Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Pronunciation: (AntIŽukus EpifŽunEz)
Antiochus is described by some to be a TYPE of Anti-Christ, not because of his name or title but because his roots and deeds fall so in line with the prophecies concerning the future events of the Anti-Christ. If you look at Daniel's four beasts you will see within them the eventual rise of the Anti-Christ, his country of origin and the means whereby he will come to power.
These prophecies compare with that of Antiochus and his rise to power, his hatred for the Jews and how he sacked Jerusalem, defiling the temple as will the Anti-Christ.
He is by no means anything to do with the Anti-Christ, but whether a sign, God has given us or one that Satan instigated, we can not ignore its meaning. It was after all included in Daniel and does give us a very good indication or picture as to what the Anti-Christ will do.
With this in mind I have included a small historical study on the man Antiochus Epiphanes, to give you a background to his identity
History lesson
Following the demise of Alexander the Great in 323 BC (within the 3rd beast of Daniel) a Middle-eastern dynasty of the Hellenistic age was founded (323-27 BC) by Seleucus I Nicator, the Macedonian general who became governor and then ruler (312) of Babylonia. He extended his kingdom to the frontiers of India in the east and Syria in the west. His successors faced with Egyptian aggression and internal unrest, failed to maintain his conquests.
Antiochus the Great restored Seleucid power in the east Syria and following him Antiochus IV Epiphanes became King of Syria reigning from 175-163 BC (Approx. 12 Years). He lived from 215-163 BC (Approx. 42 years).
Although he did not gain the same fame as his predecessor Antiochus the Great for his conquests, he did become famous for his brutality against the Jews, when he ruthlessly imposed Greek religion on them.
Here are some descriptions of the person and time taken from various dictionaries and texts.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
c.215-163 B.C., known as Antiochus Epiphanes. Son of Antiochus II, he became king in 175. He is remembered for his infamous attempt to impose Hellenic culture on Judea, which instigated the Maccabean Revolt (167). His pre-emptive war against Ptolemaic Egypt in 169-68 was lost by the intervention of Rome.
Antiochus Epiphanes
d. 163 B.C., king of Syria (175 B.C.-163 B.C.), son of Antiochus III and successor of his brother Seleucus IV. His nephew (later Demetrius I) was held as a hostage in Rome, although still claiming the throne. Antiochus is best known for his attempt to Hellenize Judea and extirpate Judaism-a policy that instigated the rebellion of the Maccabees. Antiochus invaded Egypt, which was torn by strife between Ptolemy VI and his brother (later Ptolemy VII), and would probably have conquered that region if the Romans had not intervened in his siege of Alexandria (168). Antiochus was briefly succeeded by his son, Antiochus V, a boy king who was overthrown by Demetrius I.
Antiochus IV. Antiochus Epiphanes (ca. 215-164 BCE).
King of Syria (175-164 BCE). Called Epiphanes, "God Revealed," but nicknamed Epimanes, "the Mad," due to his abnormal and erratic behaviour. He was the third son of Antiochus III also known as Antiochus the Great.
In 175 BCE Heliodorus murdered Seleucus IV, the brother of Antiochus Epiphanes, in a failed attempt to size the Syrian crown. Antiochus moved quickly to take the throne thereby succeeding Seleucus IV as ruler of the Seleucid kingdom. It was Seleucus who sent Heliodorus, at the instigation of Apollonius, to plunder the Temple at Jerusalem (II Maccabees 3:1-40, cf Daniel 11:10-16).
Antiochus Epiphanes undertook a series of military campaigns to consolidate his power and to secure the territory of the Seleucid kingdom. In 168 BCE his military ambitions came to an brought abrupt halt when the Roman Senate ordered him to withdraw from Cyprus and Egypt. The Romans, however, allowed him to keep southern Syria against the Egyptian claim thereby allowing him to keep the Seleucid realm in tact.
