Jonathan’s Story: Who Knows What God Will Do

1 Samuel 14

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY

Creation. Abraham. Moses. DAVID. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come. 

One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is about Saul’s son, Jonathan. He was an amazing man of God, marked by passion and humility. We will see later in our study that Jonathan becomes a kindred spirit to David. Today’s account explains why.  

The Philistines had Israel backed into a corner. They controlled all blacksmithing, so Israel could not make its own weapons (1 Sam. 13:19). When conflict arose, Israel's fighting forces lacked swords and spears, leaving them at a significant disadvantage (1 Sam. 13:22). 

The Philistine army had positioned itself at a strategic location. They took the high ground and stationed their fighting men on the top of a rocky crag–a rough, protruding outcrop jutting from a cliff or mountain (1 Sam. 14:4). It was a desirable spot that posed a threat to the Israelite forces.  

Saul was paralyzed by the Philistines' position. He sat under a pomegranate tree[1] without a plan. Some of the six hundred men with him grew anxious and discouraged, and many left to find hiding places. 

But Jonathan couldn’t sit still. He told his armor-bearer, “‘Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.’ But he did not tell his father” (1 Sam. 14:1). Remember, Saul, the king, is sitting beneath that pomegranate tree, with no plan of action. 

As Jonathan made his way to the Philistines, he said to his armor-bearer, “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” (1 Sam. 14:6). I love his armor-bearer’s answer, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul” (1 Sam. 14:7). 

Two men against a detachment of up to two hundred soldiers! Impossible odds…unless God is on your side. Fully trusting the Lord, Jonathan decides on a plan. 

1 Samuel 14:8-12
Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. 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. 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.”  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.” 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.”

Jonathan’s plan was not in line with military strategy. Crawling up a rocky crag on your hands and feet with the enemy waiting at the top is usually not a viable option. Except that Jonathan knew God had given the Philistines into his hands. And God, as always, delivered. 

1 Samuel 14:14-15 
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 of land. 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. 

When Saul and his men learned the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle. All the Israelites who had gone into hiding also rallied to fight. God caused such confusion among the Philistines that they turned on one another (1 Sam. 14:20). 

“So the LORD saved Israel that day” (1 Sam. 14:23).

This story puts two choices in front of us. We can sit under our own pomegranate tree, frozen by fear, or we can step forward in trust. Staying still may feel safe, but it leads nowhere—nothing changes. God hasn’t called us to be spectators on the sidelines. He invites us into the action, to take part in what he is doing.

When we trust God and move forward in his strength with his promises, who knows what he might do? 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read and reflect on 1 Samuel 14. Where in your life are you tempted to “sit under the pomegranate tree” instead of stepping out in faith?

Talking to God: Ask God to give you the courage to trust him. Who knows what he will do!?

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