WE HAVE COVERED THE HIGH POINTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND NOW MOVE ON TO THE APOCRYPHA, WHICH IS AN INVALUABLE RECORD OF THE INTERTESTAMENTAL PERIOD OF THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL. THIS REMARKABLE TEXT SERVES AS A CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL BRIDGE BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT RECORDS. I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A GOOD SYNOPTIC OVERVIEW OF MY CHOSEN HIGH POINTS OF THE TEXT IN THIS ONE BLOG POST. ONCE AGAIN GOD HAS GIVEN US THE APOCRYPHA TO THE PEOPLE OF THE LAST DAYS SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE THE PROPHETIC TIMES OF THIS ESCHATOLOGICAL AGE.
IT IS EASY TO SAY THAT MOST CHRISTIANS ARE NOT EVEN REMOTELY FAMILIAR WITH THIS BOOK. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE APOCRYPHA’S IMPORTANCE AS A SCRIPTURAL RECORD PER SE IS NOT IN A CLASS OF NECESSITY AS IS THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. HOWEVER, I SEE IT TO BE OF GREAT HISTORICAL VALUE, AS DO MANY BIBLE SCHOLARS. WE HAVE TO EMBRACE THE RECORDS OF HISTORY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WHO WE ARE, AND THUS KNOW THE PATTERNS OF HISTORY TO NOT REPEAT THE DARK SIDE OF IT IN THE FUTURE.
THE WORD “APOCRYPHA” MEANS “SECRET” OR “HIDDEN”, AND THAT IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN. IT IS NOT EASY TO FIND IN A SECULAR BOOKSTORE, AND MANY CHRISTIAN BOOK STORES DO NOT EVEN CARRY THE TEXT. THE INTERNET HAS THE TEXT ONLINE. THE TEXT IS FOUND IN THE LATIN VULGATE (CATHOLIC) AND SEPTUAGINT (GREEK), BUT NOT THE HEBREW BIBLE, AND PROTESTANT BIBLES USUALLY DO NOT ADD IT, BUT MAY PLACE IT IN A SEPARATE SECTION.
THE HARDBOUND VERSION WHICH I OWN COMPRISES 208 PAGES. I FIRST READ THIS BOOK OVER TWENTY YEARS AGO HAVING BEEN LED OF GOD TO DISCOVER IT UNDER REMARKABLE SPIRITUAL CIRCUMSTANCES IN 1983.
THE APOCRYPHA
THE FIRST BOOK OF ESDRAS (EZRA THE PROPHET)
THIS BOOK CONTAINS AN ACCOUNT OF KING JOSIAH’S OF JUDAH (641-610 BC) RELIGIOUS REFORMS, AND THE HISTORY DOWN TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE IN 588 BC.
UNDERSTAND WE ALREADY HAVE THIS RECORD IN EZRA AND NEHEMIAH TEXTS.
I WILL ONLY MAKE MENTION HERE OF SOME OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES FROM THE TEXT~
I ESDRAS 4:26-27 ~
“YEA, MANY THERE BE THAT HAVE RUN OUT OF THEIR WITS FOR WOMEN, AND BECOME SERVANTS FOR THEIR SAKES. MANY ALSO HAVE PERISHED, HAVE ERRED, AND SINNED FOR WOMEN”.
1 ESDRAS 4:35 ~
“…THEREFORE GREAT IS THE TRUTH, AND STRONGER THAN ALL THINGS.”
THE SECOND BOOK OF ESDRAS (EZRA THE PROPHET)
THIS BOOK CONTAINS SEVEN VISIONS OR REVELATIONS GIVEN TO EZRA, WHO IS REPRESENTED AS GRIEVING OVER THE AFFLICTIONS OF HIS PEOPLE AND PERPLEXED AT THE TRIUMPH OF GENTILE SINNERS. THE BOOK IS FILLED WITH A TONE OF DEEP SADNESS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE BIBLE WE ARE INTRODUCED TO THE ANGEL URIEL, BUT HE WAS MENTIONED WHEN WE COVERED THE BOOK OF ENOCH.
