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Oliver Stone directed the movie "Alexander" starring Collin Ferrel and Angelina Jolie and Val Kilmer. The most important
events that molded Alexander into the "Great" were supposed to be shown in the movie. The most important factual
event in the life of Alexander was not included.
It was not the mother or father King Philip of Macedonia that resulted in the Hellenization of the whole ancient world.
It was YHWH the only true God who raised Alexander up for the protection of the Hebrews in the whole ancient world.
Josephus was a priest, a Levite, who was alive from C.E. 37 up to an unknown date after 100 C.E. He wrote the ANTIQUITIES
and WARS books. His knowledge is accepted today as being exactly what highly educated Jews accepted as factual truth, in his
time. Josephus had no reason to lie in his writings. He has been proven wrong with his dating methods. He is wrong in respect
to dates once or twice, but he did not know he was wrong, and he surely did not intend to decieve anyone. However in respect
to the description of an event, he is not wrong in respect to persons or event, that I am aware of.
ANTIQUITIES book 11 chapter 8
This chapter gives an account of many things. We must discuss the final defeat of Darius King of MEDO PERSIA by Alexander
at Gaugamela. Guagamela today would be a city in East Turkey. Darius lost the battle, his family was captured, and he escaped
into hiding. Alexander then turned south to conquer the city states of Damascus, Sidon, Tyre, Gaza, and Jerusalem. During
the 7 month long attack of Tyre, Alexander sent an epistle to the ruler of Jerusalem, the high priest/ruler of the Jewish
Temple. The message was for the Jerusalem ruler (Jadduah). Jaddua was to send supplies to Alexander's army starving outside
the gates of Tyre. The high priest Jaddua refused to send aid due to an oath to support Persian King Darius as long as Darius
was alive, captured or reigning. Jaddua had been governor of Jerusalem, but the legal King of J'lem was Darius. Eventually
Alexander attacked Jerusalem, since it was a city that still supported the crumbling Medo-Persian Empire and King Darius,
while refusing to aid Alexander.
ANTIQUITIES "Jaddua the high priest... was under terror, not knowing how he should meet the Macedonians, since the
king (Alexander) was displeased at his (Jadduah) disobedience. He (Juddua) therefore ordained that the people (of Jerusalem)
pray, and offer sacrifice to God, whom he sought to protect that nation, to deliver them from the perils that were coming
upon them. God warned him (Jaddua) in a dream, after offering sacrifice, to take courage, that he should adorn the city, and
open the gates. That the people would appear in white garments. That he and the priests should meet the king in the habits
proper to their priestly order."
Upon awakening... Juddua shared the dream with the people. All the people rejoiced and awaited in faith that God would
protect them if the instructions from the dream were followed.
"When Jaddua understood that Alexander was not far from the city, he went out in procession with the priests, and
the multitude of Jerusalem. The procession was venerable and the manner was unlike any procession of any other nation."
Remember reader, that Alexander has the intention of showing the world what happens to cities that don't aid the Macedonians.
Josephus says Alexander intended on making Jerusalem an example of an rebellious city to the WHOLE WORLD.
And also at this time, there are Philistines, Phoenicians and Asians who were enemies of the Jews, who had joined Alexander
voluntarily, to attack the Judeans. There were many NON MACEDONIANS, willing to fight for Alexander, against Jerusalem, at
this scene.
At the point called Prospect, which today would be the Yaffa Gate of Jerusalem, the procession met the army of enemies
of Jerusalem. At this place, coming from the WEST, one can finally see the city of Jerusalem and the Temple at the same time.
This Yaffa gate did not exist in Alexander's time, but the point where it was built, point prospect is basically Mount Zion.
This is the most strategic point of attack on Jerusalem, the high ground. There would either be a slaughter of every unarmed
inhabitant, or the deaths of the priests alone, if Alex would have mercy. But he intended on showing the world what happens
to cities that rebel against him RIGHT?
Well... Alexander came out from behind his army ALONE, without any body gaurds, on his horse BUCEPHALUS. Alexander got
off his horse, and closely studied Jaddua, to the great perplexity of the enemies of Israel watching. Jaddua was wearing the
Techelet (royal blue) tzit tzit, with white and scarlet garments. He was wearing the golden head band, upon which was a plate
inscribed with the name of YHWH.
Then Alexander salutes Jaddua with peace, and worshipped the name of God on the head band of the high priest. The multitude
of Jews surround Alexander so that no attempt of Macedonian rescue could ever succeed. If the Jews wanted to kill Alex at
this point, they easily could have. This alarms the Macedonian army to the extent of considering Alexander as having lost
his sanity. One of the Macedonian generals Parmenio finally goes up through the crowd of Jews to counsel Alexander. Parmenio
is a historical character, as you can see in the movie by Oliver Stone.
Alexander tells Parmenio, and I quote from Josephus "I do not adore him (high priest) but his GOD whom has given
him his high priesthood, for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very presentation, back in Macedonia at Dios, who,
when I was considering how I may obtain the dominion of Asia, he (Jaddua) exorts me to make no delay... that he (God through
Jaddua) would conduct my army, and he (God) would give me dominion over the Persians... and having seen no other in this presentation,
and now seeing this person in such presentation, and remembering that vision (in Dios) and my exortation of my dream (in Dios)
I believe that I bring my army under DIVINE conduct...
