1 Maccabees 7:33-38: a reflection

33After these things, Nicanor went up to mount Zion. Some of the priests came out of the sanctuary, with some of the elders of the people, to salute him peaceably, and to show him the whole burned sacrifice that was being offered for the king. 34He mocked them, laughed at them, derided them shamefully, spoke arrogantly, 35and swore in a rage, saying, “Unless Judas and his army are now delivered into my hands, it shall be that, if I return safely, I will burn up this house!” And he went out in a great rage. 36The priests entered in, and stood before the altar and the temple; and they wept, and said, 37“You chose this house to be called by your name, to be a house of prayer and supplication for your people. 38Take vengeance on this man and his army, and let them fall by the sword. Remember their blasphemies, and don’t allow them to live any longer.”

In this account, an arrogant commander named Nicanor comes to the temple, mocks the priests, and swears in a rage that unless his enemies are handed over to him, he will return and burn the house of God to the ground. The priests do not answer his threats with threats of their own, nor take up arms against him. Instead they go into the temple, stand before the altar, and weep, and they bring the matter to God: You chose this house to be called by your name; take vengeance on this man for his blasphemies. They entrust the insult against God to God himself.

Notice what the priests did with the blasphemy and threat against God's house: they brought it to God, rather than avenging it themselves. God's honor had been mocked, his house threatened; and instead of taking the matter into their own hands, they wept before him and asked him to defend his own name. They left the vindication of God's honor to God, trusting him to deal with the one who had insulted him.

That is a wise response when God or his cause is mocked. It is tempting, when we see God's name blasphemed or his cause reviled, to leap to its defense in anger, to take up the fight ourselves as though God's honor depended on our retaliation. But God's honor is his own to defend, and the wiser course is often to bring the insult to him in prayer, as these priests did, and to trust him to vindicate his name. When you see God mocked or his cause reviled, do not respond with mere anger or retaliation. Take the matter to God; entrust his honor to him, who is well able to defend it, and leave the vindication in his hands.

Lord, when the arrogant Nicanor mocked the priests and threatened to burn your house, they did not retaliate but went into the temple, wept before the altar, and brought the blasphemy to you, asking you to defend your own name. Teach me that response when you or your cause are mocked. It is tempting, when I see your name blasphemed or your cause reviled, to leap to its defense in anger, to take up the fight myself as though your honor depended on my retaliation. But your honor is your own to defend, and the wiser course is often to bring the insult to you in prayer, and to trust you to vindicate your name. When I see you mocked or your cause reviled, keep me from mere anger or retaliation. Help me take the matter to you, to entrust your honor to you, who are well able to defend it, and to leave the vindication in your hands. You will defend your own name; help me trust you to do so.