A Prince That Couldn't Be King

July 29, 2007 Preacher: Randy Smith Series: 1 Samuel

Scripture: 1 Samuel 14:1–52

Transcript

A Prince That Couldn't Be King

1 Samuel 14:1-52
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Pastor Randy Smith



I would like to congratulate the men and women on successful softball seasons. I believe these individuals with their Christlike behavior represented our church well. I know great fellowship took place and new friendships were forged. The men made it to the semi-finals and the women tripled their win total from last year!

It's not softball, but it's close enough. This week I read about a baseball game that was played between two semi-pro teams from Minnesota at the turn of the 20th century.

As the story goes - at the end of nine innings both teams were locked in a scoreless tie. In the top of the tenth, however, the team from Benson scored a run. Willmar, the other team, came to bat in the bottom half of the inning, needing one to tie and two to win. Willmar's pitcher, Thielman, hit a single. With a runner on first, the next batter, O'Toole, smashed a line drive deep into the outfield. The crowd went wild at the possibility of an inside-the-park home run. Thielman rounded second base and headed for third with O'Toole digging in after him. As Thielman arrived at third, however, he collapsed. O'Toole dared not to pass him on the base path so he half-carried and dragged Thielman the ninety feet to home plate. Amazingly, the umpire allowed both runs. Willmar had won! Thielman was the winning pitcher. Thielman was also dead. He had died of heart failure at third base! (Bill Stern's Favorite Baseball Stories, 1949, p. 7).

Sometimes in the midst of a very successful event there can be great sadness. Chapter 14 of 1 Samuel is a great example of that reality. What started off as a grand victory over the Philistines ends with the near death of the King's son, Jonathan, and a vote of "no-confidence" in Saul's leadership.

In the larger picture, 1 Samuel chapters 13-15 reveal the failure of Israel's first king. In asking for a king so that they could be just like the other nations (8:5, 20), Israel received her king. And just like the other nations, her king was a spiritual failure. We learned last week in chapter 13 that due to Saul's disobedience, his dynasty would come to an end. Next week in chapter 15 we will learn that Saul's continued disobedience will bring his own kingship to an end. Chapter 14 is sandwiched right in the middle.

However, while Saul is on the downward spiral in chapters 13-15, his son, Jonathan, is emerging as a promising young leader for the nation. Unfortunately, due to his father's disobedience, the budding prince would never be given the opportunity to ascend to his father's throne. In this chapter we will learn some wonderful lessons about God-honoring spiritual character as the author contrasts for us the life of Saul and the life of Jonathan - two men going in opposite directions.

Let's first take a look at the success of Jonathan.

1. THE SUCCESS OF JONATHAN

In chapter 13 we were introduced to Jonathan. He came off a successful military victory. In chapter 14, verse 1, we find him in a similar predicament. Jonathan plans another attack on a Philistine garrison.

His qualities as a leader stand out. The geography detailed in verses 4-5 highlights the difficulties that he faced in reaching this outpost. Nevertheless he had the stamina and determination to complete the work. The text says his army consisted only of his armor bearer (14:1, 7). So despite the sheer odds against him, he demonstrated boldness and courage. But most of all as a faithful spiritual leader, he displayed remarkable confidence and faith in God Almighty. In verse 6 he said, "Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; perhaps the LORD will work for us, for the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few."

For a moment, let us turn our attention to Saul.

It is important to note as we seek to establish this contrast that while Jonathan is on the move, Saul is wasting time under a pomegranate tree in Migron according to verse 2. From the past weeks we know that Saul is expecting a major counter-attack from the Philistines at any moment. Yet we also know for Saul that boldness is not his forte.

This is possibly why Jonathan did not inform his father of his military adventure. For a person accustomed to taking initiative finds great difficulty working with indecisive and pessimistic individuals. While Jonathan is acting, Saul is reacting. While Jonathan is seeking to serve the Lord and His people, Saul is serving only himself. I believe Saul's men also lost confidence in their leader. For the 3,000 men that he handpicked (13:2), chapter 14 verse 2 say the number had dropped to "about 600."

Saul's failed leadership is also seen in verse 3. As others are losing confidence in him, he is losing confidence in God. Since he no longer cared to hear God's Word, Samuel no longer cared to speak to the king. Samuel departed (13:15), and the king who cared not to obey God's voice was left without a voice from God.

So instead of listening to God's appointed mouthpiece, verse 3 informs us that Saul turns to Ahijah. While he may sound like a legitimate prophet, the verse also is quick to inform us that he is a relative of Eli's priestly line and no less the nephew of Ichabod himself. Back in chapter 4 we learned that Ichabod means the glory of the Lord had departed - his birth signifying the disqualified line of Eli for Eli's indifference to his two disobedient sons (chapters 2-4). How symbolic: the soon to be disqualified king is partnering with the disqualified priesthood. A bad situation is only about to get worse as Saul surrounds himself with people who tell him what he wants to hear as comparedto people who tell him what he needs to hear< (cf. 12:23).

While Saul is idle (a dangerous place to be), Jonathan knows he needs to attack the Philistines. Throughout this book the Lord made it clear that He would deliver the enemy into their hand if His people would obey His commandments (12:14-15). Throughout this book we have seen God faithfully fulfill this promise. His father would probably have forbid the attack (14:1). Six hundred trembling men would serve him no purpose (13:7). And with Ahijah being the only spiritual advisor (14:3), the king's son knew he needed to take matters into his own hands. He was motivated by God's promise and God's faithfulness in the past. Verse 6 again, "Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; perhaps the LORD will work for us, for the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few."

Jonathan knew that with God's promises on his side nothing is impossible. So while Saul was a parked car under a tree, Jonathan puts his faith into action. There is no trust in his own strength or the size of his army. Rather he looks to the God without limitations who works on behalf of His people. His courage is rooted not in himself but in the truth regarding God's character (cf. Psm. 33:16-19).

How our Lord loves to use a little to produce much to show that the surpassing greatness of His power is of Him and not from ourselves (2 Cor. 4:7). Jonathan was familiar with the principle that God's choicest servants not only talk about God's greatness, but also give God an opportunity demonstrate His greatness in and through their lives. How often do we settle for too little because we fail to dream big and then fully place ourselves at His disposal? Saul was acting as if Dagon was his God (5:1-7). Jonathan knew and utilized the sovereign power of the living God Himself!

In verses 7-14 we read that Jonathan and his armor bearer overcame the garrison and completely destroyed the enemy. Verse 15 further demonstrates how the Lord was working for them. "And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders trembled, and the earth quaked so that it became a great trembling."

What a great lesson about the folly of human confidence. Jonathan and his armor bearer were outnumbered. The enemy was more strategically fortified. Yet after the attack of two young men the powerful enemy shook with fear because God was working on behalf of His children.

This is not the unusual, but the ordinary working when God is to accomplish great things. Nehemiah was only a cupbearer for the king, but he rallied the troops to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. Joseph was only the young and often mistreated son, but he was used by God to save the whole nation from starvation. The same could be said for Ruth and Gideon and Esther. Insignificant people considered the nobodies of this world, yet used by God to achieve spectacular events that changed the course of history. And how can we forget that the whole movement of Christianity began with a dozen untrained and uneducated tradesmen who within a few years turned the world upside-down (Ac. 17:6)!

Let me ask you, are you content living a life no different than your unsaved neighbor, or do you want to see God use you to glorify himself by bringing about the impossible? Saul didn't. Jonathan did!

Verses 16-17, "Now Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away; and they went here and there. Saul said to the people who were with him, 'Number now and see who has gone from us.' And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there."

Jonathan made a wise decision and it resulted in a great victory for the Israelites. But when Saul realized that just two men threw the Philistines into a frenzy, he made a very foolish decision. A decision that should make us cringe if we were here for the sermon on chapter 4.

