The Prophet Zephaniah

While there are various men named Zephaniah in the Christian and Hebrew bibles, the most well-known biblical figure bearing the name [Zephaniah] was one of the 12 Minor Prophets spoken of in the Tanakh/Old Testament. The prophet was the son of Cushi and great-great grandson of King Hezekiah. He prophesied during the time of Josiah, king of Judah (641-610 B.C.) and was believed to be a contemporary of Jeremiah, who was one of the four (4) Major Prophets. His forewarnings consisted of a three part series between 630-624 B.C.: 

1} warnings against Judah and the Philistines

2} the fall of Nineveh

    3} promised salvation and a blissful future 

Warnings Against Judah and the Philistines

According to scholars, the locality of Zephaniah's activity was in the city of Jerusalem, in the ancient kingdom of Judah (Zeph 1:4-10; 3:1, 14). Under the reign of Amon and Manasseh, the two preceding kings of Judah, the Holy City acquired the cult of other deities (such as Baal and Astarte), bringing with it elements of alien culture and morals. Josiah was known as a dedicated advocate and wished to put an end to the misuse of the holy places. One of the most zealous champions and advisers of this reform was Zephaniah, and his writing remains one of the most important documents for understanding the era of Josiah.

Zephaniah spoke boldly against the religious and moral corruption of the day. In view of the idolatry, which had even encroached the sanctuary, he warned that God would "destroy out of this place the remnant of Baal, and the names of the ... priests" (Zeph 1:4). The zealous prophet earnestly pleaded for a return to the simplicity of their fathers instead of the luxurious foreign clothing which was worn - especially in aristocratic circles (Zeph. 1:8).

The ancient prophet warned about the "Day of the Lord", which the Creator espoused a judgment upon the people, promising to descend on Judah and Jerusalem as a punishment for their degeneracy in religious life (Zeph. 1:4-7). The admonishment would extend to all classes of people. Zephaniah implored the people to repent and seek the Lord (Zeph. 2:1-3). To bring his point to light, he informed those who would listen that not only Jerusalem, but the entire territory would be subject to judgment, including the Philistines (Zeph. 2:4-7), Moabites, Ammonites (Zeph. 2:8-11), Ethiopians (Zeph. 2:12), Assyrians and Ninevites (Zeph. 2:13-15). 

The Fall of Nineveh

According to the Babylonian Chronicles, there was a bitter 12-year struggle between Babylon and Assyria, as well as civil wars in Assyria itself. It is recorded that in the tenth year of Nabopolassar (616 B.C.) the Babylonians defeated the Assyrian army with the help o the Medes, Persians, Cimmerians and Scythians. 

The Median army overtook Tarbisu, near Nineveh and encamped nearby, and then attacked the city of Nineveh. The Babylonian text recounted how, in 612 B.C., their allies destroyed Nineveh's temples and sacked the city. The Assyrian King, Sin-shar-ishkun, was killed in the siege. 

Later that same year, the Babylonians once more mustered their army and joined forces with Cyaxares encamping against Nineveh again. They laid siege to the city for three months and finally broke the defenses, plundering the city and burned it. While the opposing army declared that Ashur-uballit II (king in Nineveh) bow down in vassalage, he refused to submit. However, the king successfully fought his way out of Nineveh. Ashur-uballit II founded a final capital at Harran.

There would be several more campaigns against Assyria by the Neo-Bablyonians and their allies, including one against an allied Egyptian-Assyrian army. Thus while the Battle of Nineveh was a turning point in the war, Ashur-uballit II would fight on for several more years. 

According Nahum, one of the 12 Minor Prophets who prophesied a few decades before Zephaniah, the battle went on for months. Nahum's text, written between 660-630 B.C., made his predictions [in Chapter 2] especially prescient for what happened in 613-605 B.C. Nahum also predicted that the city [Nineveh] will not be rebuilt; archaeological work shows that it was left as a place of desolation and ruin. 

The fall of Nineveh occurred just as Zephaniah had predicted.

Salvation and A Blissful Future

Zephaniah addressing people
(France, 16th century)

Zephaniah, whose lineage is linked to the godly kings and the godly remnant of Israel's history, faithfully ministered to ancient Jerusalem. His prophetic warnings were direct, holding promises of wrath and doom, yet he also declared that the Creator would one day bring about a glorious future for those who remained faithful to God's covenant with King David. 

This mysterious announcement of receiving a glorious reward, among the gloom and doom of his ministry, gave a prophetic glance at the Kingdom of God [in the future]. Turning to God, the world will be united and the prosperity of the Messianic Kingdom will be enjoyed by those who remain steadfast and obedient to God.

