Sermon 47: 1 Samuel 13:15-14:14

15. Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the people that fought against them, coming from Gilgal to Gibeah, in the hill of Benjamin. And Saul mustered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men. 16. And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people that were found with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin; the Philistines, however, encamped at Michmash. 17. And raiders went out from the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned toward the way of Ophrah, to the land of Shual. 18. Another company entered along the way of Beth-horon, and the third turned toward the road of the border that overlooks the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19. Now no smith was found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had taken precautions lest perhaps the Hebrews should make a sword or a spear. 20. Therefore all Israel went down to the Philistines, that each might sharpen his plowshare, and his mattock, and his ax, and his sickle. 21. And so the edges of plowshares, and mattocks, and forks, and axes were blunt, even to a goad needing setting. 22. And so when the day of battle came, no sword or spear was found in the hand of all the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, except for Saul and his son Jonathan. 23. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to cross over to Michmash.

CHAPTER XIV. 1. And it happened on a certain day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man, his armor-bearer: Come, let us cross over to the Philistine garrison, which is across that place. But he did not tell his father this. 2. Saul, however, was tarrying in the outermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which was in Migron, and the people with him were about six hundred men. 3. And Ahijah the son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, who was descended from Eli the priest of the Lord at Shiloh, was wearing the ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4. Now between the passes by which Jonathan tried to cross to the Philistine garrison were prominent rocks on either side, and like the form of teeth, steep cliffs on this side and on that; the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5. One cliff projected to the north, opposite Michmash, and the other to the south, opposite Gibeah. 6. And Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer: Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised, perhaps the Lord will work for us, for it is no difficulty for the Lord to save by many or by few. 7. And his armor-bearer said to him: Do all that is in your heart; go where you wish, I will be with you wherever you will. 8. And Jonathan said: Behold, we will cross over to these men; and when we appear to them, 9. If they say thus to us: Stay until we come to you, then we will stand in our place and not go up to them. 10. But if they say: Come up to us, we will go up, for this will be a sign to us. 11. So both showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said: Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden. 12. And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, saying: Come up to us, and we will show you something. And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer: Come up, follow me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13. So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him; thus some fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed others as he followed him. 14. And the first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck, was about twenty men, in half the area of a yoke that a yoke of oxen plows in a day. 15. And there was a miracle in the camp throughout the fields, and all the people of the garrison who had gone to plunder were astonished, and the land was disturbed, and it happened as if a miracle from God. 16. And the watchmen of Saul, who were in Gibeah of Benjamin, looked, and behold, the multitude was cast down and was scattering this way and that. 17. And Saul said to the people who were with him: Search and see who has gone out from us. And when they had searched, it was found that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not present.

From what has gone before we have learned by what wonderful and unexpected means God liberated his Israelite people, and meanwhile showed Saul to be unworthy of any share in the praise of this victory. For he had to be afflicted with that part of disgrace that we taught above was to be branded upon him. And so here in the first place Saul is said to have been surrounded, after mustering his army, with only six hundred men -- although we saw before that he was surrounded by a great multitude of people, so that he was able to lead an army of three hundred and thirty thousand men into battle. The Philistine army, moreover, consisted of thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and so great a multitude of foot soldiers that they were as the sand which is on the seashore. Therefore the salvation of the Israelite people seemed done for, and they seemed about to be the most certain prey of the Philistines. But God here wished to open a way for the splendor of his power and might and his favor toward his people, so that the people in these straits might

be turned to him and seek aid; or if perhaps, struck with great fear and horror, they would not remember to flee to God, then at least, with victory won and enemies vanquished, they would remember to give all the glory to God alone, lest men claim some part of the praise for themselves. For not in vain did the prophet say that God does not delight in the strength of a horse — which we may rightly apply also to men. Not indeed as if God hated his own work. For if a strong and robust horse falls to our lot, we may indeed use it for necessary things; and if men are endowed with strength, it is certain that this is God's gift, by no means to be despised.

But because we are inclined to ambition and arrogance when adorned with such means, so that we seem to ourselves sufficiently strong by ourselves to protect ourselves — therefore God is said not to delight in such means, lest we place our confidence in them and rest in them; but that, fleeing to God, we may hope for salvation from him alone, and in all humility, calling upon him, render him the honor due. Moreover, we cannot call upon God with ardent and sincere prayers unless we have been reduced to straits and have felt our own poverty. For if we seem to ourselves furnished with all necessary things, and our wishes being granted everything succeeds according to our desire, even though we pray to God, we do it not with serious affection, but only out of custom and a kind of external rite. Therefore it is necessary that we be deprived of all things, to the point that need leads us to God, with such great vehemence of mind that we render him the honor due; and that not only with the mouth but in reality and from the heart we profess that our salvation depends on him alone, without whose favor and benevolence our salvation would be in peril, and matters concerning us would be such that no salvation would seem to remain.

Therefore there is no doubt that God wished his people to be unarmed and stripped of all things needed for just defense, so that the subsequent victory over the enemies might be a notable trophy and monument of the help offered by God from heaven, and that the people were rescued by God's power and might alone from the jaws of death, having cast away every hope of salvation.

