Interesting Bible study/information- years between Old & New Testament

Good day friends!  God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

   Did you know Jerusalem has been the most fought over city in all history?  It has been pillaged, destroyed, and burned over 27 times in its history.  How crazy is that?

   Also, there were 2 lines of "political" figures, aka priests during the 400 years (some say 500 years) between the Old Testament and the New Testament. There were the Pharisees - a more conservative bunch who tried to follow the Mosaic Law (yet adding some to it).  And then there were the Sadducees -a more liberal bunch. They turned away from the strict interpretation of the law and became the rationalists of their day, ceasing to believe in the supernatural in any way.
   Antiochus Epiphanes, became one of the most vicious and violent persecutors of the Jews ever known.  He has been called the AntiChrist of the Old Testament. What is funny is some of his people evidently agreed more with the prophecies of Daniel, and they changed two letters in his title. from Epiphanes to Epipames, which means "the mad man."How appropriate.

   Around 171 B.C., Antiochus came upon Jerusalem with great vengeance.  The people heard he had been killed, (a false report) and revolted overthrowing  Menelaus, the pseudo-priest.  Then Antiochus intruded into the very Holy of Holies in the temple itself. Some 40,000 people were slain in three days of fighting during this terrible time.
        When he forced his way into the Holy of Holies, he destroyed the scrolls of the law and, to the absolute horror of the Jews, took a sow and offered it upon the sacred altar. Then with a broth made from the flesh of this unclean animal, he sprinkled everything in the temple, thus completely defiling and violating the sanctuary.
   To the Jews, this was simply appalling, that anything like this could ever happen to their sacred temple.In Daniel 8:14 it was defiled for 2300 days or 6 1/2 years.
   It was cleansed under the leadership of a man now famous in Jewish history, Judas Maccabaeus.  He and his small army overthrew the Syrian kings, captured Jerusalem, and cleansed the temple.  The day they cleansed the temple was named the Day of Dedication, and it occurred on the 25th day of December.  The Feast of Dedication is still celebrated by the Jews on the 25th Day of December.  The Maccabees were the revolution army to take Jerusalem back until another conflict, at which time Rome took power and Jerusalem

  A battle for the area ensued until Pompey, the Roman general, was offered the most money, took Jerusalem and  now it came under Roman rule. And you might recall, a man called Herod the Great became ruler over Judea.  If you don't remember him read the Christmas story. 

  Anyway, this is a kind of quick run from the Old Testament to the New Testament.  I do hope you found it as interesting as did I.  Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny