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The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

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nection with Israel, <strong>and</strong> dedicating <strong>the</strong>ir temple to<br />

Jupiter.* In <strong>the</strong> contest between Syria <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Maccabees which followed, <strong>the</strong> Samaritans, as<br />

might be expected, took <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> former. In<br />

130 B.C. John Hyrcanus destroyed <strong>the</strong> Temple on<br />

Mount Grerizim/ which was never rebuilt. <strong>The</strong> city<br />

<strong>of</strong> Samaria was taken several years afterwards **<br />

* by <strong>the</strong> sons <strong>of</strong> Hyrcanus (Antigonus <strong>and</strong> Aristobulus),<br />

after a year's siege, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> successive<br />

defeat <strong>of</strong> Syrian <strong>and</strong> Egyptian armies <strong>of</strong> relief.<br />

Although <strong>the</strong> city was now not only destroyed, but<br />

actually laid under water to complete its rain, it<br />

was rebuilt by Gabinius shortly before our era,*'<br />

<strong>and</strong> greatly enlarged <strong>and</strong> beautified by Herod, who<br />

called it Sebaste in honour <strong>of</strong> Augustus, to whom<br />

he reared a magnificent temple.^ Under Roman,<br />

rule <strong>the</strong> city enjoyed great privileges—had even a<br />

Senate <strong>of</strong> its own.* By one <strong>of</strong> those striking<br />

coincidences which mark <strong>the</strong> Rule <strong>of</strong> God in<br />

histoiy, it was <strong>the</strong> accusation brought against him<br />

by that Samaritan Senate which led to <strong>the</strong><br />

deposition <strong>of</strong> Pilate. By <strong>the</strong> side <strong>of</strong> Samaria, or<br />

Sebaste, we have already marked as perhaps more

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