1 Maccabees 6:40-47: a reflection

40A part of the king’s army was spread upon the high hills and some on the low ground, and they went on firmly and in order. 41All who heard the noise of their multitude, the marching of the multitude, and the rattling of the weapons trembled; for the army was exceedingly great and strong. 42Judas and his army drew near for battle, and six hundred men of the king’s army fell. 43Eleazar, who was called Avaran, saw one of the animals armed with royal breastplates, and it was taller than all the animals, and the king seemed to be on it. 44He gave his life to deliver his people, and to get himself an everlasting name. 45He ran upon him courageously into the midst of the phalanx, and killed on the right hand and on the left, and they parted away from him on this side and on that. 46He crept under the elephant, and stabbed it from beneath, and killed it. The elephant fell to the earth upon him, and he died there. 47They saw the strength of the kingdom and the fierce attack of the army, and turned away from them.

In the midst of a battle against overwhelming odds, one man, Eleazar, sees an armored war elephant that seems to carry the king, and makes a decision. He gave his life, the text says, to deliver his people and win himself an everlasting name. He fought his way through the enemy ranks to the elephant, thrust his spear up into it from beneath, and killed it, and the great beast fell on him and crushed him. He died in the act of sacrifice, giving his life for his people.

Notice the shape of Eleazar's act: he laid down his own life to deliver others. It was a deliberate, self-giving sacrifice, going knowingly into death for the sake of his people. There is a costly love in that, the willingness to spend one's own life so that others might be saved. Whatever we make of the battle, the instinct to give oneself for the deliverance of others is one Scripture honors as a great love.

And it points, however faintly, to a greater sacrifice. Jesus said there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends, and he did exactly that, giving his life to deliver his people, not from an army but from sin and death. Eleazar's self-sacrifice is a dim shadow of Christ's. As you consider Eleazar giving his life for his people, let it turn your eyes to Christ, who truly and fully gave his life to deliver you. And let that love shape a willingness in you to spend yourself, in smaller ways, for the good of others.

Lord, Eleazar gave his life to deliver his people, a dim shadow of a greater love. Thank you that Christ truly laid down his life to deliver me, not from an army but from sin and death, the greatest love there is. Let the sight of such sacrifice move me to gratitude, and shape in me a willingness to spend myself, in whatever ways you call, for the good of others. Thank you for the One who gave his life for me.