Failure of Saul & the deliverer Jonathan: The redemption pattern
6th September 2009, hej
This Article: (4 Pages)
2) Saved by few
This is where we see events that are recorded for us to ponder. Jonathan takes his armour bearer and goes off without Saul's knowledge. (This confirms how Jonathan had triggered the situation Israel was in, he must have attacked the enemy without Saul's say so. Jonathan must have known the only way to get something done was to do it himself). Then we are told the priest was there with Saul. And that nobody had noticed Jonathan go.
And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Yahweh'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. (1Samuel 14:3)
Jonathan has a good look at the whole camp of the Philistines and says something that not one of us could say, in such a situation without having confidence that God was with us and going to work.
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, “Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Yahweh will work for us: for there is no restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few.”
And his armourbearer said unto him, “Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.” (1Samuel 14:6-7)
Let us ponder this. These two had perhaps one weapon between them and Jonathan says with Yahweh's help they can take on a well armed force of well over 100,000. The utter faith and confidence!
Note Jonathan says “It may be that Yahweh will work for us”. And note he says Yahweh saves “by few”.
The faith of the armour bearer is immense also. He doesn't say, 'look how many there are', he says blithely in effect, “Do what you think best, I'm with you all the way”.
Jonathan must have known about Gideon's fleeces as he then proposes a test. They would show themselves, a rather brave thing to do in any case, and they asked for a sign,
But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us. (1Samuel 14:10)
Jonathan was pro-active knowing the mind of Yahweh. He knew that Yahweh would be with him. All he asked was whether he should attack at that time or hold off. And this makes us think. Jonathan had no confidence whatsoever in his father Saul, rather he had total trust in Yahweh. Also Jonathan knew Saul was not the deliverer, instead he knew Yahweh was the deliverer, and that he may not deliver through Saul's larger forces but through “few” (being two with one weapon).
The comment that Yahweh saves by 'few' shows Jonathan knew Yahweh. In addition this comment was so worthy of being reinforced that Yahweh delighted in it. He gave Jonathan the sign he asked and gave them strength, sent a spirit of fear and an earthquake.
And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel. And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him. (1Samuel 14:12-13)
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, as a yoke might plow. And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. (1Samuel 14:14-15)
Jonathan in killing 20 pushed back the forces over half and acre, the kind of advance in WW1 that cost thousands of lives. That advance and the earthquake changed the dynamics. The victory was Yahweh's through Jonathan, already at that point in the action.
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