1 Maccabees 3:38-53: a reflection

38Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king’s friends; 39and with them, he sent forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry to go into the land of Judah and to destroy it, according to the word of the king. 40They set out with all their army, and came and encamped near Emmaus in the plain country. 41The merchants of the country heard of their fame, and took silver and gold in large quantities, and fetters, and came into the camp to take the children of Israel for slaves. Forces of Syria and of the land of the Philistines joined with them. 42Judas and his kindred saw that evils were multiplied, and that the forces were encamping in their borders. They learned about the king’s words which he had commanded, to destroy the people and make an end of them. 43Then they each said to his neighbor, “Let’s repair the ruins of our people. Let’s fight for our people and the holy place.” 44The congregation was gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray and ask for mercy and compassion. 45Jerusalem was without inhabitant like a wilderness. There was none of her offspring who went in or went out. The sanctuary was trampled down. Children of foreigners were in the citadel. The Gentiles lived there. Joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and the harp ceased. 46They gathered themselves together, and came to Mizpeh, near Jerusalem; for in Mizpeh there used to be a place of prayer for Israel. 47They fasted that day, put on sackcloth, put ashes on their heads, tore their clothes, 48and opened the book of the law, to learn about the things for which the Gentiles consulted the images of their idols. 49They brought the priests’ garments, the first fruits, and the tithes. They stirred up the Nazarites, who had accomplished their days. 50They cried aloud toward heaven, saying, “What should we do with these men? Where should we carry them away? 51Your holy place is trampled down and profaned. Your priests mourn in humiliation. 52Behold, the Gentiles are assembled together against us to destroy us. You know what things they imagine against us. 53How will we be able to stand against them, unless you help us?”

When a great army is sent to destroy Judah, forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry, and Jerusalem lies desolate, Judas and his people do not first rush to arms; they turn to God. They gather at Mizpeh, a place of prayer, and they fast, put on sackcloth and ashes, open the book of the law, and cry aloud to heaven: How will we be able to stand against them, unless you help us? Facing an overwhelming threat, they prepare for battle first by prayer and seeking God, acknowledging that without his help they cannot stand. Their first recourse in the face of the threat was God.

Notice what Judas and his people did first when facing the overwhelming threat: they turned to God in prayer and dependence. The enemy was vast, the situation desperate, Jerusalem desolate; and rather than trusting their own strength, they gathered to pray, to fast, to seek God in his word, to cry out for his help. They openly acknowledged their helplessness: how can we stand unless you help us? Their preparation for battle began not with weapons but with prayer, with dependence on God, with the confession that without him they could not stand. They faced the threat first on their knees.

That is worth taking to heart, for when we face an overwhelming threat, our first recourse can be to turn to God in prayer and dependence. When trouble comes that is beyond our strength, we can rush first to our own efforts and resources, turning to God only later if at all; but Judas and his people turned first to God, praying, seeking him, confessing their helplessness without him. There is wisdom in making God our first recourse in the face of an overwhelming threat, not our last. When you face a threat beyond your strength, do not rush first to your own efforts; turn first to God in prayer and dependence, as Judas and his people gathered to seek God before the battle. Make God your first recourse when you face an overwhelming threat, turning to him in prayer and dependence and confessing you cannot stand without him, as Judas and his people cried, how will we stand unless you help us; for our own strength is not enough against what overwhelms us, and it is wisdom to face the threat first on our knees, depending on God.

Lord, when a great army is sent to destroy Judah, and Jerusalem lies desolate, Judas and his people do not first rush to arms; they turn to you. They gather at Mizpeh, a place of prayer, and they fast, put on sackcloth and ashes, open the book of the law, and cry aloud to heaven: how will we be able to stand against them, unless you help us? Facing an overwhelming threat, they prepare for battle first by prayer and seeking you, acknowledging that without your help they cannot stand. Show me what Judas and his people did first when facing the overwhelming threat: they turned to you in prayer and dependence. The enemy was vast, the situation desperate; and rather than trusting their own strength, they gathered to pray, to fast, to seek you in your word, to cry out for your help. They openly acknowledged their helplessness: how can we stand unless you help us? Their preparation for battle began not with weapons but with prayer. They faced the threat first on their knees. Take that to my heart, for when I face an overwhelming threat, my first recourse can be to turn to you in prayer and dependence. When trouble comes that is beyond my strength, I can rush first to my own efforts and resources, turning to you only later if at all; but Judas and his people turned first to you. When I face a threat beyond my strength, keep me from rushing first to my own efforts; help me turn first to you in prayer and dependence, Lord, as Judas and his people gathered to seek you before the battle.