August 23, 2013 – 1 Maccabees 13:25 – 13:53

From what I read when trying to find out how long the revolt lasted, Simon brings with him the final result of Roman recognition and the beginning of a dynasty in Israel of sorts.  We also see the mercy of Simon in treating the one city.  When I was reading that, I thought about the way people talk about the holy land now and how they move people around and try to get certain populations in certain areas so that they can say it is theirs.  Simon moves people out of a city and inserts his own people.  Maybe I am way off, but that seems like something that is sort of going on in the holy land to this day with Palestine and Israel.