Scripture Daily

Context No. 4254 of 4322 · 1 Maccabees

Context · Reflection

1 Maccabees 4:42-51: in context

42He chose blameless priests who were devoted to the law; 43and they cleansed the holy place and carried the defiled stones out to an unclean place. 44They deliberated what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which had been profaned. 45A good plan came into their mind, that they should pull it down, lest it would be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it. So they pulled down the altar 46and laid up the stones on the temple hill in a convenient place, until a prophet would come to give an answer concerning them. 47They took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar like the former. 48They built the holy place and the inner parts of the house; and they consecrated the courts. 49They made new holy vessels, and they brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. 50They burned incense on the altar, and they lit the lamps that were upon the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple. 51They set loaves upon the table, hung up the curtains, and finished all the work which they had done.

After the temple had been defiled by the enemies of God's people, Judas and his followers set about cleansing and restoring it. They chose faithful priests, carried out the defiled stones, tore down the profaned altar, and built a new one; they made new holy vessels, and relit the lamps so that light shone again in the temple. What had been desecrated was cleansed, restored, and rededicated to God, and worship began again.

What stands out is the careful work of restoration. They did not simply resume as if nothing had happened; they cleansed what had been defiled, removed what was profaned, and made things new and holy again. And then the light returned, the lamps were lit, worship resumed. The house that had been desecrated became again a place where God was honored.

Scripture calls the believer a temple of God, and our temples can become defiled, neglected, given over to what does not honor God. But what has been defiled can be cleansed and rededicated. Like the priests who removed the profaned things, built a new altar, and relit the lamps, we can, by God's grace, cleanse what has been desecrated in us and rededicate ourselves to him, so that the light of true worship shines again.

Has anything in me, God's temple, become defiled or neglected, given over to what does not honor him, and will I, like those who cleansed and rededicated the temple, let God cleanse what has been desecrated and rededicate myself to him, so that the light of true worship shines again?

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