Jonathan the Faithful Servant
Sermon: Jonathan: The Faithful Servant 1-14-2007
Read 1 Samuel 13-14
The Initiative of Faithful Servant
1 Samuel 13:3
1 Samuel 14:1
The Attitude of the Faithful Servant
1 Samuel 14:6
The Results of Faithful Service
1 Samuel 14:23
Sermón: Jonatan: El Siervo Fiel
Lee 1 Samuel 13-14
La Iniciativa del Siervo Fiel
1 Samuel 13:3
1 Samuel 14:1
La Actitud del Siervo Fiel
1 Samuel 14:6
Los Resultados de Fiel Servicio
1 Samuel 14:23
Sermon: Jonathan: The Faithful Servant
Psalm 16:5 NLT - The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!
GN-How excellent are the Lord’s faithful people! My greatest pleasure is to be w/ them. Para los santos que están en la tierra, Y para los íntegros, es toda mi complacencia.
Read 1 Samuel 13-14
1Sam 8 - Israel rejects God as their king and asks for a human king
1Sam 9-10 – Samuel anoints Saul
1Sam 11 – Saul rescues the city of Jabesh
1Sam 12 – Samuel says goodby
1Sam 13 – 14 the story of Jonathan
1Sam 15 – The Lord rejects Saul as king for his disobedience
1Sam 16 – Samuel anoints David as king
THE INITIATIVE OF FAITHFUL SERVANT
13:3 Saul didn’t tell him to do but he didn’t tell him not to do it
14:1
Spirit inspired initiative
Scripture inspired initiative
ATTITUDE OF THE FAITHFUL SERVANT
14:6
The critic’s list of reasons why this won’t work
Outnumbered……No weapons……Nobody told you to do it
Your not the right person for the task (it should be Saul)
One person can’t make a difference in such a huge problem
RESULTS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE
Things got worse (13:4-22) before Things got better (14:14-23) but God was glorified
EXTRA: Even Faithful servants need support and encouragement
1Sam.14:7 The unnamed armor bearer
EXTRA: Contrast between Jonathan a faithful servant VS Saul an unfaithful servant
Walked by faith (14:6) VS Walked by sight (13:11)
Foolish decisions (14:24-45) @ the honey &
Didn’t wait on for God’ counsel
Lev. 26:7–8 “You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you” Ustedes harán huir a sus enemigos, y ellos caerán a filo de espada ante ustedes; 8cinco de ustedes harán huir a cien, y cien de ustedes harán huir a diez mil; sus enemigos caerán ante ustedes a filo de espada
Deut. 28:7 The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven
El Señor pondrá en tus manos a tus enemigos cuando te ataquen. Avanzarán contra ti en formación ordenada, pero huirán de ti en completo desorden
14:10 unusual manner for determining the will of the Lord
13:9 God would have intervened on Saul’s behalf had he chosen to be faithfully patient
It’s one thing to be victorious when you’re leading an army of over 300,000 men (11:8), but quite another when you have only 600! (v. 15)
If Saul had waited just a few minutes more, everything would have been all right
13:17–18, 23). 1 group went N to Ophrah, 2nd west to Beth-horon, 3rd east to Zeboim, 4th went S to Gibeah (v. 23). no matter which way Israel turned, they would meet the enemy! And yet the Lord was going to use Jonathan to win a great victory, for with God, nothing is impossible.
Jonathan’s thrilling victory in chap 14, contrasted with his father’s sad defeat in chapter 15
JM - 13:1 one year … two years. The original numbers have not been preserved in this text. It lit. reads, “Saul was one year old when he became king and ruled two years over Israel.” Acts 13:21 states that Saul ruled Israel 40 years. His age at his accession is recorded nowhere in Scripture. Probably the best reconstruction of vv. 1, 2 is “Saul was one and (perhaps) thirty years old when he began to reign, and when he had reigned two years over Israel, then Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel … ” 13:2 Michmash. This area was located about 7 mi. NE of Jerusalem. Jonathan. “The Lord has given.” Saul’s firstborn son and heir apparent to the throne was evidently old enough to serve as a commander in Israel’s army at this time, much like David when he slew Goliath (1 Sam. 17:32–37). Gibeah of Benjamin. This city was located 3 mi. N of Jerusalem. It was called Gibeah of Saul in 11:4. 13:3 Geba. This outpost was located about 5 mi. NNE of Jerusalem, 1½ mi. SW of Michmash. blew the trumpet. Saul used the trumpet to summon additional troops for battle. 13:4 an abomination. Israel could expect retaliation from the Philistines for Jonathan’s raid. Gilgal. This is the town of Saul’s confirmation as king by Samuel and the people (11:14, 15). Saul chose Gilgal because of Samuel’s word in 10:8. 13:5 thirty thousand chariots. This is probably a scribal error, since the number is too large for the corresponding horsemen. Three thousand is more reasonable and is found in some OT manuscripts. Michmash. See 13:2. Beth Aven. Lit. “house of nothingness.” It was less than one mi. SW of Michmash. 13:7 Gad and Gilead. Areas E of the Jordan River. all the people followed him trembling. The people were in fear over probable Philistine retaliation.
