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Martin Luther King, Jr. “I have a Dream Speech”

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men — yes, black men as well as white men — would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check that has come back marked “insufficient funds.”

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice. We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end but a beginning. Those who hoped that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating “for whites only.” We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today my friends — so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!”

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi — from every mountainside.

Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring — when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children — black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics — will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Martin Luther King, Jr.
August 28, 1963
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., United States of America

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Black History, February, history, History, Seasonal, winter

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Events in January: Fun Days and Historical Remembrances

This page gives a list of some Holidays and other events that occur in January. Some of the events are fun days. Others are for remembering only. Information is attached to many of the events. Have fun reading, learning, and/ or celebrating.

New Year’s Day: celebrated on January 1, marks the beginning of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It follows the festivities of New Year’s Eve and offers a moment for reflection and new beginnings.

World Braille Day: World Braille Day is annually celebrated on January 4, the birthday of Braille inventor, Louis Braille. The day recognizes the contributions of Louis Braille in helping blind and visually impaired people to read and write.

Epiphany: commonly known as Three Kings’ Day in the United States, is on January 6. It celebrates the three wise men’s visit to baby Jesus and also remembers his baptism, according to the Christian Bible’s events.

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord: The Baptism of Jesus is celebrated annually on the Sunday after January 6 (the Feast of the Epiphany). This celebration is recognized in various Christian denominations, including the Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches.

Battle of New Orleans: January 8th is celebrated as Battle of New Orleans day in the state of Louisiana.

Benjamin Franklin Day: January 17 is celebrated worldwide as Benjamin Franklin Day.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader.

Robert E. Lee’s Birthday: also known as Robert E. Lee Day, is a state holiday in some parts of the United States. In some states it is an annual shared state holiday with Martin Luther King’s birthday on the third Monday of January.

Civil Rights Day: is a state holiday in Arizona and New Hampshire, in the United States, on the third Monday of January. It honors civil rights activists and is combined with Martin Luther King Day.

World Leprosy Day: World Leprosy Day is annually observed around the world on the last Sunday of January. The day was initiated in 1954 by French philanthropist and writer Raoul Follereau, as a way to raise global awareness of this deadly ancient disease and call attention to the fact that it can be prevented, treated, and cured.

World Holocaust Victims Remembrance Day: On January 27 each year, the United Nations (UN) remembers the Holocaust that affected many people of Jewish origin during World War II. This day is called the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. It also commemorates when the Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland on January 27, 1945.

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Seasonal, winter

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Winter Chowder Recipe: Creamy & Hearty Comfort Food

Ingredients:

  • 1-pound dried lima beans
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 large ribs celery, chopped
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 16-ounce can Italian tomatoes
  • 16-ounce can corn
  • 1/4-pound sharp Cheddar cheese. grated

Directions:

  1. Rinse dried lima beans and soak in 6 cups water for 6 hours or overnight.
  2. Drain and cook beans for about 1 hour in large pot with 6 cups fresh water.
  3. In a large saucepan, sauté onion and celery in butter until slightly tender:
  4. Thoroughly blend in flour, salt and pepper.
  5. Add cream and bring to a gentle boil.
  6. Add beans and their liquid.
  7. Add remaining ingredients.
  8. Bring to a boil again.
  9. Adjust seasonings before serving.

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Lunch/ Dinner, Recipes, Soup, Chowder, chili, stew, winter

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When the Frost is on the Pumpkin

By Jame Whitcomb Riley

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin’ turkey-cock,
And the clackin’ of the guineys, and the cluckin’ of the hens,
And the rooster’s hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it’s then’s the times a feller is a-feelin’ at his best,
With the risin’ sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.

They’s something kindo’ harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer’s over and the coolin’ fall is here-
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin’-birds and buzzin’ of the bees;
But the air’s so appetizin’; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur’ that no painter has the colorin’ to mock-
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.

The husky, russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin’ of the tangled leaves, as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries-kindo’ lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin’ sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below-the clover over-head!-
O, it sets my hart a-clickin’ like the tickin’ of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock!

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the celler-floor in red and yeller heaps;
And your cider-makin’ ‘s over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With their mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and saussage, too! …
I don’t know how to tell it-but ef sich a thing could be
As the Angels wantin’ boardin’, and they’d call around on me-
I’d want to ‘commodate ’em-all the whole-indurin’ flock-
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock!

Category:

Fall, Poetry, Top Poems for Children by Famous Authors

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The Children’s Six Minutes: HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year, Juniors!

The morning of the first day of every year we enter into a contest. We see who will be the first to give that day’s greeting. Before I was awake this morning my boy ran into my room shouting, “Happy New Year! Happy New Year!” He won in the contest.

