2 Maccabees -- History?

Read 2 Maccabbees 14 and 15

Today's Devotion - 2 Maccabees 15:27-39
27Fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they laid low at least thirty-five thousand, and rejoiced greatly over this manifestation of God's power. 28When the battle was over and they were joyfully departing, they discovered Nicanor lying there in all his armor; 29so they raised tumultuous shouts in their native tongue in praise of the divine Sovereign. 30Then Judas, who was ever in body and soul the chief defender of his fellow citizens, and had maintained from youth his affection for his countrymen, ordered Nicanor's head and whole right arm to be cut off and taken to Jerusalem.
31When he arrived there, he assembled his countrymen, stationed the priests before the altar, and sent for those in the citadel. 32He showed them the vile Nicanor's head and the wretched blasphemer's arm that had been boastfully stretched out against the holy dwelling of the Almighty. 33He cut out the tongue of the godless Nicanor, saying he would feed it piecemeal to the birds and would hang up the other wages of his folly opposite the temple.
34At this, everyone looked toward heaven and praised the Lord who manifests his divine power, saying, "Blessed be he who has kept his own Place undefiled!" 35Judas hung up Nicanor's head on the wall of the citadel, a clear and evident proof to all of the Lord's help.
36 By public vote it was unanimously decreed never to let this day pass unobserved, but to celebrate it on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, called Adar in Aramaic, the eve of Mordecai's Day.
37Since Nicanor's doings ended in this way, with the city remaining in possession of the Hebrews from that time on, I will bring my own story to an end here too. 38If it is well written and to the point, that is what I wanted; if it is poorly done and mediocre, that is the best I could do. 39Just as it is harmful to drink wine alone or water alone, whereas mixing wine with water makes a more pleasant drink that increases delight, so a skillfully composed story delights the ears of those who read the work. Let this, then, be the end. (NAB)
taken from http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible

We have spent a week looking at the text of a book that was not officially placed into the canon of scripture that is used by protestant churches. 1 and 2 Maccabees are two of six books included in the Catholic Bible but not in protestant ones.

The Maccabees are obviously books of history (instead of books of wisdom or prophecy). Presuming they are a true historical report, why do you think they aren't included in our Bibles?

Have you received any new insights into God as a result of your reading this week?