1 Maccabees 10:82-89: a reflection

82Then Simon brought forward his army and joined battle with the phalanx (for the cavalry were exhausted), and they were defeated by him and fled. 83The cavalry were scattered in the plain. They fled to Azotus and entered into Beth-dagon, their idol’s temple, to save themselves. 84Jonathan burned Azotus and the cities around it and took their spoils. He burned the temple of Dagon and those who fled into it with fire. 85Those who had fallen by the sword plus those who were burned were about eight thousand men. 86From there, Jonathan left and encamped against Ascalon. The people of the city came out to meet him with great pomp. 87Jonathan, with those who were on his side, returned to Jerusalem, having many spoils. 88It came to pass, when King Alexander heard these things, he honored Jonathan even more. 89He sent him a gold buckle, as the custom is to give to the king’s kindred. He gave him Ekron and all its land for a possession.

In this account of battle, the enemy cavalry, defeated and scattered, flee for refuge into the temple of their idol Dagon, hoping the god will save them. But it does not. The temple is burned, and those who fled into it with it. The idol they trusted to shelter them was no refuge at all; it could not save its own worshipers, or protect those who ran to it in their extremity. The refuge they trusted proved empty.

Notice the futility exposed here: an idol that cannot save those who flee to it. The defeated soldiers ran to Dagon's temple as to a place of safety, trusting the idol to shelter them; but the idol was powerless to help, and the refuge failed them utterly. This is the emptiness of every false refuge: it promises safety, but cannot deliver when the crisis comes; those who trust it are left unprotected.

That exposes the folly of trusting in false refuges, which we can do in subtler forms. We may run, in our extremity, to things we trust to shelter us, our wealth, our achievements, our own strength, or other things we have made into idols; but like Dagon's temple, they cannot finally save. When the real crisis comes, the false refuge fails. Consider what you run to for safety and security, and whether it can truly deliver. Do not trust in refuges that cannot save, the idols of wealth or strength or standing that promise shelter but fail when the crisis comes. Flee instead to the living God, who is a true refuge, able to shelter those who run to him. The false refuge fails, as Dagon's temple failed; make God your refuge, for he alone can truly save those who flee to him.

Lord, in this account defeated soldiers fled into the temple of their idol Dagon, trusting it to shelter them; but it could not save them, and the refuge they trusted proved empty. Show me the folly this exposes: of trusting in false refuges, which I can do in subtler forms. I may run, in my extremity, to things I trust to shelter me, my wealth, my achievements, my own strength, or other things I have made into idols; but like Dagon's temple, they cannot finally save. When the real crisis comes, the false refuge fails. Help me consider what I run to for safety and security, and whether it can truly deliver. Keep me from trusting in refuges that cannot save, the idols of wealth or strength or standing that promise shelter but fail when the crisis comes. Help me flee instead to you, the living God, a true refuge, able to shelter those who run to you. The false refuge fails, as Dagon's temple failed; be my refuge, Lord, for you alone can truly save those who flee to you.