13:8 seven days … the time set by Samuel. This is a direct reference to Samuel’s word in 10:8. Saul was commanded to wait 7 days to meet Samuel in Gilgal. the people were scattered. Saul’s men were deserting him because of anxiety and fear over the coming battle. 13:9 he offered the burnt offering. Saul’s sin was not specifically that he made a sacrifice (2 Sam. 24:25; 1 Kin. 8:62–64), but that he did not wait for priestly assistance from Samuel. See 10:8. He wished to rule as an autocrat, who possessed absolute power in civil and sacred matters. Samuel had wanted the 7 days as a test of Saul’s character and obedience to God, but Saul failed it by invading the priestly office himself. 13:11 When I saw. Saul reacted disobediently based upon what he saw and not by faith. He feared losing his men and did not properly consider what God would have him do.13:13 You have not kept the commandment. Saul’s disobedience was a direct violation of the command from Samuel in 10:8. your kingdom … forever. How could this be in light of God’s promise to Judah (Gen. 49:10)? This only recognized the Saul was not of Judah as evidenced by his abysmal disobedience. 13:14 a man after His own heart. Instead of Saul, God was going to choose one whose heart was like his own, i.e., one who had a will to obey God. Paul quotes this passage in Acts 13:22 of David (16:7). commander. Someone else, namely David, had already been chosen to be God’s leader over His people.13:15 from Gilgal to Gibeah. This was about a 10 mi. trip westward. Samuel left Saul, realizing that Saul’s kingship was doomed. six hundred men. This indicates the mass departure of the Israelites (v. 6) and gives a perspective on what Saul saw (v. 5). 13:17 raiders … in three companies. Lit. these were “destroyers” in the Philistine army, divided into 3 groups. 13:19 no blacksmith. The Philistines had superior iron and metal-working craftsmen until David’s time (1 Chr. 22:3), accounting for their formidable military force. 13:20 mattock. A pickax to work the ground by hand. 13:21 The Philistines charged a high price to sharpen instruments potentially that could be used against them. 13:22 neither sword nor spear. The Philistines had a distinct military advantage over Israel since they had a monopoly on iron weapons. 13:23 the pass of Michmash. Some of the Philistines had moved out to a pass leading to Michmash.
Locations of Saul’s Military Campaigns
14:1 the other side. Jonathan and his armorbearer left the Israelite camp to approach the Philistine outpost. 14:2 pomegranate tree. These trees are common to Israel’s landscape, normally growing as low shrubs with spreading branches. This may have been a particularly large one. 14:3 Ahijah. “Brother of the Lord.” He was the great-grandson of Eli the High-Priest, another house which had been rejected of the Lord (2:22–36). wearing an ephod. The ephod was a white garment worn by the priests that was attached to the body by a belt. A breastplate worn over the ephod had pouches that were used by the priests to carry certain devices used in determining the will of God, i.e., the Urim and Thummim, or sacred lots. See Ex. 28:5–13. Apparently, Saul chose not to use it for seeking the Lord’s will. 14:4 Bozez … Seneh. Hebrew terms. Bozez may mean “slippery.” Seneh means “thorny.” 14:6 uncircumcised. This was a derogatory term used by the Israelites to describe the Philistines. by many or by few. Jonathan demonstrated the great faith that should have been demonstrated by the king (13:11).
14:10 a sign to us. This was an unusual manner for determining the will of the Lord, but not without similar precedent, Gideon’s fleece (Judg. 6:36–46 but that was to confirm what God has already stated). Jonathan was allowed to determine the will of God by the reaction of his enemies. 14:11 Hebrews. The oldest term used by Gentile nations to refer to the people of Israel. the holes where they have hidden. Many of the Israelites were hiding in fear over the battle. Apparently they thought Jonathan and his armorbearer were Israelite deserters coming to the Philistine side. 14:15 the earth quaked. The earthquake affirms the fact that divine intervention aided Jonathan and his armorbearer in their raid. The earthquake caused a panic among the Philistines. God would have intervened on Saul’s behalf in such a manner had he chosen to be faithfully patient (13:9). 14:18 ark of God. The LXX reads “ephod” instead of “ark,” and this seems more likely since the ark was at Kirjath Jearim and the language of 14:19 better fits the ephod (v. 3) than the ark. See marginal note. 14:19 Withdraw your hand. Saul, in a hurry, ordered the priest to stop the inquiry into the will of the Lord. 14:21 Hebrews. This is a reference to Israelite deserters or mercenaries. 14:22 the mountains of Ephraim. A large and partially wooded area N and W of Michmash. 14:23 So the Lord saved Israel. The writer uses similar language to that of the Exodus. In spite of their disobedient king, God was faithful to deliver Israel from her enemies. Beth Aven. See 13:5. 14:24 were distressed. Saul’s inept leadership failed to provide for the physical needs of his men, leaving them weak and fatigued. Cursed. Saul’s first foolish oath pronounced a curse upon anyone tasting food until the battle was over. The scene fits chronologically after Jonathan’s departure. 14:25 honey on the ground. This was a reference to honeycombs found in the forest (v. 27). 14:27 Jonathan had not heard. Jonathan apparently had departed before Saul made his oath. 14:29 My father has troubled the land. Jonathan saw the foolishness of Saul’s oath and how it actually hurt Israel’s cause instead of helping it. 14:31 Aijalon. This area is located 15 mi. W of Michmash. This would have been a normal path back to the land of the Philistines. 14:32 ate them with the blood. The people were so severely hungry because of the oath (v. 24) that they disobeyed the law by eating the meat raw and not draining the blood (Lev. 17:10–14). 14:35 the first altar. The first and only altar built by Saul mentioned in Scripture. 14:36 Let us draw near to God. Ahijah the priest requested that they first seek the Lord regarding their course of action. 14:37 Saul asked counsel of God. At the request of Ahijah, Saul inquired of the Lord regarding his battle plan. He did not answer him. Because of the sin that Saul had caused in his army, God did not answer his inquiry. This would not be the last time that the Lord would refuse to respond to sinful Saul (28:6). 14:39 as the Lord lives. As an encore to his previous oath, Saul followed with another foolish oath, unknowingly jeopardizing his own son’s life. 14:41 taken. The practice of casting lots was used to distinguish one person or group from another. Jonathan was indicated as the guilty party, though he acted innocently (v. 27).14:44 God do so and more also. Saul, proud and concerned with his own authority and honor, was intent on fulfilling his vow. 14:45 worked with God this day. Jonathan, in stark contrast to his father the king, understood the sufficiency of God for the task and obediently relied on Him for the victory. 14:46 the Philistines went to their own place. The Philistines were left to continue their retreat unhindered. 14:47, 48 Saul’s military accomplishments were significant and expanded Israel’s borders in all directions: to the S (Edom), E (Ammon and Moab), N (Zobah), and W (Philistia). The defeat of the Amalekites is recorded in chap. 15.14:49–51 Saul’s children, Jonathan and Michal, would both play significant roles in the life of the next king, David. Nothing further is known of Saul’s wife or other children mentioned here. 14:50 Abner. A cousin of Saul who commanded his army (1 Sam. 17:55, 59; 20:25; 26:14, 15). 14:52 fierce war. The Philistines’ opposition to Israel was persistent and continual to the very last day of Saul’s life (1 Sam. 31:1–3). strong … valiant man. Saul looked for the good warriors and attached them to his personal force. [yet he tried to kill one of his best, his own son] David was one such man, who would also continue this practice under his rule (2 Sam. 23:8–39)