The final message of the prophet exemplifies a subtle Messianic connection; the message about the "Day of the Lord" went beyond Zephaniah's time and the divine judgment at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. The ancient prophet was speaking of a future time, which correlates with Daniel's 70th week (Zeph. 1:18; 3:8). The expression "Day of the Lord" is described as a day that is near (Zeph. 1:7), and as a day of wrath, trouble, distress, devastation, desolation, darkness, etc. (Zeph. 1:15-16, 18). While not as detailed, the correlation is comparable to the prophecies of Isaiah (a Major Prophet) in which it proclaims the promise of an eventual salvation for His believing remnant (Zeph. 2:7; 3:9-20).

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The purpose of Zephaniah’s prophecy is to set forth what the "Day of the Lord" will mean to the ungodly tribe of Judah, to the world powers (Zeph. 1:2 – 3:7), and to the godly remnant of Israel (Zeph. 3:8-20). His theme focuses on the "Day of the Lord", which destroys the false remnant of Baal (chapter 1), eradicates the God-rejecting nations (Chapter 2), and purifies the true remnant (Chapter 3).

The Story of Chanukah (Hanukkah)

Chanukah (Hanukkah) is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days, beginning on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev, and is a commemoration of the Creator's great miracle of keeping a menorah lit for eight days when only one day's supply of olive oil was available. 

The following story is excerpted from The Complete Story of Chanukah by Dr Nissan Mindel, published by Kehot. 

The Story of Chanukah

via chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/

Under Syrian Rule

More than 2000 years ago there was a time when the land of Israel was part of the Syrian-Greek Empire, dominated by Syrian rulers of the dynasty of the Seleucids.

In order to relate the story that led up to Chanukah, we shall start with Antiochus III, the King of Syria, who reigned from 3538 to 3574 (222-186 B.C.E.). He had waged war with King Ptolemy of Egypt over the possession of the Land of Israel. Antiochus III was victorious and the Land of Israel was annexed to his empire. At the beginning of his reign he was favorably disposed toward the Jews and accorded them some privileges. Later on, however, when he was beaten by the Romans and compelled to pay heavy taxes, the burden fell upon the various peoples of his empire who were forced to furnish the heavy gold that was required of him by the Romans. When Antiochus died, his son Seleucus IV took over, and further oppressed the Jews. 

Added to the troubles from the outside were the grave perils that threatened Judaism from within. The influence of the Hellenists (people who accepted idol-worship and the Syrian way of life) was increasing. Yochanan, the High Priest, foresaw the danger to Judaism from the penetration of Syrian-Greek influence into the Holy Land. For, in contrast to the ideal of outward beauty held by the Greeks and Syrians, Judaism emphasizes truth and moral purity, as commanded by G-d in the holy Torah. The Jewish people could never give up their faith in G-d and accept the idol-worship of the Syrians. 

Yochanan was therefore opposed to any attempt on the part of the Jewish Hellenists to introduce Greek and Syrian customs into the land. The Hellenists hated him. One of them told the King’s commissioner that in the treasury of the Temple there was a great deal of wealth.

The wealth in the treasury consisted of the contributions of "half a shekel" made by all adult Jews annually. That was given for the purpose of the sacrifices on the altar, as well as for fixing and improving the Temple building. Another part of the treasury consisted of orphans’ funds which were deposited for them until they became of age. Seleucus needed money in order to pay the Romans. He sent his minister Helyodros to take the money from the treasury of the Temple. In vain did Yochanan, the High Priest, beg him not to do it. Helyodros did not listen and entered the gate of the Temple. But suddenly, he became pale with fright. The next moment he fainted and fell to the ground. After Helyodros came to, he did not dare enter again.

The Madman: Antiochus

A short time later, Seleucus was killed and his brother Antiochus IV began to reign over Syria (in 3586 - 174 B.C.E.). He was a tyrant of a rash and impetuous nature, contemptuous of religion and of the feelings of others. He was called "Epiphanes," meaning "the gods’ beloved." Several of the Syrian rulers received similar titles. But a historian of his time, Polebius, gave him the epithet Epimanes ("madman"), a title more suitable to the character of this harsh and cruel king.

Desiring to unify his kingdom through the medium of a common religion and culture, Antiochus tried to root out the individualism of the Jews by suppressing all the Jewish Laws. He removed the righteous High Priest, Yochanan, from the Temple in Jerusalem, and in his place installed Yochanan’s brother Joshua, who loved to call himself by the Greek name of Jason. For he was a member of the Hellenist party, and he used his high office to spread more and more of the Greek customs among the priesthood.

