Context No. 3976 of 4322 · 2 Maccabees

2 Maccabees 15:17-27: in context

17Being encouraged by the words of Judas, which were noble and effective, and able to incite to virtue and to stir the souls of the young to manly courage, they determined not to carry on a campaign, but nobly to bear down upon the enemy, and fighting hand to hand with all courage bring the matter to a conclusion, because the city, the sanctuary, and the temple were in danger. 18For their fear for wives and children, and furthermore for family and relatives, was less important to them; but greatest and first was their fear for the consecrated sanctuary. 19Also those who were shut up in the city were in no light distress, being troubled because of the encounter in the open country. 20When all were now waiting for the decision of the issue, and the enemy had already joined battle, and the army had been set in array, and the elephants brought back to a convenient post, and the cavalry deployed on the flanks, 21Maccabaeus, perceiving the presence of the troops, and the various weapons with which they were equipped, and the savageness of the elephants, holding up his hands to heaven called upon the Lord who works wonders, knowing that success comes not by weapons, but that, according to how the Lord judges, he gains the victory for those who are worthy. 22And calling upon God, he said this: “You, O Sovereign Lord, sent your angel in the time of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he killed of the army of Sennacherib as many as one hundred eighty-five thousand. 23So now also, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel before us to bring terror and trembling. 24Through the greatness of your arm let them be stricken with dismay who with blasphemy have come here against your holy people.” As he finished these words, 25Nicanor and his company advanced with trumpets and victory songs; 26but Judas and his company joined battle with the enemy with invocation and prayers. 27Fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they killed no less than thirty-five thousand men, being made exceedingly glad by the manifestation of God.

Facing a fearsome enemy, war elephants and a well-armed host, Judas Maccabaeus prepares his outnumbered men, but not by trusting in weapons. He knows, the text says, that success comes not by arms but as the Lord decides, and so he lifts his hands to heaven and prays, recalling how God once sent an angel to strike down the army of Sennacherib in Hezekiah's day, and asking God to send help again.

Then comes a memorable description of how they went into battle: fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts. Here is a picture of faith and effort held together. Judas and his men did not simply pray and wait passively, nor did they charge in trusting only their own arms; they did both at once, straining every muscle in the fight while their hearts cried out to God for the victory only he could give. This is the pattern for facing our own hard struggles. We give ourselves fully to the effort, working with all our strength, and at the same time we depend wholly on God, praying with our hearts even as our hands labor. Neither prayer without effort, nor effort without prayer, but both together.

In my own hard struggles, do I hold together full effort and full dependence on God, working with all my strength while praying with all my heart, rather than trusting my own arm alone or waiting passively without effort?

Sources

2 Maccabees 15:21: "Holding up his hands to heaven called upon the Lord who works wonders, knowing that success comes not by weapons, but... he gains the victory for those who are worthy."
2 Maccabees 15:27: "Fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they killed no less than thirty-five thousand men."
2 Maccabees 15:22: "You, O Sovereign Lord, sent your angel in the time of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he killed... one hundred eighty-five thousand."