1 Maccabees 1:54-64: a reflection

54On the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty fifth year, they built an abomination of desolation upon the altar, and in the cities of Judah on every side they built idol altars. 55At the doors of the houses and in the streets they burned incense. 56They tore up the books of the law which they found and set them on fire. 57Anyone who was found with any book of the covenant, and if any consented to the law, the king’s sentence delivered him to death. 58Thus did they in their might to Israel, to those who were found month by month in the cities. 59On the twenty-fifth day of the month they sacrificed upon the idol altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. 60They put to death women who had circumcised their children, according to the commandment. 61They hung their babies around their necks, and their houses, and those who had circumcised them. 62Many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat unclean things. 63They chose to die, that they might not be defiled with the food, and that they might not profane the holy covenant; and they died. 64Exceedingly great wrath came upon Israel.

This passage describes a time of fierce persecution, when a foreign ruler tried to stamp out the faith of God's people: the temple was defiled, the books of the law burned, and those who kept the covenant put to death. Yet in the midst of this terror, the passage records a striking resolve: many in Israel were fully resolved not to defile themselves, and chose to die rather than profane the holy covenant. Faced with the choice between compromise and death, many chose to remain faithful, even at the cost of their lives.

Notice the nature of their faithfulness: it was a settled, prior resolve. They were fully resolved, the text says, not to defile themselves; this was not a decision made only in the panic of the moment, but a settled conviction held in advance, so that when the test came, they were ready to stand. Because they had resolved beforehand not to profane the covenant, they were able, when the choice was forced, to be faithful even unto death.

That points to the value of resolving to be faithful before the moment of testing comes. We do not usually rise, in a crisis, above what we have already settled in our hearts; the time to decide to be faithful is before the test, not in the panic of it. These people had resolved in advance not to defile themselves, and so they stood firm when the pressure came. Settle it in your heart now, before the moment of testing, that you will be faithful to God, whatever the cost. Do not wait until pressure comes to decide; resolve in advance, as these did, to remain true to God, so that when testing comes, you will be ready to stand. Faithfulness under pressure is usually the fruit of a resolve made before the pressure came.

Lord, in a time of fierce persecution, many in Israel were fully resolved not to defile themselves, and chose to die rather than profane your holy covenant; their faithfulness was a settled resolve, held in advance, so that when the test came, they were ready to stand. Point me to the value of resolving to be faithful before the moment of testing comes. I do not usually rise, in a crisis, above what I have already settled in my heart; the time to decide to be faithful is before the test, not in the panic of it. These people had resolved in advance not to defile themselves, and so they stood firm. Help me settle it in my heart now, before the moment of testing, that I will be faithful to you, whatever the cost. Keep me from waiting until pressure comes to decide; help me resolve in advance, as they did, to remain true to you, so that when testing comes, I will be ready to stand. Make my faithfulness the fruit of a resolve made before the pressure comes.