1:1. “Revelation”

(‘Revelation’ = ‘appearances’ = ‘manifestations’)  2 Maccabees  2:21 mentions ‘appearances’, also translated ‘manifestations’ many times:  “…and the appearances which came from heaven to those who strove zealously on behalf of Judaism….”  [See footnote on 20-21, OAA p. 266.]

 

2 Maccabees 3:24: “But when he arrived at the treasury with his bodyguard, then and there the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused so great a manifestation that all who had been so bold as to accompany him were astounded by the power of God, and became faint with terror.”

 

Note on 2 Maccabees 4:7: “Antiochus IV Epiphanes, ‘god manifest,’ called Epimanes, ‘madman,’ by his enemies, was brother of Seleucus IV….  He reigned 175-164 B.C.”  (OAA p. 269).

 

1:1. (‘Revelation’ = ‘Urim ve Thummim’) The phrase ‘Urim ve Thummim’ is translated as ‘manifestation and truth,’ (OAA p. 11, note ‘n’).  It may also be translated ‘Revelation’.

1 Esdras 5:40: “And Nehemiah and Attharias told them not to share in the holy things until a high priest should appear wearing Urim and Thummim.” (OAA, p. 11).

 

When God gave Christ the Urim ve Thummim, Christ was thus authorized to name the legitimate priests.  He has named those ‘in Him’ as priests, Revelation 1:6.

 

1:1. Revelation = Creation of Light that makes manifest:

2 Esdras 6:39-40: “And then the Spirit was hovering, and darkness and silence embraced everything; the sound of man’s voice was not yet there.  Then thou didst command that a ray of light be brought forth from thy treasuries, so that thy works might then appear.”

 

‘To shew’ is to make manifest:  2 Esdras 14:5-7, 26: “Then I commanded him [Moses] saying, ‘These words you shall publish openly, and these you shall keep secret.’…And when you have finished, some things you shall make public, and some you shall deliver in secret to the wise….”

 

1:3. “Time”

1Esdras 9:42 mentions this ceremony of the public counting of ‘Time’ of the New Year:  “The platform erected for Ezra probably continued the tradition whereby kings would appear before the people to reaffirm the covenant law on the festal occasion at the turn of the year (compare 2 Chr.20.5; 23.13; 29:4).”  (OAA, p. 21, note 42).

 

The Book of 2 Esdras reflects a tradition that the ‘end of time’  was revealed to Abraham: “…and thou didst love him, and to him only didst thou reveal the end of the times, secretly by night.”  (2 Esdras 3:14.)

 

Note on 3:1-3: “The thirtieth year after the destruction of Jerusalem …. The date specified may imply that the author was writing (1Esdras) about  AD 100 (i.e. thirty years after the fall of Jerusalem in  AD 70).

 

2 Esdras 3:18, reflects the traditional view that spiritual events cause a cataclysmic change in ‘the times’:  “Thou didst bend down the heavens and shake the earth, and move the world, and make the depths to tremble, and trouble the times, (at Mount Sinai).”

 

In 2 Esdras 4:37, Ezra has asked the question as to how long the evil seed is to prevail.  “And Jeremiel the archangel answered them and said, ‘When the number of those like yourselves is completed; for he has weighed the age in the balance, and measured the times by measure, and numbered the times by number; and he will not move or arouse them until that measure is fulfilled.'”

 

2 Esdras 6:45-6 shows the traditional view concerning the creation of time by reference to the sun, moon, and stars: “‘On the fourth day thou didst command the brightness of the sun, the light of the moon, and the arrangement of the stars to come into being; and thou didst command them to serve man, who was about to be formed.”

 

1 Maccabees gives many references to the year, dating their year from 312 BC  (See OAA, pp. 222, 223, 226, 228, 231, 237, 241, 243, 245.)

 

2 Maccabees may have been composed during the first century BC  It sheds much light on some of the phrases that are used in the Book of Revelation as to their meaning in that era of time.  (See OAA p. 263, foreword.)

