1 Samuel 14:24-46 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 14:24-46. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Samuel 14:24-32 (NIV)
24 Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
25 The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground.
26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out, yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.
27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.
28 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be any man who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”
29 Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”
31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Micmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted.
32 They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood.
On verses 24-32: Saul makes his army vow that while they are pursuing the Philistines, they will not eat anything until evening. Now there are times in the Bible when God calls people to fast, or when individuals like Jesus, Daniel, or Moses fasted. In those times, it was for the purpose of drawing near to God and getting centered and focused around God’s purposes. In Saul’s case, however, this fasting campaign was centered around Saul’s own ego, as suggested by him when he says no one is to eat anything “before I have avenged myself on my enemies” (v24).
Not just that, but from a practical perspective, it was foolish for Saul to require his army to go without food while risking their lives to fight in battle. For this reason Saul’s army was faint (v28) and exhausted (31). Even Saul’s own son Jonathan points out the foolishness of Saul’s initiative (v29-30). The foolishness of Saul’s plan was further evidenced by the fact that Saul’s army couldn’t take it anymore. It was too big of an ask, too much pressure, and in verse 32 Saul’s army goes out of control, pouncing on the livestock of the Philistines and eating all of it including the livestock’s blood, contrary to the Jewish law (v32).
So Saul’s requirement that his army not eat was both selfish and foolish. This was pride-fueled hyper-spirituality lacking wisdom and God-centeredness.
From this we can learn a number of lessons:
First, be careful not to send troops into battle when they’re not properly equipped or fed. That goes not only for physical equipping and food, but also spiritual equipping and food, including feeding on the Word of God, which is sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:10).
Second, true spirituality is not self-centered, but God-centered. Third, true spirituality is not pride-driven hyper-spirituality that sounds very spiritual while lacking any practical wisdom. Fourth, when spirituality is misguided, it can result in placing unnecessary and unhelpful burdens on people.
By the way, the fact that Jonathan, one of Saul’s top soldiers and a senior officer in Saul’s army, had not heard about the oath Saul had bound his army to (v27) suggests that Saul’s communication system was broken. For any team to be effective, good communication is essential.
1 Samuel 14:33-35 (NIV)
33 Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the LORD by eating meat that has blood in it.” “You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.”
34 Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.'” So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there.
35 Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had done this.
On verses 33-35: When Saul was privately anointed as king by Samuel, he didn’t build an altar. When Saul was publicly announced as king by Samuel, he didn’t build an altar. Here we see the first time that Saul builds an altar, and it’s in response to a messy situation that he was at least partly responsible for creating. That’s another sign of shallow, immature spirituality: you only get spiritual when there’s a crisis. Of course, when trouble comes look to God, but don’t just look to God when trouble comes! Look to God in every season, because we’re always in need of Him and He is always worthy of our worship.
1 Samuel 14:36-46 (NIV)
36 Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.” “Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied. But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.”
37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day.
38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today.
39 As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives, even if it lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of the men said a word.
40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.” “Do what seems best to you,” the men replied.
41 Then Saul prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Give me the right answer.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared.
42 Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him, “I merely tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now must I die?”
44 Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.”
45 But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die–he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
On verses 36-46: Saul’s army was devoted to Saul. Even when Saul gave orders that could put their own lives at risk, Saul’s army would say to Saul, “Do whatever seems best to you” (v36, 40). But when Saul moves to have his son Jonathan killed for eating a little honey (v44) (which violated an oath that Jonathan did not know about – v27), Saul’s army would have none of it (v45). To me it is sad that Saul’s army had more of a heart to protect Jonathan than Saul did. I suspect in part it’s because Saul’s pride was hurt and his ego was bruised at the thought that his own son would disobey his orders.
When your pride is hurt or your ego is bruised, be careful what you do next. Look to God for wisdom and perspective, lest you do something you regret.
Father, I pray that I would be careful to avoid hyper-spirituality that lacks God-centeredness or practical wisdom. Please help me to check my motives before going forward with anything risky. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
