Good Morning Friends,
Saul and the army were waiting to do battle
with the Philistines. The Philistine army was much larger than the army of
Israel and much better armed. There seemed no way that the army of Israel could
prevail. Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, took matters into his own hands, secretly
climbing the cliff up to the Philistine camp with just his armor-bearer. When
they arrived at the top of the cliff, God did a miracle and sent panic among
the Philistine army and they turned on each other and a rout was begun.
Saul saw the Philistine army in a rout and
called his men to destroy them. God gave Israel a great victory, not because of
their superior strength, but because of His miraculous presence. In the midst
of the battle, Saul did something foolish. He made a vow to the Lord, saying
“Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged
myself on my enemies.” (1 Samuel 14:24)
As the day progressed, the army grew weak with
hunger. They were fighting a fierce battle and moving at great speed to pursue
the Philistines. They needed the strength that food would have provided them. But
they were faithful to Saul’s vow, all except Jonathan. Jonathan had not been
told of the vow. Seeing honey on the ground, Jonathan ate of it.
When evening came, Saul wanted to continue the
pursuit. He asked the priest to inquire of the Lord if it was right to continue
the battle. God would not answer the inquiry. God had gone silent because the
vow had been broken. Saul discovered it was Jonathan who had broken the vow and
was ready to kill him. The intervention of the men of Israel saved Jonathan’s
life.
The battle did not go as well as it could have
because the army grew weak; the Lord went silent and Jonathan nearly lost his
life … because of a foolish vow.
God takes vows seriously. “When you make a vow
to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill
your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.”
(Ecclesiastes 5:4-6)
His, by Grace, Steve
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