Two Swords in all of Israel
Notes
Transcript
john
4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. And the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah.
6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”
john 1
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
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.
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
genesis 1:1
19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
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.
6 And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.
God moved
6 “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to 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!”
the VOICE
6 And so it was, when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another person? For I have been sent to you with bad news.
6 “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to 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 kings 14:
The two Swords of Israel
The two Swords of Israel
When it gets cold outside in the Northern United States, rivers, lakes, and ponds began to freeze over because of the frigid cold.
1 Samuel 13:19-2
God spoke
When you look…even within the last few centuries of history... at men and women whose courageous actions shaped some of the most transformative inventions and movements…they all had one thing in common. They took action without a guarantee.
On the morning of December 17th, 2003 as Orville Wright climbed into the cockpit of the gasoline powered biplane and eased back on the throttle, there were no guarantees. Sure they had done their homework, they had figured the mathematic equations and calculated the quantifications necessary for flight, but there was no precedent for them to point to…it was literally just a wing and a prayer…yet they flew on.
These frozen bodies of water are traditional gathering places for families and children who like to ice skate. Sometimes, hundreds of people will gather on the ice to play and enjoy the winter bliss.
God separated
This is a traditional gathering place for families and children who brake out the skates and hit the ice. Hundreds sometimes gather on the ice to play and enjoy a winter bliss.
The first day of creation was the foundation upon which all life was created.
the journal of the famed voyager Christopher Columbus records on the day of October the 10th, trouble aboard the Santa Maria. 68 days at sea, with rations running low and tempers running high, the crew was threatening mutiny. In order to keep the crew from taking the ship and tossing him overboard, Columbus struck a bargain with the crew that they would sail on for two more days , and if STILL land were not found, they would turn back.
With a crew turning against him, supplies running low and tempers running high, Columbus sailed on…with no guarantee…no guarantee of land…no guarantee they wouldn’t sail off the edge of the earth. Columbus sailed on.
August 28th, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. moved toward the steps of the Abraham Lincoln memorial in Washington D.C. he had no guarantees. He would share a dream that seemed unlikely and certainly unpopular. A dream that in a nation greatly segregated, that one day, a man would be judged by the content of character and not by the color of his skin. He had no guarantees, yet he spoke on and he led on.
Wether it was the Wright Brothers taking flight in a plane, Columbus sailing on in a ship or Dr, King leading forward a movement…not one of them had a gaurantee…but each of them possessed a perhaps...
and this morning for just a few moments I want to preach to you on
the Power in your perspective of Perhaps
the Power in your perspective of Perhaps
In 1 Samuel chapter 14 we are introduced to a dismal and a dreary development. The conclusion of chapter 13 lets us know that the Philistines had rendered the armies of Israel without weapon. In all the land of Israel, there were only two swords to be found…one in the hand of Saul and the other in the hand of Jonathan.
What do you do when you are a king of a nation that is being invaded by the enemy and you have but two swords...
However, it’s a proven fact that these gathering places have become death traps for many people. Sometimes the ice isn’t as safe and thick as it seems.
the journal of the famed voyager Christopher Columbus records on the day of October the 10th, trouble aboard the Santa Maria. 68 days at sea, with rations running low and tempers running high, the crew was threatening mutiny. This dreamer who sailed beyond “the edge” of the then believed “flat” world...had certainly sailed to the edge of his crews confident.
The crew had decided that they would overtake the lead of the ship and turn back to find familiar land. While there is no clear record of what Columbus was able to do to persuade his men to finish the course...many historians record that Columbus negotiated with the restless crew to give him 3 more days to find land and if they weren’t able to, they would turn back.
Well, I believe the actions of Saul and Jonath reveal two different mindsets and two different options that we have when the enemy is invading and we feel unequipped.
One victim of a skating incident was a world champion dog breeder by the name of John Harsch. His friends said it was a routine of his to take his dogs for a walk along the frozen pond near his house.
On the morning of October 12th, the 70 day of sailing, One day before Columbus had agreed to turn back land was spotted from the Crows nest of the Santa Maria.
The first attitude and outlook that we find is King Saul. Saul was a shady character. No really…multiple times it the scripture, the bible pointedly records that Saul is hanging out under a tree. When Saul is pursuing David, he stands under a tree in Ramah and delivers one of histories most uninspiring speeches…his speech was everything that Dr. Kings was not…instead of I have a dream, his speech could be summarized as “I have a pitty party’.
Without a doubt, something went wrong. The ice cracked beneath him and he was swallowed up by the icy waters below. When rescue workers were called out to the scene, John was long gone, but when they pulled his body out of that water, they noticed that his mouth was frozen open. John fought for his life, he shouted out for help, but nobody heard his plea for rescue; nobody heard his vo
“here is an excerpt from his uninspiring speech”…No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. There is none of you that feels sorry for me...
