithful Believers throughout the Bible where standing up for God often meant risking everything the Rebellion begins with an act of Courage that would change everything a Jewish priest named mat confronted by Royal officials who demanded he offer a pagan sacrifice did the unthinkable he refused and in a moment of righteous Fury matathias killed the official who was
enforcing the king's decree this single act of Defiance ignited the maban Revolt this moment is reminiscent of other acts of zeal seen in the Bible such as when Finas in numbers 25 7-13 defended the Holiness of God by slaying those who violated the Covenant like finaz matathias bold stand for his faith triggered a movement that would preserve Judaism in one of its Darkest Hours after matathias his death the leadership of the Rebellion passed to his son Judas macabus a man whose name still echoes in the halls of History known as the hammer Judas became a
legend military leader despite facing a vastly superior Force his small band of Fighters repeatedly defeated the mighty seusd armies but these victories weren't just military triumphs they were seen as miraculous interventions from God it's here that the story takes on a supernatural Dimension just like Gideon's small army in judges 7even overcame impossible odds Judas and his followers believed that God's hand was guiding them to Victory time and time again they lifted their eyes to the heavens calling on God before every battle when Judas saw the multitude of the enemy's Army he turned to his men
and said let us not fear the numbers but trust in the Lord of Heaven who is mighty to save in battle first mccabes 3:18 their faith paid off against all Gods the Jewish forces under Judas macabus won battle after battle driving out the seusd forces and reaiming their land claiming their land but in second macbes the faith of these Martyrs reaches a new height choosing death with full confidence that God would reward them with eternal life and standing at the heart of this unimaginable scene is the mother a woman who witnessed the deaths of all
all seven of her sons rather than crumbling under the weight of such tragedy she encouraged her sons to stand firm reminding them of the resurrection and the justice of God her faith and strength mirrored the spirit of Hannah in the book of 1 Samuel who dedicated her son Samuel to God's service despite her personal pain this Mother's role in second mccabes transcends even that her encouragement becomes a symbol of unwavering belief in the promises of God promises not just for this life but for the life to come in second mccabes the belief in Resurrection becomes
Central to the story while the concept of Resurrection is only briefly mentioned in the canonical Bible such as in daniel2 here in second mccabes it takes on a profound sign significance the martyrs face their deaths with full confidence that God will raise them up in the world to come where they will receive their Eternal reward this belief in life after death not only reflects pharisaic Judaism but also prefigures Christian theology the idea that the righteous will be resurrected and rewarded becomes a key theme in the New Testament particularly in Matthew 223 1- 32 where Jesus
affirms the resurrection and in 1 Corinthians 15 where Paul describes the resurrection as a core tenant of Christian faith in many ways the martyrs of second mccabes serve as forerunners to the early Christian Martyrs whose deaths were also seen as victories because of their belief in the resurrection their stories remind us that God's justice extends Beyond this life and that suffering for righteousness will be rewarded in eternity but second macabees isn't just about the martyrs it's also about Divine miracles on the battlefield one of the most striking moments comes during the battle at Beth Zur
where the Jewish forces are vastly outnumbered and on the brink of defeat but in that moment something miraculous happens suddenly five Splendid men on horses with golden bridles appear on the battlefield they are not ordinary men they are angels sent by God to Shield Judas macabus and his army from harm these Angelic Warriors rain down arrows and lightning on the enemy throwing them into confusion and securing victory for the Jewish people when the battle became Fierce Five Splendid men on horses with golden bridles appeared to Le the Jews they took macabus in their midst and
shielding him with their armor they kept him from being wounded they showered arrows and lightning on the enemy throwing them into confusion second mccabes 10:29 to30 this scene Echoes the Angelic interventions seen throughout the Bible like in 2 Kings 6:17 where the Prophet Elisha's servant has his eyes open to see the Heavenly armies surrounding ing them these Supernatural moments in second mccabes remind us that God is never absent in our battles his Angelic forces are always ready to intervene When Faith and righteousness are on the line another powerful moment of divine guidance comes when Judas
macabus receives a vision of the Prophet Jeremiah who hands him a golden sword and tells him to take it into battle this sword isn't just a weapon Weapon It's a symbol of God's assurance that Judas will be victorious Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave Judas a golden sword saying as he did so take this holy sword a gift from God with which you will strike down your adversaries 2 macbes 15:16 this Vision gives Judas the confidence he needs to lead his forces into battle knowing that God God's favor is with him it's a
moment that Echoes other biblical encounters with Divine Messengers such as when Joshua meets the commander of the Lord's army in Joshua 51315 assuring him that God is with Israel as they prepare to enter the promised land second mccabes is more than just a continuation of the maban Revolt it's a powerful narrative that weaves together the themes of Faith divine intervention and Resurrection the marters who gave their lives for the law of God did so with the belief that they would be Vindicated in the afterlife and the miraculous battles remind us that even when outnumbered those
who stand with God never stand alone the stories of second mccabes deeply influenced early Christian thought especially the connection between martyrdom and Resurrection the courage of these Martyrs and the Miracles on the battlefield in inspire a faith that looks beyond the suffering of this world trusting in God's ultimate justice but as powerful as this book is the story of the macbes doesn't end here in third mccabes we see how God's protection extends beyond the battlefield delivering his people from political oppression in ways you won't believe the third book of macbes doesn't take place in the
