1 Maccabees 5:55-62: a reflection

55In the days when Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais, 56Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, rulers of the army, heard of their exploits and of the war, and what things they had done. 57They said, “Let’s also get us a name, and let’s go fight against the Gentiles who are around us.” 58So they gave orders to the men of the army that was with them, and went toward Jamnia. 59Gorgias and his men came out of the city to meet them in battle. 60Joseph and Azarias were put to flight, and were pursued to the borders of Judea. About two thousand men of Israel fell on that day. 61There was a great overthrow among the people, because they didn’t listen to Judas and his kindred, thinking to do some exploit. 62But they were not of the family of those men by whose hand deliverance was given to Israel.

While Judas and his brothers are fighting God's battles, two other commanders, Joseph and Azarias, grow ambitious. Let us also make a name for ourselves, they say, and go fight the surrounding nations. But they act on their own, out of a desire for glory, not sent or authorized; and they are badly defeated, losing two thousand men. The text gives the reason plainly: they suffered this disaster because they did not listen, acting out of ambition, and were not of those through whom God was giving deliverance.

Notice what drove Joseph and Azarias, and where it led. They were moved by a desire to make a name for themselves, to win glory like Judas had; and out of that ambition they acted presumptuously, on their own, without God's calling. And it ended in disaster. Their motive was not God's glory or God's calling, but their own; they wanted a name for themselves, and reached for it presumptuously, and were defeated. The desire for self-glory led them to act where they were not sent, and to ruin.

That is a caution against acting out of the desire for self-glory, reaching for a name of our own. We can be tempted, seeing others do great things, to want a name for ourselves, and to act presumptuously out of that ambition, where we are not called or sent. But such action, driven by the desire for self-glory rather than God's calling, often ends badly. Do not act out of the desire to make a name for yourself, reaching presumptuously for glory where God has not called you. Joseph and Azarias wanted a name of their own, and it led to disaster; let your actions be driven by God's calling and God's glory, not by ambition for your own name. Serve where God calls you, for his glory, rather than reaching presumptuously for a name of your own, as these two did, to their ruin.

Lord, while Judas fought your battles, two commanders, Joseph and Azarias, grew ambitious, saying, let us also make a name for ourselves, and acted presumptuously, on their own, out of a desire for glory; and they were badly defeated, because they did not listen and were not of those through whom you were giving deliverance. Caution me against acting out of the desire for self-glory, reaching for a name of my own. I can be tempted, seeing others do great things, to want a name for myself, and to act presumptuously out of that ambition, where I am not called or sent. But such action, driven by the desire for self-glory rather than your calling, often ends badly. Keep me from acting out of the desire to make a name for myself, reaching presumptuously for glory where you have not called me. Joseph and Azarias wanted a name of their own, and it led to disaster; let my actions be driven by your calling and your glory, not by ambition for my own name. Help me serve where you call me, for your glory, rather than reaching presumptuously for a name of my own. Keep my heart free from the ambition for self-glory, Lord.