THE MACEDONIAN DOMINION (ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE MACCABEES) When the prophet wrote this book, the first troubles that faced those who returned from captivity to rebuild the house of the Lord were about to come to an end; yet they felt themselves in danger because of the strong cities around them, like Tyre at the north, and Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron at the south, that represented great pressure on them; hence the prophet encouraged them by talking about an invasion coming to wipe out those strong cities, and that will show compassion on Jerusalem and all Judea; by which he prophesied the conquests of Alexander the Great. 1‐ The conquests of Alexander the Great 2‐ The Messiah, the spiritual King 3‐ The conquests of the Maccabees AN INTRODUCTION Seeing that what came in this chapter represent a living portrait of the conquests of Alexander the Great, his treatment of the Jews, and what followed of the conquests of the Maccabees, something that made them reject the view claiming that this part was written before the time of the prophet Zechariah, and believe that it was written as a historical record after those events, namely after the era of the prophet Zechariah. This view, even though it contradicts with the view claiming that it was written before Zechariah, but it does not mean that it was written after the era of Zechariah; for the author does nor record a history that happened in the past, but a prophecy that was to be realized after its writing. 1‐ THE CONQUESTS OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT: Here he presents an inspiration, a prophecy bearing a threat against the oppressive nations, and peace of mind to those who trust in God; That inspiration came to reveal the following: (1) How Alexander the Great dealt with the cities of Syria and Phoenicia: “The burden of the word of the Lord against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus its resting place (for the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord). Also against Hamath which borders on it, and against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. For Tyre built herself a tower, heaped up silver like the dust, and gold like the mire of the streets. Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea; and she will be devoured by fire” (1 – 4) Although Alexander the Great defeated a number of Syrian cities including Hadrach on the River Oront, not far from Hamath, yet his eyes were on the capital Damascus. Terror and astonishment because of his conquests have drawn the eyes of the children of Israel to God seeking the divine help. As to Hamath, close to Damascus, it has fallen before him. After Syria, Alexander the Great entered Phoenecia, submitted Tyre, very rich with its commerce, that for it, silver was like dust, and gold was of no value like mire. When its inhabitants had to take refuge in a nearby island, Alexander the Great burnt the old city with fire, and cast its stones in the sea to create a quay on which to cross to put the island under siege, until it collapsed before him. In Damascus and other cities of Syria, St. Dedymus the blind, sees a symbolic portrait of the nations oppressive against the Truth, then came back to receive it; being said here: “Behold, the Lord will cast her out”, to bring her back from her viciousness to His meekness. As to Tyre with its huge tower in which she took refuge, it refers to the heretics who resort to their empty debates as their stronghold; but God also works to submit them to the true faith. Tyre, in truth, represents someone who says: “I am rich, have become wealthy, a have need for nothing (Revelation 3: 17), and thought that, by himself, he could have a strong hold and be satisfied; but, while heaping silver, it would become to him like dust; and while storing gold, it would become for him like mire. The word of God to him (silver) turns into dust because of his earthly mind; and the spiritual life (gold), would turn into mire because of his going down to material thoughts. He falls into the sea that symbolizes the whirlpools of the world, and the tempests of anxiety and sorrow; and becomes devoured by the destructive fire of sin, that scatters his life and possessions…… How miserable is this man who, assuming that he is very wise, as Tyre did, corrupted her silver and gold, and cast herself into the sea of the love of this world, and the destructive furnace of sin. (2) How Alexander the Great dealt with the cities of Philestine: “Eshkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza shall also be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation” (5). In this phrase and the next ones he mentions four Philestinian cities (Eshkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod);he did not mention the fifth city among the main ones, namely ‘Gath’, probably because it did not restore its past importance after it fell on the hand of Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26: 6). Eshkelon, Gaza, and Ekron were terrified when they saw what happened