“Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
The Antiochus episode closes here with the reassuring statement that God had a good purpose in the frightful experience that would come upon the people of Jerusalem.
Those Jews who saw through Antiochus’ evil plan resisted him and helped others remain true to the faith of their fathers. For this they paid a price. Many were taken captive; others fell by the sword; still others perished in flames when their homes were burned or when they were tortured in heated brass cauldrons. All this, the Angel predicted, would be “for a time.” The phrase cuts both ways. When God would conclude that his purpose had been served, the suffering would end. But until it came to an end, the time described here would be one of awful persecution for the people of God.
Those who remained loyal to the Lord would “receive a little help.” This is usually understood to refer to Judas Maccabeus and his followers, who about 165 B.C. led an uprising against the Syrian officials who were attempting to force Greek customs and culture on the Jews. As the protest movement gained strength, it became popular to join it. Many did so from motives that were insincere.
Antiochus meant to hurt and, if possible, to crush the people of God. He wanted to force them to abandon the true religion God had revealed to them and instead to adopt Greek customs and religion. He meant to stamp out the worship of the true God. This Antiochus was not able to do. Under the Lord’s overruling providence, God’s faithful remnant was refined, purified, and made spotless. The fire of the smelting furnace cannot harm the gold; it can only make it more pure.