land of Israel it's in fact this astonishing story of Oppression and divine Deliverance unfolds in Egypt far from The Familiar battles of Judas macabus it's a book that reveals how God's power isn't Bound by geography he protects his people wherever they are even in Exile and this time the weapon of choice isn't the sword it's faith and the miraculous intervention of God while first and second mcabe focus on the Jewish strugg against the seusd empire in Judea third mccabes takes us into the heart of toic Egypt where the Jews face a new kind of persecution
not on the battlefield but in the political Arena and just when things seem darkest God steps in and what happens next is nothing short of a miracle The Story begins with Tommy IV the ruler of Egypt attempting to force his way into the temp Temple of Jerusalem fresh off a military Victory against anticus III tmy wanted to enter the holy of holies the most sacred part of the temple reserved only for the Jewish high priest his arrogance and disrespect for the Jewish faith would soon cost him dearly as Tommy tried to enter the inner sanctum
of the temple God struck him with paralysis and blindness preventing him from desecrating the holy Place humiliating and enraged Tommy returned to Egypt where he plotted Revenge not just against the Jews in Judea but against the Jewish population living in Egypt itself Tommy's rage mirrors the same arrogance seen in rulers throughout the Bible think of pharaoh who hardened his heart against the Israelites or Nebuchadnezzar who demanded worship of his golden image and like those kings Tommy was about to learn that no earthly power can stand against the will of God once back in Egypt Tommy
IV ordered that all Jews in Egypt be rounded up registered and marked for execution his plan was brutal he intended to gather the Jewish population into the city of Alexandria and have them trampled to death by elephants in a public spectacle the situation was Dire much like Pharaoh's decree to kill all the Hebrew males children in Exodus 1:22 Tommy's plan was designed to wipe out an entire people the Jews of Egypt were facing total Annihilation simply because they refused to assimilate and abandon their faith but as tmy prepared his horrific plan the Jewish people did
something that would change everything they turned to prayer and fasting instead of giving into despair they called upon the god of their ancestors just as the Israelites did during their enslavement in Egypt and just like in the days of Moses god heard their cries prayer and fasting have always been powerful tools for invoking God's help in times of crisis in the Book of Esther we see how Esther called for a three-day fast before approaching the king to save the Jewish people from Hon's plot similarly in 2 Chronicles 20 King Je aat called for a fast
when Judah was facing Invasion and God delivered them from their enemies in the third mccabes the Jewish people's faith in God's power to deliver them was unshakable even in the face of death their Collective prayer and fasting would soon bring about a miraculous Deliverance that no one could have predicted as the Jews gathered in Alexandria awaiting their gruesome fate to 's plan was set in motion the elephants were brought in ready to trample the Jewish people but in a stunning reversal something incredible happened God intervened at the very moment the elephants were driven toward the
Jews the animals turned on their own handlers instead of attacking the Jewish prisoners the elephants went wild trampling the Egyptian soldiers and causing chaos in the city the scene was a Divine Act of protection God had once again delivered his people from the hands of their oppressors this moment mirrors other miraculous acts of divine intervention in the Bible just as God sent plagues to free the Israelites from Pharaoh in Exodus he now used the very animals meant to destroy the Jews to save them instead it's also reminiscent of The Parting of the Red Sea in
Exodus 14 where God used the forces of nature to deliver his people from certain death the story of third mcabees reveals an important truth God's protection isn't limited to the land of Israel whether in Egypt Babylon or any other foreign land God remains Sovereign over the Affairs of his people no matter how powerful a king or Empire may seem they are no match for the Divine protection of the Lord this theme of God's sovereignty over political systems Echoes the Visions in the Book of Daniel where Earthly kingdoms rise and fall but the kingdom of God
endures forever Daniel 2:44 Tommy like pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar before him learned that God's hand cannot be stayed by human power in the end Tommy IV was forced to abandon his plans and acknowledge the power of the Jewish god he issued a decree granting the Jews in Egypt freedom to practice their faith without interference recognizing that their God had delivered them in ways that defied human explanation the Deliverance in third mccabes is a powerful reminder of how Faith even in the face of political persecution can invite God's miraculous protection the Jewish people in Egypt didn't fight
with weapons they fought with prayer fasting and their unshakable belief in God's power to save them and once again God proved that no earthly ruler can stand against his Divine will this story of miraculous Deliverance is not as widely known as the battles of Judas macabus but it carries the same profound message when God's people remain faithful he is always ready to deliver them no matter how impossible the situation may seem what do you think of the miraculous Deliverance in third mccabes does it remind you of other moments in the Bible when God stepped in
to save his people against impossible odds let us know in the comments below and if you're inspired by this story of Faith make sure to like and share this video with your friends if you've been enjoying our Deep dive into the band books of the Bible don't forget to check out deep Bible stories other videos in this series we've covered The Book of Enoch the book of jubilees and so much more all the links are in the description