2ND ESDRAS 5:1-2
THE ANGEL URIEL TELLS EZRA ~
“NEVERTHELESS AS CONCERNING THE TOKENS (OR THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES) BEHOLD, THE DAYS SHALL COME (THE LAST DAYS), THAT THEY WHICH DWELL UPON THE EARTH, SHALL BE TAKEN IN GREAT NUMBER, AND THE WAY OF TRUTH SHALL BE HIDDEN, AND THE LAND SHALL BE BARREN OF FAITH. BUT INIQUITY SHALL BE INCREASED, ABOVE THAT WHICH NOW YOU SEE, OR THAT YOU HAVE HEARD LONG AGO.”
COMMENT : (SOUNDS LIKE MODERN TIMES TO ME!)
2ND ESDRAS 5:8-10
URIEL CONTINUES ~
“THERE SHALL BE CONFUSION IN MANY PLACES, AND THE WILD BEASTS SHALL CHANGE THEIR PLACES (THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE WORLD AS I WRITE), AND WOMEN SHALL BRING FORTH MONSTERS (COLUMBINE SHOOTERS DYLAN KLEBOLD & ERIC HARRIS). AND THE SALT WATERS SHALL BE FOUND IN THE SWEET (I READ SEVERAL NEWS REPORTS LIKE THIS IN RECENT YEARS LIKE THE EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA FLOODS OF 1999), AND ALL FRIENDS SHALL DESTROY ONE ANOTHER; THEN SHALL WIT HIDE ITSELF (NITWITS WILL ABOUND), AND UNDERSTANDING WITHDRAW ITSELF INTO HIS SECRET CHAMBER, AND SHALL BE SOUGHT OF MANY, AND YET NOT BE FOUND: THEN SHALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS AND INCONTINENCY (LACK OF SEXUAL RESTRAINT) BE MULTIPLIED UPON EARTH.”
COMMENT: (THIS IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF OUR MODERN TIME.)
2ND ESDRAS 8:1
URIEL TELLS EZRA ~
“…THE MOST HIGH HAS MADE THIS WORLD FOR MANY, BUT THE WORLD TO COME FOR FEW.”
2ND ESDRAS 8:3
URIEL SAYS, “THERE BE MANY CREATED, BUT FEW SHALL BE SAVED.”
2ND ESDRAS 8:50
URIEL CONTINUES,
“FOR MANY GREAT MISERIES SHALL BE DONE TO THEM THAT IN THE LATTER TIMES SHALL DWELL IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE THEY HAVE WALKED IN GREAT PRIDE.”
2ND ESDRAS 13:18
EZRA SPEAKS OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THE LATTER DAYS THAT WILL BE “LEFT BEHIND” AFTER THE RAPTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN SAINTS:
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION WILL WAIT UPON MANY.
THOSE WHO ARE LEFT BEHIND IN THE LORD ARE MORE BLESSED THAN THE DEAD. GOD WILL ORDER OR DIRECT THOSE WITH TRUE FAITH (THOSE WHO ARE LEFT BEHIND AND HAVE DEVELOPED FAITH).
WHILE THE REST OF THE WORLD WILL BE KILLING ONE ANOTHER, CHRIST WILL COME (THE SECOND COMING) TO DEFEND THE SURVIVORS (OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION) WHO ARE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST.
THE BIZARRE TRUTH IS THAT THE WORLD’S ARMIES WILL BE GATHERED IN ISRAEL TO FIGHT CHRIST.
THEIR TWISTED AIM WILL BE TO KEEP HIM FROM RETURNING TO EARTH.
THEY WILL ALL BE DESTROYED WITH A WORD FROM HIS MOUTH.
2ND ESDRAS 14:17
GOD TELLS EZRA THE CONDITION OF THE EARTH IN THE LAST DAYS ~
“FOR LOOK HOW MUCH THE WORLD SHALL BE WEAKER THROUGH AGE, SO MUCH THE MORE SHALL EVILS INCREASE UPON THEM THAT DWELL THEREIN.”
COMMENT: (FOR INSTANCE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE OLD TESTAMENT MEN WERE LIVING UP TO 969 YEARS OF AGE. THEN THROUGH MAN’S INIQUITY THE LORD REDUCED OUR TIME ON EARTH TO 120 YEARS. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WE WILL SEE THROUGH CONTINUED INIQUITY, MAN NOW ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 80-90 YEARS OF LIFE TO EXPERIENCE.)