Moreover, let us observe how great was the confusion of all things in this people, when God's enemies exercised such tyranny over the people that the wretched men were not even allowed to have smiths to make their plowshares or mattocks, or their axes, or shovels, or finally any necessary implements for cultivating the land or other implements for domestic use, so that they could not chop wood except by borrowing axes; and they were necessarily forced to receive them from their enemies, by whom however they would have been a hundred thousand times slain, had God permitted it.

When therefore we see that people chosen by God reduced to such great distress — the only people in the whole world in which God's name was called upon and adored — let us learn from their example to wonder little if sometimes God permits us to be pressed by enemies and brought into extreme peril, so that we seem about to perish a thousand times, and to be overwhelmed with the greatest disgrace and ignominy. All these things, I say, if they happen to us, let us recognize that this was the condition of the church long ago, with God thus partly punishing the sins of those who had been ungrateful to him and unmindful of the benefits received from him, and partly testing the patience of those who had faithfully worshipped and honored him. Here therefore as in a living image we may contemplate the condition of the church whenever it has seemed good to God to test it seriously.

But what shall we say of Saul, who not so long ago had gathered an army of three hundred thousand men, and now is surrounded by only six hundred men? Indeed, the histories make credible that even after a great slaughter of soldiers, generals retained their authority with the soldiers received, and even with death before their eyes, soldiers never deserted their general. But here, although the enemies had not yet made an attack, and Saul had stirred up the soldiers with the trumpet, who at first had come in great numbers, they nevertheless gradually slipped away, so that Saul had only the remaining six hundred men. But, I ask, how prepared and equipped were they for battle? Not even one had a sword or spear with which to defend himself; they had only axes or goads with which oxen are prodded. Therefore here we observe Saul's great stupor; then also the people's shameful flight and dispersion, and the greatest confusion of affairs — since not thinking of God's help, some hid themselves in caves, others in cisterns, others in woods, and they took counsel for themselves in any way they could. By this deed they testified that they had cast away all faith and hope of salvation as if it were a desperate situation.

When we look upon these things, let us learn, as I warned before, so to place our confidence in God that when our affairs seem desperate and the enemy seems to surpass us by far in strength, we nevertheless do not cease to hope that God's power will most easily overcome whatever is contrary to us, since he holds the issues of death in his power. And therefore though a thousand perils of death press upon us, God will easily meet them all and lead his people out from the very jaws of the sepulcher. For the promises that were made to the Israelites long ago about this matter pertain also to us. Indeed, in Zechariah's times the appearance of things in Israel was sad, and there was the greatest disturbance. For permission had been given to the people to return, and to restore the city itself and the temple of God; but they were nevertheless pressed on every side. And indeed in comparison with those who had been carried away to Babylon and dispersed in Chaldea and other eastern regions, only a very small part had returned. And it is well known that promises were made to them that God would reserve some seed for them and some remaining part would be preserved, although previously their numbers were countless and their multitude infinite. But behold how wretched they were, that like sheep they were turned in the jaws of lions; whom either the hatred of neighbors pressed, or calumnies, or finally various troubles overwhelmed, so that on every side they seemed exposed to the fury of enemies. But the prophet consoles them. And having set forth the vision he had had of the candelabrum and lamps, he adds that there were two olive trees, by which the old law was symbolized. And he teaches that those two olive trees continually dripped, lest the lamps in the church be extinguished. Then he teaches that this would be accomplished neither by force of arms, nor by any other force, but by the very Spirit of the Lord.

From this we learn that God, when his faithful are cast into such great straits that they despair of their salvation, because they are unequal to resisting their enemies, who attack them unarmed and unfit with great forces, vanquishes and disperses those enemies and wishes his work to be acknowledged, and the honor due him to be rendered to him on this account. Therefore our faith ought to rely neither on the multitude of soldiers, nor on any earthly things; but rather to be persuaded that, deprived of all these things, we shall nevertheless in actual experience find God's power great enough to protect us and rescue us from the greatest dangers into which he himself has cast us to test us.

Therefore those words of the prophet pertain also to us. For it is certain that the prophet declared in them what the condition of the church is from the time it was redeemed from Babylonian captivity — indeed, from the time our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world. Therefore whenever we are terrified by the multitude and threats of enemies, so that we seem about to be torn to pieces by them, let us flee to that promise as if to the strongest ramparts and fortifications — namely, that we should take account neither of swords nor of armies, but should be content with the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ, which will win victory over enemies for our salvation. And from this passage so useful a doctrine is to be drawn; and besides the doctrine, it is also useful to be confirmed by examples, such as occurs here in Saul, who is said to have remained alone with only six hundred men, while on every side enemies surrounded him with an immense multitude, so that the salvation of the Israelites seemed desperate, and an easy victory for the enemies, even without drawing swords. And so the enemies were singing triumphs as if the victory were already won; and there is no doubt that they were tearing God's name with their blasphemous voices. God endured them for a time. But finally in actual fact God revealed that all the arrogance of the enemies, exalting themselves so highly, was being turned into their own great disgrace and confusion.

Therefore let us know that those who despise God, swelling with pride and arrogance, and cruelly raging against the faithful, are all the closer to their own ruin and disgrace. And if God should test us so far that the enemies, with his permission, plot and undertake many things against us, and things succeed for them according to their desire, so that our salvation seems desperate, let us nevertheless not doubt that he has prepared the due reward for them, and at the right place and time will reveal that he has had pity on us, even if for a time he seemed to have hidden his face from us.

