April 29, 2006 A Page from the Devil’s Play book May 15, 2006

Mat 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the
cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the
outside of them may be clean also.
Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers,
which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all
uncleanness.
Mat 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy
and iniquity.

The word "Pharisee" means, ironically, "set apart". I want to give you a little
background here on who they were and how the Pharisees began. After Darius
was dethroned as king of the Persians and Medes, by Alexander, a Greek, he ruled
much of the whole earth for about 12 years, having conquered so much of it the
rest of it gave in to him. He permitted the Jews their religion, their laws of worship
and sacrifice. They prospered under him. When he got sick and knew he was going
to die, he gathered his closest most trusted servants, "such as were honorable, and
had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his kingdom among
them, while he was yet alive" quote from 1 Maccabees 1:6. (Apocrypha).

1Ma 1:9 And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them
many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth.

Now, just a note here, I had never considered the Apocrypha as something I had
wanted to read, but while researching the Pharisees, and their awful beginnings,
that is where it led. The word Apocrypha means “hidden” and is applied to
writings where there is a question as to who wrote them, or whether the text is
inspired or not. I have not read very much of these texts, and what I did seemed to
be a historical account of the struggle of the Jews during the 400 years after
Malachi before Jesus. This study concerns the book 1 Maccabees, which was
included in the KJV 1611 Bible. The book relates the history of the Maccabean
revolt against king Antiochus IV Ephiphanes during the second century BC.
History reveals he was a very cruel man. I should also mention this book is
considered as inspired by the Roman Catholic church and Greek Orthodox church,
and is included in the Roman Catholic Bible. (Deuterocanonical). I am not going
into any dispute over Catholic doctrine, but having read the Bible, and I’m
learning to know the Lord for myself, I want no part of any religion that tells me I
cannot go straight to the throne room of my heavenly Father who cleared the way
for me to do so and invites me to come boldly to the throne of grace (Heb 4:16) but
says rather I must go through a man who intercedes for me. There is one Advocate,
and that is Christ Jesus the Lord, who shed his blood for my sins. I go to my Father
through his name, because of the blood. Hallelujah! But, let’s move on here, and I
pray you will bear with me, because this gets interesting or I wouldn't take time to
go into it. I’m being brief here, for the sake of time and space, and there is a lot
more information available, but I am trying to include what is pertinent to what I
was studying. After Alexander died, his servants all ruled the kingdoms he gave
them, and generations later, things had deteriorated so badly that people pretty
well just did what they wanted to. There was a man who came on the scene named
Antiochus IV Ephiphanes.

1Ma 1:10 And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of
Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty
and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

If you have read any of the history of the 400 years between Malachi's writing and the birth of Jesus
Christ, this name will be familiar to you. Daniel prophesied about him. As I read this first chapter of 1
Mac, I was amazed as scriptures started flowing through my mind. Daniel mentioned some of what I
read. Jesus mentioned some of what I read. Dan_11:21-32. Mat_24:15 Mar_13:14 Mat_24:2
Antiochus was a very wicked, evil man who must have hated God a lot. Surely, he was full of the devil.
His name means "opponent". As I read about what this man did, I could not help but see him as Satan.
1Ma_1:11 says in 137 a.d. when Antiochus Epiphanes (pronounced "an tee uh kus eepif uh neez" )
began ruling, wicked men of Israel, who persuaded many, went and made a covenant with all the
heathen around them, because they were tired of living under the law of God, convinced, I believe by
Satan himself, that the law of God was responsible for their sorrow. When you are a Believer in God
and his word, and try to live a holy life, according to his word, you will encounter resistance from the
adversary of your soul. He will come against you-through those closest to you who are not saved.
Through situations, and circumstances. He will attack your mind with vicious thoughts and you better
know if you are praying and believing God, your heavenly Father will prepare and warn you ahead of
time. The devil hates God, and everything God loves-that includes the people God created in his image.
The Christian life includes suffering, and don’t let anyone tell you it doesn’t. The Son of God himself
had to suffer-should we think we are any better to escape suffering? Some will suffer more than others,
but all that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer. But this precious Christ Jesus is a priceless reward and
he watches over his own with a zealous and loving eye. I love what the apostle Paul said about his own
suffering, which was greater than any in the Bible, greater even than the physical suffering of Jesus-
2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory;
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Phi 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to
suffer for his sake;
2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their
souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

From day one, in the garden, the devil set out to deceive and destroy God’s
creation. He did everything he could to break the fellowship of God and man. He
caused Eve to question the command God had given them not to eat of the tree. He
tries to cause people to doubt the accuracy and truthfulness of the Word of God.
When believers suffer, he will lie and tell them it’s because of God being angry with
them, because he’s unreasonable, unfair, if you just walk away from him and go
back, it will get better. Did not Israel become convinced of this in the wilderness
when God wanted them to enter into the promised land, the adversary was right
there magnifying the giants in their minds, inciting them to fear. The people of
Israel had suffered greatly. They had been attacked by their enemies, many had
been killed. Their cities had been burned. They had suffered a great deal because of
their rebellion against God. When you forsake the word and law of God, which is
for your protection, and security, then you leave yourself very vulnerable.

1Ma 1:11 In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us
go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them
we have had much sorrow.
1Ma 1:12 So this device pleased them well.

They went to the king Antiochus (big mistake) and he gave them permission to
leave the law and do as the heathen did. And they wildly embraced the customs
and practices of the heathen. They forsook the holy covenant. Not all the people
but many did, though.

1Ma 1:16 Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over
Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.
1Ma 1:17 Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and
horsemen, and a great navy,
1Ma 1:18 And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled;
and many were wounded to death.

Antiochus proceeds to conquer Egypt. On the heels of his completely smiting

1Ma 1:19 Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.
1Ma 1:20 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and
third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,
Oh, folks, look where the enemy heads when he invades the city where God’s
people live. Remember, this is a warfare between Satan, the adversary of our
souls, and the Lord Jesus Christ who has already defeated the old devil, who just
can’t give up and admit defeat and since he can’t hurt the Lord, he turns to hurt
those the Lord loves. He manipulates people into betraying their faith in the Lord,
and walking away from him, and don’t you know it hurts the heart of God to see
people behave so cavalierly about the things of God-when he paid such a high price
that we might have abundant life, eternal life?

That devil knows who God is, he has been there, in his presence. He knows how
wonderful it is, and he’s so full of hate and malice and envy because he knows he’s
doomed, and he’s trying to take as many down as he can with him.

1Ma 1:21 And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the
candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,
1Ma 1:22 And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers
of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all
which he pulled off.

He proudly enters the sanctuary of the Jewish temple, which had been rebuilt,
starting with the return of the exiles from Babylon, under Ezra and Nehemiah.
Apparently, it had been restored to its former beauty, because 1 Ma 1 gives a
sickening description of how this Antiochus and his army invades the city of
Jerusalem, marches proudly and defiantly into the temple, taking all the treasures
of the temple, the gold and silver vessels, the hidden treasures he found, the
candlesticks of light, the golden altar, and all its vessels, the crown, the golden
ornaments before the temple, he pulled off. He took everything which represented
gifts from and service to God. He took away the golden altar- oh, and an altar
represents prayer and communion with God, doesn’t it? Isn’t that what you think
of when hear the word altar? Prayer? Communication with our Father? Where
you got saved? Where you found God? He took away the candlestick of light-the
testimony, the light of truth in a dark and desperately wicked world. He took it
away. He took the shewbread- which was a type of the Word of God- he gives seed
to the sower who then ministers it to the sheep. Didn’t the Lord pray, “give us this
day our daily bread?” That’s what the shewbread represents to me.

2Co 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply
your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

God has such great provision, he tried to show the people through physical
illustrations along with the word from the prophets how he cared so much for
them. He took everything into account. And when they forsook God, they left the
door open and then enemy came in and stripped them bare.

1Ma 1:23 He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden
treasures which he found.
1Ma 1:24 And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great
massacre, and spoken very proudly.
1Ma 1:25 Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;

He massacred the people, and then, after two years of harsh rule, heavy taxation, he sent his chief tax
collector to the cities of Judah and Antiochus' man came in speaking "peaceable words unto them, but
all was deceit. "For when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly on the city and smote it sore and
destroyed much people of Israel." 1Ma_1:30. He burnt the city to the ground, took the women and
children captive. Then they rebuilt the city of David, filling it with a great and strong wall, mighty
towers, and made it a strong hold for the enemy. They sent wicked, sinful men to occupy and fortify
themselves there. Can you see how the enemy deliberately and purposely attacked and profaned the holy
things of God and stripped them away from a people who had neglected them and forsaken them? No
wonder God warns us not to neglect our salvation and not to go for days on end neglecting his word or
spending time with him. We need him, church! We must have this to keep ourselves strong in HIM.