THE BOOK OF TOBIT
TOBIT IS A JEW (TRIBE OF NAPHTALI) LIVING IN NINEVEH; HE WAS A PIOUS MAN FOLLOWING GOD.
TROUBLE COMES AND HE LOSES HIS EYESIGHT. HE SENDS HIS SON TOBIAS TO PICK UP SOME MONEY FROM A FRIEND IN ANOTHER CITY.
TOBIAS TAKES A TRAVELING COMPANION (WHO IS REALLY THE ANGEL RAPHAEL. THIS IS THE FIRST MENTION IN THE BIBLE OF THIS ANGEL).
THIS IS A SUPERNATURAL TALE OF HOW TOBIAS OBTAINS A WIFE, EXPELLS DEMONS, AND CURES HIS FATHER’S EYESIGHT WITH THE HELP OF THE ANGEL RAPHAEL.
THE BOOK OF JUDITH
BIBLE SCHOLARS CONSIDER THIS TO BE A WORK OF FICTION.
IT IS A TALE OF A HEROIC WOMAN WHO SLAYS AN ASSYRIAN GENERAL. THIS TALE CANNOT BE SUBSTANTIATED BY HISTORICAL RECORD.
THE REST OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE BOOK OF ESTHER (CONTINUED FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT)
THIS IS A STORY OF GOD DELIVERING THE JEWS FROM THE GENTILES.
THE BOOK OF THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON
COMMENT: BIBLE SCHOLARS DO NOT BELIEVE SOLOMON WROTE THIS. LET US BRIEFLY TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE TRUTHS IN THIS RECORD ~
WISDOM OF SOLOMON 14:12
“FOR THE DEVISING OF IDOLS WAS THE BEGINNING OF SPIRITUAL FORNICATION, AND THE INVENTION OF THEM THE CORRUPTION OF LIFE.”
WISDOM OF SOLOMON 14:27
“FOR THE WORSHIPPING OF IDOLS NOT TO BE NAMED IS THE BEGINNING, THE CAUSE, AND THE END, OF ALL EVIL.”
WISDOM OF SOLOMON 16:12
ON THE SOURCE OF ALL HEALING ~
“FOR IT WAS NEITHER HERB, NOR MOLLIFYING PLASTER, THAT RESTORED THEM TO HEALTH: BUT THY WORD, O LORD, WHICH HEALETH ALL THINGS.”
THE WISDOM OF JESUS THE SON OF SIRACH OR ECCLESIASTICUS
THIS BOOK (IN STYLE AND IN CHARACTER) RESEMBLES PROVERBS. THE GREATER PART OF THE BOOK IS OCCUPIED WITH QUESTIONS OF PRACTICAL MORALITY.
THIS BOOK HAS NO CONNECTION TO ECCLESIASTES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, OR FOR THAT MATTER THE JESUS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
ECCLESIASTICUS 5:6
“BE IN PEACE WITH MANY: NEVERTHELESS HAVE BUT ONE COUNSELLOR OF A THOUSAND.”
ECCLESIASTICUS 19:29
“A MAN MAY BE KNOWN BY HIS LOOK, AND ONE THAT HATH UNDERSTANDING BY HIS COUNTENANCE, WHEN YOU MEET HIM. A MAN’S ATTIRE, AND HIS EXCESSIVE LAUGHTER, AND GAIT, SHOW WHAT HE IS.”
ECCLESIASTICUS 21:27
“WHEN THE UNGODLY CURSES SATAN, HE CURSES HIS OWN SOUL.”
ECCLESIASTICUS 25:24
“OF THE WOMAN CAME THE BEGINNING OF SIN, AND THROUGH HER WE ALL DIE.”
ECCLESIASTICUS 26:29
“A MERCHANT SHALL HARDLY KEEP HIMSELF FROM DOING WRONG; AND AN HUCKSTER (I.E.SALESMAN, PEDDLER, MARKETER, OR ADVERTISER) SHALL NOT BE FREED FROM SIN.”
