1 Maccabees 10:59-66: a reflection

59King Alexander wrote to Jonathan, that he should come to meet him. 60He went with pomp to Ptolemais, and met the two kings. He gave them and their friends silver and gold, and many gifts, and found favor in their sight. 61Some malcontents out of Israel, men who were transgressors of the law, gathered together against him to complain against him; but the king paid no attention to them. 62The king commanded that they take off Jonathan’s garments and clothe him in purple, and they did so. 63The king made him sit with him, and said to his princes, “Go out with him into the midst of the city, and proclaim that no man may complain against him of any matter, and let no man trouble him for any reason.” 64It came to pass, when those who complained against him saw his honor according to the proclamation, and saw him clothed in purple, they all fled away. 65The king gave him honor, and enrolled him among his chief friends, and made him a captain and governor of a province. 66Then Jonathan returned to Jerusalem with peace and gladness.

When Jonathan is summoned before King Alexander, some malcontents come to accuse him, transgressors who gathered to complain against him. But the king pays them no attention; instead, he honors Jonathan, clothing him in purple, seating him beside himself, and proclaiming that no one may complain against him. And the result is telling: When those who complained against him saw his honor, they all fled away. The accusers, who had come to bring Jonathan down, fled when they saw him vindicated and honored; their accusations came to nothing before his honor.

Notice how the accusers fled when Jonathan was honored. They had come to accuse him, to bring him down with complaints; but the king did not heed them, and instead honored Jonathan openly. And when the accusers saw his honor, they fled; their accusations, which might have prevailed had he been dishonored, came to nothing against his vindication. The honor given to Jonathan silenced and scattered his accusers; their case collapsed before the king's open favor to him. Vindication silenced the accusation, and the accusers fled.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can trust God to vindicate us, which silences the accusers. When we are accused, opposed, complained against by those who would bring us down, we can be anxious about their accusations; but we can trust God to vindicate us in his time, as the king honored Jonathan, and his vindication silenced and scattered the accusers. God's vindication can silence the accusations against us. When you are accused and opposed, do not be consumed with fighting every accusation; trust God to vindicate you, which can silence the accusers, as Jonathan's honor scattered those who complained against him. Trust God to vindicate and honor you in his time, which silences the accusers, rather than being consumed with anxiety over their accusations, as Jonathan's accusers fled when they saw his honor; for God is able to vindicate his own, and his vindication scatters the accusations that would bring us down.

Lord, when Jonathan is summoned before King Alexander, some malcontents come to accuse him, transgressors who gathered to complain against him. But the king pays them no attention; instead, he honors Jonathan, clothing him in purple, seating him beside himself, and proclaiming that no one may complain against him. And the result is telling: when those who complained against him saw his honor, they all fled away. The accusers, who had come to bring Jonathan down, fled when they saw him vindicated and honored. Show me how the accusers fled when Jonathan was honored. They had come to accuse him, to bring him down with complaints; but the king did not heed them, and instead honored Jonathan openly. And when the accusers saw his honor, they fled; their accusations came to nothing against his vindication. The honor given to Jonathan silenced and scattered his accusers. Take that to my heart, for I can trust you to vindicate me, which silences the accusers. When I am accused, opposed, complained against by those who would bring me down, I can be anxious about their accusations; but I can trust you to vindicate me in your time, as the king honored Jonathan. Your vindication can silence the accusations against me. When I am accused and opposed, keep me from being consumed with fighting every accusation; help me trust you to vindicate me, Lord, which can silence the accusers, as Jonathan's honor scattered those who complained against him.