BKC - 13:1 .If the setting of the reaffirmation of Saul’s kingship and Samuel’s address on that occasion is the first anniversary of his coronation, it may be that the events of this chapter occurred after his second anniversary. This is a possible interpretation of the textually difficult passage translated by the NIV as Saul was 30 years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel 42 years. The Hebrew is literally, “Saul was years old when he began to reign and he reigned two years over Israel.” Obviously a figure has dropped out of the first part of the statement, and the second part cannot mean that he reigned for a total of only two years. Old Testament chronology implies—and Paul in his address at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:21) distinctly teaches—that Saul reigned for 40 years, no doubt a round number but close to the actual figure. There is no reason to think that the number “two” is suspect, however, for all manuscripts and versions retain it. It is only the desire to see 1 Samuel 13:1 as a regular formula for kingship (as in 2 Sam. 2:10; 5:4; 1 Kings 14:21; 22:42; etc.) that leads many scholars to postulate that “40” or some other figure is missing. In the context, however, the historian is not introducing a kingship formula (why do so here, well into Saul’s reign?), but is probably indicating that the Ammonite threat had come in Saul’s first year and now, in his second, the Philistines must be encountered. A problem remains with the first part of the Hebrew statement, “Saul was years old. . . .” Many scholars, following Origen (ca. a.d. 185-254), postulate “30” (so niv). Since Jonathan, Saul’s son, was already grown then and served as a military commander, Saul would have been older than 30. It is more likely that the figure to be supplied is “40” though this too is difficult to reconcile with the description (1 Sam. 9:2) that Saul was, at the time of his anointing, “an impressive young man.” Of course “young” in this latter passage may not be a good translation for the Hebrew bāḥûr, a word that could be rendered “choice.”The best translation of 13:1 would seem to be, “Saul was [40] years old when he began to reign, and he reigned over Israel for two years.” This is further supported by the next verse which begins with a verb in the preterite tense, a construction indicating a close connection with the previous clause. “Saul chose . . . ” (v. 2) implies that after he had reigned for two years Saul began to select and train a regular army, not the larger militia he had used previously.13:2-15. Having learned from his recent experience with the Ammonites, Saul set about to create a standing army of 3,000 trained troops—2,000 under his direct control and 1,000 under his son Jonathan. These he stationed at Micmash and Gibeah respectively, in order to avert Philistine attacks. After a preliminary encounter at Geba, halfway between Micmash and Gibeah, the Philistines (with 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers and innumerable foot soldiers) pushed the Israelite troops eastward all the way to Gilgal (vv. 3-7). This is the first of Israel’s three major battles with the Philistines in Saul’s reign (17:1-54; 31:1-6). (Though the Heb. reads “30,000 chariots,” this is problematic because this would mean 5 chariots for every charioteer. The Heb. words for “30,000” and for “3,000” look almost alike. The one could easily be mistaken for the other when the text was being copied. Perhaps this suggests that the text of 1 Sam. has suffered a bit in transmission.)There Saul waited for Samuel to come and offer sacrifice (13:8) as he had been told to do two years earlier (10:8; 13:1-2). But on the seventh day, the day Samuel was to arrive, Saul could wait no longer and unlawfully took on himself the priestly task of offering community sacrifice. Then Samuel came and when he knew that Saul had taken liberties by offering the sacrifice, he rebuked him with the words, You acted foolishly. Because of this deed, Samuel said, Saul’s dynasty would come to an end (Your kingdom will not endure), and that of another man would take its place, a man after God’s own heart. The severity of God’s judgment on Saul must be seen in the light of God’s holiness. As in the instance of the people’s careless handling of the ark at Beth Shemesh, so Saul had now violated the holy standards of the Lord by disobeying the Law of Moses (Lev. 6:8-13) and the word of His Prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 10:8). That there was the possibility of the eternal duration of Saul’s dynasty is clear from 1 Samuel 13:13, but this in no way teaches that the rise of David’s dynasty was contingent on the fall of Saul’s. All Samuel said was that Saul’s kingship would end and someone else’s would begin. 13:16-18. Having taken Geba from the Philistines (v. 3), Saul and . . . Jonathan, after the incident with Samuel at Gilgal, were once again attacked by the Philistines from Micmash. The latter divided themselves into three companies of raiding parties, one of which turned north of Micmash toward Ophrah, the second southwest toward Beth Horon, and the third east toward . . . Zeboim (the Jordan Valley). The rest of the overconfident Philistine army remained at Micmash. 13:19-23. This parenthetical note explains that the Israelites were at a big disadvantage because they were not skilled in the manufacture and use of iron; the Philistines had kept them from metallurgy for fear the Israelites would make swords and spears. The Philistines had apparently learned sophisticated metallurgy from the Hittites or other Anatolian peoples with whom they had come in contact as part of the Sea People’s migration from the Aegean Sea area to Canaan around 1200 b.c. Israel had to depend on the Philistines for iron weapons and tools (v. 20). In wartime such services were not available, so only Saul and . . . Jonathan had iron weapons (v. 22). jonathan’s peril 14:1-14. With the resumption of the skirmish against the Philistines, Saul camped near the capital Gibeah (v. 2), with about 600 men. But Jonathan undertook a secret mission into the enemy camp itself near Micmash. On the way Jonathan and his armor-bearer passed between two cliffs named Bozez and Seneh (v. 4). As they came through the narrow crevice they were spotted by the Philistines, who challenged them to a contest (v. 12). Having undertaken his mission with confidence in the Lord (vv. 6, 10), Jonathan knew that he and his servant would prevail. Together they killed some 20 of the enemy in a small field. 14:15-23. Jonathan’s heroic encounter shocked and frightened the Philistines. Saul’s lookout could see the enemy in flight. Knowing that this must have come about because of some Israelite involvement, the king checked to determine who among his troops had undertaken this independent action. Jonathan and his armor-bearer were missing.
