We're turning to the Book of Maccabees I, a historical account that's part of the Apocrypha, those fascinating books nestled in some versions of the Bible but not in others. It’s a chronicle of a tumultuous time in Jewish history.
Here, in chapter 11, we're met with a familiar scene: a powerful ruler, brimming with ambition, setting his sights on conquest. The king of Egypt, no name is given here in Maccabees I 11, amasses a huge army, "like the sand that lieth upon the sea shore," the text tells us. Can you picture that? An uncountable number! And a vast fleet of ships, ready to sail.
His goal? Nothing less than seizing the kingdom of Alexander—that is, the remnants of the empire once ruled by Alexander the Great. This Egyptian king wasn't planning a straightforward invasion. Instead, he intended to use "deceit," says Maccabees I 11, a cunning strategy to annex Alexander’s territory to his own.
It’s a reminder that power grabs are rarely clean or simple. There's always a shadow of manipulation, a whisper of treachery. This verse, though short, speaks volumes about the political climate of the time, and frankly, of so many times throughout history. The temptation to expand, to control, to dominate… it’s a recurring theme in the human story.
What does it make you think about the world today? Are there echoes of this ancient power play in our modern headlines? I think so. The names and places change, but the underlying motivations often remain the same. And studying these ancient texts, like the Book of Maccabees, can give us a valuable lens through which to view the present.