Old Testament saints?
Yes! God created saints, holy men and women, long before the coming of Christ, and “martyrs before the Martyrs” as our hymn says. We Orthodox commemorate them. Probably you know the Prophet Elias/Elijah from August 2, since many Orthodox men are named after him.
But there are many more, whose wonderful stories and teachings once were well known among us. Now, not so much – and that’s sad.
Let’s start, from time to time, getting acquainted with them again – beginning with those coming up in August.
August 14 – The Seven Maccabean Brothers, their Mother Solomonia and their Teacher Eleazar
The story in detail is in the first chapters of 1 Maccabees. This is canonical Scripture for Orthodox and Roman Catholics. Protestants consider this an “Apocryphal” book, omitted from many of their Bibles. Try online.
In the Second century BC, Alexander the Great died and his massive empire soon shattered. (It had been largely his “personality cult”.) His legacy was twofold: 1 He named a whole bunch of cities after himself. 2 Greek language and Hellenistic culture dominated most Eastern Mediterranean peoples for long afterwards. Except for the Jews.
The Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes who ruled Palestine tried to impose Hellenism on the Jews and integrate them with the predominant culture. Since “all gods were really the same”, he insisted that the Jews worship their God under the name of Zeus. When they wouldn’t cooperate he had copies of the Law burnt. Circumcision and Sabbath observance were forbidden, and recalcitrant Jews were forced to eat pork.
Many Jews went along with this cultural compromise, but others refused and fled from the towns and cities to the wilderness. From there they made raids on the Syrian Hellenists who occupied the cities. Among these exiles were Judas Maccabeus and his six brothers, their mother Solomonia and their aged teacher Eleazar. The Hellenists labeled them terrorists. (Who is a “terrorist” depends on which side you’re on.) They were finally captured, taken to Antioch and tortured, but refused to apostacize. First their teacher Eleazar was executed, then Solomonia was forced to watch her seven sons burnt to death one by one, the eldest down to the youngest. At the end she threw herself into the fire and died. This was about the year 167 BC.
The heroism of the Maccabees inspired a revolt among other Jews who, greatly outnumbered, defeated the army of Antiochus and drove out the Hellenists. Jews celebrate this victory on Hannukah.
Why do we Christians honor the Maccabean martyrs? Because they preserved Judaism and the worship of the one true God. As a result when Christ our God appeared on earth less than two centuries later, there were those who could recognize him for who he is – not just another god, but God. Without this Christianity could never have come into being.
Kontakion of the Seven Maccabean Youths Tone 2
The Wisdom of God’s own seven pillars are you, a seven-branched lamp that shines with the Light Divine, you Great Martyrs who came before the Martyrs. O all-wise Maccabees, pray with them to the God of all, that we who now sing your praises may be saved.
August 27 – the Holy Prophet Micah
Micah, born in the town of Moreshef, was one of the Twelve Minor Prophets. We know little about his life. His prophecies began about the year 778 BC and continued for fifty years under kings of Judah, including the dreadful King Ahaz (married to Jezebel) and the righteous Hezekiah. He condemned the injustice of the leaders and the “prattling” of false prophets.
He foresaw the Babylonian captivity – God’s judgment on the corrupt leaders: “Therefore because of you, Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the temple like the bare hills of the forest.” 3:12
Micah’s writing inspired a Holy Friday hymn sung by both Orthodox and Roman Catholics: “O my people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against me. For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage.” 6:3-4
When the Wise Men came seeking the newborn King, Herod’s wise men quoted this passage from Micah. “But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting… He shall be great to the ends of the earth.” 5:2
And the coming Kingdom of Peace: “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all people walk each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.” 3:1-5
Troparion (Apolytikion) of the Prophet Micah Tone 2
We celebrate the memory of your Prophet Michah, O Lord. Through his intercessions, we beseech you to save our souls.
Source: https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/frbill/136-old-testament-saints-of-august-the-holy-maccabees-the-holy-prophets-micah-and-samuel/
