3 Maccabees 3:3-5

The Jews, though, maintained their goodwill and unswerving faith toward the throne. But because they worshiped God and lived by His precepts, they kept themselves separate from others with regard to food, and therefore appeared hateful to some. But they adorned their way of life with the good deeds of righteous people, and thus established themselves as honorable to all men.

Personal Challenge

At this point in time in the Maccabees, the rebellion by the Jews has been thwarted and they are once again under the rule of a foreign nation. They had a history of giving themselves over to foreign gods and then suffering the consequences of separation from their loving God. Don’t we do the same today? Even in the midst of all of that, including threats from the leaders that they are under, this group chooses to live in a way that showed their love for their God, our God, and their commitment to His ways. By doing this, they were perceived as honorable to all men. We too can live this way in this world around us. We can live for Christ and by His teachings. We can love our God and our neighbor, even when it is difficult and different from everyone around us. We can adorn our lives with good deeds in order to glorify God.

2 Maccabees 8:18

“For they trust in arms and bold acts,” he said, “but we trust in Almighty God, who with only one nod is able to overthrow both those who come against us and the entire world.”

Personal Challenge

One of the joys of reading the Old Testament is to see how many times the people of old were rescued or redeemed because they recognized their sin, turned from it, and put their trust in God. Our God is trustworthy, even if we are not. We have come to a point where we put more trust in our government, our job, or the wealth that we have been given by God. All of this is fleeting and not trustworthy. We need to let go of these things of the world and hold onto our God alone. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

2 Maccabees 6:24-28

“For to pretend such things,” he said, “is not worthy of our time of life, lest many of the young should suppose that Eleazar in his ninetieth year has gone over to a foreign religion, and because of my pretense for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they should be led astray through me, while I earn only pollution and defilement in my old age. For even if for the present I should avoid the punishment of men, yet whether I live or die, I shall not escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore by manfully giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age, and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and bravely for the venerable and holy laws.”

After he said this, he went straight to the rack,

Personal Challenge

The days of the Maccabees was a very dark time for the nation of Israel. Israel has been oppressed and occupied by the Hellenists for quite some time now. The Maccabees have risen up from the ranks of Israel and started rebelling against these oppressors who are trying to wipe out their religious beliefs and their worship of their God, JAHWEH. Eleazar, a 90-year-old Maccabean, has been chosen by the Hellenists to publicly reject his God by eating forbidden food. The punishment for not doing this will be death on the rack. Surely, at the age of 90, he has nothing to lose by submitting? However, he knows that it is more important to show the young men coming up behind him the integrity of living a life for God than submitting to the threat of death. Would I do the same? This passage is his final statement of His love for his God and the importance of giving your all for Him. And then he walks up to the rack to give his life as a noble example. Glory be to God in all things.

1 Maccabees 3:18-19

Then Judas said, “It is easy to hem in many at the hands of a few, and it makes no difference before heaven to save with many or with few. For victory in battle does not come from the size of the army, but from the might of heaven.”

Encouraging Words

Do we really believe this as Christians today? Do we believe that the army of heaven that we cannot see, touch, or hear is far more powerful and victorious than any army or power that this world can muster up? I am not sure that we believe this the way that we should, for if we did, our lives and the lives of those around us would be changed forever. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

1 Maccabees 2:50-51

Therefore, children, be zealous for the law, and offer your lives for the covenant of our fathers; and remember the deeds our fathers did in their generations, and receive great honor and an everlasting name.

Personal Challenge

Am I willing to offer my life for the covenant of the fathers that have gone before me? Am I willing to truly give up my life for my God? It is easy to say, “Yes!” to these questions when I am in the comfort of my home, but what will I really say, and do, when the occasion arises where I really need to give my life for Him? If we wait until those dire situations come upon us, it will be too late to make that choice. We are supposed to be offering our lives to Him every moment of every day, which prepares us for that day when we are asked to lay down our lives for Him. Am I being kind and loving toward my neighbor, even that one that is always rude and obnoxious toward me? Do I go that extra mile in everything that I do because I know that I am doing it as unto the Lord? Am I spending time with Him in prayer, worship, and reading His scriptures? Am I serving Him at all times? These are the times that we offer our lives unto our God in order to glorify Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner!