Now, however, you are in Church and it is not proper for you to speak out loud, so I am able to get ahead of you. A Happy New Year to you, every one.

Well, what will make this year a happy year for you? I will tell you. Let us take this word Happy, and instead of writing it across the page let us write it straight up and down.

H stands for Helpful. You cannot have a happy year unless you are helpful. He who does not try to be helpful is never very happy.

A for Active. I want your year to be full of activity. I hope you will be able to skate and slide down hill many days this winter, and that you will enter into all the spring and summer sports with zest and joy.

P for Playful. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. You will want to do something other than play, of course. You will have some home responsibilities, but sandwiched in with the work may there be a good measure of play.

P for Purposeful. Yes, early hi life you should form a purpose. Two questions will help you gain that purpose. 1st—What is it that I want to do? 2nd—What is it that God wants me to do?

Y for Youth.

Helpful Active Playful Purposeful Youth.

MEMORY VERSE, Psalm 19:14

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.”

MEMORY HYMN

“Break, newborn year, on glad eyes break.”

1 Break, new-born year, on glad eyes break,
Melodious voices move;
On, rolling time; thou canst not make
The Father cease to love.

2 The parted year had wingèd feet;
The Saviour still doth stay:
The new year comes; but, Spirit sweet,
Thou goest not away.

3 Our hearts in tears may oft run o’er;
But, Lord, Thy smile still beams:
Our sins are swelling evermore,
But pardoning grace still streams.

4 Lord, from this year more service win,
More glory, more delight:
O make it hours less sad with sin,
Its days with Thee more bright.

5 Then we may bless its precious things
If earthly cheer should come,
Or gladsome mount on angel wings,
If Thou wouldst take us home.

6 O golden them the hours must be;
The year must needs be sweet;
Yes, Lord, with happy melody
Thine opening grace we greet.

Amen.

The Hymnal: Published by the authority of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., 1895

The Children’s Six Minutes: Knife Lessons

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bible, books, Seasonal, The Children's Six Minutes, winter

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Quick Chicken Noodle Soup in 45 Minutes

Chicken Noodle Soup is a comfort food. Nothing is better than home cooked chicken noodle soup when it is cold outside or you are feeling under the weather. This recipe makes 2 to 4 servings. It takes about 45 minutes to make.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste or 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 large or 2 small boneless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces)
  • 4 ounces angel hair pasta or thin egg noodles
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish

STEPS

  1. Put the butter or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted or the oil is warm, add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.
  2. Cook, stirring every minute or so, until the vegetables are soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
  3. Add the tomato paste and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Cook and stir until the paste coats the vegetables.
  5. Add the water and stir up any crusty bits from the bottom of the pot.
  6. Slip the chicken into the water and adjust the heat so the soup bubbles gently.
  7. Cover the pot.
  8. Let the soup cook without stirring for 5 minutes, then check to make sure the liquid is still bubbling and stir.
  9. Cover the pot and check again in another 5 minutes.
  10. Use tongs to carefully lift the chicken out of the soup onto a plate.
  11. Cut the thickest part with a small knife. If any pinkness remains in the center, return it to the pot for another 5 minutes (and wash the plate so you don’t use it again).
  12. When the chicken is ready, put it on a cutting board and use a knife and fork to cut it into chunks.
  13. Return the chicken to the pot, add the noodles, and bring the soup to a boil.
  14. Cook, stirring every minute, until the noodles are tender but not mushy. Start checking after 3 minutes.
  15. Remove the pot from the heat, carefully taste a sip of the broth, and add salt and pepper if you like.
  16. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the basil and parsley, and eat as soon as it’s cool enough.

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Lunch/ Dinner, Recipes, Seasonal, Soup, Chowder, chili, stew, winter

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Delicious Recipes for Soups, Stews, and Chowders

Soups, stews, chowders, and chili are great. They are good all year long, however, when the weather is chilly soups, stews, chowders, and chili are especially good. Here are some for you to try.

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Lunch/ Dinner, Recipes, Seasonal, Soup, Chowder, chili, stew, winter

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What Does Christmas Truly Mean Beyond Santa?

The Visit of the Shepherds

In all the big cities people are hustling and bustling to get ready for Santa Claus but are they ready for Jesus to come I am asking you? What is Christmas all about? Is it the tree and Santa Claus or is it Jesus Christ I am asking you?

I will tell you what it is all about. On Christmas we remember the very first Christmas when Jesus came as a Baby. On that Christmas it was a silent night and a holy night that’s the night Jesus came. There was no room in the inn so Jesus the son of God was born in a manger in Bethlehem so long ago, there in a manger. In the same country shepherds abiding in their field, keeping their flocks by night had an Angel of the Lord come upon them. They were sore afraid the angel said unto them, Fear ye not: for, unto you and all people too is Christ the Lord, Emmanuel. You will find the babe in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. They found the baby just as the angel said. On that Silent night and Holy night that’s the night Christ the holy one, came.