Verse 18, "Then Saul said to Ahijah, 'Bring the ark of God here.' For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel" (emphasis added).

Though it was clear that the victory was the Lord's doing, Saul followed in the superstitious footsteps of his forefathers and ran to the ark of God and not the God of the ark. Jonathan appears to be a man who kept in step with the Spirit, every decision sifted through the will of God, every action seeking to bring the Lord glory. On the other hand Saul was half-hearted. He knew a lot about religion, but it seems nothing about a relationship with Yahweh. He was probably complaining and grumbling against the Almighty when things were not going his way, but now that the Philistines were "melting away" he tries to show everybody he is the most spiritual one in the camp. The churches are full of fair-weathered Christians. Jumping on the bandwagon when it is convenient or favorable, but sitting under a pomegranate tree and watching others when they are needed the most.

The fickle nature of Saul's faith is seen in verse 19. "While Saul talked to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased; so Saul said to the priest, 'Withdraw your hand.'"

In other words, "Things are going well, I don't need you anymore, God." And as the leader was fickle, so were his followers. Verses 21 and 22 tell us that once it was apparent that the Philistines were about to be routed, those who deserted and those who hid themselves (cf. 13:6-7) came out of the woodwork and fought against the Philistines.

Verse 23 informs us, "The LORD delivered Israel that day." As Jonathan said in verse 6, God does not need many to accomplish His purposes. No doubt the fair-weathered friends took credit for the victory, but we know the hero of the story is God and His pleasure to use the few that were faithful.

After this miraculous victory, we are set to experience a revival in the land. Unfortunately we are in for another letdown. God is basically ignored, and Jonathan, rather than being hailed as a mighty leader, is almost put to death by his father.

Let's turn from the success of Jonathan to the failure of Saul.

2. THE FAILURE OF SAUL

Once again Saul has a spiritual meltdown. He reacts to the victory in the wrong way. Instead of growing in humility and faith he makes a foolish decision that totally demoralizes his troops.

God is looking for a change in our hearts (cf. 16:7). He is not impressed with statues, candles, relics or any other outward form of religion. That includes asceticism - the severe treatment of our body to gain His approval (cf. Col. 2:23). In seeking to earn the favor of the Lord, Saul imposes a mandatory ban on food for all his troops until he avenges himself upon his enemies (who he should have seen as God's enemies - 14:6). The oath is sealed with death to all who violate (14:24).

One commentator said, "Saul's oath belongs to those superstitions which think that God is more likely to listen if men indulge in unnecessary self-denial" (H.L Ellison, Scripture Union Bible Study Books: Joshua-2 Samuel, p.58).

The chameleon in action! From indecisiveness under the pomegranate tree to a bold avenger on his enemies. From doing things his own way to becoming a pious follower of Yahweh. The decision may have impressed the spiritually immature at the time, but the author of this account is seeking to show us how deficient Saul's spirituality and thus his leadership really were. Jonathan is faithfully serving the Lord quietly behind the scenes, while Saul is into emotional swings and his appearance before others. The folly of Saul's decision is about to unfold. He has a strange ability to turn deliverance into disaster!

While his military men are seeking to overcome the enemy, they are famished and exhausted (14:25-26, 28) thanks to Saul's ban on food. Moreover - one little mistake - Saul forgot to inform his son about the oath.

Beginning in verse 27, "But Jonathan had not heard when his father put the people under oath; therefore, he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. Then one of the people said, 'Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, 'Cursed be the man who eats food today.'' And the people were weary. Then Jonathan said, 'My father has troubled the land. See now, how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more, if only the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great'" (14:27-30).

As Jonathan is facing death at the hands of his father, we cannot help but wonder: Why did Jonathan have to be treated this way after he was used by God to save the nation? Why isn't Jonathan king instead of Saul? Why is Jonathan's tenure forfeited because of Saul's mistake? Generally speaking: Why don't things turn out the way I want them? Why isn't life fair?

Dale Ralph Davis comments on these questions: "(They) are normal. They are also revealing. They reveal to us: twenty-first-century citizen of the western culture we have imbibed. In our minds self-fulfillment is a right. If we've ingenuity and discipline our efforts should be crowned with success. Should we be of a religious bent we happily acknowledge that "God and/or Jesus" assists us in our quest. One can always use such help. But Jonathan seemed to know better. The kingdom was not Saul's or Jonathan's; it was Yahweh's kingdom. For Jonathan, then, the kingdom was not his to seize, not his to rule, but his to serve… Maybe a tragic life isn't tragic if it's lived in fidelity to what Christ asks of us in the circumstances He had given us" (1 Samuel, p. 148).

A lot was chosen to determine who violated Saul's ban. Beginning in verse 41, "Therefore, Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Give a perfect lot.' And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. Saul said, 'Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.' And Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, 'Tell me what you have done.' So Jonathan told him and said, 'I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!' Saul said, 'May God do this to me and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan'" (14:41-44).

Even though ignorant of the ban, Jonathan seems to make no excuses. However, the people refrain from being silent. They would not stand for such a gross injustice. They knew how Jonathan delivered Israel. They knew how he "worked with God." They knew who the true man in this situation really was.

Verse 45, "But the people said to Saul, 'Must Jonathan die, who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.' So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die."

We are glad that Jonathan would live to see another day, but as always, the infighting among God's people cost them a spiritual victory.

Verse 46, "Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place."

So what have we seen regarding Saul? His opportunity to finally defeat the Philistines was lost due to his foolish decision. He was deserted by Samuel and chose to follow Ahijah from the forsaken line of Eli. He has lost the confidence of his troops and his son. While Jonathan seems to have been the leader Israel needed, the prince will never be given that opportunity thanks to his father's disobedience. Saul was committed to outward religiosity but never understood the importance of submitting his will to the Lord. He was unsuccessful as a father, as a leader and as a child of God. Next week we will see another one of his mistakes that causes him to be totally rejected. Overall, Saul has proven himself to be a failure.

This conclusion seems obvious until we read the summary section in the following verses of the chapter. Verses 47-48, "Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, the sons of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment. He acted valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them."

A failure? To me, that sounds like a very successful king! What gives?

Before we jump to the conclusion that there is a contradiction in the text, we must carefully think about what we have learned thus far. Israel wanted a king just like the other nations to fight their battles (8:19-20). God gave them just what they wanted. A tall, handsome man (9:2) was at the helm when God granted these military victories. As history often dictates, a leader's success is often remembered not based upon his character but on the accomplishments achieved by the nation during his reign. Israel was successful. So in the history books, Saul is remembered as a hero - but as I have often said, 1 Samuel is not a history book, it is a theological study.

The point I believe the author is trying to make is that we can look successful in the eyes of the world and still be a failure in the eyes of God. I believe we need to see that the true human hero in this story is not Saul but rather Jonathan. He quietly stands out as the model of what Saul should have been. In the eyes of God, Saul failed. And that is why Saul will soon be replaced by a man after God's own heart (13:14, 16:1-13).

May we learn a valuable lesson from this account. Do we make our mark in life by worldly standards? Is success determined by the approval from other humans? What are we seeking to produce in ourselves and our children? More Sauls? Beloved, we must understand that only God's opinion matters.

Are we after worldly winners or are we after mature disciples that are sold out to serve the only true King, King Jesus? Are we like the baseball players who may win the game in this life but in order to do so must carry around a dead and empty soul? While seeing victory in this life, Saul is forever remembered as a loser in the life that matters most of all. As we compared the character of these two men, are we like Saul: rebellious (13:8-15), foolish (14:24), lazy (14:2) and callous (14:36-44)? Or are we like Jonathan: full of initiative (13:3-4), imagination (14:6-14), insight (14:27-30), courage (14:1) and faith (14:6)?


More in 1 Samuel

December 9, 2007

A Contrast Between Two Anointed Ones

December 2, 2007

The Unhappy Medium

November 25, 2007

Turkey or Godly