Daniel #67 The Rise of the Arch-Persecutor of God’s People

Reformed Presbytery in North America

God's Church throughout history has endured great persecution that would have swallowed it up if He had not intervened to deliver His people. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, sought to greatly diminish the strength of Israel by enslaving them and destroying all the newborn male children. God brought Moses to deliver them. -Various Canaanite kingdoms brought Israel into bondage -as judgment from the Lord- after the deaths of Moses and Joshua. God raised up judges like Gideon and Samson to deliver His people. The Assyrians and the Babylonians led Israel and Judah into captivity -once again as judgment from the Lord-. God delivered them by a heathen king -Cyrus- and raised up godly leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah to re-establish them in the land in -rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. A great persecution arose against God's people -as we shall see- during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria. Once again, the Lord mercifully raised up deliverers to break off the yoke of the oppressor-this time it was the Maccabees. Nero, Domitian, and other emperors of Rome savaged Christians because they acknowledged Jesus -not Caesar- to be Lord.-The Lord Jesus prophesied that we would face persecution -and that certainly has been the case as we observe in history-. In fact, persecution is used by the Lord to purify us and to separate the wheat from the chaff. The Lord has delivered His Church throughout history and will continue to do so through Jesus, our great and mighty King -at times using even leaders that are far from being godly princes, like Cyrus-. As we study the-time of persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes, let us look with hope to our deliverance that is always around the corner.