This is the true meaning of Christmas. So, when it’s gets close to Christmas eve, please stop a minute and remember the true meaning of Christmas. Remember the Silent night and holy night so long ago in the Manger in Bethlehem with Jesus Christ, the Holy one came. To set us free from our worldly sin.

Bible verses

  • Isaiah 9:6-7
    • For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
    • Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
  • Luke 1:26-56
  • Luke 2:1-22
  • Matthew 2:1-23

Word Meaning

  • Christmas
    • Definition
      • a Christian feast on December 25 or among some Eastern Orthodox Christians on January 7 that commemorates the birth of Christ and is usually observed as a legal holiday
    • Etymology
      • Middle English Christemasse, from Old English Cristes mæsse, literally, Christ’s mass
    • First Known Use
      • Before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at
  • Hustling
    • Definition
      • To crowd or push roughly 
      • To convey forcibly or hurriedly
      • To urge forward precipitately
      • To obtain by energetic activity —usually used with up
    • Synonyms of hustling: as in rush
  • Bustling
    • Definition
      • a bustling market
      • bustling streets
    • Synonyms of bustling: full of lively activity: busily astir

Things to ask yourself

  • In all the big cities people are hustling and bustling to get ready for Santa Claus but are they ready for Jesus to come?
    • I don’t think they are ready for Jesus maybe Santa Claus but not Jesus.
  • What is Christmas all about? Is it the tree and Santa Claus or is it Jesus Christ?
    • I think people knew, but I think they forgot what Christmas is all about.

For more Bible studies by Bell

For more Poems by Bell

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bible, Bible articles by Bell, Bible Study, Poems and more, Poems and Stories by Bell, Seasonal, winter

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The Significance of Hanukkah: A Historical Perspective

In I Maccabees is the story of Hanukkah. (1 Maccabees Chapters 1-4 chapter)
Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish Festival that celebrates the Cleansing and rededication of the temple in 164 B.C.

Jesus attended the Feast of Dedication.

  • John 10:22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

Other Names for it

  • Feast of Dedication
  • Festival of lights

Ways of spelling it

  • Chanukkah
  • Hanukkah

Names to Know

  • Alexander the Great / Son of Philip
  • Antiochus Epiphanes (Son of King Antiochus)
  • King Antiochus
  • King Ptolemy
  • Lysias
  • Nicanor
  • Gorgias
  • Apollonius
  • Mattathias, son of John, Son of Simoen
  • John surnamed Gaddi
  • Simen called Thassi
  • Judas called Maccabeus
  • Elezar called Avaran
  • Jonathan called Apphus

Places to Know City to Know

  • Israel
  • Greece
    • Greece here designates the region of Asia Minor that had already been colonized by the Greeks for a long time.
  • Rome
  • Egypt
  • Judah
  • Kittim
    • Kittim: designates primarily Cyprus but encompasses other foreign countries among which was Macedonia. 
  • Jerusalem
  • Modein
    • Modein was seventeen miles west of Jerusalem

River to know

  • Euphrates

Terms to know

  • Gentiles
    • a person of a non-Jewish nation or of non-Jewish faith
  • Persians
    • one of the people of Persia: such as
      • one of the ancient Iranians who under Cyrus and his successors founded an empire in southwest Asia
      • a member of one of the peoples forming the modern Iranian nationality
  • Medes
    •  native or inhabitant of ancient Media in Persia
  • Greeks
    • a native or inhabitant of ancient or modern Greece
    • a person of Greek descent
    • the language used by the Greeks from prehistoric times to the present constituting a branch of Indo-European see Indo-European Languages Table
    • ancient Greek as used from the time of the earliest records to the end of the second century a.d. see Indo-European Languages Table
  • Hasideans
    • The Hasideans were a Jewish group during the Maccabean Revolt that took place from around 167–142 BCE. 

