Judith 8:9-24: a reflection

9She heard the evil words of the people against the governor, because they fainted for lack of water; and Judith heard all the words that Ozias spoke to them, how he swore to them that he would deliver the city to the Assyrians after five days. 10So she sent her maid, who was over all things that she had, to summon Ozias, Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of her city. 11They came to her, and she said to them, “Hear me now, O you rulers of the inhabitants of Bethulia! For your word that you have spoken before the people this day is not right. You have set the oath which you have pronounced between God and you, and have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless within these days the Lord turns to help you. 12Now who are you that you have tested God this day, and stand in the place of God among the children of men? 13Now try the Lord Almighty, and you will never know anything. 14For you will not find the depth of the heart of man, and you will not perceive the things that he thinks. How will you search out God, who has made all these things, and know his mind, and comprehend his purpose? No, my kindred, don’t provoke the Lord our God to anger! 15For if he has not decided to help us within these five days, he has power to defend us in such time as he will, or to destroy us before the face of our enemies. 16But don’t you pledge the counsels of the Lord our God! For God is not like a human being, that he should be threatened, neither is he like a son of man, that he should be won over by pleading. 17Therefore let’s wait for the salvation that comes from him, and call upon him to help us. He will hear our voice, if it pleases him. 18For there arose none in our age, neither is there any of us today, tribe, or kindred, or family, or city, which worship gods made with hands, as it was in the former days; 19for which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for plunder, and fell with a great destruction before our enemies. 20But we know no other god beside him. Therefore we hope that he will not despise us, nor any of our race. 21For if we are captured, all Judea will be captured and our sanctuary will be plundered; and he will require our blood for profaning it. 22The slaughter of our kindred, the captivity of the land, and the desolation of our inheritance, he will bring on our heads among the Gentiles, wherever we will be in bondage. We will be an offense and a reproach to those who take us for a possession. 23For our bondage will not be ordered to favor; but the Lord our God will turn it to dishonor. 24And now, kindred, let’s show an example to our kindred, because their soul depends on us, and the sanctuary, the house, and the altar depend on us.

When the elders of Bethulia, desperate for water, swear to surrender the city to the enemy if God does not help within five days, Judith rebukes them for putting God to an ultimatum. Who are you, she asks, that you have tested God this day? God is not like a human being, that he should be threatened. She calls them not to set God a deadline, not to dictate terms to him, but to wait for the salvation that comes from him and to call on him for help. To give God five days or else is to test him, to presume to bind him to our terms; but God is to be trusted and waited on, not put to our deadlines.

Notice Judith's rebuke: do not put God to an ultimatum or dictate terms to him. The elders had, in effect, told God to act within five days or they would give up on him; they had bound his help to their timetable. Judith calls this testing God, presuming to stand in his place, to dictate to him. God is not to be threatened or bargained with, given deadlines and ultimatums; he is to be trusted and waited on, called upon for help, and left to act in his own time and way. To set God a deadline is to forget who he is; the right response is to wait for his salvation and call on him, trusting his timing rather than dictating our own.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can be tempted to put God to our terms and deadlines rather than waiting on his timing. When we are desperate, we can set God an ultimatum, telling him in effect to act by a certain time or we will give up on him, dictating our terms to him; but Judith rebuked this, calling the people to wait for God's salvation and trust his timing. God is not to be bound to our deadlines; he acts in his own time and way. Do not put God to an ultimatum or dictate your terms and deadlines to him; wait on his timing and call on him, trusting him. Wait on God's timing and call on him for help, rather than dictating your terms and deadlines to him, as Judith rebuked the elders for giving God five days or else; for God is not to be threatened or bargained with, but trusted and waited on, and he acts in his own time and way rather than on the deadlines we would impose.

Lord, when the elders of Bethulia, desperate for water, swear to surrender the city to the enemy if you do not help within five days, Judith rebukes them for putting you to an ultimatum. Who are you, she asks, that you have tested God this day? God is not like a human being, that he should be threatened. She calls them not to set you a deadline, not to dictate terms to you, but to wait for the salvation that comes from you and to call on you for help. To give you five days or else is to test you, to presume to bind you to our terms. Show me Judith's rebuke: do not put you to an ultimatum or dictate terms to you. The elders had, in effect, told you to act within five days or they would give up on you; they had bound your help to their timetable. Judith calls this testing you. You are not to be threatened or bargained with, given deadlines and ultimatums; you are to be trusted and waited on, called upon for help, and left to act in your own time and way. To set you a deadline is to forget who you are. Take that to my heart, for I too can be tempted to put you to my terms and deadlines rather than waiting on your timing. When I am desperate, I can set you an ultimatum, telling you in effect to act by a certain time or I will give up on you; but Judith rebuked this. You are not to be bound to my deadlines; you act in your own time and way. Keep me from putting you to an ultimatum or dictating my terms and deadlines to you; help me wait on your timing and call on you, Lord, trusting you, as Judith rebuked the elders for giving you five days or else.