The withdrawal of Lysias secured the fulfilment of the desires of
the defenders of the faith in so far as it now enabled them to
restore the Jerusalem worship to its previous condition. They
lost no time in setting about the accomplishment of this. They
were not successful indeed in wresting Acra from the possession of
the Syrians, but they so occupied the garrison as to prevent it
from interfering with the work of restoration. On 25th Kislev 165,
the very day on which, three years before, "the abomination of
desolation" had been inaugurated, the first sacrifice was offered
on the new altar, and in commemoration of this the feast of the
dedication was thenceforth celebrated.
As it was easy to see that danger still impended, the temple was
put into a state of defence, as also was the town of Bethsur, where
Lysias had been checked. But the favourable moment presented by
the change of sovereign was made use of for still bolder attempts.
Scattered over the whole of Southern Syria there were a number of
Jewish localities on which the heathens now proceeded to wreak
their vengeance.
For the purpose of rescuing these oppressed co-religionists, and of
bringing them in safety to Judaea, the Maccabees made a series of
excursions, extending in some cases as far as to Lebanon and
Damascus.
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