Meanwhile Ahijah the priest (v. 3) came bearing the ark of the Lord (vv. 18-19). It was still housed at Kiriath Jearim (7:1) but as a symbol of the presence of the Lord, it was summoned by Saul to the battle. When Saul saw that the Philistines were in total disarray, he ordered Ahijah to withdraw his hand (from the sacred lots, the Urim and Thummim, 14:19; Ex. 28:29-30; 1 Sam. 14:40-42). The will of God was now clear so Saul, with Israelite defectors and refugees, achieved a great triumph (vv. 20-23). 14:24-48. Prior to this Saul had commanded all his men to fast until they had defeated the Philistines. As hungry as they were in the battle, they refused to eat anything, even some honey in the forest, for they feared the curse that attended their vow to fast. Jonathan had not known of the vow, so when he came across the honey he ate it and was immediately refreshed (his eyes brightened; v. 29). The rest of Saul’s army was so famished that after the victory they took the Philistine animals, slaughtered them, and ate them without proper draining of the blood (vv. 32-33; Lev. 17:10-14). This so alarmed Saul that he hastily built an altar on which to offer a propitiatory sacrifice to the Lord (1 Sam. 14:35). Saul then determined to pursue and plunder the Philistines further but could not get an answer from the Lord (v. 37). This meant to Saul that someone had violated the fast, and by means of the lot (the Urim and Thummin, vv. 41-42; v. 19) he discovered it was his own son Jonathan. Only the interposition of Saul’s men prevented Jonathan’s execution (v. 45). The major campaigns of Saul are listed in verses 47-48 and include victories over Moab, Ammon, Edom . . . Zobah (the Arameans), the Philistines, and even the Amalekites, though his success over the latter was tempered by his lack of complete obedience to God ( 15:20-23). 14:49-52. The royal family consisted of Saul; his wife Ahinoam; his three sons . . . Jonathan, Ishvi (not the same as Ish-Bosheth or Esh-Baal; 1 Chron. 10:2 where Ishvi is the same person as Abinadab), and Malki-Shua; his daughters Merab and Michal (David’s first wife; 1 Sam. 18:27); and Abner, who served as Saul’s commander of thearmy. Ishvi is probably not the same as Ish-bosheth because Ish-bosheth was apparently Saul’s youngest son born after Saul began to reign. For that reason he is not listed in 1 Samuel 14:49 but is listed in the total list of Saul’s sons in 1 Chronicles 8:33 ( 2 Sam. 2:8). According to 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39 Ner was Saul’s grandfather (Ner’s son was Kish and Kish’s son was Saul), but in 1 Samuel 14:50 Ner appears to be Saul’s uncle and Abner his cousin. In 1 Chronicles Abner, though not mentioned, would be Saul’s uncle, for Abner was Ner’s son (1 Sam. 14:50). This seeming contradiction is eliminated by the Hebrew of 1 Samuel 14:50b, which says literally, “Abner son of Ner, uncle of Saul,” with the understanding that the ambiguous “uncle of Saul” refers not to Ner but to Abner. Charted, this relationship was as follows:
Wiersbe - A king’s irresponsibility (1 Sam. 13:1–14) The narrative in chapters 13–15 focuses on Saul’s early reign, especially his relationship to God and to Samuel. We see Saul making foolish and unwise decisions and trying to cover his disobedience with lies. It was the beginning of that tragic decline that ended in a witch’s house and Saul’s suicide on the battlefield. At chapter 16, David will come on the scene and the book will describe Saul’s deepening conflict with God, himself, and David. We can trace the downward steps in his tragic failure.
Pride (1 Sam. 13:1–4). Saul had reigned two years when he began to establish a standing army. Over 300,000 men had volunteered to deliver the people of Jabesh Gilead (11:8), but Saul chose only 3,000 and divided them between himself and his son Jonathan. Saul’s camp was at Michmash and Jonathan’s was about fifteen miles away in Gibeah. The fact that Israel was mustering an army put the Philistines on the alert. They had garrisons in different parts of the country and monitored the situation carefully.It is as a brave and victorious soldier that Jonathan is introduced to us. When he attacked and defeated the Philistine outpost at Geba, it was a declaration of war, and the Philistines were quick to respond. This was the beginning of Israel’s war of liberation, although it wasn’t finished until after David became king. But who blew the trumpet and seemed to take the credit for the victory? Saul, son of Kish! As commander-in-chief, he was calling for more men, because he knew that many battles lay ahead, but we wish he had given proper credit to his courageous son. Why did Saul call his fellow Israelites “the Hebrews” instead of “men of Israel”? The name may have come from Abraham’s ancestor Eber (Gen. 10:21), or perhaps from the word meaning “to cross over.” The ancestors of Abraham were those who “crossed over the River Euphrates” (Josh. 24:2–3). Canaan was “the land of the Hebrews” (Gen. 40:15); the Egyptians would not eat with “the Hebrews” (43:32); an Egyptian “beat one of the Hebrews” (Ex. 2:11). In Scripture, the word is used primarily by foreigners speaking to or of the Jews, or by the Jews speaking to foreigners about themselves. You get the impression that the word “Hebrew” was often used as a term of contempt. Did Saul not have respect for his people? Whatever reason he had for using the word, his command was clear: gather together at Gilgal, the place that Samuel had appointed (1 Sam. 10:8ff).
Unbelief and impatience (1 Sam. 13:5–9). The Philistine forces gathered at Michmash, less than twenty miles west of Gilgal, and it was obvious that Saul and his army were greatly outnumbered. Saul’s men began to hide and even deserted the army by crossing the river, and those who remained were paralyzed with fright. As Samuel had commanded, Saul waited for seven days (10:8), and the longer he waited, the more concerned he became. His army was melting away, the enemy was mobilizing, and the situation was hopeless. Why did Samuel tarry? Was he deliberately trying to make Saul fail, or was he just reminding the new king who was still in control? Samuel had nothing to gain if Saul failed on the battlefield, and Samuel knew that God was in control, even in the appointment of the new king. Further-more, this meeting had been planned some two years before (v. 8), and no doubt Samuel had reminded Saul of it more than once. This rendezvous was the Lord’s way of testing Saul’s faith and patience. Without faith and patience, we can’t receive what the Lord promises (Heb. 6:12), and unbelief and impatience are marks of spiritual immaturity (James 1:1–8). Until we learn to trust God and wait on His timing, we can’t learn the other lessons He wants to teach us, nor can we receive the blessings He’s planned for us. Saul may have been handsome, strong, and taller than the other men, but if he didn’t have a heart that was right with God, he didn’t have anything. It’s one thing to be victorious when you’re leading an army of over 300,000 men (1 Sam. 11:8), but quite another thing when you have only 600! (v. 15) But this is where faith comes in. Saul didn’t want to go into the battle without first offering a sacrifice to the Lord, which in itself may have been a subtle form of superstition, like carrying the Ark into the battle. Later Samuel would remind Saul that God seeks obedience and not sacrifice (15:22). Without waiting for God’s appointed priest, Saul offered the sacrifice, and just then Samuel arrived in the camp. If Saul had waited just a few minutes more, everything would have been all right; but his impatience cost him dearly.
Deception (1 Sam. 13:10–12). As Saul decays in character, we shall see him deceiving himself and others more and more. His first deception at Gilgal occurred when he greeted Samuel cordially and expected Samuel to give him a blessing. Saul was playing the hypocrite and acting as though he had done nothing wrong. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6). His second lie consisted in blaming Samuel and the soldiers and not himself. It was Samuel’s fault for arriving late and the army’s fault for deserting their king. His words, “I saw” indicate that Saul was walking by sight and not by faith. He lied a third time when he said that he had to force himself to offer the sacrifice. Could he not have “forced himself” to pray or to call together some of the officers to beseech the Lord for His help? The will is the servant of the mind and heart, but Saul’s thinking and desiring were totally out of the will of God. People who are good at making excuses are rarely good at anything else, and those who are quick to blame others shouldn’t complain if others blame them. When God confronted our first parents with their sin, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, but neither Adam nor Eve said humbly, “I have sinned.” Throughout his career, King Saul was adept at minimizing his own sins and emphasizing the faults of others, but this isn’t the way a man of God leads God’s people.
Folly (1 Sam. 13:13–14). It was foolish of Saul to think that he could disobey God and get away with it, and that his disobedience could bring God’s blessing on himself and his army. “Let us do evil that good may come” (Rom. 3:8) is the logic of hell, not the law of heaven. He was foolish to conclude that the sacrifice of a king at the wrong time was as good as the sacrifice of a priest at the right time. He was foolish to walk by sight and not by faith in God’s promise, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). Saul had the same kind of superstitious faith that Eli’s sons had when they carried the Ark on the battlefield. He knew nothing of “the obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:26). Saul’s pride, impatience, disobedience, deception were all seen and judged by the Lord, and Samuel announced the sentence: the crown would eventually be taken from Saul and given to another, in this case, David. Saul would continue as king, but he would not establish a lasting dynasty, and none of his sons would succeed him and rule over Israel. But even if Saul had not sinned, how could his dynasty continue “forever” (1 Sam. 13:13) when Saul was from the wrong tribe and God had already chosen David to be king of Israel? One answer is that Saul’s eldest son, Jonathan, could have served with David, which in fact is what David and Jonathan had planned (20:31, 42; 23:16–18). Of course, the Davidic dynasty would have established the Messianic line, but someone from Saul’s family would have served in court with the Davidic king. Saul’s sin at Gilgal cost him the dynasty, and his sin involving the Amalekites cost him the kingdom. He eventually lost his crown and his life (see 15:16–34, especially 23, 27–29; 16:1). God wanted a king with a heart that was right toward God, a man with a shepherd’s heart, and He found that kind of heart in David (13:14; Pss. 78:72; 89:20; Acts 13:22). “This man [Saul] in his governing of Israel was a warrior and nothing more,” said G. Campbell Morgan; “he was never a shepherd.” But David had a shepherd’s heart, because the Lord was his Shepherd (Ps. 23:1). David was under authority, so he had the right to exercise authority.
An army’s insecurity (1 Sam. 13:15–23) Saul had failed miserably, but in chapter 14 we will read about Jonathan’s great success as a commander. This passage describes the sad condition of the army of Israel, which reveals how poor Saul’s leadership was and how remarkable Jonathan’s victory was. Saul walked by sight and had little faith, but Jonathan walked by faith and did exploits for the Lord.
A dwindling army (1 Sam. 13:15–16). Saul had mustered over 300,000 men to rescue the people of Jabesh Gilead and then had cut it down to 3,000, but now his forces numbered only 600. The Philistine army was “as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude” (v. 5), a simile also used for the army Gideon faced (Judg. 7:12)—and Saul’s army was twice as large as Gideon’s! The difference wasn’t so much the size of the army as the strength of the leader’s faith. Gideon trusted God for victory and God honored him; Saul disobeyed God and God punished him. Saul had mustered that huge army by means of fear (1 Sam. 11:7), so when his men began to fear the enemy instead of the king, they began to desert the camp and go to places of safety. Jonathan knew that the Lord didn’t need great numbers to accomplish His purposes (14:6), but He did honor great faith.
A threatened army (1 Sam. 13:17–18, 23). The Philistines repeatedly sent out “raiding parties” to protect the roads and passes that the Jews might use if they attacked, and at the same time the Philistines kept any residents from helping the Jewish army. There were 3 such groups: one went N toward Ophrah, a 2nd west to Beth-horon, and the 3rd east toward Zeboim. A 4th detachment went south toward Gibeah to prevent the Jewish army from moving up to Geba (v. 23). With all these Philistine soldiers moving about in the area, what hope was there for the Jews? No matter which way Israel turned, they would meet the enemy! And yet the Lord was going to use Jonathan and his armor-bearer to win a great victory, for with God, nothing is impossible.
A deprived army (1 Sam. 13:19–22). It was bad enough that Saul lacked men, but it was even worse that his men were not properly equipped. When the Philistines moved in and subjected the land of Israel to their rule, they deported all the ironworkers so that the Jews couldn’t make weapons or even repair their farm implements. They even had to pay exorbitant prices to have their implements sharpened. The Benjamites were skilled at using slings (Judg. 20:15–16), but slings were not practical in close combat, and what about the vast number of Philistine chariots? The Jewish army was small in number and had small supplies of weapons, but they had a great God, if only they would trust Him. All of this sets the stage for Jonathan’s thrilling victory described in chapter 14, and that is contrasted with his father’s sad defeat in chapter 15.In the way it functions or doesn’t function, the church of Jesus Christ today may sometimes resemble Saul’s army, but if we do, it’s our own fault. Through His great work on the cross, our Lord has defeated every enemy, and His power is available to His people. We have the armor and the weapons we need (Eph. 6:10ff), and His Word tells us all we need to know about the strategy of the enemy and the resources we have in Christ. All He asks is that we trust Him and obey His orders, and He will help us win the battle.“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Eph. 6:10) for “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam. 17:47).
A Foolish Vow and a Lame Excuse Our task isn’t an enjoyable one as we watch the character of King Saul steadily deteriorate. He has already demonstrated his unbelief and impatience (chap. 13), and now he will reveal further his disobedience and dishonesty. Saul’s history will climax with the king visiting a witch and then committing suicide on the battlefield. Sir Walter Scott was right when he wrote in his poem “Marmion,”O what a tangled web we weave When first we practice to deceive!These chapters teach us three powerful lessons that we must heed and obey if we want the blessing of God on our lives and service.
1. Faith in God brings victory. (1 Sam. 14:1–23) The focus in this chapter is on Jonathan, Saul’s oldest son, who had won the first major battle against the Philistines, but his father had taken the credit (13:1–7). It’s a remarkable blessing of the grace of God that a man like Saul should have a son so magnificent as Jonathan. He was a courageous warrior (2 Sam. 1:22), a born leader, and a man of faith who sought to do the will of God. As the account progresses, it becomes clear that Saul is jealous of Jonathan and his popularity, and this jealousy increases when Jonathan and David became devoted friends.
Jonathan initiates the attack (1 Sam. 14:1–15). The Philistines had sent a detachment of soldiers to establish a new outpost to guard the pass at Michmash (13:23), and Jonathan saw this as an opportunity to attack and see the Lord work. Saul was hesitating in unbelief (14:2) while his son was acting by faith. God had called Saul to begin Israel’s liberation from the Philistines, but most of the time he only followed up on what others started. In spite of all that the Lord had done for him and all that Samuel had taught him, Saul was not a man of faith who trusted the Lord and sought to glorify Him. Saul had a priest of the Lord attending him, a man named Ahijah from the rejected line of Eli (v. 3), but the king never waited for the Lord’s counsel (vv. 18–20). Saul is a tragic example of the popular man of the world who tries to appear religious and do God’s work, but who lacks a living faith in God and a heart to honor Him. Unfortunately, church history records the lives of too many gifted people who “used God” to achieve their own purposes, but in the end abandoned Him and ended life in disgrace. WHY DIDN’T JONATHAN TELL HIS FATHER THAT HE HAD A PLAN TO ROUT THE ENEMY? Because Saul in unbelief would have vetoed such a daring venture of faith, and Jonathan had no desire to disagree with him at such a crucial time. Jonathan may have been insubordinate to his father and commander-in-chief, but his plan was still the wisest approach to take. With their false sense of security, the Philistine troops at the new outpost wouldn’t be afraid of a couple of Jews who managed to cross the pass and climb the cliffs. Maybe the guards would see them as two Jewish men who wanted to desert the Hebrew army and find refuge with the enemy. Jonathan wasn’t about to let the enemy attack first. You can’t help but admire Jonathan’s faith in the Lord. Perhaps as he climbed the rocks, he meditated on God’s promises of victory stated in the covenant. “You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you” (Lev. 26:7–8; see Deut. 28:7 The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven). Action without promises is presumption, not faith, but when you have God’s promises, you can go forward with confidence. Jonathan may also have been thinking of Gideon when he told his armor-bearer, “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few” (1 Sam. 14:6; Judg. 6–7). “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) But Jonathan’s plan of attack differed from Gideon’s in at least two ways: It was not a surprise attack at night, and he and his armor-bearer deliberately let themselves be seen by the Philistine guards. It was the guards’ response that would give Jonathan the guidance he needed. Should Jonathan wait for the Philistines to come over or should he go over and meet them on their own ground? When the two men disclosed themselves to the enemy, the Philistines only laughed and mocked them. They treated them like frightened animals that had emerged from their burrows or like soldiers who were deserting the Hebrew cause and joining the Philistine army.This kind of arrogant self-confidence was exactly what Jonathan wanted to see, because this gave him and his armor-bearer opportunity to get close to the guards before attacking. Who would fear one soldier and his armor-bearer? But these two men had Almighty God on their side! “One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised” (Josh. 23:10). The two courageous Jews quickly killed twenty men, and then the Lord honored their faith by sending an earthquake, “a very great trembling”! “But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed” (Deut. 7:23). Terror and confusion gripped the enemy camp and prepared the way for a great victory of the army of Israel.
Saul watches the battle (1 Sam. 14:16–19). Saul and his 600 men were back at Gibeah where Saul lived, and the watchmen on the walls could see the Philistine forces retreating and couldn’t explain why. Did part of the Israeli army plan a sneak attack without Saul’s permission? Who was missing? Jonathan and his armor-bearer! This was the second time that Jonathan had acted on his own (13:3), and it probably irritated Saul that his own son should be so independent. As we study the life of Saul, we will see more and more evidence that he was what some people call a “control freak.” He envied other people’s success, he was suspicious of any strategy he didn’t originate or at least approve, and he was ruthless when it came to removing people who challenged his leadership or exposed his folly. Saul asked the priest to bring him the Ark of the Lord and probably also the ephod. He was probably planning to take the Ark to the battlefield with the army, a foolish tactic that had brought judgment in Eli’s day (chap. 4); and the priest could use the ephod to determine God’s will in the matter. But the priest never had a chance to determine God’s will, for when Saul heard the noise of the battle increasing, he interrupted the divine proceedings and made his own decision. Once again, Saul’s impatience and self-confidence got the best of him and he acted without knowing God’s will or receiving God’s blessing (Deut. 20:4 For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."). He was desperately anxious to prove himself as good a soldier as Jonathan and he desperately wanted to avenge himself against his enemies (1 Sam. 14:24). It was to fulfill his own personal agenda, not to honor God, that he rushed into the battle spiritually unprepared.
Israel enters the battle (1 Sam. 14:20–23). As Saul and his army moved toward the battlefield, they were joined by Israelites who had deserted to the enemy camp (v. 21) and by men who had fled the battle and hidden away (v. 22). We wonder what kind of soldiers these quitters turned out to be. The fact that Saul accepted these men may indicate that he was trusting his army and not trusting the Lord. Six hundred soldiers don’t make a large army, so he welcomed even the weakest man to return. Yet in a few hours, Saul would be willing to kill his own son for eating some honey and breaking his father’s foolish vow! Saul’s emotional unbalance and contradictory thinking will show up again and again and do great damage to the kingdom. One day he will rush ahead like the horse, and the next day he will hold back like the mule (Ps. 32:9). It was not Saul and his army who won the battle, but the Lord who used Jonathan and his armor-bearer (1 Sam. 14:23, see vv. 6, 12, and 45). The Israelite army followed the Philistines for the next fifteen miles, from Michmash to Beth Aven, and the Lord enabled them to defeat the enemy. But Saul had joined the battle so late, and his men were so weak and famished, that he couldn’t achieve the kind of victory that would have been decisive (v. 30). One of the marks of a true leader is knowing when to act, and Saul had wasted time watching the battle from a distance and failing to seek the mind of the Lord.
Foolish words bring trouble. (1 Sam. 14:24–52) The spiritual conditions of our hearts are revealed not only by the actions we perform but also by the words we speak. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). When you read King Saul’s words recorded in Scripture, they often reveal a heart controlled by pride, foolishness, and deceit. He would say foolish things just to impress people with his “spirituality,” when in reality he was walking far from the Lord.
A foolish vow (1 Sam. 14:24–35). Saul’s heart was not right with God and he foolishly forced his army to agree to a vow of fasting until evening (v. 24). He didn’t impose this fast because it was the will of God but because he wanted his soldiers to think he was a man wholly dedicated to the Lord. But this command was only more evidence of Saul’s confused and superstitious faith. He thought that their fasting plus the presence of the Ark would impress the Lord and He would give them victory. But Jonathan and his armor-bearer were already enjoying victory without either the Ark or the fast! No sensible commander would deprive his troops of food and energy while they were fighting the enemy. If the Lord commands it, then He would give the strength needed, but God gave Saul no such commission. Moses had fasted for forty days and nights when he was on the mountain with the Lord (Ex. 34:28), for the Lord sustained him. But Saul’s soldiers were “distressed” (1 Sam. 14:24), “faint” (v. 28), and “very faint” (v. 31) because of this unnecessary fast. When we obey God’s commands, we walk by faith, but when we obey unnatural human regulations, we only tempt the Lord. The first is confidence but the second is presumption. All of us need to heed the admonition given in Eccl. 5:2—“Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God” When Jonathan and his armor-bearer joined the Israelite army in their march, they knew nothing about the king’s foolish command, and Jonathan ate some honey from a honeycomb that had dropped to the ground. Then one of the soldiers told him that his father had put a curse on any soldier who ate any food that day. Why hadn’t somebody warned Jonathan sooner? Perhaps they hoped that his innocent “disobedience” would open the way for all of them to eat! We wonder if Saul wasn’t deliberately putting his son’s life in jeopardy. However, Jonathan wasn’t too worried, and he even dared to admit that his father’s leadership had brought trouble to the land (v. 29). Saul’s foolish vow not only weakened the soldiers physically and hindered their ability to pursue the enemy, but it also created in the men an abnormal craving for food. When the sun set and ushered in a new day, the vow was no longer in force, and the men acted like animals as they fell on the spoils, killing the sheep and oxen and eating the meat with the blood. When Jews slaughtered their animals, they were required to drain out the blood before preparing the meat, for blood was never to be used as food (Lev. 3:17; 7:26; 17:10–14; 22:28; Deut. 12:23–24; see Gen. 9:4). A truly spiritual vow brings out the best in people, but Saul’s carnal vow brought out the worst. As he often did, the king assumed “spiritual leadership” and commanded the men to bring the animals to a great rock to be slain and the blood easily drained out. He then built an altar so that the animals could be offered as fellowship offerings (Lev. 3; 7:11–34), parts of which the people were allowed to eat in a fellowship feast. Saul was feebly trying to turn a gastronomical orgy into a worship service, but he didn’t succeed too well. The men were famished and more interested in eating than in worshiping the Lord.
A foolish judgment (1 Sam. 14:36–52). Surely Saul realized that his delay at Gibeah and the imposing of the foolish vow had already cost the Israelites a great victory, so he tried to make amends. He decided to move the army that very night and be ready to surprise the Philistines early the next morning. The army gave no resistance, but Ahijah the priest wisely suggested that they pause long enough to seek the will of the Lord. We aren’t told what method Ahijah used to ascertain God’s will, but whatever it was, God didn’t answer. Even though Saul was not a godly man, his oath made in the Lord’s name was legitimate; and if the Lord had ignored it, He would have dishonored His own name. Furthermore, the Lord was using this event to rebuke Saul as well as to honor Jonathan. Saul would discover that his men loved Jonathan and were prepared to defend him. Saul already knew that Jonathan had been missing from the ranks (v. 17) and therefore he assumed that his son knew nothing about the vow. But if he had learned about the vow and still violated it, that made him an even greater sinner. Either way, Jonathan would be guilty and could be slain. We get the impression that Saul was almost determined that he would demote or destroy his own son, and it’s clear that Jonathan didn’t agree with his father’s policies and practices. Hence, Saul made another oath (v. 39), and because his heart wasn’t right nor his motive holy, he was taking the Lord’s name in vain (Ex. 20:7). This time they cast lots and the lot pointed to Saul and Jonathan. The second lot fell upon Jonathan. God could have changed the results (Prov. 16:33), but He wanted to bring the whole thing out in the open and humiliate King Saul, whose pride had caused the problem to begin with. The people praised Jonathan, not Saul, as the man who had brought the great victory to Israel, and if the Lord had used Jonathan in such a wonderful way, why should he be executed? By the time this matter was settled, it was too late to follow the Philistine army, so Saul and his men retreated. The victory did send the Philistines back home for a time, but they repeatedly threatened Israel (1 Sam. 14:52). This victory did enhance Saul’s reputation and helped him consolidate his kingdom. In verses 47–48 and 52, the writer summarizes some of Saul’s major victories and informs us that he drafted every good man he met. The facts about the royal family are summarized in vv. 49–51, but when they are compared with other texts (1 Sam. 9:2; 2 Sam. 21:8; 1 Chron. 8:29–33; 9:39), they reveal some problems. Saul’s grandfather was Abiel and his father Kish (1 Sam. 9:1–2). Ner was his uncle and Abner (“son of Ner”) was captain of the army (14:51). Only three sons are mentioned (Jonathan, Ishvi, and Mal-chishua), while later texts speak also of Abinadab and Esh-Baal (1 Chron. 8:33; 9:39). He had two daughters, Merab and Michel, and all of these children were by his wife Ahinoam. His concubine Rizpah bore him Armoni and Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 21:8).
Jonathan, Malchishua and Abinadab all died with their father at Gilboa (1 Sam. 31:1–2), and Abner made Ish-bosheth king (2 Sam. 2:8ff). Ish-bosheth is probably the Esh-Baal of 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39, for it wasn’t unusual for Jewish men to have more than one name. But what happened to Ishvi? Was this also another name for Esh-Baal (Ish-bosheth), for the two names are not found together in any text. If so, then Saul had four sons by Ahinoam—Jonathan, the eldest, and then Ishhvi/Esh-Baal/Ish-bosheth, Malachishua, and Abinadab. Since the eldest and two youngest sons were killed in battle, this left Ish-Bosheth/ Ishvi/Esh-Baal, Saul’s second-born, to claim the crown. Of course, it’s possible that Ishvi had died earlier, and this would have left Esh-Baal/Ish-bosheth to reign, or if Esh-Baal died, then Ishvi/Ish-bosheth survived to rule briefly.
David Jeremiah sermons
Principle of prior consecration (2Cor.8:5)….a reflection of having given myself
One acre in the middle of 99 illustration
Principle of proper motivation (2Cor.9:7) cf exod 25: giving willingly; 1chron29:9; Phil.4:10
Lady who saw nail pierced hand of Jesus when the usher came by
Principle of Personal Responsability (1Cor.16: from the resurrection end of chap.15 to the collection at beg of chap 16:1f) resurrection and giving are just as spiritual
Mk.12:41-44 = Last public act of Jesus public ministry was a record of Herod’s temple giving example (Tue of Passion week, he spent the last day at the Temple). 13 treasuries in court of women where Heb could go, each treasury. Had alphabet letter of Heb alphabet, tall box out of which came a trumpet…1/2 of 38 parable, 15% of Jesus’ words are on stewardship. No OT came empty handed…they understood the essence of worship was to give back what had been entrusted….historians say 9 treasuries for required gifts, 4 for freewill offerings….if Jesus watched their giving then, he also watches our giving today… behold (from where we get “theater”)…what we do is our own business attitude is wrong because it is God’s business and watches what we do with it…what does God look for when he watches the treasury giving… hiding behind having much and hiding behind having little …he sees the affluence from which we give and the amount we give …. 1/128th of a day pay (dinarius)
A woman gave 50…the pastor said if this check represents you ….Gave 500…same reply of pastor….then she gave 50,000 same reply of the pastor….
They gave out of their surplus, she gave out of her life….God evaluates our giving by what we have (left), not by what we give…10,000 …20,000….30,000 the % decreases as people make more.. the test of prosperity is greater than the test of persecution…Amos text: