2 Maccabees 2:13-18: a reflection

13The same things were reported both in the public archives and in Nehemiah’s records, and also how he, founding a library, gathered together the books about the kings and prophets, and the writings of David, and letters of kings about sacred gifts. 14In like manner Judas also gathered together for us all those books that had been scattered by reason of the war, and they are still with us. 15If therefore you have need of them, send some people to bring them to you. 16Seeing then that we are about to celebrate the purification, we write to you. You will therefore do well if you celebrate the days. 17Now God, who saved all his people, and restored the heritage to all, with the kingdom, the priesthood, and the consecration, 18even as he promised through the law—in God have we hope, that he will soon have mercy upon us, and gather us together out of everywhere under heaven into his holy place; for he delivered us out of great evils, and purified the place. ———————

This passage closes with a confident hope: that God, who has delivered his people before, will have mercy again and gather his scattered people back to himself. In God have we hope, the writer says, that he will soon have mercy upon us, and gather us together out of everywhere under heaven into his holy place; for he delivered us out of great evils. Looking back on how God had saved and restored his people, the writer grounds a confident hope for the future: the God who delivered before will gather his scattered people again. Their hope was not wishful thinking but rested on what God had already done. This shows a hope grounded in God's past faithfulness: that he will gather and restore his scattered people. Hope in God to gather his scattered people again. Past deliverance grounds hope for future gathering. God who delivered before will gather his people again. Our hope of being gathered rests on God's faithfulness.

Notice where the writer's hope rests: in God, and in what God has already done. He does not hope vaguely; he hopes in God, remembering that God had delivered his people out of great evils before, and on that basis trusts that God will have mercy again and gather his scattered people from everywhere under heaven back into his holy place. The past deliverance is the ground of the future hope. This is a model for our own hope. When God's people are scattered, when things are broken and dispersed, we can hope, not with wishful thinking, but in God, on the basis of what he has already done. The God who has delivered and gathered before can be trusted to gather and restore again. Our hope that God will gather what is scattered, restore what is broken, and bring his people home rests on his proven faithfulness. This is a sure hope, grounded not in our optimism but in God's character and past acts. Hope in God to gather his scattered people rests on his faithfulness. The God who delivered before can be trusted to gather again. Our hope of gathering and restoration rests on God's proven character. Hope grounded in God's past acts is sure, not wishful.

That is worth resting in, for we can hope, on the basis of God's past faithfulness, that he will gather his scattered people and restore what is broken. We can despair when God's people are scattered and things are broken, or hope only with vague wishful thinking; but the writer grounded a confident hope in God, remembering that God had delivered before and trusting he would have mercy and gather his people again. God who delivered before will gather again. When things are scattered and broken, hope in God to gather and restore, on the basis of what he has already done. Hope in God to gather his scattered people and restore what is broken, grounding your hope in his past faithfulness rather than in wishful thinking, as the writer, remembering that God had delivered his people out of great evils, hoped that God would soon have mercy and gather them together from everywhere under heaven into his holy place; for when God's people are scattered and things are broken and dispersed, we can despair or hope only vaguely, but the God who has delivered and gathered before can be trusted to gather and restore again, so that our hope of being gathered and our hope that God will restore what is broken rests not on our own optimism but on his proven character and past acts, a sure hope grounded in the faithfulness of the God who delivered before.

Lord, this passage closes with a confident hope: that you, who have delivered your people before, will have mercy again and gather your scattered people back to yourself. In God have we hope, the writer says, that he will soon have mercy upon us, and gather us together out of everywhere under heaven into his holy place; for he delivered us out of great evils. Looking back on how you had saved and restored your people, the writer grounds a confident hope for the future: you who delivered before will gather your scattered people again. Their hope was not wishful thinking but rested on what you had already done. Show me where the writer's hope rests: in you, and in what you have already done. He does not hope vaguely; he hopes in you, remembering that you had delivered your people out of great evils before, and on that basis trusts that you will have mercy again and gather your scattered people back into your holy place. The past deliverance is the ground of the future hope. This is a model for my own hope. When your people are scattered, when things are broken and dispersed, I can hope, not with wishful thinking, but in you, on the basis of what you have already done. You who have delivered and gathered before can be trusted to gather and restore again. This is a sure hope, grounded not in my optimism but in your character and past acts. Take that to my heart, for I can hope, on the basis of your past faithfulness, that you will gather your scattered people and restore what is broken. When things are scattered and broken, keep me from despairing or hoping only vaguely; help me hope in you, Lord, to gather and restore, on the basis of what you have already done, trusting that the God who delivered before will gather again.