Alexander was then immediately taken to offer sacrifice to YHWH, the name on the crown of the high priest. Alex "offered
sacrifice according to the high priest's direction and magnificently treated the priests. And when the book of Daniel was
showed to him, wherein Daniel (chapt. 8 and 9) declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the Empire of the Persians,
he (Alex) supposed that he was himself was the person intended."
Alexander then consumed and meditated on all the happenings of the day. He did not know the day before, that he would
be able to conquer the whole Empire of the Persians in rapid time. He had no assurity of winning until the day he arrived
in Jerusalem.
Originally Alex only wanted to avenge Greek blood by spilling Persian blood in battle. Alex did not have the goal of conquering
the whole Persian Empire until he met God at Jerusalem. At Jerusalem, Alex learned that God would favor him; if he blessed
the Judeans, YHWH would bless him in return.
The second day of Alex in Jerusalem was a great day. Alexander asks the high priest and his aids, what favors they would
ask of him, since he Alex was now King of Jerusalem and the surrounding Hebrew city states. As Darius had been King of Jerusalem,
now Alexander was King of Jerusalem. There was no Davidic Kingdom of Judah, yet the Hebrews called themselves Judeans.
Jaddua and aids asked that the Judeans would be allowed to live according to their law, their TORAH. Jaddua asked that
the Jews not be taxed on the 7th years, since no work was to be done on Jubilee and 7th years. Jadduah therefore submitted
Jerusalem to be taxed by Alex except on the 7th year, thus submitting to Alexanders Kingship.
Alexander not only agreed to grant the Judeans all their requests, but also promised to encourage all Jews in his Empire
to follow their Jewish traditions.
Not only that, but Alex asked of any Jews that would join him in his world conquer tour, he REQUIRED TORAH observance
for Jews that would join his Army or his government. Alexander only wanted Jews that continued in the laws of their forefathers,
to join his government and army. Alexander knew that YHWH would bless his endeavors ONLY if he supported and encouraged TORAH
OBSERVANCE, in all his EMPIRE.
Alexander Son of King Philip became Alex the Great because he protected and encouraged Jews to observe their religion,
their Torah, every where on earth.
All this can be read in ANTIQUITIES book 11 chapter 8.
Alexander was told some parts of the book of Daniel. Maybe he was read more, and told about the whole book of Daniel.
Maybe he learned more about Torah than Josephus knows. How much did Alexander learn from Jaddua the high priest?
He did have a translator at all times, translating Hebrew into Greek.
When Alexander left Greece,did he think he was a Son of GOd? or did he start to believe this after he met the Priest Jaddua
of Jerusalem, after reading the book of Daniel??
Why did Alex consider himself to be a SON of GOD?? Isn't such a title mentioned in the books of Daniel? Did Alexander
claim to be divine or was he simply accepting the blessing of the Jewish God, to be a Son of God, protecting the Jews every
where he went.
Why did Alex decide to make his Empire capital Babylon? Babylon was never the capital of the Persian Empire, that was
Persepolis. Could it be due to the Babylon stories of Nebuchadnezar which Alexander learned in Jerusalem? From 486 B.C.E.
till 700 C.E. the city with the most Judean Hebrew citizens was Babylon.
Jerusalem never came close, and neither did Alexandria Egypt ever come close to having the Jewish population of Babylon.
Remember most of the exiled Jews STAYED IN BABYLON, most did NOT return to Israel when they had the chance. VERY FEW of the
Judeans exiled to Babylon by Nebuchadnezer returned to Israeli land.
Hence the Babylonian Talmud takes precedence even over the Jerusalem Talmud. Babylon was filled with Jews. It was one
the most populated cities in the world during Alexander's time, and maybe as much as 40% of the population of Babylon was
Jewish.
Alex may have chosen Babylon as his capital because there, he was surrounded with TORAH OBSERVANT JEWS like JADDUAH the
Priest of Jerusalem!!
Hollywood will tell you, Alexander died observing his Greek homosexual/polytheistic/polygamous culture, right? The truth
is...Alexander died in Babylon, the husband of only one wife. He did have a son. His son was murdered. The king of the world,
only had ONE WIFE??? hmmm... sounds like Alex had some morals. Where did he get them?
Why did he REQUEST those Jews in his army to observe the laws of their fathers, the Torah? Did Alex make an attempt to
observe Judaism with the Jews that joined his army?
Would Alex had enormous respect and support for Jewish law, and not ever learn to apply the Jewish laws to his own life???
Of course not!! Alex was wise.
It is very possible that Alexander did NOT die as a Greek believing in many Gods. It is possible Alex died knowing that
the only TRUE God was the God of the Jews.
At the very least, Alex did accept YHWH of Jerusalem as his patron God, who gave him the strength and wisdom
to conquer the Persian giant empire with only 40,000 men. To
protect the Jews,
protect the laws of the Hebrew Fathers, the Torah.
to spread the Monotheism of the ONE TRUE GOD to the whole world.
to create tolerance of minority Jews.
Any museum of Tolerance, has one founding father of Tolerance, that is why he is called, Alexander Magno.
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