1 Maccabees 9:1-6: a reflection

1Demetrius heard that Nicanor had fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wing of his army with them. 2They went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and took possession of it, and killed many people. 3The first month of the one hundred fifty-second year, they encamped against Jerusalem. 4Then they marched away and went to Berea with twenty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry. 5Judas was encamped at Elasa with three thousand chosen men. 6They saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they were terrified. Many slipped away out of the army. There were not left of them more than eight hundred men.

When Judas faces a great army with only a small force, many of his own men, seeing the multitude arrayed against them, are terrified and slip away, until only a few hundred remain. They saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they were terrified. Many slipped away out of the army; there were not left more than eight hundred men. The odds were overwhelming, and most deserted in fear; but Judas and a faithful remnant stood, refusing to flee, ready to face the danger though most had abandoned them. When the many deserted in fear, a faithful few remained to stand.

Notice the faithful few who remained when the many deserted. The army arrayed against them was great, and most of Judas's men, terrified, slipped away; the desertion was widespread. But not all fled; Judas and a remnant stood firm, refusing to abandon the cause even when most had. It would have been easy to flee with the crowd, to desert as the many did; but the faithful few remained to stand against the odds. Their standing was the harder for being alone, most having deserted; yet they stood. When the many gave way to fear and fled, the few who remained showed a faithfulness that the desertion of others could not shake. They stood firm when most deserted.

That is worth taking to heart, for we may be called to stand firm even when others desert in fear. There are times when standing for what is right, or facing a hard thing, means standing when most around us give way to fear and desert; the crowd flees, and only a few remain. We can be tempted to flee with the crowd, to desert as the many do; but Judas and a faithful few stood when most deserted. There is a faithfulness that stands firm even when others give way. When others desert in fear and it would be easy to flee with them, do not give way; stand firm, as Judas and the faithful few remained against the odds. Stand firm even when others desert in fear, not fleeing with the crowd but remaining faithful, as Judas and a few hundred stood when most of the army slipped away in terror; for there is a faithfulness that stands firm when the many give way, and we may be called to be among the few who remain rather than fleeing with the crowd.

Lord, when Judas faces a great army with only a small force, many of his own men, seeing the multitude arrayed against them, are terrified and slip away, until only a few hundred remain. They saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they were terrified. Many slipped away out of the army; there were not left more than eight hundred men. The odds were overwhelming, and most deserted in fear; but Judas and a faithful remnant stood, refusing to flee. Show me the faithful few who remained when the many deserted. The army arrayed against them was great, and most of Judas's men, terrified, slipped away. But not all fled; Judas and a remnant stood firm, refusing to abandon the cause even when most had. It would have been easy to flee with the crowd; but the faithful few remained to stand against the odds. Their standing was the harder for being alone, yet they stood. When the many gave way to fear and fled, the few who remained showed a faithfulness that the desertion of others could not shake. Take that to my heart, for I may be called to stand firm even when others desert in fear. There are times when standing for what is right, or facing a hard thing, means standing when most around me give way to fear and desert. I can be tempted to flee with the crowd; but Judas and a faithful few stood when most deserted. When others desert in fear and it would be easy to flee with them, keep me from giving way; help me stand firm, Lord, as Judas and the faithful few remained against the odds, not fleeing with the crowd but remaining faithful.