Read today’s scripture.

How do you see God’s faithfulness today?

1 Samuel 13.

Chapter 13 begins with “number confusion” about Saul’s age and how long he’d reigned over Israel at this point. Possibly he was 31 when he began to reign, and here, he most likely has been king for about two years? 

Regardless, at this point, King Saul calls 3K men to fight the battle with the Philistines who were camped in the plains in Benjamin’s territory.  2K Hebrew men were with Saul at Michmash, and 1K men were with his son Jonathon at Gibeah. Jonathon defeated the garrison of Philistines. Saul blew a trumpet and said “Saul” had defeated the garrison. (Well, I guess Jonathon was part of Saul’s army.)

Now the Hebrews were a “stench” to the Philistines, and they mustered to fight with Israel. They had 3K chariots and 6K horsemen and troops (against Saul’s 3K men). The Israelites “saw they were in trouble” and began hiding in caves, holes, and tombs, and even running away across the Jordan River. Those who stayed with Saul trembled in their sandals.

It seems that old Samuel told Saul to wait 7 days before acting. He would offer a sacrifice to God and seek God’s direction when he got there.  However, when Saul saw his men scattering and no sign of Samuel, HE offered the burnt and peace offerings himself.  (Oh, No!)  Right then Samuel appeared.  (IF only Saul had waited an hour more!!!)

“What have you done?” said Samuel.

“When I saw that the people were leaving and YOU had not come, and the Philistines were mustered at Michmash … I thought, the Philistines are coming and I have not sought the favor of the LORD …. so, I “forced myself” to offer the burnt offering,” Saul said lamely.

“You have done foolishly and not kept the commandment of the LORD,” Samuel said to Saul. “The LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever!  But … now your kingdom shall NOT continue. The LORD has sought out a man after His own heart and commanded HIM to be prince over His people.”

Then Samuel left.

Saul numbered the people with him – about 600 men.  They camped at Geba, but the Philistines camped at Michmash and sent raiders in three companies to harass them. 

Now there was no blacksmith in Israel. The Philistines had seen to that.  The Israelites had to go to the Philistines to have their farm implements sharpened.  So Israel had no weapons.  ONLY THE KING AND HIS SON, JONATHAN HAD SWORDS!!!  So Israel had 2 swords and 600 men against the hoards of Philistines with thousands of chariots and armed men.  (Shaking my head.)

1 Samuel 14.

One day, while Saul and his few men were staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under an arching pomegranate tree at Mignon, Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come on. Let’s go over to the Philistine garrison.”  So off they went, not telling anyone, including Saul.

(Saul also had Ahijah the priest with him. He was the great-grandson of that old priest Eli who had died. Ahijah wore an ephod.)

Jonathan said to his man, “Let’s go nearer to the uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.”

“Whatever you say,” said the armor-bearer. “I’m with you heart and soul.”

“Okay, we will show ourselves to them, and if they say ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand.” And the two stepped out into view.

The Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they were hiding. Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.”

Jonathan looked at his man, grinned, and said, “Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.”

They climbed up to the ridge on their hands and feet … and the Philistines fell before Jonathan as he killed about 20 of them.  The whole garrison was thrown into a great panic and fled, the ground shaking under their feet. 

Haha!!

Back at Saul’s camp, they saw the Philistines running and discovered Jonathan and his man missing. Saul called for Ahijah and the ephod (presumably to discover what to do with the Ermin and Thummin in it. “Withdraw your hand,” Saul ordered  (Did that mean Ahijah pulled out those “lots” that showed Saul was to pursue?)

Anyway, Saul and all the men went into battle.  Then, all the others hiding in caves and holes heard the ruckus and came out to fight too.  SO, THE LORD SAVED ISRAEL THAT DAY!

But… during the battle, Saul had made a terrible command.  “CURSED be the man who eats any food until evening and we’ve defeated them.”   Stupid, for the men were tired and weak.

And Jonathan, who had not heard his father’s curse, found some honey and ate it, feeling ever so much stronger.  Some of the men were aghast and told him what Saul had said.  He was disturbed by that news. “My father has troubled the land. How much better if the people had eaten freely of the spoil they found.”

Nevertheless, they struck the Philistines away from Michmach, but the people were very weak. This caused them to sin against God’s command.  They grabbed any animal they saw, killed it, and began eating the meat, without draining the blood away.

When Saul heard, he ordered them to stop. He built an altar to the LORD and had them bring the animals there. 

After they’d gorged themselves, Saul got the great idea to keep fighting the Philistines through the night, but Ahijah the priest said to first inquire of the LORD and brought out the lots. God revealed nothing.  Saul thought it must have been because someone ATE after his curse.  Sure enough, Jonathan confessed to eating the honey and offered to be killed.

But the people would not allow it and ransomed Jonathan.  So the fighting ended that day.

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Then a bit of a summery. It tells how Saul fought and won against his enemies – Moab, Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, the Philistines, and the Amalekites.  He had another son besides Jonathan and two daughters, Merab and Michal.  The commander of his army was Abner, Saul’s uncle.  And whenever he saw any strong or valiant man, he made him part of his army.

• LORD, so often I do things in my own strength, not waiting for Your direction. Forgive me. Help me to wait on You and trust You.