 

1:3. “Blessed is he who reads aloud….”

[“He that readeth”] 2 Maccabees 15:39, Note 39: “The style will delight the ears of those who read, because in antiquity it was the custom to read literary works aloud, even to oneself.” (OAA p. 293).

 

1:5. “Washed in the blood”

1 Maccabees 12:21: “It has been found in writing concerning the Spartans and the Jews that they are brethren and are of the family of Abraham.”  Note on 12:21: “Brethren… of the family of Abraham, … such a tradition was current in the East.”  (OAA p. 253).

 

1:6. “Priests”

When God gave Christ the Urim ve Thummim, Christ was thus authorized to name the legitimate priests.  He has named those ‘in Him’ as priests, Revelation 1:6.

 

1 Maccabees 14:41-43: “And the Jews and their priests decided that Simon should be their leader and high priest for ever, until a trustworthy prophet should arise.”  [Note on 41-43: “The office was to be hereditary in Simon’s family, but since this was an act of the nation rather than of God, a trustworthy prophet might annul or confirm the decision….”  (OAA p. 259.)

 

1 Maccabees 4:45-6: “So they tore down the altar, [because it had been defiled], and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until there should come a prophet to tell what to do with them.”  [Compare this to Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah. 7:65.]  (OAA p. 231).

 

1 Maccabees note on 7:5-25:  “Alcimus as high priest.  Legitimate high priests were descended from a particular family.  Antiochus IV appointed Jason in place of his brother Onias III…; Jason was in turn supplanted by Menelaus … who was put to death about 162 B.C., after having officiated for ten years ….  Either Onias III or his son Onias IV, last legitimate claimant, fled to Egypt and established a temple at Heliopolis (Cairo).  Alcimus, or Jakim… was not a member of the high-priestly family; he belonged to the hellenizing faction and was willing to further Demetrius’ plans.”

 

1 Maccabees note on 10:18-20:  “Until the time of Antiochus IV, the hereditary high priest had been confirmed but not appointed by the ruler; now Alexander appointed Jonathan and made him one of his friends…; the Jews had not elected him.”  (OAA p. 245).

 

Note on 1 Maccabees 14:25-49: “In theory the high priest held his office by divine appointment, indicated by descent from a particular family.  Since there was no legitimate claimant, Simon was legitimized by a democratic process.”  (OAA p. 258).

 

2 Maccabees note on 1:10: “The anointed priests, descendants of Zadok… from whom high priests were chosen.  One branch of these came to Egypt with Ptolemy I.”

 

2 Maccabees 4:13-15: ” There was such an extreme of Hellenization and increase in the adoption of foreign ways because of the surpassing wickedness of Jason, [Brother of Onias III,] who was ungodly and no high priest, 14. that the priests were no longer intent upon their service at the altar.  Despising the sanctuary and neglecting the sacrifices, they hastened to take part in the unlawful proceedings in the wrestling arena after the call to the discus, 15 disdaining the honors prized by their fathers and putting the highest value upon Greek forms of prestige.” Note on 13: “…. No high priest, because he got the office by bribery and did not keep the Mosaic Law.”  (OAA p. 270).

 

2 Maccabees 4:24-5: “But he, [Simon], when presented to the king, extolled him with an air of authority, and secured the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver.  After receiving the king’s orders he returned, possessing no qualification for the high priesthood, but having the hot temper of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage wild beast.  So Jason, who after supplanting his own brother was supplanted by another man, was driven as a fugitive into the land of Ammon.”

 

The account continues telling of intrigues, robbery of the temple by the priests, murder and all manner of sacrilege. (OAA p. 270-1).

 

2 Maccabees 11:3: Lysias intended to put up the priesthood for sale every year, but was defeated in his endeavors.  (OAA p. 283).

 

2 Maccabees 14: A certain Alcimus had been high priest, but had willingly defiled himself, decided to regain his former position.  He accused the Maccabean’s and claimed that he was actually the legitimate priest.  This was the cause of much strife and bloodshed.  (OAA p. 289).