And enough of these things; let us pass on to what is said of Jonathan. And at first sight he will be judged to have been too rash, without judgment and without moderation. For Saul had only six hundred soldiers remaining, and indeed unarmed, against so many thousands of enemies. Nevertheless Jonathan secretly leaves the camp with his armor-bearer, and that at a time when three enemy companies had gone out before the main body to plunder. Jonathan rashly meets them, and that without his father knowing. Indeed, he goes out armed for war, but what is one against so many companies? Indeed, his armor-bearer did not have weapons with which to defend himself, except perhaps a shovel or an ax, and that borrowed. For we saw above that by the trickery of the Philistines no smith was found among the Hebrews; and even if they finally had liberty to make iron tools and to sharpen them on the millstone, this was not without fear and terror.

Therefore Jonathan would rightly be judged rash in the opinion of men, because he went out alone against so many enemies, and besides this he overturned order. For if in time of war it were permitted, with the camp pitched and the enemies surrounding on every side, for anyone to leave his post rashly, what danger would arise from this? Indeed, those who in time of war desert their post without the general's command are worthy of capital punishment; for otherwise he would retain no authority, and the greatest confusion of affairs would be introduced. Finally, fearful slaughter would result if a few without mature counsel and deliberation went out from the camp.

Therefore Jonathan may seem to have cast his father into the greatest danger here; and through him it would not have been because his father with his few remaining soldiers would have been crushed. Then having gone out, he dares to advance even to the soldiers who were on guard. And therefore there are said to have been two cliffs there in the form of teeth, steep. This is apparent in the neighboring mountains and hills, in which more prominent cliffs display a kind of appearance of an abyss, or some great chasm. Here therefore there are said to have been two cliffs nearby, which the Philistines had occupied, and they had guards there, so that no one could pass that way by an open and royal road, for so great was the multitude of the enemies that no access to them lay open.

Therefore Jonathan, crawling on his hands and feet, attempts to ascend. But could he, exhausted from a trackless path, engage with the enemies? Indeed, let us see on what he chiefly relies as his foundation: 'Let us go up,' he says, 'to these unbelieving and uncircumcised men, and let us reveal ourselves to them. If they say, Come up to us, then we will boldly proceed against them.' 'For this will be a sign of their cowardice, that they do not dare to go out from their camp, and by this sign we shall know that God has delivered them into our hands. But if they say, Wait until we come to you, then we will stand in our place and not go up to them; for that will be a sign of their boldness and bravery.' What sort of thing is this, I ask? Would you not call it childish play — indeed, mere madness in such great peril? Indeed, Jonathan seems not only rash and inconsiderate, but also impious toward God, in that he tempted him by accepting an omen from a thing in itself empty and void.

But we see that this deed was approved by God, and Jonathan was guided by him with the enemies delivered into his hand, who fell at his very sight, and as if terrified by his shadow alone, his armor-bearer dispatched without difficulty. When we look upon these things, ought we not to look up to and admire the divine work? For how were the Philistines so terrified and struck with such great panic that they fall in fear, when previously they sang triumphs as if victors? How did it happen that they were broken, struck down, and put to flight by the Israelites without battle, while the Israelites were striking those whom fear had laid prostrate half-dead? Indeed, looking at these things we must confess that Jonathan ventured nothing here, and undertook nothing without divine guidance and impulse, and was as if blind, ignorant of the way he was entering.

Behold by what various ways God, having compassion on his own, works: if he sends war by which to test them, he supplies them with sound counsel and bravery. But if he does not always do so, and they are without counsel and blind, not knowing what to do, and come anxiously into the greatest difficulties of all things, nevertheless against our expectation God so directs and sustains them by hand in their straits that he favors our plans and grants a happy outcome, provided we rely on him alone and cast our affairs upon him.

Therefore God often wishes us to be cast down and humbled first, and to become like infants, so that destitute of counsel and lacking all things, and utterly blind and ignorant of things and the future outcome, we should nevertheless hope well and rest in God's promises, since he professes to have care of us and that he will never allow us to be so pressed that we are crushed; but in the greatest difficulties he will be present with us and bring our affairs to a happy outcome. Let Jonathan be an example of these things.

In the books of Judges we see that God sent the spirit of prudence and bravery upon those whom he wished to use as ministers of his grace for the defense of his people and their liberation from the hands of enemies. But here something different is found, which we should especially observe, lest we measure God's power by our own measure. For if every time we fall into some difficulties we imagine some manner of liberation, we in some way close off the way to God by our imagination. And so if we follow some plan we have persuaded ourselves of, and rest in it, we detract just so much from God's strength and power as we attribute to ourselves; so that henceforth we should no more hope for salvation from God, on account of that great ingratitude of ours.

Therefore this should be the more diligently observed: that God brings help to those who labor in various ways — now opening their eyes for them and equipping them with all the necessary gifts of his Holy Spirit, when it pleases him; now also allowing them to be anxious and doubtful in mind, and yet so impelling them, just as a father by hand leads a child who cannot yet walk alone but is supported from behind, ignorant of the way, and does not abandon him being led on the right path, lest stumbling he bring evil upon himself. So God conducts himself toward us, and supports those who are tottering; and so rules us that with eyes closed and ignorant of where we are going, he nevertheless impels and leads us. So God often leads us beyond our expectation and when we are ignorant of the outcome; and rules us by some secret power, so that we finally arrive at the desired port, though the manner of our way is unknown to us.

Let us not therefore accuse Jonathan of rashness; but let us rather believe that he was impelled by God as if dreaming and beside himself to undertake an entirely divine and extraordinary work. For when he is now driven this way, now that, and remains uncertain of the outcome of his plans, and finally finds the way — it is certain that this was wholly God's work, and that Jonathan was stirred up to it. Nor would he have undertaken anything that could not be accomplished by any human strength if he had given place to human counsels. What else then is to be said than what I taught before, that Jonathan was as if seized out of himself, when he was being pressed by great anxiety and care, and was led by God's hand and thrown against the enemy as a kind of scarecrow in the midst of the army, so that by his sight alone they were given over to destruction? Hence therefore let us learn to flee to God in the greatest difficulties, and to pray him to govern our counsels, and embrace us with his favor, and rescue us from straits and difficulties, and illumine us with his light, and rule our steps. And if it shall seem good to him to cast us down and humble us, and to keep us as if blind in the dark, by which discipline we often have need, nevertheless let us know that the way out of our miseries is open to him, and let us not cease to pray that he sustain us by his power as we walk in our calling. And so it befits us to pray to God not only that he grant us eyes and prudence to see whatever is expedient, but also that even when we are without all counsel and have wandered as if blind, he nevertheless rule us by his power, so that we never depart from the good, and cast all our ways into his hand and providence. And although we labor under great stupor and ignorance of things, let us nevertheless pray him to have mercy on us, and to rule our blindness, and to bring us to a happy outcome, so that we may always have the more abundant occasion of praising and glorifying him, the more he has blessed us beyond opinion and expectation. Thus this history must be used by us if we wish to derive fruit and benefit from it.

Moreover, when Jonathan is said to have received a sign of victory, and that God would deliver the enemies into his hands by their words — by which he judged them cowardly and timid — this is not an example to be imitated rashly. For it is unique, like certain other things that occur in Scripture, about which we spoke in the book of Judges. Thus when we hear that Gideon, to confirm his faith, asked from God a double sign, it is certain that he did not establish a law for others to follow, but was impelled by God, who confirmed it by the very outcome. But if we should propose this for ourselves to imitate today, we would act rashly, and God would punish our levity. For we must remember what our Lord Jesus Christ once said to his disciples when they asked that, just as long ago at Elijah's prayers, so also at theirs, fire might fall from heaven on those by whom they were not received as guests: 'You do not know,' he said, 'by what spirit Elijah was led.' As if he were saying: 'You do not have that communication of God's secrets and revelation that Elijah once had, whom however you wish to imitate.' Therefore we must hold that God gives a special privilege to his own and impels them to this or that work, but does not however want it to be drawn into a law and example by us. This is a useful doctrine.

For we know how prone we are to imitate God's servants in all their actions without judgment and discrimination, so that the imitation is theatrical and stage-like rather than true. Thus we see that the Israelites were corrupted in all ages, and shamefully and foully fell into many errors, and yet with the greatest arrogance they boasted and gloried in God's covenant entered into with their fathers, broken many times by them with the greatest ingratitude; and therefore severely rebuked by the prophets, they wished nevertheless to cover their crimes under this title: 'Our fathers, our fathers, I say, were accepted by God; we have the temple of God, the temple of God!' Indeed — but they ought to have looked to God's commandments and followed and observed them, and avoided in them the things prohibited.

Today in the papacy whatever is called the worship of God is mere abomination, because they have wished to draw into a law what was extraordinary, so that the true worship of God has been utterly depraved and adulterated. From what does this come, except from foolish imitation of some private superstition? For if anyone has done some special deed, it has been drawn into an example and rule, and thus the true worship of God has been obscured. Therefore the more carefully these things which I say must be observed, and which daily come before our eyes — since the lapse into the contrary is so easy — namely, that God often impels his servants to some deed which he will hold as pleasing and acceptable, but which nevertheless he does not want drawn into an example or general rule.

An example of this kind is conspicuous in Abraham's servant. For sent by Abraham to seek a wife for his son Isaac, he proposes a sign for himself of the matter being successfully accomplished: that the first girl who would meet him to draw water, having come out of the house, from whom he would ask a drink, if she should give it of her own accord, and even spontaneously give water to the camels, she should be the wife of his master, whom the Lord himself had chosen. Indeed, if we should wish to imitate this divination, there is no doubt that God would severely punish that arrogance, although Abraham's servant's vow was approved by God — namely, because God himself suggested and accomplished it.

The same exactly should be thought about Jonathan. For doubtless it could not have seemed credible to anyone that the enemies would be struck with terror at the sight of two men, especially since they knew there were no weapons in all Israel with which to defend themselves, much less to attack them, and the multitude of enemies was vast. I admit that only the cohorts of the garrison saw Jonathan and his armor-bearer, but what were those two against so many enemies? Could they not have been killed in a moment? Therefore no occasion of fear was offered to those Philistine sentinels, who had observed no men set against them to resist, and so, as we see, the Philistines, having seen those two men, in contempt order them to come up to them, saying: 'Behold, the Hebrews come forth from the holes where they had hidden themselves, and meditate battle' -- as if they were saying, 'Bah! These miserable little men have even dared to come into our sight, who must of necessity even unwillingly come into our power!'

Such was the arrogance and insolence of the enemies; therefore they feign fear and order the Israelites to come up to them: 'Come up to us,' they say, 'so that we may make something known to you.' So we are accustomed in our French idiom to address those whom, hostile to us, we frighten with threats: 'Hey, come here, come up, I want a word with you' -- which has the force of a threat. The same therefore happened with the Philistines, who threatened Jonathan and his armor-bearer with those words, and yet professed they did not dare to leave their post. From which it appears that God restrained their fury and cast fear into their hearts, so that although many, they did not dare to attack two men or to put them to flight. For at least they should have advanced some steps against him to terrify Jonathan. But they were held back by fear and contained themselves within the jaws of the mountains, as if they had a great army in sight, and as if those few and unwarlike men did not dare to come into their sight.

But Jonathan accepted an omen from those words, and indeed afterward that fear is said to have spread through the Philistine camp; about which more must be said tomorrow, God enabling. Meanwhile it should be noted that God here worked miraculously, in that so numerous and so powerful enemies were terrified by an object that gave no occasion for terror. What then? Indeed God thus made it manifest that he holds the hearts of men in his hands, and brings it about that those who were as bold as lions seek hiding places when no one is pursuing, and from fear and cowardice do not dare to come forth, though no one pursues. Thus wicked men are said to seek safety in flight even though they have no enemies pursuing.

Therefore we easily judge that Jonathan would not have accepted that omen unless he had conceived in his mind that God would prosper his counsels and undertakings. And this is by no means to be understood as if Jonathan undertook this relying on his own prudence or strength; but, as we said before, he was beside himself, and it is certain that he received this mind from God. Yet although there was much weakness in him and his mind hung anxious, he nevertheless rested on a good foundation and principle. For these words of his to his armor-bearer testify to the greatest faith: 'There is no hindrance to the Lord to save by many or by few.' And without a doubt, unless God's power on which he wholly depended had been well known to Jonathan, it is certain that he would by no means have used this speech, especially when established in such straits.

For it is easy for those who enjoy prosperity and favorable circumstances to extol God's strength, and to profess that he alone can break all the efforts of the enemies and resist them, even though the world should conspire with them. But when mortal danger appears, who can speak so confidently about God except one who has driven deep roots of faith? Indeed, he who places all his confidence in God will easily despise bold and rash invaders -- not, indeed, like those rash men who are restrained neither by fear of God nor hope in his goodness, but who rashly throw themselves into any dangers, and retain no sense of modesty -- such as those whose famous saying is: 'Let us dine here, as if to sup in the underworld.' But this is not to be called bravery and magnanimity, but mere rashness, as I said.

Not so Jonathan, the tenor of whose plans was of a different kind, and the goal of whose strength was different. For he depends wholly on God, on whom alone he casts the hope of his life. And he acknowledges that God can save him with few no less than with many men, even if he himself brings no strength, no counsel. And this is the meaning of this passage, and the useful doctrine to be drawn from it. So we see that good king Jehoshaphat encouraged his soldiers when an immense number of enemies had conspired against him, by whose number he seemed already about to be overwhelmed; nor was there any hope of escape from such a great and dreadful slaughter. Yet he looks to God alone, whose strength and power, he teaches, can be confined by no limits; and therefore he is not lifted up by his royal dignity, nor does he trust in his soldiers, whom he acknowledges to have no strength without God. Finally, he conducted himself far otherwise than kings or generals are accustomed, who measure victory by the number of their soldiers, or their alacrity and bravery, and therefore when they count so many thousands of horses, so many fortifications, so many armed soldiers, they think they have nothing to fear. Indeed, mortals need such helps to obtain victory; but God is far different, who borrows nothing from any mortal, but whose hand is powerful enough to help his people in any peril.

Therefore let us fix this doctrine deeper in our minds, that nothing can stand in God's way to prevent his bringing aid in due season to his own. For when he employs the labor of men in helping his own, he confers on them great honor; but he does not act as compelled by any necessity. For who doubts -- indeed, who does not hold for certain -- that God, as he created all things, can also use them according to his will to protect and preserve us, when we walk constantly in his obedience and proceed undaunted wherever he calls? Indeed, if these things adhere to our minds, no danger, no fear of death will be able to call us away from our duty, or move us in the slightest. And so much for Jonathan's undertaking, of which we shall still treat at greater length hereafter.

Next Saul is said to have heard a tumult in the camp, and to have summoned the high priest, and to have ordered him to bring near the ark of the Lord and to put on the ephod and to consult the Lord. Meanwhile, when he noticed that Jonathan was absent, he ordered him to be sought; and at the same time he ordered the priest to withdraw his hand and not proceed further. We said at the beginning of this history that we should observe that God had so taken pity on his people, but had nevertheless branded the greatest disgrace and ignominy on Saul, and declared him unworthy of all praise. For Saul seems to have remained in the camp out of fear and not to have dared to advance, while Jonathan dared even to advance against so great an army and alone attack so many armed and equipped soldiers.

Saul's fame, I admit, was greatly increased by that deed, but the Holy Spirit teaches us that here Saul could do nothing, and nothing was accomplished by his strength or prudence; but when he had perceived Jonathan's plans and their outcome, he judged that the enemies should be pursued, and exhorted the people to pursue the enemies, so that, if possible, not even one of so great a multitude might survive. In which matter he made manifest his arrogance and rashness joined with the greatest cruelty, as we shall see below when he condemned his own son to death. And although he did not do this with deliberate malice, he nevertheless cast himself into a reprobate mind. This is evident even from the fact that we see here that he orders his soldiers to be counted; when they were counted, it appeared how greatly his condition had collapsed. Meanwhile, however, he flees to God, for he sufficiently noticed that his affairs were in the worst state, unless God himself supplied him with sound and useful counsel. Therefore he orders the priest to put on the ephod and to approach the ark to consult God, in order to inquire what he should do in these straits. But far too late.

Therefore God did not allow either the ark of the covenant or even the ephod to profit him in any way. For what he does, he does only out of distrust. And therefore, suddenly hearing the tumult in the enemy camp, he orders the priest to withdraw his hand, and as if he were beside himself, to desist from what he had begun -- as if he were saying, 'Since the time is so short, what need have we any more to consult God? There is no time for delay; and so we shall do without an oracle for the present.' And so rashly and without counsel he pursues his enemies, and orders his soldiers to follow him as he attacks the enemy. And these things are recounted in summary about Saul's arrogance and distrust.

We said earlier that Saul had with him the high priest when he too hastily ordered the sacrifice to be made while Samuel was awaited. As long therefore as he was at leisure, why was he not ordering the priest, before the enemies made their attack, to consult God and inquire about his will? But then he did not think of it; rather, he stood as a slothful and lazy man. Then, in a moment, struck with terror, he persuaded himself that too little time was left for him to inquire of God. But he was mistaken in his opinion, since the seventh day had not yet passed -- and before that day had elapsed, Samuel arrived as he had promised. And nevertheless he ought by his office to have inquired of the Lord through the priest about his will.

For God granted a special privilege to his people, that in straits and the greatest difficulties the priest, clothed with the ephod, should appear before the propitiatory and there inquire of the Lord what should be done in those difficulties. There were two kinds of ephod; for one was proper to the priests, the other was common to ordinary men and to those who were only Levites -- the kind of cloak that David is said to have worn when accompanying the ark. But besides there was the great ephod, namely the sacred tunic, in which sacred figures and signs were contained. Therefore Saul could have ordered the priest to put on the ephod and inquire of the Lord on his behalf; but he did not, until things were already desperate, and when he had fallen into such stupor that he was utterly ignorant of what he should do. But that consultation was unwelcome to the Lord, and therefore he went away uncertain and entirely ignorant of what the outcome of his affairs was to be.

Therefore these things must be diligently weighed by us, that as long as the Lord offers himself to us, we should be neither idle nor sluggish in seeking his will, and let us not neglect the offered opportunity. For the devil will try in every way to obscure God's truth; therefore if we are sluggish in calling upon him, we shall hold it as uncertain and unknown, and shall stray far from it. Therefore we must take pains, when by God's will his Word is daily preached among us and resounds in our ears, that we compose ourselves for obedience to it, and submit ourselves wholly to his will, and use that against any assaults as the surest bulwark, and daily advance in the knowledge of it, and with it as our guide redouble our prayers and entreaties night and day.

But if we are slothful and lazy, and persuade ourselves that the lapsed time can be recovered, it will come about that we shall be disappointed in our hope and deceived in our opinion. So you see most people saying in youth: 'My age is not yet suited to prayers; but when I grow old, I shall apply myself to constant prayers.' But God's grace does not depend on our judgment, nor is it in our power; nor can his truth be eluded. Therefore as long as we have liberty to pray -- that is, as long as God grants us leisure to invoke him -- let us overcome and cast far from us all wicked thoughts and all impediments by which we are turned away from prayer; and let us never hope for better times or opportunity, lest perhaps when we wish to enter, the door be shut against us.

For so we see it happened with Saul, that since he did not seek God when necessity demanded it and opportunity allowed, when he wishes to he cannot, nor does God give him the opportunity of inquiring of his will.

Now let us prostrate ourselves, etc.

Verse 15: Samuel got up and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the forces fighting against them, going from Gilgal to Gibeah in the hill country of Benjamin. Saul counted the men who remained with him — about 600. Verse 16: Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them stayed at Gibeah of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash. Verse 17: Raiders went out from the Philistine camp in three companies — one company turned toward the road to Ophrah in the land of Shual. Verse 18: A second company went along the road to Beth-horon, and the third turned toward the road along the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. Verse 19: There was not a single blacksmith to be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had made sure of it — they would not allow the Hebrews to make swords or spears. Verse 20: So all Israel had to go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles. Verse 21: The edges of the plowshares, mattocks, forks, and axes had become dull, and even the goads needed attention. Verse 22: So on the day of battle, not a sword or spear was found in the hands of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan — except for Saul and Jonathan themselves. Verse 23: The Philistine garrison went out to cross over toward Michmash.