Under a tree.
Here in 1 Samuel Chapter 13 as the Philistines are invading the nation. Pillaging and plundering, looting and destroying…Saul…the king…with one of the two swords in all of Israel is hiding under a pomegranate tree.
This was a time to get up, not sit down. This was the time for a response, not a time to relax. This was a time to be on your feet, not on your posterior.
This was a time to get up, not sit down. This was the time for a response, not a time to relax. This was a time to be on your feet, not on your posterior.
The people are looking to him for leadership. he’s one of only two armed men in all of Israel and he is parked on his posterior under a pomegranate tree.
- He’s got the ark and the priest with him…but he’s hiding under a tree.
There are times when we hide behind the mask of spirituality…well I need to pray about it.
I am not discouraging prayer…but there comes a time when we need to be a people of action.
We are acting like we are praying about something that we don’t need to pray about…we know what the plan and the will of God is…its clearly demonstrated in his word.
vs. 15 tells us that the very purpose of Saul being anointed as king over israael was “that he may save my people out of the hand of Philistines”.
Now here he is positioned for the very purpose of the destiny that God has placed upon his life and instead of acting, he goes under a pomegranate tree to pray about it.
He didn’t lack anointing. He didn’t lack purpose. He didn’t lack direction…He lacked courage...
Man we can put on the mask of spirituality to hide our lack of courage.
We want to pray to ask God if its his will if we should pray!
That is pomegranate tree living…That is shady!
Well…i need to pray about wether or not I should get married or continue in fornication…Thats shady!
I know the Bible tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together…but I need to pray about how committed my family and I get to the church…That’s shady!
I know that the Bible says that we should give praise unto the Lord and that praise looks comely on me and I should put on the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness…but I need to spend some time in prayer about all of this worship stuff…That’s shady!
I know that I’m supposed to be leading my family as the priest of my home…but I need to pray about wether or not I make my children come to church or not…That’s shady!
I know that I’m supposed to forgive but that person really hurt me and before I forgive, I’m going to spend time in prayer and make sure I’m supposed to forgive that person....That’s shady!
I know that Pastor preached vision last week and asked us to get involved in Evangelism…but I need to pray about wether or not I can participate…Thats shady!
I know the Bible tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together…but I need to pray about how committed my family and I get to the church…That’s shady!
I know that the Bible says that we should give praise unto the Lord and that praise looks comely on me and I should put on the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness…but I need to spend some time in prayer about all of this worship stuff…That’s shady!
Listen…if you see it in the Word of God…you don’t need to pray about it…you need to take action! Stop being shady and be courageous!
Let me pause for a moment to bring clarity to what I’m saying…because I recognize the weight and the influence of preaching…As soon as I say that someone is going to go out and say....well says “hate thine brother in thine heart”…yeah but you didn’t consider the three words before that…Thou shalt not.
Or well… says that Judas went and hanged
Sometimes what we need isn’t a prayer meeting but a dare meeting…you need to dare to be courageous!
Saul lived under trees and made a living out of other people fighting his battles.
When its time to fight Goliath…he lets a shepherd boy do his bidding.
In when he had been commanded to utterly destroy the Amelekites, he wont do it and instdead the prophet Samuel has to do what God had called him to do.
In when he decides to kill the priests at Nob for providing bread to David, he has Doeg do his bidding
But the other sword of Israel is in the hand of Jonathan.
But the other sword of Israel is in the hand of Jonathan.
Jonathan may have his Dad’s DNA but he’s got David’s spirit.
says that the soul of Jonathan was knit with David...
Vs. 4 tells us all that we need to know about Jonathan:
“Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines garrison”
Jonathan knew what his position and purpose in Israel was…he knew that it was his destiny to deliver Israel from the philistines. He knew that what Israel needed right now was leadership…What Israel needed right now was action.
What was needed right now wasn’t a prayer meeting to pray about prayer…what they needed was for those that had a sword to fight!
Lord I know what I’m supposed to do…I know what my purpose is. I know what my destiny is. I know what your Will is…I just need an opportunity!
Jonathan goes to his armor bearer and says…let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: IT MAY BE the Lord will work for us:
NLT says “Perhaps” the Lord will work for us.
Maybe he will…maybe he wont
I don’t have any guarantees...
But I know two things:
I know that I have one of two swords in all of Israel
I think the phrase that Jonathan uses right before he draws the attention to what God might do is so important…
I know that God can
Just like the wright brothers…they didn’t know for sure…but they had done their home work and they knew that the law of lift said it should work out.
