Context No. 3792 of 4322 · 1 Maccabees

1 Maccabees 9:54-64: in context

54And in the one hundred fifty-third year, in the second month, Alcimus gave orders to pull down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. He also pulled down the works of the prophets. 55He began to pull down. At that time was Alcimus stricken, and his works were hindered; and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, and he could no more speak anything and give orders concerning his house. 56Alcimus died at that time with great torment. 57Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, and he returned to the king. Then the land of Judah had rest for two years. 58Then all the lawless men took counsel, saying, “Behold, Jonathan and his men are dwelling at ease and in security. Now therefore we will bring Bacchides, and he will capture them all in one night. 59They went and consulted with him. 60He marched out and came with a great army, and sent letters secretly to all his allies who were in Judea, that they should seize Jonathan and those who were with him; but they couldn’t, because their plan was known to them. 61Jonathan’s men seized about fifty of the men of the country who were authors of the wickedness, and he killed them. 62Jonathan, Simon, and those who were with him, went away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and he built up that which had been pulled down, and they made it strong. 63Bacchides found out about it, and he gathered together all his multitude, and sent orders to those who were of Judea. 64He went and encamped against Bethbasi and fought against it many days, and made engines of war.

The wicked high priest Alcimus orders the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary torn down, undoing the work of the prophets, but as the demolition begins he is suddenly struck down, paralyzed and unable to speak, and dies in great pain, his destructive project halted. The one who set himself to tear down what was dedicated to God did not finish his work.

And then the faithful respond in kind: Jonathan and his companions, driven into the wilderness, set about building up what had been pulled down, fortifying it and holding firm against their enemies. Two things stand out across this troubled history. Those who set themselves to tear down the work of God may seem to prosper for a time, but they do not have the final word; Alcimus's demolition was cut short. And the calling of the faithful in such times is to rebuild, patiently restoring what others have torn down, and to stand firm under pressure. When we see God's work being torn down around us, our part is not despair but faithful rebuilding, trusting that the destroyers will not finally prevail.

When I see good and godly things being torn down around me, do I give way to despair, or do I take up the faithful work of rebuilding and standing firm, trusting that the destroyers will not have the final word?

Sources

1 Maccabees 9:54-55: "Alcimus gave orders to pull down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary... At that time was Alcimus stricken."
1 Maccabees 9:62: "Jonathan, Simon, and those who were with him, went away to Bethbasi... and he built up that which had been pulled down, and they made it strong."
1 Maccabees 9:56: "Alcimus died at that time with great torment."