1 Maccabees 3:41
“These merchants, who seek the service of the Hebrews, I believe signify none better than the evil spirits, who desire the destruction of the faithful, and strive to take away from us heavenly glory through earthly desire, and to turn the liberty we have in the grace of Christ into the worship and servitude of the Devi…”
41And the merchants of the country, hearing the fame of them, took silver and gold very much, with servants, and came into the camp to buy the children of Israel for slaves: a power also of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined themselves unto them.
Preparing…
Preparing…
Preparing…
39And with them he sent forty thousand footmen, and seven thousand horsemen, to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it, as the king commanded.
40So they went forth with all their power, and came and pitched by Emmaus in the plain country.
— 1 Maccabees 3:41 —
42Now when Judas and his brethren saw that miseries were multiplied, and that the forces did encamp themselves in their borders: for they knew how the king had given commandment to destroy the people, and utterly abolish them;
43They said one to another, Let us restore the decayed fortune of our people, and let us fight for our people and the sanctuary.