On his withdrawal from Egypt in 167 BCE he took Jerusalem by force, garrisoned troops there, and set about to Hellenize Judea. He plundered the Temple (I Maccabees 1:21-24) and compelled Jews to adopt Greek culture and religion. He instituted laws of conformity forbidding ritual circumcision and observance of the Sabbath and holy days under the penalty of death. By his order sacrifices to the gods were to be made in every Judean town. Each month Seleucid soldiers searched Jewish homes to discover whether or not any Jews possessed a copy of the Torah or had circumcised their children.
In 167 BCE, following an uncompromising policy of suppression of Judaism, he caused erection of a pagan altar to Zeus Olympus on the altar of burnt-offering at the Temple. This desecration occurred on Kislev 25 (Kislev(KIS·lev) The third month of the Jewish civil calendar. Kislev corresponds roughly to December in the Gregorian calendar). These events led to the rebellion by the Maccabees (166-160 BCE). Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers took Jerusalem in 164 BCE. On Kislev 25, exactly three years from its defilement, the Jews cleansed and rededicated the Temple. Hanukkah is the eight-day festival celebrating this event
Maccabees
also called Hasmoneans and Asmoneans, Jewish family (in Palestine) of the 2d and 1st cent. B.C. who restored Jewish political and religious life. When the Syrian ruler Antiochus IV stripped and desecrated the Temple of Jerusalem and began a religious persecution, Mattathias of Modin and his five sons, together with many Hasidim, began a guerrilla war. On Mattathias' death (166 B.C.), leadership passed to his son Judas Maccabeus (from whose surname the family name derives), who occupied Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple; the feast of Hanukkah celebrates this event (165 B.C.). Judas was defeated by Demetrius I of Syria and killed (161? B.C.). The Maccabees remained in power-mostly peacefully-until 63 B.C., when Pompey conquered Palestine for Rome.
Hellenist
(Greek Hellenistes; from hellenizein,"to speak or make Greek"), A term designating a person, not of Greek blood, who adopts or imitates the Greek way of life. The term was especially applied to the Jewish people who adopted the Greek culture and language following the conquest of the Middle East by Alexander the Great in the 330s BC. In countries outside Palesitne, especially Egypt, Cyrenica (now part of Libya), and Syria, the Jewish people came into close contact with Greek thought and literature and eventually came to speak Greek as their native tongue, using it even in the synagogues. Within Palestine, Hellenistic influences were strong, particularly during the rule of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV. When he attempted to impose worship of the Greek gods, the Jews revolted and, led by Judas Maccabeus, established an independent Jewish state relatively free of Hellenism. In Acts 6:1 and 11:20, the Apostle Paul contrasts Hellenists ("Grecians") with Hebrews, Jews who resisted Hellenistic influences.
Seleucids,
The dynasty of Macedonian kings that reigned in the Middle East from the 4th to the 1st century BC. Established when the empire of Alexander the Great was partitioned among his followers, the Seleucid kingdom originally extended eastward from Asia Minor into what is now Pakistan. The most important Seleucid kings were Seleucus I (reigned 312-280BC), Antiochus I (reigned 280-261BC), Antiochus II (r. 261-247BC), Seleucus II (r. 247-226BC), Antiochus III (r. 223-187BC), and Antiochus IV (r. 175-163BC).
The Seleucid kingdom had two capitals: Antioch in Syria and Seleucia on the Tigris in Mesopotamia. The Seleucids were Greek in language and culture, and they encouraged Greek colonists to settle in their domains. Nevertheless, in their autocratic rule they followed the example of their Syrian, Mesopotamian, and Persian predecessors. Beginning with Antiochus II, they were worshiped as gods. They were frequently involved in wars with the Ptolemies, a Macedonian dynasty that had established itself in Egypt.
After 250BC the Seleucids gradually lost control of the lands east of the Euphrates River and were expelled from Asia Minor. Syria, the last remaining part of their kingdom, was annexed by Rome in 64BC.
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