1Ma 1:29 And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities
of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude,
1Ma 1:30 And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him
credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of
Israel.
1Ma 1:31 And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the
houses and walls thereof on every side.
1Ma 1:32 But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.
1Ma 1:33 Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers,
and made it a strong hold for them.
1Ma 1:34 And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein.
1Ma 1:35 They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they had gathered together the
spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare:
1Ma 1:36 For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel.
1Ma 1:37 Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:

Now the next few verses got to me, for they are horrifying. As I read this, what
Daniel said and what Jesus said in Matthew 24, began to make so much more
sense. And you have to remember-Daniel was talking about this-before it
happened. By the time Jesus came, this had already happened. And he warned it
was going to happen again. The following is an excerpt from 1 Maccabees 1 from
the KJV that includes Apocrypha. As I read this, I felt horrified and dismayed,
because this sounded so familiar, although I had never read it before. And it also
sounds like something that could very easily happen again in our generation,
where the antichrist spirit is thriving and spreading like wildfire in this world.
Underlines are mine.

1Ma 1:41 Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,
1Ma 1:42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the
commandment of the king.

Remember things are heading toward a one world government now. Whose idea do
you think it is that we all need to be one people? Remember the devil has a fake and
tries to counterfeit everything God has and does and is. Jesus prayed we'd be one. But
people can't seem to agree, even in the Christian faith-when he came he divided. He
said he come to send division on the earth not peace.

Luk 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
 He divides light from dark. Truth from error. But who is the one who is behind the pressure to conform to
the world and be like it? Who is the one the young people are fighting that is inspiring the cruelty of peer
pressure? It's sunk to an all new level of cruelty in our schools today. The malice in these kids' mouths comes
straight from the devil. The governments that are preaching 'tolerance' for everything except Christ. They
say we must tolerate the Muslims, the Buddhists, the wiccans, we must allow everyone their freedom of
expression-but Government forbid that people pray in the name of Jesus Christ at a graduation or city
council meeting, and even our military chaplains now are facing persecution. WHERE do you think that
enmity, that bone deep hatred of Jesus Christ comes from? From the one Jesus Christ defeated, and made an
open show of over 2000 years ago. (Col. 2:15) He has no power over anyone who belongs to Jesus Christ
and believes in the Lord unless they are unwise enough to give it to him by believing his lies and doing as
these people did, forsake the word and love of God.

1Ma 1:43 Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and
profaned the sabbath.
1Ma 1:44 For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that
they should follow the strange laws of the land,

How, you say, do you sacrifice to idols? Give them a place in your life. Give them
things meant for God, like your time, your thoughts, your life, your children-instead
of spending time with your children teaching them about God and bringing them to
his house, and teaching them the scriptures, send them to the movie theaters to watch
movies where HIS name and Commandments are blasphemed and broken. Let them
spend hours playing violent video games which the enemy uses to negatively influence
the minds of our children. Let them spend hours on the computer surfing the internet
or listening to ungodly foul mouthed singers or rappers indoctrinating your kids with
rebellion, anti-authority anti-Christ messages. Buy into the lie that it’s just a phase
they’ll grow out of, and give the devil space to pollute their minds and spirits with the
filth of the world. Let them spend time playing at people’s houses you aren’t very
familiar with where they can hear and see God only knows what. When they start
getting on your nerves and you just need some “space” instead of thanking God they
are home and safe and not on a “missing child” poster, go tell them to watch TV. Then
they can go watch the box the devil uses to pump junk into the minds and hearts of
people. In the past year, I have really grown to loathe television. I have a four year old
daughter who likes Dora the Explorer. They have even brought magic and witchcraft
into Dora now, and I have been covering my daughter with prayer and trying to wean
her off that junk, while asking God to forgive me for allowing it in the first place. It’s a
battle when you are the only Christian in your home and the world has reigned there.
As you grow and learn the ways of God you begin to see things that are wrong and his
word working in you will change you. At times, it has caused arguments with my
precious husband-but too much is at stake to back down. You have to behave and
speak in love, but you have to be firm and sure. Steadfast. The Word of God working in
your heart and life will cause you to stop doing things as it sanctifies and sets you
apart from the world. So many of the cartoons now are full of violence, bad behavior
and even bad words. Too many teach tolerance of things that are wrong. God grant us
wisdom and understanding on how to guard our homes and children, for we are in
need.

1Ma 1:45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they
should profane the sabbaths and festival days:
1Ma 1:46 And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:
1Ma 1:47 Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean
beasts:
1Ma 1:48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls
abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:

Forbid burnt offerings and sacrifice and drink offerings in the temple. Today society
is full of self-seeking, pleasure hungry, ambitious people who have been so spoiled and
pampered they know nothing of sacrifice and offering their lives and time to God.
When I read this, “leave their children uncircumcised” that sounds hard to
understand. Why would it matter? Well, God is so precious and the Holy Ghost is the
best Teacher I’ve ever had or ever could! I must pause a moment to thank him, and ask
him to never let me take lightly the things he opens to my understanding. Oh, don’t
take him for granted, seek him, we need him, saints!

