1 Samuel 13:12-14
1 Samuel 13:12-14
12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.
· Context of 1 Samuel 14 is the beginning of Saul’s demise as king of Israel
· Why is Saul’s kingdom being taken away? Rash and foolish disobedience (1 Sam 13:14). Saul took matters into his own hands rather than waiting on the Lord and His timing. Sound familiar? I’m guilty too!
· And so now we see the narrator turn our attention to Saul’s son, Jonathan
Outline
Main Point: Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.
1. Invading Enemy Territory (v1-6)
“The Lord will work for us”
2. Taking an Armor-Bearer Along (v7)
The Lord provides armor-bearers
3. Taking the Hill (v8-15)
“The Lord has given them into our hand”
4. The Lord Saves (v16-23)
The Lord deserves the glory
1 Samuel 13:23
23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
1 Samuel 14:1-23
1. Invading Enemy Territory (v1-6)
“The Lord will work for us”
14 One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.
Notice how it’s Jonathan taking the initiative to invade enemy territory and not Saul (just like in chapter 13)
Saul is passive and Jonathan is active
But Jonathan’s initiative and action is led by Lord as an act of faith and confidence in the Lord
Jonathan’s initiative to attack the Philistines was grounded in the promise God had already made concerning his father, Saul, in 1 Samuel 9:16.
1 Samuel 9:15-16
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
When you take action do you ensure your action is led by the Lord… from faith in the Lord?
He took an armor bearer with him (more on this in v7)
2 Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah in the pomegranate cave[a] at Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men, 3 including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
It’s important to note here in v2 how many people are with Saul (600 men!)
Saul has the numbers with him and yet he sits idle in a pomegranate cave
Jonathan has just his armor-bearer with him, and yet he’s led by faith and confidence in the Lord to invade enemy territory
What odds would you rather have when invading enemy territory…600 soldiers or just 2?
But remember our main point today.
Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.
Now, check out v4 because it sets the scene for us today.
4 Within the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag rose on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.
So, Jonathan is taking the initiative to attack the Philistine outpost at Bozez, and he may have known about a potential smelter at Bozez
This move was therefore strategic for the Israelite army, but it was done with complete faith and trust in the Lord. Look at verse 6 in our passage today.
6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried 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 can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.”
Invading enemy territory is dangerous and terrifying
Notice how Jonathan’s confidence and faith is in the Lord to work for him and his armor-bearer
Faith and confidence in the Lord to work in your midst is essential
What about you? Is the Lord calling you to do something for Him? Are you moving forward in faith? Is your confidence in the Lord that He will work for you as He pleases?
V6 tells us our main point:
Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.
Nothing can hinder the Lord…this means God’s plans cannot be restrained, thwarted, or stopped
God does whatever He pleases…the Lord is unstoppable…and the crazy thing is this…He uses broken people to accomplish His purposes
For nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few
If the Lord chooses, He can save by many…and on the other hand, He can save by few…OR, He can save by One.
Either way…nothing can hinder the Lord
7 And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish.[b] Behold, I am with you heart and soul.”
2. Taking an Armor-Bearer Along (v7)
The Lord provides armor-bearers
An armor-bear is a gift from the Lord
Look at what Jonathan’s armor-bearer says to him… “Do all that is in your heart…Behold, I am with you heart and soul.”
Compare to marriage
Colossians 3:18
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Wives, if you have a godly husband who is following the Lord, then you can say in good conscience to your husband, “I am with you heart and soul.”
This is an act of faith in the Lord, just as Jonathan’s armor-bearer followed him into battle
Kelley telling me she’s my helper (and not needing any reassurance)
Here in v7, the armor-bearer is also demonstrating the qualities of a true brother & friend
Do you have trusted brothers and sisters in Christ who will support you as you follow Jesus?
Are you taking on this role for a trusted friend who is following the Lord?
This is why discipleship is so important. We sharpen one another, we help one another, we pray for one another, and we are with one another in heart and soul.
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Example: Two of our local missionaries, Clement and Anthony, sharing the gospel together on college campus
Luke 10:1
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
The Lord provides the Church so we can participate together in His plan of redemption…His plan of salvation (…pause…)
For…
Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.
3. Taking the Hill (v8-15)
“The Lord has given them into our hand”
8 Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.”
What does this tell us about Jonathan’s character?
Unflappable confidence and trust in the Lord
His battle plan is a suicide mission (and by the way, his armor-bearer was on board! Heart and soul.)
And yet Jonathan’s unshakeable trust in the Lord declares that the response of the Philistines saying ‘Come up to us,’ would mean that “the Lord has given them into our hand.”
Remember our main point for today…
Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.
11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” 12 And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.” And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.”
Again, notice the unshakeable confidence and trust in the Lord
The firm foundation of Jonathan’s military action was a rock-solid belief that the Lord had given the enemy into the hand of Israel
Notice how he doesn’t say, the Lord has given them into my hand but “the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” He was not selfish. He did not fight for himself. He fought for the Lord as one soldier belonging to the people of God.
Let us be a people who advance God’s kingdom together…no lone ranger Christians please
13 Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him. 14 And that first strike, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, killed about twenty men within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre[c] of land. 15 And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic.
