Did Jonathan have a living faith that included action? Did Saul vacillate between asking God’s guidance and foolish decisions? Do we? Let’s begin in 1 Samuel 14.
Did Saul’s son Jonathan want to check out an enemy Philistine garrison? Did he choose an easily defensible position between two large rocks?
Now the day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come, and let’s cross over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron. And the people who were with him numbered about six hundred men; and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord at Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. Now between the gorges by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistines’ garrison there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other, Seneh. The one crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba. (1 Samuel 14:1-5 NASB)
Did Jonathan believe that a sign from the Lord would be given?
Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.” (1 Samuel 14:6-10 NIV)
Was Jonathan’s faith proven to be a living faith by his action against the Philistine outpost?
So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.” Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.” Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them. That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land. (1 Samuel 14:11-14 NKJV)
Did Saul make another decision without checking with God?
Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified. Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction. “Call the roll and find out who’s missing,” Saul ordered. And when they checked, they found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone. Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, “Bring the ephod here!” For at that time Ahijah was wearing the ephod in front of the Israelites. But while Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Never mind; let’s get going!” (1 Samuel 14:15-19 NLT)
Did God give Israel victory over the Philistines that day due to Jonathan’s action?
Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle; and behold, they were all striking each other with their swords in very great confusion. Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before and who went up with them into the camp from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. So Yahweh saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over by Beth Aven. (1 Samuel 14:20-23 WEB)
Did Saul make a foolish command that contradicted the needs of weary soldiers?
Now the Israelite soldiers were in a difficult situation that day because Saul had bound the troops by a solemn pledge: “Anyone who eats anything before evening when I have taken revenge on my enemies is doomed.” So none of the army ate anything. The troops came across a honeycomb with honey on the ground. But even when they came across the honeycomb with the honey still flowing, no one ate any of it because the troops were afraid of the solemn pledge. But Jonathan hadn’t heard his father make the people swear the pledge, so he dipped the end of the staff he was carrying into the honeycomb. When he ate some his eyes lit up. Then one of the soldiers spoke up: “Your father bound the troops by a solemn pledge: ‘Anyone who eats food today is doomed.’ That’s why the troops are exhausted.” (1 Samuel 14:24-28 CEB)
Did the Israelites disobey one of the earliest of God’s commands? Was it a command that God gave to Noah and still applies to Christians?
Jonathan said, “My father has caused you a lot of trouble. Look at me! I ate only a little of this honey, but already I feel strong and alert. I wish you had eaten some of the food the Philistines left behind. We would have been able to kill a lot more of them.” By evening the Israelite army was exhausted from killing Philistines all the way from Michmash to Aijalon. They grabbed the food they had captured from the Philistines and started eating. They even killed sheep and cows and calves right on the spot and ate the meat without draining the blood. Someone told Saul, “Look! The army is disobeying the Lord by eating meat before the blood drains out.” “You're right,” Saul answered. “They are being unfaithful to the Lord! Hurry! Roll a big rock over here. (1 Samuel 14:29-33 CEV Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:10-14; Acts 15:29)
Did Saul change his mind and let the men eat, encouraging them to obey God?
And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there. And Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord. (1 Samuel 14:34-35 ESV)
Did Saul at first want to attack without asking God? When persuaded to ask God, did God answer Saul?
Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don’t let even one remain!” “Do whatever you want,” the troops replied. But the priest said, “We must consult God here.” So Saul inquired of God, “Should I go after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?” But God did not answer him that day. (1 Samuel 14:36-37 HCSB)
Did Saul make a rash threat that put his son in danger? Did the people overrule Saul’s rash decision?
Saul said, “All you army officers are to come here to find out what constitutes this sin today. Indeed, as the Lord who delivers Israel lives, even if the sin is with my son Jonathan, he will surely die!” Not a single one of the soldiers answered him. Then he told all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” The people told Saul, “Do what seems good to you.” Then Saul told the Lord God of Israel, “Judge us properly.” Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the army was cleared. Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was selected. Saul told Jonathan, “Tell me what you’ve done.” So Jonathan spoke to him: “I did taste a little honey from the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I’m ready to die!” Saul said, “May God do this to me and even more, if you don’t surely die, Jonathan!” Then the army told Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who brought about this great deliverance in Israel? As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, because today he did this with God’s help.” Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their territory. (1 Samuel 14:38-46 ISV)
Was Israel constantly engaged in military battles under Saul?
So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them. And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them. (1 Samuel 14:47-48 KJV)
Who else were people of note during Saul’s reign over Israel?
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab and the name of the younger Michal. And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. And Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. Now the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul; and Saul would see any mighty man or any man of valor and would gather him to his staff. (1 Samuel 14:49-52 LSB)
Do we also lack wisdom and need God’s guidance? What can we do?
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5 NASB)
Did Jonathan have a living faith that included action? Did Saul vacillate between asking God’s guidance and foolish decisions? Do we? You decide!