Can I rephrase that into language that applies to everyone in this room today:
Just like Columbus…he didn’t know for sure…but he done his homework and he knew there was a good chance the earth wasn’t flat and there were undiscovered continents out there
I know that if I will do what I can do…God will do what God can do!
Just like Dr. King…he didn’t know for sure…but he had
Here is what I know today…there are people in this building that God is calling to do some big things…not calling you to pray about doing some big things…He is calling to do some big things.
Calling you to make some decisions that are going to shape your tomorrows…shape your families…shape your ETERNITY!!!
many times we want to pause…I want to know exactly how it is all going to play out!
Before I take that first step of faith…I want some assurance that its all going to work out!
Before I pull back on the throttle I want to know for sure that this plane will fly
Before I risk mutiny and sail on, I want a guarantee that there is a new world out there.
Before I step out onto the porch of Lincolns memorial and share my dream I want some assurance that my dream will come true
But all I’ve got is a perhaps!!!
These conversations when destiny is tugging and purpose is pulling are so Vital!
If you share your destiny and your plans with people that have a different perspective of PERHAPS, it will keep you from every going over to the other side!
It will take you right back the pomegranate tree
If you speak your great words of faith to those that don’t look at perhaps the same way as you do…you will never see the supernatural…you will never come to the end of yourself and witness the greatness of God!
All that it would have taken for Jonathan to put his sword back in its sheath would have been for the armor bearer to say…Perhaps God won’t show up!
It may be that God doesn’t show up!
Bro…its 10 to 1! and by the way…you’ve got one of two swords in all of Israel…im left with kungfu!
and by the way…your plan is terrible!
Perhaps God won’t show up!
No…thats not what happened…the armor bearer said…Do all that is in thine heart.
Both perspectives are looking at the same situation…Perhaps God will and perhaps God won’t
Neither of them are denying the 10 to 1 odds. Neither are denying that there is only one sword between them.
Neither are denying the power and the ability of God…The guy that says what if God doesn’t show up isn’t speaking any less belief in the Power of God.
But perhaps God will is approaching the situation from the standpoint of faith and perhaps God wont is approaching from the standpoint of fear.
And many times we operate out of the fear mentality: We move forward cautiously from a…we better be careful…because what if God doesn’t show up!?!
Instead of playing to win, we play not to lose.
but the second sword in Israel says, I’d rather fall on my face than sit on my tail!
I’d rather make mistakes than miss opportunities!
and by the way…your plan is terrible!
No…thats not what happened…the armor bearer said…Do all that is in thine heart.
And this radical faith conversation between Jonathan and his armour bearer moves them into courageous action:
Three Hebrew children told to bow or get thrown into the furnace…their response to the king…we are not careful to answer you…perhaps our God will rescue us.
Because the verse 7-10 conversation is awesome…its powerful…its incredible…but how many times have we come to church and gotten all hyped up…all fired up…yeah man! This is gonna be different!!! Im ready!
And then its time to step into action…and all the sudden we are really craving pomegranates. All of the sudden we just had a slow leak in our courage tank.
I have a feeling that vs. 11 moment was kind of an awkward moment for Jonathan…and maybe even more for the armor bearer.
Its kind of like those videos of the people that their friend talked them into riding that slingshot ride at amusement parks. They were all courageous and hyped up until now they are on the ride and they realize they are about to be launched into orbit…begging the ride operator…please…please let me off...
Its the point of No Return...
Its the point where the talk becomes action!
And I will say this in closing…when they step out from behind the shelter and the camouflage of those rocky cliffs…God doesn’t show up…there is no supernatural demonstration...
When they climb the cliffs, a host of angels don’t appear from nowhere and protect them until they reach the top.
When they begin to do battle 2 against 20, there is no divine intervention...
But the Bible says in vs. 14 says that after Jonathan and his armour bearer had defeated the garrison of 20…THEN there was a trembling in the host, in the field and among all the people…the earth quaked…the multitide melted away…and the philistines turned and began to fight one another.
There was a line from a movie that I haven’t watched myself…it may be a terrible movie, so I’m not even going to reference the line…but this one statement is powerful....The character makes the statement “sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage”.
There are two swords in all of Israel…Today, you can hide in the shade of the pomegranate tree…ignore what you know God is calling you to do!
You know that God is calling to more but you have been paralyzed be the fear…well, what if God doesn’t show up!?
What if I’m left to fight a battle that I’m not equipped to fight!?!
20 seconds of insane courage…to right now…before you can find your an armour bearer or a voice in your head to talk you out of it…I want you to step to this altar, raise your hands and discover yourself unto the philistines!