Esther 4:13-16

And Mordecai said to Hathach, “Go and say to Esther, ‘Do not say to yourself that you alone will be saved in the kingdom apart from all the other Jews. For if you choose not to heed this request at this time, help and deliverance for the Jews will arise elsewhere, but you and your father’s house will perish. Besides, who knows whether it is for this occasion you reign as queen?’ ” Then Esther dispatched the one who came to her to Mordecai, saying, “Go and assemble together the Jews in Susa. Fast for me; do not eat or drink for three full days and three full nights. I and my maids will also fast. Then I will go to the king, contrary to the law, even if I am to perish.”

Personal Challenge

The story of Esther and Mordecai is such a testimony to the power of faith and the understanding that God is in the middle of everything that happens in our lives. God does not force us to do anything that we do not choose to do with our own free will. He will orchestrate the events and circumstances around us so that we can be used as His instruments for the glory of His Kingdom, but the final decision to be that instrument is still ours. This passage speaks so well to this orchestration of circumstances and of people that choose to obey God. Mordecai is a Jew and an advisor to King Artaxerxes. Esther is his beautiful niece and the queen chosen by Artaxerxes. The Jews are a conquered people and not liked by the other people of the land. Haman, another advisor to the king has devised a plan to get the king to make a proclamation to kill Mordecai and all of the Jews of the land. Mordecai has petitioned Esther to go before the king and to reveal that she too is a Jew and that Haman has deceived the king. The only problem is that anyone going before the king without an invite from him is put to death. Mordecai reminds Esther that maybe she is the queen because God put her in this position just for this occasion and that she must trust God. But, if she chooses to not do this thing for her people, God will raise up another person to do His work. The rest is His-story. This is a great read about God’s faithfulness to us and the consequences of us being faithful to Him. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Judith 9:11

“For Your might is not in numbers, nor Your power in men who are strong, but You are the God of the lowly; You are the helper of the oppressed, the defender of the weak, the protector of those who are forsaken, the savior of those without hope.”

Encouraging Words

Judith, a young widow, has just finished chastising the leaders, both religious and civic, of her community for devising a plan to test God in the midst of their trial. The trial is a pending attack by the ruthless commander of King Nebuchadnezzar’s army, Holofernes. Now she has devised a plan to rescue the people of Israel from this pending siege. But before she does anything, she prays to her God, the God of Israel, the God of all Christendom, and reminds all of us that all we need to deal with the trials and battles in our lives, is God. He is more powerful than any army or any nation. He is the helper of the oppressed, the defender of the weak, the protector of the forsaken, and the savior of those without hope. He is the one that we can claim as our Abba, our Father. Glory be to God!

Judith 8:24-25

“Now my brothers, let us set an example for our people, for their very lives depend upon us. Furthermore, the sanctuary, the temple, and the altar rest upon us. Besides all this, let us be thankful to the Lord our God, who is testing us just as He did our fathers.”

Personal Challenge

Judith finishes her chastisement of the rulers of Bethulia by encouraging them to be good examples before the members of their community. In all aspects of our lives, whether it be work, our church, our families, or any other group, if we are in positions of leadership and authority, then as Christians we must be leading as examples. We must lead in such a way that those who follow us see Christ in everything we say and do. This is how we can lead others through the tests of life that come our way. Glory be to God!

Judith 8:17

“Therefore, while we await His deliverance, let us call upon Him to help us, and if it pleases Him He will hear our voice.”

Personal Challenge

We are an impatient part of God’s creation. Maybe it is because we were given free will. I don’t know, but I have never met a fellow human being that can easily wait upon God to see how His timeline will unfold. Throughout the scriptures, we are reminded to wait upon God for He knows what is best for us. We are told to trust in Him for He will deliver upon His promises. We know that He is our God and yet we still try to take things into our own hands. No wonder we mess things up so much. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!