I Samuel 14:45 For he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
Prince Jonathan, Saul’s son, was a noble man. He was a man who I think is highly underrated by people who read the Bible. He is known as the friend of David and the son of Saul, but he was also a mighty warrior and a noble man.
The Bible tells us a fascinating story in I Samuel 14 that relates to the campaign against the enemies of Israel and of God, the Philistines. Jonathan and his armor bearer went up onto a promontory and across a gulch to single-handedly confront the forces of the Philistines. The Lord gave them a wonderful victory. They slew many more than their own number in that surgical strike. Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.” “And they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.”
This miraculous victory set off a chain of events. There was a certain momentum that came from the courage and faith of Jonathan. The Bible says there was a “trembling in the host.” The Philistines trembled and feared within themselves, and then the earth also quaked. God produced earthquakes.
In the confusion that came from that, the Philistines began fighting one another, “every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture,” which means there was a great panic. That in turn strengthened the heart of the Israelites. The Bible summarizes all this by saying “So the LORD saved Israel that day,” and He did.
You find this act of Jonathan a very brave act, but some might say it was rash to go up against a great force in secret with only one other person. Well, there is a difference between being rash and trusting God.
The man who gives us a contrast to Jonathan’s faith is his father Saul. After the victory over the Philistines, speaking of what followed the victory with the Philistines, the Bible says, “And the men of Israel were distressed that day.” The reason for this distress was that Saul had said to all his people, “Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies.” “So none of the people tasted any food.” They were going hungry. Saul wasn’t trusting God, but making a rash vow.
Well, Jonathan, who had been ignorant of this vow of Saul’s, tasted a little honey and gained strength that no one else had. When Saul found out that Jonathan had transgressed he said, “I have said that whoever eats any food will be cursed and die, and so Jonathan will surely die.” Then the Bible says something very interesting, “And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan that he died not.”
In other words, they said, “Jonathan has worked with God this day.” Now at first blush, both Jonathan and Saul were rash, Jonathan for going up against a huge force and Saul for making an unwise oath that removed from his people the strength and sustenance they needed to pursue the enemy. So, which was really rash, Jonathan’s attack or Saul’s oath?
Notice the contrast. What were the results? Jonathan defeated God’s enemy. On the other hand, Saul caused God’s people to break God’s command. They were so hungry that they later did things that were clearly forbidden in the law of God. Jonathan was courageous, and he was also ignorant of Saul’s command. On the other hand, Saul was passive when it came to fighting the enemies, but he was desperate in the aftermath.
In the end, Jonathan trusted God and Saul invoked God, and there is a difference. Saul wasn’t trusting God or seeking His guidance. He was passively invoking God. He said, “As the Lord liveth,” but he wasn’t trusting God to do what God wanted him to do, to pursue the enemy. Jonathan didn’t make any rash promises. Jonathan did something that on its own would be completely rash, but was not rash because he was apparently following God’s guidance with the enabling of God Almighty.
Today, do people think what you are doing is extreme or do they think it is mild? Are you trusting yourself or are you trusting God? Sometimes, when we are trusting ourselves, mild things are really rash. They have no merit. Sometimes doing courageous things is not rash; it is wise and noble. The difference is whom you are trusting. Are you trusting yourself or are you trusting God? Are you following God’s lead or are you passive on one hand and panicked on the other?
Saul was a man who was rash with his mouth, and Jonathan was a man who was courageous because he trusted God with his actions.