to Tyre the great fortified city; and perceived the extent of danger about to dwell upon them. Those four cities: Eshkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod, refer to the arrogant pagan world with its four directions; which returns to its Savior Lord, and enjoy salvation. Those cities refer, as well, to the earthly man, bound to the earth (its four directions), as he returned to his Savior to bear the spiritual feature. ‘Eshkelon’ a Hebrew word derived from (Shekel), a weight. ‘Gaza’ means (majesty or power), ‘Ekron’ means (barren); and ‘Ashdod means (Stubborn or destructive). ‘Eshkelon’ refers to the soul, proud of her weight and measure; which, as the fear of God dwells upon her, would come to perceive the truth of herself, and return to the Lord, to make Him be everything for her; as according to the psalmist, “those who seek the Lord “shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34: 10). ‘Gaza’ shall also be very sorrowful”; for what she counted as majesty and power, she found out as nothing; and came back to receive the Lord Himself, as her majesty, power, and inner glory. Ekron would also return in contrition to the Lord her Savior, who will grant her blessed children (spiritual fruition); as according to the psalmist: ”He grants the barren woman a home, like a joyful mother of children” (Psalm 113: 9); and, “Even the barren has borne seven, and she who has many children has become feeble” (1 Samuel 2: 5). This refers to the church of the Gentiles, that was barren before, then begat many children, while the congregation of the Jews, with the promises and covenants, the fathers and the prophets, has become feeble because of her rejection of the Savior. The prophet Isaiah say: “Sing, O barren; you who have not borne! Break forth into singing and cry aloud! You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman” (Isaiah 54: 1). And according to St. Dedymus the blind: [The woman here is married to “the law”; for the nations who were without the Mosaic law, came to be filled with the joy of salvation; whereas the Jews who had the law have fallen into spiritual barrenness. While ‘Ashdod’, perceiving her corruptive stubbornness, and destructive work, returns to the Lord, and submits to him; her god ‘Dagon’ falls on its face before the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 5), and her opposition against rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, comes to an end (Nehemiah e: 7), to receive the preaching of the gospel through Philip (Acts 8: 40). On what happened to ‘Ashdod’, the prophet says: “A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod; and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines; I will take away the blood from his mouth, and the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, he shall be like a leader in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite” (6, 7). This was literally realized, when Ashdod almost lost her original inhabitants; for the policy of Alexander the Great has been to mix the defeated nations together to make them lose their identity. As to taking the blood away from the mouth, it refers to forsaking the pagan habit of eating the sacrifices with their blood (Ezekiel 33: 25), prohibited by the law (Leviticus 17: 10, 11; Acts 9: 4) By receiving the Christian faith, Ashdod returned to the Lord , restored her original prestige, and became like a prince in Judah; as Ekron (the barren) became a Jebusite, namely trample on the world with her feet. (3) How Alexander the Great dealt with the Jews: “I will camp around My house because of the army, because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them; for now I have seen with My eyes” (8) The Lord camped around His house to protect it from the army of Alexander the Great in his repeated passing by Jerusalem and returning; who did not do harm to the Jews, even though he did that to the Samaritans. According to Josephus the Jewish historian, Jado the high priest, together with all the priests, clothed with the holy attire encountered Alexander the Great, while the high priest had the turban on his head, and the golden plate on which was written “HOLY FOR THE BLORD” (Exodus 30 37) When Alexander the Great saw him, he bowed and told him that, in a vision, he saw the God whose name was written on the plate. He then entered into Jerusalem, offered sacrifices, and gave the Jews special privileges. The Lord ends His talk by saying: “Now, I have seen with my eyes” (8). According to St. Dedymus the blind: [This clear vision refers to the power of the insight about which the apostle says: “All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrew 4: 13). 