God established the Jewish ceremony of circumcision as a sign of his covenant (special agreement) with Abraham. God required that every male Israelite child be circumcised (Genesis 17:9–13; see Romans 4:11). Circumcision represents God’s covenant with his people, Israel.
The ceremony became more important during the intertestamental period (the time between the Old and New Testaments). During this time, the pagan king Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to destroy the Jewish faith. He did this by forbidding circumcision and other Jewish practices.
The Jews resisted him in the Maccabean Revolt (166–160 BC). After they restored worship of the Lord in Israel, the Jews viewed circumcision as a valued sign of loyalty to God while living among pagan peoples.