Joshua or Jason was later replaced by another man, Menelaus, who had promised the king that he would bring in more money than Jason did. When Yochanan, the former High Priest, protested against the spread of the Hellenists’ influence in the Holy Temple, the ruling High Priest hired murderers to assassinate him.

Antiochus was at that time engaged in a successful war against Egypt. But messengers from Rome arrived and commanded him to stop the war, and he had to yield. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, a rumor spread that a serious accident had befallen Antiochus. Thinking that he was dead, the people rebelled against Menelaus. The treacherous High Priest fled together with his friends.

The Martyrs

Antiochus returned from Egypt enraged by Roman interference with his ambitions. When he heard what had taken place in Jerusalem, he ordered his army to fall upon the Jews. Thousands of Jews were killed. Antiochus then enacted a series of harsh decrees against the Jews. Jewish worship was forbidden; the scrolls of the Law were confiscated and burned. Sabbath rest, circumcision and the dietary laws were prohibited under penalty of death. Even one of the respected elders of that generation, Rabbi Eliezer, a man of 90, was ordered by the servants of Antiochus to eat pork so that others would do the same. When he refused they suggested to him that he pick up the meat to his lips to appear to be eating. But Rabbi Eliezer refused to do even that and was put to death.

There were thousands of others who likewise sacrificed their lives. The famous story of Hannah and her seven children happened at that time.

Antiochus’s men went from town to town and from village to village to force the inhabitants to worship pagan gods. Only one refuge area remained and that was the hills of Judea with their caves. But even there did the Syrians pursue the faithful Jews, and many a Jew died a martyr’s death.

Mattityahu

One day the henchmen of Antiochus arrived in the village of Modin where Mattityahu, the old priest, lived. The Syrian officer built an altar in the marketplace of the village and demanded that Mattityahu offer sacrifices to the Greek gods. Mattityahu replied, "I, my sons and my brothers are determined to remain loyal to the covenant which our G-d made with our ancestors!"

Thereupon, a Hellenistic Jew approached the altar to offer a sacrifice. Mattityahu grabbed his sword and killed him, and his sons and friends fell upon the Syrian officers and men. They killed many of them and chased the rest away. They then destroyed the altar.

Mattityahu knew that Antiochus would be enraged when he heard what had happened. He would certainly send an expedition to punish him and his followers. Mattityahu, therefore, left the village of Modin and fled together with his sons and friends to the hills of Judea.

All loyal and courageous Jews joined them. They formed legions and from time to time they left their hiding places to fall upon enemy detachments and outposts, and to destroy the pagan altars that were built by order of Antiochus.

The Maccabees

Before his death, Mattityahu called his sons together and urged them to continue to fight in defense of G d’s Torah. He asked them to follow the counsel of their brother Shimon the Wise. In waging warfare, he said, their leader should beJudah the Strong. Judah was called "Maccabee," a word composed of the initial letters of the four Hebrew words Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim Hashem, "Who is like You, O G-d."

Antiochus sent his General Apolonius to wipe out Yehudaand his followers, the Maccabees. Though greater in number and equipment than their adversaries, the Syrians were defeated by the Maccabees. Antiochus sent out another expedition which also was defeated. He realized that only by sending a powerful army could he hope to defeat Judah and his brave fighting men.

An army consisting of more than 40,000 men swept the land under the leadership of two commanders, Nicanor and Gorgiash. When Judah and his brothers heard of that, they exclaimed: "Let us fight unto death in defense of our souls and our Temple!" The people assembled in Mitzpah, where Samuel, the prophet of old, had offered prayers to G-d. After a series of battles the war was won.

The Dedication

Now the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem to liberate it. They entered the Temple and cleared it of the idols placed there by the Syrian vandals. Judah and his followers built a new altar, which he dedicated on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev, in the year 3622.

Since the golden Menorah had been stolen by the Syrians, the Maccabees now made one of cheaper metal. When they wanted to light it, they found only a small cruse of pure olive oil bearing the seal of the High Priest Yochanan. It was sufficient to light only for one day. By a miracle of G-d, it continued to burn for eight days, till new oil was made available. That miracle proved that G-d had again taken His people under His protection. In memory of this, our sages appointed these eight days for annual thanksgiving and for lighting candles.