2‐ THE MESSIAH, THE SPIRITUAL KING: Lest someone may think that Zechariah meant salvation to be reaized in the Macedonian era, ,in which the Lord gave favor to the Jews in the eyes of Alexander the Great, he moved on to refer to the true salvation through the meek King and Savior, the Grantor of peace to the world. The open eyes of God, seeing His salvation work as a present work by which to save humanity; He says: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth” (9, 10). After being denied their land for a long time, and being submitted to foreign kings in captivity, behold, their King comes to them, for which the daughter of Zion will greatly rejoice, and the daughter of Jerusalem will shout with joy; an amazing King, who, according to St. John Chrysostom, {does not ride on chariots like other kings, seek a tax, drive anyone out, nor seek guards, but walks with great meekness] In our interpretation of the gospel according to Matthew, we gave the thoughts of the fathers of the church concerning the interpretation of this text; and what the donkey and the colt ridden by the Lord when entering into Jerusalem, bore of symbols; and what Jerusalem bore of symbols in her rejoice to receive the Lord. Here we notice: (1) According to St. Dedymus the blind: [The word ‘Zion’ means (he who keeps or executes the commandments) , and the word ‘Jerusalem’ means (the vision of peace). Those, therefore, who enjoy gladness and exultation in the entry of the Lord Christ into their life, are the ones who keep the commandments, and enjoy the vision of peace (through the cross). If according to the psalmist: “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes: (Psalm 19: 8) by the first (the execution of the commandment), the soul would greatly rejoice in the coming of the true King; while by the second (the vision of peace), she shouts aloud for she, in a very high location, proclaims the coming of the King of kings ………….. By the first, she has got a command to rejoice; while by the second, she has got a command to proclaim His coming]. I wish we truly be “the daughter of Zion”, to rejoice greatly through keeping the divine commandment; and truly be “the daughter of Jerusalem”, to shout aloud proclaiming a testimony to Him through seeing the vision of true and exalted peace in the crucified Lord. (2) Entering into the heart, the meek Savior Lord cuts off he chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow, to bring forth peace, makes Ephraim fruitful, and Jerusalem enjoy the true peace; to sing: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen, but we have risen and stand upright” (Psalm 20: 7, 8). (3) The dominion of the Lord King extends over the Gentiles, from sea to sea, and from the River to the end of the earth. By the seas he probably refers to those who drink the salty water through the pagan teachings; while by the River he means the holy Mosaic law; by which He embraces both the Gentiles and the Jews under His dominion. (4) He says: “As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare, that I will restore double to you” 11, 12) ………. Israel, as a congregation of farmers, it so seems that every group of them used to dig a pit for themselves among the rocks, so that in the season of rain they would be filled with water. At the time of captivity, when they entered into a condition of terror, they escaped from the enemy to a waterless pit where they were trapped. That pit probably refers to the human ego set by man to imprison himself by himself in it. But God sets him free by the blood of the holy covenant, from his selfish ego, to live in the perfection of the freedom of the cross. According to St. Dedymus the blind: [That waterless pit into which Joseph, Jeremiah, and Daniel, etc. were cast, refers to hell, denied of the water of eternal life; from which the Lord set us free, not through the blood of oxen and goats, but through the blood of the new covenant he calls us to set forth from the pit to the stronghold, namely, the glorious church, not having spots or wrinkles (Ephesians 5: 27); where the captive prisoners in the waterless pit, will find comfort. In the church, the captives of the war will find that: (5) “the way of the Lord is strength for the upright”(Proverb 10: 29); and the Lord Himself will be a stronghold “Be my strong refuge, to which I will resort continually” (Psalm 71: 3); and “Be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me; For You are my Rock and my Fortress; Therefore for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me” Psalm 31: 2, 3) (6) God restores a double reward to the soul for the days of her labor; as according to St. Dedymus the blind: He who is a captive of Christ will live in this city, takes refuge in the glorious strongholds in it, lives without fear, in anticipation of double comforts, and encouragement instead of sorrow…….. a double reward for the past tribulations. An obvious example of this is the episode of the righteous ‘Job’, who had a strong soul, and got a double reward (Job 42: 11). He gets a double reward, enjoying hundredfold in this world, and an eternal life in the world to come. It is also a double reward, getting the salvation of the soul together with the body as well. The secret of it being double, according to St. Dedymus the blind is that the captive, as he returns from captivity, will not only be saved, but, becoming a teacher for his oppressors, he will have a double glory. 