Word meanings

  • Strongholds
    • as in fortress
  • Advance
    • to move forward along a course
  • Plundered
    • as in looted
    • to search through with the intent of committing robbery
  • Hellenism
    • devotion to or imitation of ancient Greek thought, customs, or styles
  • summons
    • as in called
    • to demand or request the presence or service of
  • heirs
    • a person who has the right to inherit property
  • renegades 
    • as in deserter
    • a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right
  • Gymnasium
    • as in gym
    • a building or room used for sports activities and exercising
  • Pagan
    • a person who does not worship the one true God of the Bible
  • Ancestors
    • as in grandfathers
    • a person who is several generations earlier in an individual’s line of descent

Timeline of how Hanukkah Came to Be

  • Alexander the Great rule over all the land
    • 1 Maccabees 1:1-4 After Alexander of Macedon, the son of Philip, had come from the land of Kittim and defeated Darius, the king of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king, in addition to his position as king of Greece. He engaged in many campaigns, captured strongholds, and executed kings. In his advance to the ends of the earth, he plundered countless nations. When the earth was reduced to silence before him, his heart swelled with pride and arrogance. He recruited a very powerful army, and as provinces, nations, and rulers were conquered by him, they became his tributaries.
      • After defeating the Persians, Alexander the Great reached the Indian Ocean.
  • Alexander the Great Dies
    • 1 Maccabees 1:5-9 However, when all this had been accomplished, Alexander became ill, and he realized that his death was imminent. Therefore, he summoned his officers, nobles who had been brought up with him from his youth, and he divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. Then, in the twelfth year of his reign, Alexander died. After that, his officers assumed power in the kingdom, each in his own territory. 9 They all put on royal crowns after his death, as did their heirs who succeeded them for many years, inflicting great evils on the world.
      • Twelfth year: 334 B.C.
  • Antiochus Epiphanes, Renegade Jews, and Hellenism
    • 1 Maccabees 1:10 From these there sprang forth a wicked offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, the son of King Antiochus. Previously he had been a hostage in Rome. He began his reign in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the Greeks.
      • The year 137 of the Seleucid era corresponds to 175 B.C.
    • 1 Maccabees 1;11-15
      • In those days there emerged in Israel a group of renegades who led many people astray, saying, “Let us enter into an alliance with the Gentiles around us. Many disasters have come upon us since we separated ourselves from them.” This proposal received great popular support, and when some of the people immediately thereafter approached the king; he authorized them to introduce the practices observed by the Gentiles. Therefore, they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to Gentile custom, concealed the marks of their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. Thus they allied themselves to the Gentiles and sold themselves to the power of evil.
        • In order to unify his kingdom, the new monarch Antiochus IV Epiphanes imposed Greek customs everywhere. These were contradictory to the Jewish religious requirements, which were made precise from the end of the Exile. Nonetheless, the king could rely—especially at Jerusalem—on a current of opportunists favorable to Hellenism because of ambition or a desire for cultural integration: the clan of Jason whose members are termed renegades.
  • Antiochus in Egypt
    • 1 Maccabees 1:16-19 Once his kingdom had been firmly established, Antiochus was determined to become king of Egypt so that he might reign over both kingdoms. He invaded Egypt with a massive force of chariots, elephants, and cavalry, supported by a large fleet.  When he engaged Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, in battle, Ptolemy fled in fear before him, amidst a great number of casualties. The fortified cities in the land of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the kingdom.
  • The Temple is Destroyed
    • 1 Maccabees 1:20-28
      • After his return from his conquest of Egypt in the year one hundred and forty-three, Antiochus advanced upon Israel and Jerusalem with a massive force. In his arrogance he entered the sanctuary and removed the golden altar, the lampstand for the light with all its fixtures, the table for the loaves of offering, the libation cups and bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, and the crowns. He stripped off all the gold decorations on the front of the temple, and he seized the silver and gold and precious vessels and all the hidden treasures he could find. Taking all this, he returned to his own country, having caused great bloodshed and boasted arrogantly of what he had accomplished.
      • There was great mourning throughout Israel, and the rulers and the elders groaned.
      • Girls and young men wasted away, and the beauty of the women waned.
      • Every bridegroom raised up laments, and the bride sat mourning in her bridal chamber.
      • The land trembled for its inhabitants, and the entire house of Jacob was clothed in shame.
  • The Occupation of Jerusalem (1 Maccabees 1:29-40)
    • 1 Maccabees 1:29-35 Two years later the king sent his chief collector of tribute to the cities of Judah. When he came to Jerusalem with a powerful force, he deceitfully addressed the people there with sentiments of peace. Once he had gained their confidence, he suddenly launched a savage attack on the city and exterminated many of the people of Israel. He plundered the city and set it on fire. He demolished its dwellings and the walls that encircled the city, took the women and children captive, and seized the livestock. Then they rebuilt the City of David with a massive high wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel. There they stationed a sinful race of renegades, who fortified themselves inside it, storing up arms and provisions, and depositing there the plunder they had collected from Jerusalem. Thus, they posed a significant threat.
      • Citadel: The ancient Jebusite fortress defeated by David (see 2 Sam 5:7-9).
  • The Great Persecution (1 Maccabees 1:41-64)
    • 1 Maccabees 1:44-50
      • The king also sent messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah with edicts commanding them to adopt practices that were foreign to their country: 