ECCLESIASTICUS 27:2
“AS A NAIL STICKS FAST BETWEEN THE JOININGS OF THE STONES; SO DOES SIN STICK CLOSE BETWEEN BUYING AND SELLING.”
ECCLESIASTICUS 30:17
“DEATH IS BETTER THAN A BITTER LIFE OR CONTINUAL SICKNESS.”
ECCLESIASTICUS 34: 5-7
“DIVINATIONS, AND SOOTHSAYINGS, AND DREAMS, ARE VAIN: AND THE HEART FANCIETH, AS A WOMAN’S HEART IN TRAVAIL. IF THEY BE NOT SENT FROM THE MOST HIGH IN YOUR VISITATION, SET NOT YOUR HEART UPON THEM, FOR DREAMS HAVE DECEIVED MANY, AND THEY HAVE FAILED THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN THEM.”
ECCLESIASTICUS 39:1
“BUT HE THAT GIVETH HIS MIND TO THE LAW OF THE MOST HIGH, AND IS OCCUPIED IN THE MEDITATION THEREOF, WILL SEEK OUT THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENT, AND BE OCCUPIED IN PROPHECIES.”
COMMENT: HERE IS PROOF ALL PEOPLES SHOULD ALL BE STUDYING PROPHECY!
ECCLESIASTICUS 39:28-31
“THERE BE SPIRITS THAT ARE CREATED FOR VENGEANCE, WHICH IN THEIR FURY LAY ON SORE STROKES; IN THE TIME OF DESTRUCTION THEY POUR OUT THEIR FORCE, AND APPEASE THE WRATH OF HIM THAT MADE THEM. FIRE, AND HAIL, AND FAMINE, AND DEATH, ALL THESE WERE CREATED FOR VENGEANCE; TEETH OF WILD BEASTS, AND SCORPIONS, AND SERPENTS AND THE SWORD, PUNISHING THE WICKED TO DESTRUCTION. THEY SHALL REJOICE IN HIS COMMANDMENT, AND THEY SHALL BE READY UPON EARTH, WHEN NEED IS; AND WHEN THEIR TIME IS COME, THEY SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS HIS WORD.”
COMMENT: UNDERSTAND THESE SPIRITS NEXT TIME OF COMING WILL BE THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.)
THE BOOK OF BARUCH
THIS BOOK IS SAID HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY THE PROPHET BARUCH IN BABYLON.
MOST BIBLE SCHOLARS BELIEVE IT WAS WRITTEN AT A LATER TIME.
THE SONG OF THE THREE HOLY CHILDREN
THIS BOOK IS SAID TO BE THE SONG SUNG BY SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO IN THE MIDST OF THE BURNING FIRE. (REMEMBER THIS STORY FROM THE BOOK OF DANIEL).
THE HISTORY OF SUSANNA
THIS IS A STORY OF DANIEL, THE PROPHET, WHO DISCOVERS, IN BEHALF OF KING CYRUS, THE FRAUDS OF THE PRIESTS OF BEL IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRETENTIOUS BANQUETS FOR THAT IDOL.
THE PRAYER OF MANASSES KING OF JUDAH
THIS IS A PENITENTIAL PRAYER. THERE IS LITTLE REASON FOR GIVING IT THE TITLE IT BEARS.
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE MACCABEES
COMMENT: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL WORK ABOVE ALL OTHERS FOUND IN THE APOCRYPHA. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR KNOWLEDGE OF JEWISH HISTORY IN THE SECOND CENTURY BC.
HERE IS THE STORY~
THE MACCABEES WERE A FAMILY OF JEWISH PATRIOTS.
IN 175 BC THE EVIL KING ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES OF SYRIA MADE A DETERMINED EFFORT TO OBLITERATE THE JEWISH RELIGION. WHEN HE ERECTED ALTARS TO ZEUS IN THE HOLY LAND A JEWISH RESISTANCE SPRANG UP.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PROPHET DANIEL REFERRED TO ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES AS A MINOR ANTICHRIST, AN ARCHETYPICAL FORERUNNER OF THE ANTICHRIST WHO RULES DURING THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.