After Chanukah

Judea was again free, and all parts captured by the neighboring nation had been recovered. Celebrations and festivity transformed Jerusalem and the Holy Temple, hardly half a year after the victories over the Syrian armies. The Jewish people expressed their joy and gratitude to G-d in the form of psalms and offerings. For He had restored glory and liberty to the Jewish land.

Nativity of Jesus

According to Christian tradition, the Nativity of Jesus refers to the biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus in the canonical Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and secondarily in some apocryphal texts. In the gospels according to Matthew and Luke both describe Jesus as being born in Bethlehem (Judea) to a virgin mother named Mary. This is where the similarities end. 

Gospel of Matthew

In this story the focus is placed upon men [from the East] who "follow a bright star in the sky". Some believe these men were astronomers (wisemen), while others proclaim them to be kings from far away lands. They are referred to as "the Magi". While the number of Wisemen who made the trip to Bethlehem is not known (the Bible does not give an exact count), Western tradition claims there were three. This is most likely rooted in the fact that they [the Magi] delivered three gifts to the baby child known as Jesus.  They are ascribed as saying "they have come to worship the new King of the Jews and bring gifts" (Matthew 2:) to the child whom was called " "Emmanuel." (Matthew 1:23) When King Herod hears the news, he summons these wisemen to his palace and asks them about the whereabouts of this new-born king.

"Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, - bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also." ~ Matthew 2:7-8

Promising to return with the locale of the infant, the Magi leave the palace and begin seeking out the child. According to Matthew's gospel, the star again appears in the sky and they are successful in locating the child. They are overjoyed and humbly present baby Jesus with gifts of gold, and frankincense and myrrh. However, when they are warned by God in a dream not to go back to King Herod, the three men left the area via a different route back to their own country. 

"And when they (the wisemen) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." ~ Matthew 2:13

The Gospel of Luke

Luke's rendition of the Nativity Story is quite different, yet many scholars believe it is a continued version of Matthew's account. 

In this gospel, Joseph and Mary, who is heavy with child, are forced to travel to the city of Bethlehem to be taxed.

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David):" ~ Luke 2:1-4

Not long after Joseph and Mary arrived in the City of David, Joseph's virgin wife delivered her child, who was called Christ the Lord. According to the scribe, Jesus was "wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger; because there was no room at the inn." (Luke 2:7) Some theologians interpret this to mean the Christ child was born in a stable, while other scholars believe it could have possibly been a cave where the birth occurred. 

Regardless of the precise locale of Jesus' delivery, an angel of the Lord came upon some shepherds, "who was keeping watch over their flock by night." (Luke 2:9) These shepherds, who then witness an entire heavenly host descending from the sky, are informed of Jesus' arrival; they make haste to find the new-born baby without questioning what the Lord had made known to them. After successfully finding the babe in a manger, in swaddling clothes, they joyfully departed and spread the word of Jesus' birth.

"And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds." ~ Luke 2:18

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Per Wikipedia.com

The main religious celebration among members of the Catholic Church and other Christian groups is the Church service on Christmas Eve or on the morning of Christmas Day. During the forty days leading up to Christmas, the Eastern Orthodox Church practices the Nativity Fast, while the majority of Christian congregations (including the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, many Mainline churches, and Baptists) begin observing the liturgical season of Advent four Sundays before Christmas. Both are seen as times of spiritual cleansing, recollection and renewal to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

In Christian theology, the Nativity of Jesus concerns the Incarnation of Jesus as the second Adam, in fulfillment of the divine will of God, undoing the damage caused by the fall of the first man, Adam. The artistic depiction of the Nativity has been a major subject for Christian artists since the 4th century. Since the 13th century, the Nativity scene has emphasized the humility of Jesus and promoted a more tender image of him, as a major turning point from the early "Lord and Master" image, affecting the basic approaches of Christian pastoral ministry.

The theological significance of the Nativity of Jesus has been a key element in Christian teachings, from the early Church Fathers to 20th century theologians. The theological issues were addressed as early as Apostle Paul, but continued to be debated and eventually lead to both Christological and Mariological differences among Christians that resulted in early schisms within the Church by the 5th century.

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There are many modern scholars, such as E. P.Sanders, and Marcus Borg, who consider both narratives to be non-historical, arguing that there are contradictions between them. On the other hand, biblical scholar Mark D. Roberts aims to establish a harmonised account of the birth of Jesus, maintaining that any contradictions can be reconciled. Then there are other biblical theologians who view the discussion of historicity as secondary, given that the gospels were primarily written as theological documents rather than historical accounts.