        • to prohibit holocausts, sacrifices, and libations in the sanctuary,
        • to profane the Sabbaths and feast days, 
        • to defile the temple and its priests, to build altars, temples, and shrines for idols, 
        • to sacrifice swine and other unclean beasts, 
        • to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to allow themselves to be defiled with every kind of impurity and abomination, 
        • so that they would forget the law and change all their observances. 
      • Anyone who refused to obey the command of the king was to be put to death.
  • Mattathias & His Sons
    • 1 Maccabees 2:1-5
      • In those days Mattathias, son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, departed from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. 
        • Mattathias signifies “gift of Yahweh.” 
        • Joarib was the head of the first priestly division (see 1 Chr 24:7). 
        • Modein was seventeen miles west of Jerusalem.
      • He had five sons:
        • John, who was called Gaddi; 
        • Simon, who was called Thassi; 
        • Judas, who was called Maccabeus;
          • Maccabeus is thought to derive from a Hebrew word meaning “hammer.”
        • Eleazar, who was called Avaran;
        • and Jonathan, who was called Apphus
  • Pagan Worship Refused (1Maccabees 2:15-28 )
    • 1Maccabees 2:15-18
      • The officers of the king who had been commissioned to enforce the apostasy came to the town of Modein to ensure that the sacrifices were being offered.  Many Israelites assembled around them, but Mattathias and his sons stood apart. Then the officers of the king addressed Mattathias in these words:
      • “You are a leader in this town, respected and influential, and you have the support of your sons and brothers.  Now be the first to come forward and obey the decree of the king, as all the Gentiles have done, as well as the citizens of Judah and the people who remain in Jerusalem. Then you and your sons will be counted among the Friends of the King, and you and your sons will be honored with gold and silver and many other gifts.”
  • Run to the hills
    • 1 Maccabees 2:27-30
      • Then Mattathias advanced through the town, shouting: “Let everyone who is zealous for the law and who stands by the covenant come with me!” Then he and his sons fled to the hills, leaving behind in the town everything that they possessed. Many of the people who desired to live in accordance with justice and the law went down to the desert and settled there, taking with them their sons, their wives, and their livestock, so oppressive were the sufferings that they had been forced to endure.
        • The desert refers to the wilderness of Judea, southward from Jerusalem and west of the Dead Sea, where one could easily find hiding places in grottoes and caves.
  • It was reported to the officers of the king and the forces stationed in Jerusalem
    • 1 Maccabees 2:31-38
      • Shortly thereafter it was reported to the officers of the king and the forces stationed in Jerusalem, the City of David, that those who had refused to obey the king’s edict had retreated to hiding places in the desert. 
      • A large force set out in pursuit and caught up with them; they encamped opposite them and prepared to attack them on the Sabbath. 
      • “Enough of this defiance!” they said. “Come out and obey the king’s edict, and your lives will be spared.” 
      • “We will not come out,” they replied, “nor will we do what the king commands and profane the Sabbath.”
      • Then the enemy immediately launched an attack on them, but they did not retaliate, neither hurling rocks nor barricading their hiding places. They only said, “Let us all die in a state of innocence. Heaven and earth are our witnesses that you are massacring us without the slightest justification.” Therefore, the enemy attacked on the Sabbath and massacred them along with their wives, their children, and their livestock—one thousand persons in all.
  • Mattathias Organizes the Resistance
    • 1 Maccabees 2:39-41
      • When Mattathias and his friends were informed of this, they grieved deeply for them.  “If we all do as our kindred have done,” they said to one another, “and refuse to fight against the Gentiles in defense of our lives and our traditions, they will soon wipe us off the face of the earth.” On that day they formulated this decision: “Let us fight against anyone who attacks us on the Sabbath, so that we will not all be killed, as happened to our kindred who died in their hiding places.”
  • Counterattack (1 Maccabees 2:42-48)
    • Soon thereafter they were joined by a group of Hasideans, valiant warriors of Israel, each one a stout defender of the law. In addition, all those who were refugees from the persecution joined up with them, adding to their strength. 
    • After organizing an army, they struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their fury. Those who escaped them fled to the Gentiles for safety. Mattathias and his friends marched through the kingdom, destroying the pagan altars and forcibly circumcising all the uncircumcised boys they found within the borders of Israel. They hunted down their arrogant enemies, and their efforts prospered under their direction. Thus, they defended the law against the Gentiles and their kings, and they did not allow the wicked to emerge triumphant.
  • Last Words of Mattathias (I Maccabees 2:49-70)
    • I Maccabees 2:49-50
      • When the time drew near for Mattathias to die, he said to his sons: “Arrogance and scorn have now grown strong; this is an age of turmoil and violent fury. Therefore, my sons, be zealous for the law and be willing to give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.
      • 1 Maccabees 2:69-70 Then he blessed them and was gathered to his ancestors. 70 He died in the year one hundred and forty-six and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors in Modein, and all Israel mourned him with great lamentation.
  • First Battles of Judas (1 Maccabees 3:10-26)
    • Battle 1
      • Then Apollonius united the Gentiles with a large army from Samaria to wage war against Israel. 
        •  Apollonius is probably the same Mysian “collector of tribute” who the year before had carried out a great slaughter at Jerusalem, imposing Hellenism by force of arms (see 1 Mac 1:29-34). Inasmuch as he was a strategist from Samaria (and its governor, according to Josephus), we can understand how he could gather together a large army of Samaritans, whose enmity toward the Jews was long-established and deep-seated (see Ezr 4:1-5; Neh 4:1-2; 12:28).
      • On learning this, Judas marched out to confront him, and he defeated and killed him. Many fell wounded, and those who survived took flight. 
      • Then their spoils were seized. The sword of Apollonius was taken by Judas, who used it in his battles for the rest of his life.
    •  Battle 2
      • When Seron, the commander of the Assyrian army, learned that Judas had mustered a large force of faithful soldiers prepared for battle, he said, “I will make a name for myself and win great renown in the kingdom if I defeat Judas and his followers who have shown such contempt for the king’s edict.” And once again a large army of unbelievers banded together to help him exact vengeance on the Israelites.
      • When he reached the ascent of Beth-horon, Judas marched out to confront him with a small contingent. 
        • The ascent of Beth-horon: a gorge that ran from the mountains of Judea to the coast. The town was about twelve miles from Jerusalem.
      • However, when they observed the army that was gathered to do battle with them, his soldiers said to Judas, “How can we, as few as we are, fight against so great a multitude? Besides, we are faint with hunger, for we have eaten nothing all day.” 
      • But Judas replied, “It is easy for many to be defeated by a few. In the sight of Heaven, there is no distinction between deliverance by many and deliverance by a few. 
        • In late Judaism, it was customary to avoid naming Yahweh: at the time of the Persians, the expression “God of heaven” was used. In the period that interests us, the name Heaven is used in the same sense. This discretion was inspired by respect toward the one God.
      • Victory in war does not depend upon the size of the fighting force, but rather upon the strength that comes from Heaven. Our enemies have come against us in a display of insolence and lawlessness to destroy us and our wives and our children, and to plunder us. However, we are fighting in defense of our lives and our laws. He himself will crush them before our eyes; therefore, do not be afraid of them.”
      • When he had finished speaking, he rushed suddenly against Seron and his army, and they were crushed before him. He pursued them down the descent of Beth-horon as far as the plain. About eight hundred of their men fell, and those who survived fled to the country of the Philistines. As a result, Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and terror seized the Gentiles all around them. His fame came to the attention of the king, and all the Gentiles talked about Judas and his battles.
  • Syria Readies the Repression (1 Maccabees 3:27-37)
    • 1 Maccabees 3:27 When King Antiochus learned about these developments, he was infuriated, and he ordered the mobilization of all the forces of his kingdom, a very powerful army.
    • 1 Maccabees 3:34-35
      • He turned over to him half of his army, together with the elephants, and provided him with detailed instructions about all that he wanted done.
      • As for the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem, Lysias was to send an army against them to crush and destroy the power of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to wipe out the memory of them from the land. 
    • a Maccabees 3:37
      • The king then took the remaining half of his forces and set out from Antioch, his capital, in the year one hundred and forty-seven. He crossed the Euphrates River and advanced through the upper provinces.
  • Preparations for Battle
    • 1 Maccabees 3:38-41
      • Lysias chose Ptolemy, the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor and Gorgias, powerful men among the Friends of the King, and under their command he sent forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry to invade the land of Judah and destroy it in compliance with the king’s orders. 
        • Nicanor was the leader of another expedition against the Jews four years later and was ultimately slain by Judas (see 1 Mac 7:26-46).
      •  Setting out with all their forces, they reached the plain in the region of Emmaus, where they pitched camp. 
        • Emmaus: this was not the Emmaus of Lk 24:13, but a town about twenty-five miles west of Jerusalem, which dominated the ways of access to it.
      • When the local merchants heard the news of this army, they came to the camp with a large amount of silver and gold as well as fetters, seeking to purchase the Israelites for slaves. In addition, forces from Idumea and Philistia joined with them.
  •  Judas Prepares for Battle (1 Maccabees 3:42-59)
    • 1 Maccabees 3:42-44
      • Judas and his brothers realized how critical their situation had become, with opposing forces encamped within their territory.
      • They also had learned of the orders that the king had issued for the total destruction of their people. 
      • Therefore, they said to one another, “Let us restore the shattered fortunes of our people and fight for our people and our sanctuary.”
      • They then gathered together in a full assembly, both to prepare for battle and to offer prayers and implore mercy and compassion.
        • Preparations are made for a holy war by prayer and penitence (see 1 Sam 7:5). The Lord is implored, his word is consulted (see v. 48), and the law is more strictly observed, for it is from Heaven—that is, from God—that the outcome of the combat depends. The people are ready to risk everything in the cause of God, to save the temple and the nation.
    • 1 Maccabees 3:55-59
      •  After this, Judas appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 
      • He ordered to return to their homes those who were building houses, those who were just married, those who were planting vineyards, and those who were afraid, in accordance with the provisions of the law. 
      • Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus.  “Arm yourselves and be brave,” Judas instructed. “In the morning be prepared to fight against these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. It is better that we die in battle than that we witness the misfortunes of our people and our sanctuary. Whatever Heaven wills, so will he do.”
  • Battle at Emmaus (1 Maccabees 4:1-25)
    • 1 Maccabees 4:1-5
      • Gorgias took five thousand infantry and a thousand picked cavalry, and this detachment set out at night in order to launch a surprise attack on the camp of the Jews. Men from the citadel served as his guides. 
      • However, Judas learned of their plan, and he and his soldiers moved out to attack the royal forces at Emmaus while some of the troops were still dispersed away from the camp. 
      • When Gorgias reached the camp of Judas by night, therefore, he found no one there, and he began to search for them in the mountains, saying, “These men are fleeing from us.”
    • 1 Maccabees 4:6-8
      • At daybreak, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men, although they lacked the armor and the swords they would have wished for. They saw the camp of the Gentiles with its strong fortifications, flanked with cavalry, and a fighting force expert in the art of warfare. 
      •  Judas said to those who were with him: “Do not be afraid of their superior numbers or panic when they attack.
    • 1 Maccabees 4:12-18
      • When the foreigners looked up and saw them advancing against them, they came out of their camp to engage in battle.
      • Then the men with Judas blew their trumpets, and the fighting began.
      • The Gentiles were defeated and fled into the plain. All those who were in the rear fell by the sword, and the rest were pursued as far as Gazara and the plains of Judea, to Azotus and Jamnia, with about three thousand of them slain.
        • The pursuit took all directions: Gazara, or Gezer, lay five miles northwest of Emmaus; Judea was to the far south; Azotus, or Ashdod, and Jamnia, were west and southwest.
      •  When Judas and his army broke off their pursuit, he said to the people: 
        • “Do not be greedy for plunder, for we have yet another battle ahead of us. Gorgias and his army are very close to us in the mountain area. Stand firm now against our enemies and defeat them. After that, you can safely take as much booty as you please.”
  • Victory over Lysias
    • 1 Maccabees 4:26-60
      • Those foreigners who had managed to escape went to Lysias and reported to him everything that had occurred. When he heard the news, he was greatly disturbed and disappointed, because his plots against Israel had not turned out as he had intended and in accordance with the command of the king.
      • So the following year he mobilized sixty thousand picked infantry and five thousand cavalry to defeat them.  They marched into Idumea and encamped at Beth-zur.
        • Beth-zur: ancient Canaanite city situated on an isolated height at the confines of Idumea about twenty miles south of Jerusalem on the road to Hebron.
      • Judas confronted them with ten thousand men, and when he realized how strong their army was, he offered this prayer:
        • “Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David and delivered the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and of his armor-bearer. Deliver this army into the hands of your people Israel, and destroy the pride of the enemy in their troops and cavalry.  Fill them with fear, weaken the boldness of their strength, and let them quake at their own destruction. Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, so that all who acknowledge your name will praise you with hymns.”
      • Then both sides entered into battle, and in the hand-to-hand combat five thousand of the army of Lysias were slain. 
      • When Lysias saw his army being routed and the boldness of the soldiers of Judas who were prepared either to live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch and began to recruit a force of mercenaries for a further invasion of Judea with an even larger army.
  • Cleansing and Dedication of the Temple (1 Maccabees 4:36-61)
    • 1 Maccabees 4:36-45
      • Then Judas and his brothers said: “Behold, our enemies have been crushed; let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.” 
        • And so the entire army assembled, and they went up to Mount Zion. 
      • There they found the sanctuary desolate, the altar desecrated, the gates burned to the ground, the courts overgrown with weeds as in a thicket or on some mountain, and the chambers of the priests in ruins.
      •  Then Judas designated men to engage in combat with those in the citadel while he purified the sanctuary. 
      • He appointed blameless priests who were devoted to the law; these purified the sanctuary and carried off the stones of the Abomination to an unclean place. 
      • They discussed what should be done about the altar of burnt offerings that had been desecrated, and they made the proper decision to demolish it so that it would not be a source of lasting shame to them inasmuch as the Gentiles had defiled it.
        • Therefore, they tore down the altar and stored the stones in a suitable place on the temple hill until a prophet should appear on the scene to determine what should be done with them. 
      • They took unhewn stones, according to the law, and built a new altar fashioned after the former one. 
      • They also repaired the sanctuary and the interior of the temple and purified the courts. 
      • They made new sacred vessels and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. 
      • Then they burned incense on the altar, and they lit the lamp on the lampstands to illuminate the temple. 
      • Finally, they placed loaves of bread on the table and hung the curtains, thereby bringing to completion all of the work they had undertaken.
      • Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, that is, the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-eight, they arose and offered sacrifice, in accordance with the law, on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had constructed. 
        • On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had desecrated it, on that very day it was dedicated with hymns, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
    • 1 Maccabees 4:56
      • They celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.
    • 1 Maccabees 4:59
      • Then Judas, his brothers, and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days marking the rededication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days every year on the anniversary, beginning on the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev.
    • After telling the story of the miracle of the cruse of oil, the Talmud adds, “The following year these days were established as a Festival with the recital of Hallel and thanksgiving.” Ever since, Hanukkah has been celebrated each year starting on the 25th of Chislev.
    • Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle of a single cruse of oil lasting eight days. On the first night, one candle is lit along with the shammash, and another candle is added each night. By the final night, nine candles, including the shammash, shine brightly. After lighting the Menorah, it’s traditional to sing Ma’oz Tzur in honor of the holiday. Latkes and other fried foods are also enjoyed commemorating the miracle of the oil.

For information on Celebrating the Light: Insights into Hanukkah.

Bible Studies by Bell

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Last Words of Mattathias & Eulogy of a Hero

When the time drew near for Mattathias to die, he said to his sons: “Arrogance and scorn have now grown strong; this is an age of turmoil and violent fury. Therefore, my sons, be zealous for the law and be willing to give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.

  • “Remember the deeds that our ancestors performed in their generations, and you shall win great honor and everlasting renown.
  • Was not Abraham found faithful when he was put to the test, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?
  • Joseph, in the time of his distress, kept God’s law, and he became the lord of Egypt.
  • Phinehas, our ancestor, because of his burning zeal, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.
  • Joshua, for carrying out his commission, became a judge in Israel.
  • Caleb, for his testimony in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land.
  • David, as a result of his mercy, inherited the throne of an everlasting kingdom.
  • Elijah, because of his burning zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven.
  • Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, for their faith, were rescued from the flames.
  • Daniel, for his innocence, was rescued from the lions’ jaws.
  • Therefore, remember that from generation to generation no one who hopes in him will be lacking in strength.
    • Do not fear the words of sinful people, for their glory will turn to dung and worms.
    • Today they are exalted, but tomorrow they are nowhere to be found because they have returned to the dust, and their grandiose schemes have come to naught.
    • My children, draw your courage and strength from the law, for through it glory will be yours.
  • “Here is your brother:
    • Simon who I know is a man of sound judgment. Always listen to him, for he will act as your father. 
    • Judas Maccabeus, a mighty warrior from his youth, will be the commander of your army and direct your battles against the peoples. 
  • Enroll in your cause all who observe the law, and in this way you will avenge the wrongs perpetrated on your people. 
  • Pay back the Gentiles in full, and obey the precepts of the law.”
  • Then he blessed them and was gathered to his ancestors. He died in the year one hundred and forty-six and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors in Modein, and all Israel mourned him with great lamentation.
    • Mattathias died in 166 B.C., a year after the beginning of the revolt.

Eulogy of a Hero.

Then his son Judas, who was known as Maccabeus, took his place. All his brothers and all who had allied themselves to his father gave him their support, and they enthusiastically continued to fight for Israel.

  • He enhanced the glory of his people, and like a giant he put on his breastplate.
  • He girded himself with the armor of warfare, engaging in battles and protecting the camp by his sword.
  • In his exploits he was like a lion, like a young lion roaring for prey.
  • He pursued and tracked down the wicked, and he cast into the flames those who troubled his people.
  • The lawbreakers cowered with terror at his approach; all evildoers were completely confounded.
  • Under his leadership deliverance was achieved, as he caused many kings to become embittered,
    but Jacob to be gladdened by his deeds; and his memory is blessed forever.
  • He marched through the towns of Judea, destroying the apostates who dwelt there.
  • He turned away wrath from Israel, and his renown spread to the ends of the earth, as he saved those that were on the brink of perishing.

taken from 1 Maccabees 2:49-70 & 1 Maccabees 3:1-9

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