 

4 Maccabees 4:19: “Jason [high priest] changed the nation’s way of life and altered its form of government in complete violation of the law, so that not only was a gymnasium constructed at the very citadel of our native land, but also the temple service was abolished.”

 

 1:6. “Kings”

4 Maccabees 2:23: “To the mind he gave the law; and one who lives subject to this will rule a kingdom that is temperate, just, good, and courageous.”

 

1:7. “Coming”

2 Esdras 13:3: “And I looked, and behold, this wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea.  And I looked, and behold, that man flew with the clouds of heaven; and wherever he turned his face to look, everything under his gaze trembled.”

 

1:7. “Clouds”

Note on 2 Maccabees 2:8: “The glory and the cloud indicate God’s direct presence.”  (OAA p. 265).

 

1:9. “The kingdom”

2 Maccabees 1:7: “… we Jews wrote to you, in the critical distress which came upon us in those years after Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the kingdom.”  Note on 1:7: “…The critical distress was the capture and murder of the high priest Jonathan….  The kingdom, rule of the legitimate high priests.”  (OAA p. 263).

 

1:10. “The Lord’s Day”

2 Esdras 13:52: “…’Just as no one can explore or know what is in the depths of the sea, so no one on earth can see my Son or those who are with him, except in the time of his day.”  Note 52: “…until the day on which the Messiah appears.”  (OAA, p. 55).

 

1:10. “Trumpet”

2 Esdras 6:23: “…and the trumpet shall sound aloud, and when all hear it, they shall suddenly be terrified.”  Note 23: “The trumpet, I Cor.15.52; I Thess. 4.16;  (OAA, p. 34).

 

1 Maccabees 4:54: [trumpets are also used to summon the army.]

 

1:11. “Books”

2 Maccabees 2:13-14:  “The same things are reported in the records of Nehemiah, and also that he founded a library and collected the books about the kings and prophets, and the writings of David, and letters of kings about votive offerings.  In the same way Judas also collected all the books that had been lost on account of the war which had come upon us, and they are in our possession.”

 

Note on 2 Maccabees 2:13-14: “The memoirs of Nehemiah, Neh.ch.8.  There is no record that he founded a library, but the Pentateuch was canonized in his time, and part of the books…and the writings of David were collected then….14: Judas Maccabeus may have collected all the books remaining after the destruction in the time of Antiochus IV (I Macc.1.56-57).”  (OAA p. 266).

 

1:13. “Golden girdle”

1 Maccabees 14:44: “And none of the people or priests shall be permitted to nullify any of these decisions or to oppose what he [Simon] says, or to convene an assembly in the country without his permission, or to be clothed in purple or put on a gold buckle.”

 

1:15. “…voice…like the sound of many waters….”

2 Esdras 6:17: “…I rose to my feet and listened, and behold, a voice was speaking, and its sound was like the sound of many waters.”

 

1:16. “…a sharp two-edged sword…”

2 Esdras 13:10: “…but I saw only how he sent forth from his mouth as it were a stream of fire, and from his lips a flaming breath, and from his tongue he shot forth a storm of sparks…”  (See further reference at 19:15-21 below).

 

1:17. “I fell …as though dead…”

2 Esdras 10:30-1: “And behold, I lay there like a corpse and I was deprived of my understanding.  Then he grasped my right hand and strengthened me and set me on my feet, and said to me, ‘What is the matter with you? and why are you troubled? and why are your understanding and the thoughts of your mind troubled?’

 

1:19. “Write…in a book…”

2 Esdras 12:37: “Therefore write all these things that you have seen in a book, and put it in a hidden place; and you shall teach them to the wise among your people, whose hearts you know are able to comprehend and keep these secrets.”  This contrasts with the instructions to John the Revelator that his writing was ‘to shew’ to his servants things which must shortly come to pass, (1:1), and 22:10: “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book….”  However, some of John’s prophecy was only to ‘the wise’, 13:18, 17:9.