Circumcision is the cutting away of flesh that is in the way, that can trap bacteria and
cause infection in males in their genitals. Sensitive area, I know. But spiritually
speaking, if you aren’t “spiritually circumcised” which is painful, too, let me tell you,
then you are still trusting in your own ability to do things. You are trusting in your
flesh, your thoughts and ways, and think you can do that and still please and serve
God. Your flesh, your thoughts, your carnal ways will kill you. Period. They do not
and will not listen to God. Your flesh wants no part of God. It has to be crucified. When
they left their children uncircumcised, they would grow up ‘self-sufficient, proud,
arrogant,’ and where does all that lead? Isn’t that what God kicked the devil out of
heaven for?

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to
the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Eze 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the
sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and
the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in
the day that thou wast created.
Eze 28:14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the
holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Eze 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found
in thee.

Much of Ezekiel 28 describes the effects of being uncircumcised and how it leads to
pride, arrogance and self-reliance. We have to depend totally on God for everything. I
even need him to teach me how to worship him. How to pray. Everything. How to
parent my children. How to be a good wife and mother. How to serve others, how to be
kind. How to see, think, hear and understand. How to walk. How to dress and speak.
With the law of kindness in my mouth. Not arrogance, not sarcasm, or scorn. See why
the enemy wanted the children uncircumcised? Because he knows it’s not in men to
direct their own paths and when they think they are wise enough to do so they end up
destroying themselves.
Jer 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to
direct his steps.

Pride is something God hates and won’t tolerate in his children. Satan knows this. He
knows it’s sin as far as God is concerned for people to trust in their flesh, rather than
the love and help of God. Isaiah talks about this in chapter 30:1-7. Proverbs warns
that pride goeth before a fall. The way of a man seems right in their own eyes but the
end thereof is death. (Pro 16:18, Pro 14:12, 16:25.) Why does the devil want people to be
proud and arrogant? To do things their own way?
1Ma 1:49 To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.
1Ma 1:50 And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he
said, he should die.

Sure, he wants to get that word out of sight and out of mind. He will steal it from you
anyway he can. Through distraction, pressure, fear, attacks of unbelief he will fire at
you, those fiery darts that he shoots into the mind of a believer to try to cause them to
doubt the promises of God. This wicked king targeted those who defied his law and the
women who indeed had their children circumcised, he slew, and ordered the children
hanged by their necks. There were some who would rather die than give in to the
demands of the enemy. They loved God and would not betray him. I believe the
martyrs will sit closest and be most honored in heaven. Next, the missionaries who
sold out to God, I think. And praise the Lord for every one of them. What a great cloud
of witnesses we have to be encouraged by.

Do you see what happens when you forsake God and try to make a deal to live with
and like the world? Jesus warned us beforehand. This reads like a play by play
book of the enemy that will happen again. Even now, it is this way in many parts
of the world-like Sudan, Korea, China. There was a group of godly people who
wanted no part of this "one world" system, and held to the law of God. They rose
up and warred against the evil, and over the next several hundred years, the story
of the Jews is full of battles, war, defeat, and slaughter. They won some and lost
some. But there was always a remnant that held on to the law of God, and it was
preserved, as much as the enemy tried to stamp it out and make them forget. And
indeed by the time of Jesus, the Jews no longer spoke Hebrew, they spoke Aramaic.
They mostly couldn't remember the language, except for the Pharisees who by then
had deteriorated into a group of legalists, were power hungry, and proud and
arrogant people. They considered themselves better than the common man of
Israel. They loved prestige, attention, political gain, recognition and were vain.
They were all about appearances. But they did not know God. They did not have
love and compassion for the people, for the most part of them, at all. Perhaps
Nicodemus did. Maybe a few others. But most of them were rigid authoritarian
men. There is a religious spirit that is just as dangerous and deadly as the anti-
christ spirit because they have one thing in common: they hate Christ. Religion
will kill you, just as sure as pride will. The life of Christ is about humility,
servitude, dependence on God. Religion is about pride, works, critical attitudes,
harshness, self-reliance. I pray God help us all be awake, with our minds girded
up with his truth, and in close fellowship with him, and laying aside the weights
that beset us, forsaking the sins that would stop us, and trusting and following
him totally. When he comes, all that is going to matter is does he know you? He
doesn’t fellowship with any darkness at all so we must be full of his LIGHT. NONE
OF THIS WORLD. We are in it but not to be part of it. He can teach us and show us
how to do this. Daily. Trust him. Love him. Seek him. Depend on him. He will not
fail you or forsake you.

Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall
give thee light.
Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.