AN AGED PRIEST NAMED MATTATHIAS (A FATHER OF FIVE SONS) WITH A LARGE BODY OF FOLLOWERS FLEES TO THE MOUNTAINS AFTER THEY WERE ATTACKED ON THE SABBATH DAY. THOUSANDS WERE SLAIN.
AFTER THIS THE JEWS RESOLVED TO FIGHT IN SELF-DEFENSE EVEN IF IT HAD TO BE ON THE SABBATH.
AFTER THE DEATH OF MATTATHIAS, HIS OLDEST SON JUDAS MACCABAEUS, “THE HAMMERER,” BECOMES THE LEADER OF THE JEWISH REBELS. HE GAINS GREAT VICTORIES FOR ISRAEL. THE RUINED TEMPLE IS RESTORED.
THE JEWS STILL CELEBRATE HANUKKAH AS A COMMEMORATIVE TO THIS MACCABEAN VICTORY OVER ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES.
BUT IN 165 BC A LARGE SYRIAN ARMY INVADED PALESTINE UNDER LYSIAS.
AFTER THE DEATH OF JUDAS MACCABEUS IN 161 BC HIS BROTHERS JONATHAN AND SIMON BECOME THE LEADERS OF THE JEWS. JONATHAN IS MURDERED IN 144 BC AND SIMON TAKES THE LEAD.
UNDER SIMON THE ISRAELITES ENJOY GREATER PROSPERITY THAN ANY OTHER PERIOD AFTER THE EXILE. THE JEWS, IN GRATITUDE FOR ALL THE GOOD HE ACCOMPLISHED, APPOINTS HIM GOVERNOR AND HIGH PRIEST FOREVER UNTIL THERE SHOULD ARISE A FAITHFUL PROPHET. BUT IN 135 BC, SIMON IS TREACHEROUSLY MURDERED BY HIS SON-IN-LAW. THEN SIMON’S SON, JOHN HYRCANUS, BECOMES THE HIGH PRIEST.
JOHN BUILDS THE FORTRESS IN JERUSALEM. AFTER HIS DEATH THE POSITION OF THE MACCABEAN FAMILY WAS LESS PROMINENT.
THE HERODIAN FAMILY WERE POWERFUL RIVALS, AND THE MARRIAGE OF MARIANNE, A MACCABEAN PRINCESS, TO HEROD THE GREAT (ANOTHER ARCHETYPE OF THE ANTICHRIST) IN 38 BC MARKS THE END OF THE MACCABEAN DYNASTY.
THUS THE EVIL HERODIAN EMPIRE WOULD BE IN POWER AT THE TIME OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST.
IN A PASSIONATE EXERPT THE WRITER OF 2ND MACCABEES 6:12-16 TELLS US ~
“NOW I BESEECH THOSE THAT READ THIS BOOK, THAT THEY BE NOT DISCOURAGED FOR THESE CALAMITIES (UPON THE JEWS), BUT THAT THEY JUDGE THOSE PUNISHMENTS NOT TO BE FOR DESTRUCTION, BUT FOR A CHASTENING OF OUR (JEWISH) NATION. FOR IT IS A TOKEN OF HIS (GOD’S) GREAT GOODNESS, WHEN WICKED DOERS ARE NOT SUFFERED ANY LONG TIME, BUT FORTHWITH PUNISHED.
FOR NOT AS WITH OTHER NATIONS, WHOM THE LORD PATIENTLY FORBEARS TO PUNISH, UNTIL THEY BE COME TO THE FULNESS OF THEIR SINS (LIKE THE GENTILES), SO DEALS HE WITH US (THE JEWS).
LEST THAT, BEING COME TO THE HEIGHT OF SIN, AFTERWARDS HE SHOULD TAKE VENGEANCE OF US.
AND THEREFORE HE NEVER WITHDRAWS HIS MERCY FROM US: AND THOUGH HE PUNISHES US WITH ADVERSITY, YET DOES HE NEVER FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE.”
THIS IS A POWERFUL STATEMENT, WHICH SUMS UP VERY WELL THE SUFFERINGS OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL UNTIL THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE LAST DAYS.
NEXT: WE BEGIN AT LAST THE NEW TESTAMENT RECORD!