2 Maccabees 7:13-17: a reflection

13When he too was dead, they shamefully handled and tortured the fourth in the same way. 14Being near to death he said this: “It is good to die at the hands of men and look for the hope which is given by God, that we will be raised up again by him. For as for you, you will have no resurrection to life.” 15Next after him, they brought the fifth and shamefully handled him. 16But he looked toward the king and said, “Because you have authority among men, though you are corruptible, you do what you please. But don’t think that our race has been forsaken by God. 17But hold on to your ways, and see how his sovereign majesty will torture you and your descendants!”

This is a hard passage, an account of brothers who are put to death rather than abandon their faith. Set aside the harsh details, and hear what sustained them as they faced death: their confidence in the resurrection. One of them, near death, says it is good to die at the hands of men and look for the hope God gives, that we will be raised up again by him. Another declares that though the king has power over their bodies now, their people have not been forsaken by God. Facing death, they held to the hope that God would raise them.

Notice what gave these men courage in the face of death: the hope of resurrection. They could face even death because they believed it was not the end; God, they were sure, would raise them up again. This hope did not make their suffering less real, but it robbed death of its finality; they could let go of their lives now, confident that God would give them back, raised, in the end.

That resurrection hope is meant to sustain us too, in the face of death and all that death threatens. Because God raises the dead, death is not the end for those who trust him; what we lose now, God can give back, and more. This hope does not deny the pain of dying or of loss, but it takes away death's final power. When you face death, your own or that of those you love, hold to the hope these brothers held: that God will raise up his own. Let the certainty of resurrection give you courage, so that death, though real, is not the end, and you can face it trusting the God who raises the dead.

Lord, in this hard passage, brothers faced death rather than abandon their faith, and what sustained them was the hope of resurrection: that though men had power over their bodies now, you would raise them up again. Let that hope sustain me too, in the face of death and all it threatens. Because you raise the dead, death is not the end for those who trust you; what I lose now, you can give back, and more. This hope does not deny the pain of dying or of loss, but it takes away death's final power. When I face death, my own or that of those I love, help me hold to the hope these brothers held: that you will raise up your own. Let the certainty of resurrection give me courage, so that death, though real, is not the end, and I can face it trusting you, the God who raises the dead. Thank you for a hope that outlasts the grave.