1 Maccabees 9:54-64: a reflection

54And in the one hundred fifty-third year, in the second month, Alcimus gave orders to pull down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. He also pulled down the works of the prophets. 55He began to pull down. At that time was Alcimus stricken, and his works were hindered; and his mouth was stopped, and he was taken with a palsy, and he could no more speak anything and give orders concerning his house. 56Alcimus died at that time with great torment. 57Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, and he returned to the king. Then the land of Judah had rest for two years. 58Then all the lawless men took counsel, saying, “Behold, Jonathan and his men are dwelling at ease and in security. Now therefore we will bring Bacchides, and he will capture them all in one night. 59They went and consulted with him. 60He marched out and came with a great army, and sent letters secretly to all his allies who were in Judea, that they should seize Jonathan and those who were with him; but they couldn’t, because their plan was known to them. 61Jonathan’s men seized about fifty of the men of the country who were authors of the wickedness, and he killed them. 62Jonathan, Simon, and those who were with him, went away to Bethbasi, which is in the wilderness, and he built up that which had been pulled down, and they made it strong. 63Bacchides found out about it, and he gathered together all his multitude, and sent orders to those who were of Judea. 64He went and encamped against Bethbasi and fought against it many days, and made engines of war.

After an enemy had torn down part of the sanctuary, and hard times had come, Jonathan and his men set about rebuilding what had been pulled down and making it strong again, persevering in restoration despite continued opposition. Jonathan and those with him went to a place in the wilderness, the account says, and he built up that which had been pulled down, and they made it strong. What enemies had torn down, Jonathan and his men would rebuild; what had been pulled down and left in ruins, they set about restoring and strengthening. And they did this despite continued opposition, even as an enemy gathered forces and came against them. They did not give up the work of rebuilding because of the difficulty and danger; they persevered in restoring what had been torn down. This shows perseverance in rebuilding and restoring what has been torn down, despite opposition. Rebuild and strengthen what has been torn down, persevering despite opposition. What enemies tear down, God's people can set about rebuilding. Do not give up the work of restoration because of difficulty or danger. Persevere in rebuilding what has been ruined, and make it strong.

Notice what Jonathan and his men did in a hard and dangerous time. An enemy had torn down part of the sanctuary, and opposition pressed on them; forces gathered against them. It would have been understandable to give up, to leave the ruins, to abandon the work of rebuilding under such pressure. But instead, Jonathan and his men set about rebuilding what had been pulled down, restoring and strengthening it, making it strong again. And they persevered in this even as the enemy came against them, not letting the difficulty and danger stop the work of restoration. This holds encouragement for the work of rebuilding and restoring. There are times when what is good, what we or others have built, what pertains to God, is torn down, damaged, left in ruins, by enemies, by hardship, by our own failures. And there is a temptation, especially under continued opposition or difficulty, to give up, to leave things in ruins, to abandon the work of rebuilding. But Jonathan and his men show a better way: to set about rebuilding what has been torn down, restoring and strengthening it, and to persevere in this work despite the opposition and difficulty. The work of restoration is worth persevering in, even when it is hard and opposed. We do well to persevere in rebuilding and restoring what has been torn down, not giving up because of difficulty or opposition. Persevere in rebuilding and restoring what has been torn down, despite opposition. Do not give up the work of restoration because it is hard or opposed. What has been ruined can be rebuilt and made strong again. Set your hand to restoration, and persevere in it.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are to persevere in rebuilding and restoring what has been torn down, despite opposition, as Jonathan and his men rebuilt what had been pulled down and made it strong. We can give up the work of restoration under difficulty and opposition; but Jonathan and his men rebuilt the ruins and made them strong even as the enemy came against them. Persevere in rebuilding. When what is good has been torn down, do not leave it in ruins or give up under opposition; set about rebuilding and restoring it, persevering despite the difficulty. Persevere in rebuilding and restoring what has been torn down, not giving up the work of restoration because of difficulty or opposition, as after an enemy had torn down part of the sanctuary and hard times had come Jonathan and his men set about rebuilding what had been pulled down and making it strong again, building up in the wilderness that which had been pulled down and making it strong; for what enemies had torn down Jonathan and his men would rebuild, and what had been pulled down and left in ruins they set about restoring and strengthening, doing this despite continued opposition even as an enemy gathered forces and came against them, not giving up the work of rebuilding because of the difficulty and danger but persevering in restoring what had been torn down, which holds encouragement for the work of rebuilding, since there are times when what is good, what we or others have built, or what pertains to God, is torn down and left in ruins by enemies, hardship, or our own failures, and there is a temptation, especially under continued opposition, to give up and leave things in ruins and abandon the work, but Jonathan and his men show a better way, to set about rebuilding and restoring and strengthening what has been torn down and to persevere in this despite opposition and difficulty, the work of restoration being worth persevering in even when hard and opposed, so that we do well to persevere in rebuilding and restoring what has been torn down.

Lord, after an enemy had torn down part of the sanctuary, and hard times had come, Jonathan and his men set about rebuilding what had been pulled down and making it strong again, persevering in restoration despite continued opposition. Jonathan and those with him went to a place in the wilderness, the account says, and he built up that which had been pulled down, and they made it strong. What enemies had torn down, Jonathan and his men would rebuild; what had been pulled down and left in ruins, they set about restoring and strengthening. And they did this despite continued opposition, even as an enemy gathered forces and came against them. They did not give up the work of rebuilding because of the difficulty and danger; they persevered in restoring what had been torn down. Show me what Jonathan and his men did in a hard and dangerous time. An enemy had torn down part of the sanctuary, and opposition pressed on them; forces gathered against them. It would have been understandable to give up, to leave the ruins, to abandon the work of rebuilding under such pressure. But instead, they set about rebuilding what had been pulled down, restoring and strengthening it. And they persevered in this even as the enemy came against them, not letting the difficulty and danger stop the work of restoration. This holds encouragement for the work of rebuilding and restoring. There are times when what is good, what I or others have built, what pertains to you, is torn down, damaged, left in ruins, by enemies, by hardship, by my own failures. And there is a temptation, especially under continued opposition or difficulty, to give up, to leave things in ruins, to abandon the work of rebuilding. But Jonathan and his men show a better way: to set about rebuilding and restoring what has been torn down, and to persevere in this work despite the opposition. Take that to my heart. When what is good has been torn down, keep me from leaving it in ruins or giving up under opposition; help me set about rebuilding and restoring it, Lord, persevering despite the difficulty, for what has been ruined can be rebuilt and made strong again, and the work of restoration is worth persevering in.