1 Samuel 13:19-14:15
Meanwhile, Saul and his six hundred men are wondering what to do next. Since he didn't listen to Samuel, Saul takes it easy under a pomegranate tree.
The camps of the Philistines and Israelites are separated by a mountainous pass. There are no blacksmiths to be found, therefore no weapons available. The Philistines have confiscated all the iron in the country, and are charging a silver coin for every plowshare that needs to be sharpened. In order for the Israelites to even think about attaining weapons, they have to pay the Philistines.
The only armed folks in the country are Saul and his son Jonathan.
As Saul and the six hundred rest, Jonathan decides to make a move. He tell his armor bearer, "There's no rule that God demands an army to deliver. No one can stop God when he's put his mind to saving people."
He doesn't tell anyone except his armor bearer. He decides to go up to the pass that separates the Israelites from the Philistines. He tells his armor bearer, "We're gonna go up this pass where the Philistine garrison is staged. If they tell us to stop because they need to check us out, then we'll stop and not go up. But, if they tell us to come on up, then we'll know that God's delivered them to Israel."
Jon and his armor bearer are looking for a fight, but moreso looking for a way to light a fire under the ass of the deadbeat Saul who's kingly rule is falling to pieces.
Jon
and his armor bearer get out into the open on the pass, letting the men
of the garrison see them. The Philistine men of the garrison shout, "Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes! Come on up here and let us show you a thing or two!"
This is the sign that Jonathan was looking for. He shouts to his armor bearer, "Follow me! God's delivered them over to Israel!"
The armor bearer followed Jon up, and they started smashing heads. David got them with the sword, while the armor bearer finished them off with a stone to the head.
The Israelites aren't looking for peace with the Philistines. They're looking to fight and avenge their nation. There comes a time when people get tired of their feet getting stepped on, and they retaliate. This is part of the human condition. We see it all over the news and it's happening in Egypt right now.
Is it possible that God still works within the crux of the human condition? Is it possible that even when we are not looking for peace but for revenge, God still listens and works? Or, put another way, when we are at our worst, broken, violent stages, does God still listen to our cries?
I'm reminded of the phrase coined by Solomon: "A time for war and a time for peace."
With
the human heart, war is inevitable. It may not be a full-fledged war
against another nation, but some kind of war within or without will
always happen. And then there are times of peace.
Jonathan believes that God doesn't need an army to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. If God is really present, he believes him and his armor bearer will be enough.
I've talked non-violence for years but I've never been in the situation of war. Yet, this passage again brings me to a point that I hold strong to. Do I believe that everything is sacred, even the act of war? Do I believe God is present and working even in the unfolding drama of the human tendency to set things straight?
I just can't generalize anymore that some things are always good, and some things are always bad. What I am willing to say is that I believe God is present in every situation. The question is, am I trusting in Him even when I am in the middle of the intense desire to retaliate? What about when I am retaliating?
The difference between me and Jonathan is, he wasn't analyzing whether what he was doing was right or wrong. He saw God in everything he did. If it was time for battle, he saw God. If it was time for peace, he saw God. If he was killing Philistines, he saw God. When he was killing Philistines, he saw it as God's deliverance.
I don't know if I have the kind of trust it takes to act like Jonathan. He didn't stop with the over-analyzing about whether God saw what he was doing was right or wrong. He simply believed God was with him, and was working with him, and acted.
Meanwhile, Saul and his six hundred men are wondering what to do next. Since he didn't listen to Samuel, Saul takes it easy under a pomegranate tree.
The camps of the Philistines and Israelites are separated by a mountainous pass. There are no blacksmiths to be found, therefore no weapons available. The Philistines have confiscated all the iron in the country, and are charging a silver coin for every plowshare that needs to be sharpened. In order for the Israelites to even think about attaining weapons, they have to pay the Philistines.
The only armed folks in the country are Saul and his son Jonathan.
As Saul and the six hundred rest, Jonathan decides to make a move. He tell his armor bearer, "There's no rule that God demands an army to deliver. No one can stop God when he's put his mind to saving people."
He doesn't tell anyone except his armor bearer. He decides to go up to the pass that separates the Israelites from the Philistines. He tells his armor bearer, "We're gonna go up this pass where the Philistine garrison is staged. If they tell us to stop because they need to check us out, then we'll stop and not go up. But, if they tell us to come on up, then we'll know that God's delivered them to Israel."
Jon and his armor bearer are looking for a fight, but moreso looking for a way to light a fire under the ass of the deadbeat Saul who's kingly rule is falling to pieces.
Jon
and his armor bearer get out into the open on the pass, letting the men
of the garrison see them. The Philistine men of the garrison shout, "Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes! Come on up here and let us show you a thing or two!" This is the sign that Jonathan was looking for. He shouts to his armor bearer, "Follow me! God's delivered them over to Israel!"
The armor bearer followed Jon up, and they started smashing heads. David got them with the sword, while the armor bearer finished them off with a stone to the head.
The Israelites aren't looking for peace with the Philistines. They're looking to fight and avenge their nation. There comes a time when people get tired of their feet getting stepped on, and they retaliate. This is part of the human condition. We see it all over the news and it's happening in Egypt right now.
Is it possible that God still works within the crux of the human condition? Is it possible that even when we are not looking for peace but for revenge, God still listens and works? Or, put another way, when we are at our worst, broken, violent stages, does God still listen to our cries?
I'm reminded of the phrase coined by Solomon: "A time for war and a time for peace."
With
the human heart, war is inevitable. It may not be a full-fledged war
against another nation, but some kind of war within or without will
always happen. And then there are times of peace.Jonathan believes that God doesn't need an army to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. If God is really present, he believes him and his armor bearer will be enough.
I've talked non-violence for years but I've never been in the situation of war. Yet, this passage again brings me to a point that I hold strong to. Do I believe that everything is sacred, even the act of war? Do I believe God is present and working even in the unfolding drama of the human tendency to set things straight?
I just can't generalize anymore that some things are always good, and some things are always bad. What I am willing to say is that I believe God is present in every situation. The question is, am I trusting in Him even when I am in the middle of the intense desire to retaliate? What about when I am retaliating?
The difference between me and Jonathan is, he wasn't analyzing whether what he was doing was right or wrong. He saw God in everything he did. If it was time for battle, he saw God. If it was time for peace, he saw God. If he was killing Philistines, he saw God. When he was killing Philistines, he saw it as God's deliverance.
I don't know if I have the kind of trust it takes to act like Jonathan. He didn't stop with the over-analyzing about whether God saw what he was doing was right or wrong. He simply believed God was with him, and was working with him, and acted.
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