All It Takes is a Few

Preliminary:

Read 1 Sam 14:1-23

1 Samuel 14:1–23 KJV 1900

1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father. 2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; 3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. 4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. 6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. 7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. 8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. 9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. 10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us. 11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. 12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him. 14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. 15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. 17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there. 18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. 19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand. 20 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. 21 Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven.

Introduction:

We find Saul and his army oppressed and harassed by the Philistines.

Some of this could have been due to Saul’s disobedience of the previous chapter.

Saul had only been king about a year and Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines in Geba and that only made the Philistines mad - they became an “abomination” to them and they gathered to fight them at Michmash

Here is what the Bible says,

1 Samuel 13:5 KJV 1900

5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven.

This made the people afraid - and rightly so -

you see the people didn’t have any way to defend themselves.

I don’t like to get on politics - but can I just say we have a protected right to own and bear arms.

Now not everyone has to - but it is our right if we chose to - and its not for hunting.

Ok - now that I’ve said my piece...

You get down to 1 Sam 13:19 you find that there was no smith in all of Israel - they either weren’t allowed to have iron - or hadn’t yet discovered how to use it for weapons.

The only sword and spears belonged to Saul and Jonathan

in fact they had to go down to the Philistines to sharpen their farm equipment -

They were under prepared for battle - no wonder all they wanted to do was to hide.

But Jonathan was a man who trusted God and believed God and knew that it wasn’t God’s intention for them to be defeated.

Can I just say that it seems sometimes I think we get to feeling that way with our church here - that we’re just gonna have to give it up - but I believe God!!!

I know that IT IS THE FATHER”S GOOD PLEASURE TO GIVE US THE KINGDOM!!!

I’ll never forget Bro. Wegener prayed that scripture right over here after I had already begun to pastor - and it went through my heart like an arrow - God wants the Kingdom to grow -

And I want us to see by the principle set in this passage - it only takes a few

We get to our reading - Jonathan sets out with his armour bearer one day and makes his way to the Philistine garrison -

Dad stayed under the pomegranate tree in Migron - probably best - Saul took credit for Jonathan’s last victory any way - he liked to look like he was doing great things but usually he just took credit for other people’s work

He was resting under the pomegranate tree with six hundred men and the Priest and didn’t even realize Jonathan had left.

Jonathan and his armor bearer make it over to the garrisons and there were sharp rocks on both side these were large rock formations on either side

Jonathan says something I think is so powerful - 1 Sam 14:6 “...it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.”

So they made a plan - they would show themselves to the Philistines and their answer would determine their next step.

It was a Jonathan fleece instead of a Gideon fleece

If the Philistines said - “we will come to you - stay right there” then we will stay in place

But if they say, “come up unto us” then were will go up there - this will be our sign

So they allowed themselves to be discovered and the language is that they were arrogant and made fun of them

“look at em they crawl out of the holes where they hid themselves - come on up here and we will show you a thing”

And that was Jonathan’s cue

I love how Jonathan says “armor bearer now you get behind me - because God has delivered them into our hands”

And such a victory followed

We can have the same kind of results - all it takes is a few

All it takes is a few who care

Care about the situation - There has to be some who chose to refuse to stay oppressed

Explain 1 Sam 13:19-23 Those who become burdened by the fact that our weapons are few and not as expensive or cutting edge as our enemy - but who know we have a bigger God than them.

Care about the desperation - One first has to recognize the desperate situation - We need some Jonathan’s and armor bearers who care about those who are oppressed and pushed back and kept from the victory and potential God has promised.

All it takes is a few who dare

We need some Jonathan’s and armor bearers who aren’t content to do things just because that is how we’ve always done it

Some people who dare to take on a risk - a challenge - who aren’t afraid to get dirty and sweaty and see victory and progress

- 1 Sam 14:6 “...it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.”

All it takes is a few who share

Those who enjoy testifying will produce testifiers

Those who enjoy singing will produce singers

those who enjoy worship will produce worshippers

those who enjoy being discipled will produce disciplers

Those who enjoy the Lord will produce those who enjoy the Lord

I want to share - be a sharerer of the victory of what GOd is doing

I want to be a part of the few - don’t you?

Victory is ours for the taking

The devil sometimes seems to be winning here at 3rd and Bebe but I know GOd has something in store for those who will be faithful and the few who hold on and care, and dare and share their victory

Taking Iron from the Enemy

You find that he was to wait on Samuel the prophet and instead he offers the sacrifice himself.

It is almost immediatly after this that

of people who are oppressed

They went unprepared for battle

Didn't have the right weapons for war.

(To a man with a hammer everythings a nail)

Went to the wrong source for iron

Unprepared for battle (underprepared)