3‐ THE CONQUESTS OF THE MACCABEES: After talking about the conquests of Alexander the Great, and about how God gave the Jews favor in his eyes, he got back to talk about the King Messiah; Here he talks about the Greeks, whom the Maccabees defeated in the second century B.C. (Daniel 11: 32; 8: 9‐14). The prophecy came to confirm one thing, that God is the secret of their conquest. He says: “But I have bent Judah, My bow”. What is this arrow coming out of Judah to support the children of Zion against the Greeks, but the Lord Christ Himself, the divine arrow who comes from the tribe of Judah to the account of the children of faith, against the devil and his evil works?! He is “the Word of God, living and powerful, and sharper than any two‐edged sword” (Hebrew 4: 12), He who says: “He made My mouth like a sharp sword” (Isaiah 49: 2). As the arrow was set forth to the account of the salvation of humanity against the devil, the Lord transfigured in His kingdom; and as said by the prophet: “Then the Lord will be seen over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord God will blow the trumpet, and go with whirlwinds from the south. The Lord of hosts will defend them” (14, 15).. The Lord Christ, the true Arrow went out like lightning, to enter the heart, and to wound it by the wounds of love, so that the soul will say: “I am lovesick” (Song 5: 8); when He destroys in her the works of the devil, and shines in her the splendor of His glory. As it came in Habakkuk: “The sun and the moon …… at the light of Your arrows, and at the shining of Your glittering spear, they went” (Habakkuk 3: 11); and according to St. Dedymus the blind: [The Sanctuary is Judah …….. as from him the divine Arrow comes out like lightning, by which the inner man and the eyes of the heart get enlightened]. And the way, the lightning the Lord grants enlightenment to the eyes of the soul; the blowing of the trumpet will grant us an inner ear to hear His voice that echoes loud to warn us against the devil, and to embrace us to the celebration of His joyful coming; for the trumpets are blown in war and also in feasts. While prophesying the conquest on the Greeks by the Maccabees, he proclaims our eternal conquest on the devil by Christ Jesus, the true divine Arrow. He portrayed to us this conquest by saying: “The Lord of hosts will defend them. They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine. They shall be filled with blood like basins; like the corners of the altar. The Lord their God will save them in that day, as the flock of His people, for they shall be like the jewels of a crown, lifted like a banner on His land. For how great is its goodness, and how great is its beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women” (15 ‐17). If God used the pagans as slingstones, which He aims toward His people to chastise them, He returns to them by His mercy, and makes those stones underneath them to tread on with their feet. The same way, if God allows for us to go through diverse temptations and tribulations, He uses them to chastise or to justify us, in His love, He does not let us fall under the temptation, but let temptation falls under us, has no authority over us that would make us lose our inner peace and our joy in the Lord. And as, in captivation, the people drank the cup of the wrath of God with sorrow and suffering; God with His compassion, lets them drink the cup of joy and gladness. He grants conquest to His people, being His rational flock; and sets them like the jewels of a crown, lifted like a banner on His land; (according to the Septuagint version, He sets them like holy stones rolling on the ground); On which St. Jerome comments, saying: [Notice His saying: ‘like holy stones rolling on the ground’; as chariots running quickly toward the high places].; He also says: [There is ‘a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones” (Ecclesiastes 3: 5); Now God set from these solid stones of the Gentiles, children to Abraham (Matthew 3:9/, to come to be holy stones rolling on the ground (Zechariah 9: 16); that passed along through the windmill of the world, and rolled over in the chariot of God on swift wheels]. …………. Speaking about Paula, who used to spend her wealth, not on stone buildings but on the poor, he says: [She intended to spend her wealth, not on the stones that will go away together with the world, but on the living stones that roll on the ground; by which is built the city of the Great King, as it came in the book of Revelation 21: 14]. Through that exalted conquest, that lifts the soul up to heaven, like living stones that roll up to the higher Jerusalem; the soul feels a spiritual satisfaction; being said: “Grain shall make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women” (17) ………God presents Himself grain and new wine to satisfy our young men and women; namely to let the fruition of the spirit thrive in us through the sanctification of the soul with all her energies (the young men), and the body with all its senses and emotions (the young women).
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