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Jews began to absorb many elements of Hellenism. The Jews had no one to guide them
in understanding the Law of Moses, except a few isolated teachers here and there who
had no authority as the Sopherim.

It will soon be shown that after a few years of this influence, the people literally
came to a state of religious confusion. Some were endeavoring to keep a form of the
Scripture teachings, but with Hellenism everywhere, it became almost impossible to keep
the true form of the Law of Moses. The Greek way of life was entirely different from
that promulgated by the Scriptures, and the two were not compatible.

The human opinions of the Greek poets and philosophers, as well as the doctrines
of the various heathen sects of the Greeks, were propagated among the Jews. Almost
everything the Greeks brought to the Jews was antagonistic to the Laws of God and,
without the religious guidance of the Sopherim, many of them began to tolerate these
innovations and even, as time progressed, to take up many of the Greek ideas and
customs themselves.

Alexander Recalls a Vision

Josephus, the Jewish historian, records an interesting incident concerning
Alexander the Great when he had conquered the Palestine area and was about to enter the
city of Jerusalem. He was met on the outskirts of the city by Jaddua, the High Priest,
with many inhabitants of Jerusalem. The High Priest was bedecked in his priestly robes
and leading the procession of people who
met Alexander.

Upon seeing the High Priest and the procession following him, Josephus says that
Alexander recalled a dream he had had previously in which such a procession was seen
with a person dressed in exactly the same attire of the High Priest leading it. Alexander
reckoned that his dream was a sign to leave the inhabitants of Jerusalem alone. He
entered the city peaceably with the High Priest and offered a sacrifice to God. Afterward,
he was shown the prophecy of Daniel 11:2-3, which revealed that a mighty king from
Greece would conquer the Persian Empire. Josephus says that Alexander recognized that
Daniel was writing of him. After reading this prophecy, Alexander became very glad and
gave favors and gifts to many of the Jews. See Antiquities of the Jews, xi, 8, 5 & 6.

The prophecy of Daniel had more to say of Alexander and his Empire. In Daniel
11:4 we read: "And when he [Alexander] shall stand up [be in his power], his kingdom
SHALL BE BROKEN, AND SHALL BE DIVIDED TOWARDS THE FOUR WIND of
heaven ..." This is exactly what happened! Upon the death of Alexander, his Empire was
divided into FOUR SECTIONS. Each sectionwas headed by one of Alexander's former
generals: Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus and Ptolemy.

The Palestine area fell to the Grecian Ptolemy of Egypt. However, the Seleucid
kingdom on the north also laid claim to Palestine and had loyal troops stationed within