Jonathan’s victory led to widespread panic and the text specifically says in v15 that the earth quaked (divine intervention)
Remember Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2? Her prayer serves as a table of contents for the whole book of 1 Samuel
Check out what Hannah says in 2:10
1 Samuel 2:10a
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
against them he will thunder in heaven.
The loss of 20 men at the hands of Jonathan and his armor-bearer should not have caused such widespread panic, but the narrative is clear that the Lord is clearly doing a work of deliverance for His people
Against the Lord’s adversaries He will thunder in heaven
V15 “…the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic.”
Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.
4. The Lord Saves (v16-23)
The Lord deserves the glory
16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was dispersing here and there. 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count and see who has gone from us.” And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God went at that time with the people of Israel. 19 Now while Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
Saul rashly interrupts the priest from seeking the Lord’s counsel when he hears the tumult in the Philistine camp
20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle. And behold, every Philistine's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion.
Saul’s leadership is primarily guided by: the whims of his circumstances, his emotions, his self-confidence, and his impatience
It’s important to take note here of the character contrast we see between Saul and Jonathan
Up to this point in chapter 14, Saul has been completely passive whereas his son, Jonathan, has clearly been led and empowered by the Lord to invade enemy territory, take the Philistine outpost, and participate in the Lord’s work of deliverance for His people
Application: are you being passive in the work of advancing God’s kingdom? If so, it’s time to take initiative and actively ask the Lord to use you for His kingdom purposes.
Consider what God has already called us to do…
2 Greatest Commands (love relationship with God through Christ) and the Great Commission
Remember the promise Jesus makes to us at the end of the Great Commission
Move forward in faith by trusting in this great promise
“Action without promises is presumption, not faith, but when you have God’s promises, you can go forward with confidence.”
-Warren Wiersbe
Now, what if you’re feeling like you can’t join the fight to advance God’s kingdom for whatever reason? Let v21-22 speak to your heart.
21 Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before that time and who had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too followed hard after them in the battle.
V21-22 serve as an important reminder of grace to all of us.
Even the Israelite defectors and deserters, even the cowardly men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country found courage to join the fight, and they too followed hard after the enemy in the battle
Some of you may feel like you’ve deserted Jesus…some of you may feel like you’ve screwed up too much to be used by God…some of you may feel like you’re too scared to step out in faith and join the fight.
But let the Holy Spirit encourage you through v21-22. In the grace of Jesus, no matter what your past or present situation is, the Lord is calling you to join Him in advancing His kingdom…to invade enemy territory…to link arms with brothers and sisters in Christ and move forward to make disciples, baptize, and teach others to obey and follow Jesus.
Contagious fear vs. contagious courage (both are contrasted in the text)
But y’all, it’s not up to you and your power to do any work of salvation in someone’s life. Look at v23 and be encouraged.
23 So the LORD saved Israel that day. And the battle passed beyond Beth-aven.
Now please do not miss the full importance of v23
Notice how Jonathan and his armor-bearer don’t get the glory for saving Israel that day (the Lord gets all the glory!)
And from the standpoint of salvation, we all need to recognize in this moment that we do not save anyone
It is the Lord and the Lord alone who saves
The Lord deserves all the glory
Our part is to trust in Jesus and participate in God’s redemptive plans and purposes for our lives as He empowers us through the Holy Spirit
“Watch to see where God is working and join Him in His work.”
-Henry Blackaby
• But we must remember that it is the Lord who saves people…not us.
• So, the pressure is off of us, and we get to exercise trust in Jesus as we step out in faith to do what He calls us to do (it could be as simple as striking up a conversation with your neighbor or co-worker…or it may mean that you text that friend who has strayed from the faith and you send a message to encourage them in Christ)
• Remember! Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving someone!
1. Invading Enemy Territory (v1-6)
“The Lord will work for us”
2. Taking an Armor-Bearer Along (v7)
The Lord provides armor-bearers
3. Taking the Hill (v8-15)
“The Lord has given them into our hand”
4. The Lord Saves (v16-23)
The Lord deserves the glory
Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few…
…or by One.
Jesus Christ is the true and better Jonathan. You see, Jesus invaded enemy territory when He came to earth as a baby to be born in a manger. We know from Scripture that Satan is called the god of this world. Well, Jesus invaded Satan’s territory, and over a course of ~3 years Jesus decisively delivered many people from the power of Satan.
Jesus also took along 12 armor-bearers who were with Him in heart and soul until one of them decided to betray Him for 30 pieces of silver and another denied Him 3 times. And the rest of them defected and deserted Him in His hour of greatest need.
And then, like Jonathan, Jesus ascended the hill. But not just any hill. The hill Christ ascended would not appear strategic or profitable in the slightest. Although, under the Lord’s sovereignty this hill would host the greatest battle ever fought.
And so, Jesus took the hill...the hill of Calvary…the place of the Skull (Golgotha). But instead of God giving the enemy into Christ’s hand, God the Father gave His one and only Son over to the enemy of death. And Jesus died on that hill to pay for all of your sins and for all of my sins.
On the third day, Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead. In Christ’s triumphant resurrection, He proved that His sacrifice for sin had been accepted by God the Father. Jesus deserves all the glory.
And so, the Lord Jesus opened the door of salvation for all of His people on that day. Jesus calls us to repent or turn from our sin and to place our trust in Him alone for salvation.
Acts 4:12
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
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