1 Maccabees 9:65-73: a reflection

65Jonathan left his brother Simon in the city, and went out into the country, and he went with a few men. 66He struck Odomera and his kindred, and the children of Phasiron in their tents. 67They began to strike them, and to go up with their forces. Then Simon and those who were with him went out of the city, and set the engines of war on fire, 68and fought against Bacchides, and he was defeated by them. They afflicted him severely; for his counsel and expedition was in vain. 69They were very angry with the lawless men who gave him counsel to come into the country, and they killed many of them. Then he decided to depart into his own land. 70Jonathan learned of this and sent ambassadors to him, to the end that they should make peace with him, and that he should restore to them the captives. 71He accepted the thing, and did according to his words, and swore to him that he would not seek his harm all the days of his life. 72He restored to him the captives which he had taken before out of the land of Judah, and he returned and departed into his own land, and didn’t come any more into their borders. 73Thus the sword ceased from Israel. Jonathan lived at Michmash. Jonathan began to judge the people; and he destroyed the ungodly out of Israel.

After long conflict, Jonathan makes peace with his enemy, exchanges captives, and secures rest for Israel, so that the sword ceases from the land. He accepted the terms and swore not to seek Jonathan's harm all his life, and restored the captives he had taken; and the account concludes, thus the sword ceased from Israel. After much fighting, the way was found to make peace, to end the conflict, to exchange captives and secure rest for the people. The making of peace brought the sword to rest, ending the harm of ongoing conflict. This shows the value of making peace to end conflict and secure rest. Making peace ended the conflict and brought rest. The sword ceased when peace was made. Ending conflict through peace secures rest for people. Peace made brings the sword to rest.

Notice the good that the making of peace accomplished. There had been long and costly conflict; but a way was found to make peace, to agree to terms, to exchange captives, to end the fighting. And the result was that the sword ceased from Israel; the people found rest from the ongoing harm of war. The making of peace was not weakness or defeat but a real good, bringing to an end the destruction and securing rest. This reflects the value of making peace where conflict has been ongoing. Conflict, whether between nations or between people, does real and continuing harm; and the making of peace, the finding of a way to end the fighting and secure rest, is a genuine good, often better than the continuation of conflict. There is a time to seek peace, to end a conflict rather than perpetuate it, to exchange forgiveness and restore what has been taken, so that the sword may cease and rest may come. Blessed are the peacemakers, Jesus said; and the making of peace to end conflict and secure rest is a real good, worth pursuing. Making peace to end conflict is a real good, not weakness. The making of peace ends harm and secures rest. Seek to make peace where conflict has been ongoing. Blessed are the peacemakers who bring the sword to rest.

That is worth taking to heart, for making peace to end conflict and secure rest is a real good, worth pursuing, as the making of peace caused the sword to cease from Israel. We can perpetuate conflict, whether between nations or between people, letting the harm continue; but Jonathan found a way to make peace, to end the fighting and secure rest, so that the sword ceased. Making peace is a real good. Where conflict has been ongoing, seek to make peace, to end the fighting and secure rest, as Jonathan did. Seek to make peace where conflict has been ongoing, to end the fighting and secure rest, as a real good worth pursuing, as Jonathan, after long and costly conflict, made peace with his enemy, exchanged captives, and secured rest for Israel, so that the sword ceased from the land; for conflict, whether between nations or between people, does real and continuing harm, and the making of peace, the finding of a way to end the fighting and secure rest, is not weakness or defeat but a genuine good, often better than the continuation of conflict, so that there is a time to seek peace, to end a conflict rather than perpetuate it, to exchange forgiveness and restore what has been taken, that the sword may cease and rest may come, and as Jesus said, blessed are the peacemakers, so that we do well to seek to make peace where conflict has been ongoing, bringing the sword to rest and securing rest for people.

Lord, after long conflict, Jonathan makes peace with his enemy, exchanges captives, and secures rest for Israel, so that the sword ceases from the land. He accepted the terms and swore not to seek Jonathan's harm all his life, and restored the captives he had taken; and the account concludes, thus the sword ceased from Israel. After much fighting, the way was found to make peace, to end the conflict, and to secure rest for the people. The making of peace brought the sword to rest, ending the harm of ongoing conflict. This shows the value of making peace to end conflict and secure rest. Show me the good that the making of peace accomplished. There had been long and costly conflict; but a way was found to make peace, to agree to terms, to exchange captives, to end the fighting. And the result was that the sword ceased; the people found rest from the ongoing harm of war. The making of peace was not weakness or defeat but a real good. This reflects the value of making peace where conflict has been ongoing. Conflict, whether between nations or between people, does real and continuing harm; and the making of peace, the finding of a way to end the fighting and secure rest, is a genuine good. There is a time to seek peace, to end a conflict rather than perpetuate it, to exchange forgiveness and restore what has been taken. Blessed are the peacemakers, you said. Take that to my heart, for making peace to end conflict and secure rest is a real good, worth pursuing. Where conflict has been ongoing in my life, keep me from perpetuating it; help me seek to make peace, Lord, to end the fighting and secure rest, exchanging forgiveness and restoring what I can, that the sword may cease, as Jonathan made peace and the sword ceased from Israel, and blessed are the peacemakers.