Chapter 14. Verse 1: One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to his armor-bearer: 'Come, let us cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.' He did not tell his father. Verse 2: Saul was sitting at the edge of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron, and the men with him numbered about 600. Verse 3: Ahijah son of Ahitub — brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, descended from Eli the priest of the Lord at Shiloh — was wearing the ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan had gone. Verse 4: Between the passes where Jonathan intended to cross to the Philistine garrison were two sharp rocky crags — one on each side — named Bozez and Seneh. Verse 5: One crag projected to the north, facing Michmash, and the other to the south, facing Gibeah. Verse 6: Jonathan said to his armor-bearer: 'Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf, for nothing prevents the Lord from saving by many or by few.' Verse 7: His armor-bearer answered: 'Do everything that is in your heart — go wherever you wish, and I will be with you.' Verse 8: Jonathan said: 'We will cross over to those men and show ourselves to them.', Verse 9: 'If they say, Stay where you are until we come to you — then we will stand our ground and not go up to them.', Verse 10: 'But if they say, Come up to us — we will go up, for that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hand.' Verse 11: Both of them revealed themselves to the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said: 'Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.' Verse 12: The men of the garrison called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer: 'Come up here — we'll show you something.' Jonathan said to his armor-bearer: 'Follow me up. The Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.' Verse 13: Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. They fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed others. Verse 14: That first strike — by Jonathan and his armor-bearer — was about twenty men, in an area roughly the size of half an acre. Verse 15: A panic spread through the whole camp and across the open fields. All the raiding parties were seized with terror, and the ground shook — it was as though God Himself had sent the panic. Verse 16: Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked out and saw the mass of men dissolving and scattering in every direction. Verse 17: Saul said to the men with him: 'Search and find out who has left us.' When they investigated, it came out that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone.

From what we have already seen, we have learned the remarkable and unexpected means by which God delivered His Israelite people — and at the same time showed that Saul was unworthy of any share in the praise for this victory. He had to bear the portion of disgrace we discussed earlier. So we read here that after mustering his men, Saul had only 600 left — even though he had earlier commanded an army of 330,000. The Philistine army, by contrast, had 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and a foot army so vast it was compared to sand on the seashore. Israel's rescue looked completely hopeless — they appeared certain to be the Philistines' easiest prey. But God intended to open a way in this crisis to display the splendor of His power, might, and favor toward His people — so that in their desperate situation, the people might

turn to Him and seek His help. Or if, seized by such terror and fear, they forgot to flee to God, then at least after the victory was won and the enemy defeated, they would remember to give all the glory to God alone — so that no human being could claim any part of the credit. It was not without purpose that the psalmist says God takes no delight in the strength of a horse — a statement we can rightly apply to human strength as well. This does not mean God hates His own creation. If we happen to have a strong and capable horse, we may certainly use it for the things it is needed for. And if a person is endowed with physical strength, that strength is a gift from God and is by no means to be despised.

But because we naturally tend toward pride and arrogance when we are well equipped — thinking ourselves strong enough in our own right to protect ourselves — God is said not to delight in such resources. The reason is so that we will not place our confidence in them or rest in them, but will flee to God and hope for salvation from Him alone, calling on Him in all humility and giving Him the honor that is His due. We cannot call on God with earnest and sincere prayers unless we have been brought to a place of real need and have felt our own poverty. When we seem to have everything we need and everything goes according to our desires, we may pray to God — but not with genuine feeling. We pray only from habit and outward routine. It is therefore necessary that we be stripped of all things until need drives us to God with such intensity of spirit that we render Him the honor He deserves — not merely with our mouths, but in reality and from the heart, confessing that our salvation depends on Him alone, and that without His favor and grace our situation would be hopeless.

There is no doubt, then, that God willed His people to be unarmed and stripped of everything needed for their own defense — so that the victory over their enemies that followed would be a remarkable monument and trophy of God's help from heaven, proving that the people had been rescued from the jaws of death by God's power and strength alone, with all human hope of salvation completely gone.

We should also consider how completely everything had fallen apart for this people — to the point where God's enemies exercised such tyranny that the Israelites were not even permitted to have blacksmiths. They could not make plowshares, mattocks, axes, shovels, or any other tool needed for farming or daily life. They could not even chop wood without borrowing an ax from their enemies — the very enemies who, had God permitted it, would have slaughtered them without hesitation.

When we see that people chosen by God — the only nation in the whole world where God's name was called upon and worshipped — reduced to such desperate distress, let us learn from their example not to be surprised if God sometimes permits us to be pressed by our enemies and brought to the edge of ruin, where we seem about to perish a thousand times and be overwhelmed with the greatest shame. If these things happen to us, let us recognize that this was also the condition of the church in earlier times — God partly punishing those who had been ungrateful and had forgotten the benefits He had given them, and partly testing the patience of those who had faithfully worshipped and honored Him. In this story, as in a living portrait, we can see what the condition of the church looks like whenever it has pleased God to put it to a serious test.

But what shall we say about Saul, who so recently had assembled an army of 300,000 men, and now found himself with only 600? History shows that even after great slaughters, generals have often retained their soldiers' loyalty — that even with death staring them in the face, soldiers have refused to abandon their commander. But here, even though the enemy had not yet attacked and Saul had summoned the men by trumpet — men who had come in great numbers at first — they gradually slipped away one by one until only 600 remained. And how equipped were even those 600 for battle? Not one of them had a sword or spear. They had only axes and the goads used for driving oxen. In all of this we see Saul's profound failure — and the people's shameful flight and complete disorder. Having given no thought to God's help, some hid in caves, others in cisterns, others in the woods. Everyone scrambled for themselves however they could. By this behavior they showed that they had completely abandoned all faith and hope of salvation, as if the situation were already hopeless.

Looking at these things, let us learn — as I warned before — to place our confidence in God in such a way that even when our situation looks desperate and the enemy appears far stronger than us, we do not stop hoping that God's power will easily overcome whatever opposes us, since He holds the power over death itself. Though a thousand deadly dangers press on us, God will readily meet them all and lead His people out from the very mouth of the grave. The promises made to the Israelites long ago about this apply to us as well. In Zechariah's time the condition of Israel was deeply sad and confused. The people had been given permission to return and rebuild the city and God's temple, but they were pressed hard on every side. Compared to all those who had been carried off to Babylon and scattered through Chaldea and other eastern regions, only a very small portion had returned. Promises had been made that God would preserve a remnant for them — that some portion would survive — though previously the nation had been countless and immense. Yet look how wretched they were: like sheep caught in the jaws of lions, pressed by the hatred of their neighbors, slandered from every side, and overwhelmed by various troubles, exposed on every side to the fury of their enemies. But the prophet comforts them. After setting forth the vision of the lampstand and its lamps, he adds that there were two olive trees — symbols of the old covenant — and teaches that these two olive trees dripped continuously so that the lamps in the church would not go out. He then teaches that all this would be accomplished not by force of arms or any other human strength, but by the very Spirit of the Lord.

From this we learn that when God's faithful are cast into such desperate straits — when they have no means of defending themselves against enemies attacking them with overwhelming force — God defeats and scatters those enemies and wills His work to be recognized and the honor due to Him to be rendered. Our faith therefore must not rest on the number of soldiers or any earthly resource. We must be persuaded that even when stripped of all such things, we will find — in actual experience — that God's power is more than sufficient to protect us and rescue us from the most desperate dangers, including those He Himself has allowed to test us.

The prophet's words therefore apply to us as well. The prophet was describing the condition of the church from the time of its redemption from Babylonian captivity — indeed, from the time our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world. So whenever we are terrified by the multitude and threats of enemies and feel as though we are about to be torn apart, let us flee to that promise as to the strongest fortress: that we should take account neither of swords nor of armies, but be content with the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will win the victory over our enemies for our salvation. This passage yields a most useful teaching — and beyond the teaching, it is also useful to have it confirmed by examples. Here in Saul we see just such an example: he was left with only 600 men while enemies surrounded him with a vast army, making Israel's rescue look hopeless and the enemy's victory a foregone conclusion — they could have won without even drawing a sword. The enemies were already celebrating their triumph as if it were finished. No doubt they were tearing God's name apart with their blasphemous voices. God bore with this for a time. But in the end, God proved through the events themselves that all the enemies' arrogance and self-exaltation was being turned into their own great shame and ruin.

Let us therefore understand that those who despise God — swelling with pride and arrogance, raging cruelly against His faithful people — are all the closer to their own ruin and disgrace. And if God tests us to the point where enemies are permitted to scheme and act against us, succeeding in everything they attempt so that our situation looks hopeless — let us not doubt that He has prepared the just reward for them and will, at the right time and place, show that He has had pity on us, even if for a time He seemed to have hidden His face.

Enough of these things. Let us move on to what is said about Jonathan. At first glance he will seem to have acted rashly — without judgment and without restraint. Saul had only 600 soldiers left, and they were unarmed — facing tens of thousands of enemies. Yet Jonathan secretly left the camp with his armor-bearer, at a time when three enemy raiding companies had already gone out ahead of the main force. Jonathan went straight at them — without his father knowing, armed for war, but one man against so many companies. His armor-bearer had no proper weapons to defend himself with — perhaps only a shovel or a borrowed ax. We saw earlier that through the Philistines' cunning, no blacksmith was left among the Hebrews — and even the limited metalwork that was allowed was done under fear and oppression.

By human standards, Jonathan would rightly be judged reckless: going out alone against so many enemies and disrupting military order in the process. In wartime, with the camp pitched and enemies surrounding on every side, allowing soldiers to leave their posts without authorization would spell disaster. In any army, deserting one's post without the commander's orders deserves the death penalty — without such discipline, all authority would collapse and affairs would fall into complete disorder. And indeed, if a few men slipped out of camp without careful planning and deliberation, the result could easily be a terrible slaughter.

Jonathan might also seem to have put his father in the gravest danger — for had things gone otherwise, Saul's small remaining force could have been destroyed because of Jonathan's action. After leaving, Jonathan pushed forward all the way to where the enemy guards were posted. We are told there were two rocky crags nearby, steep and jagged like teeth. This kind of terrain can be seen in the surrounding mountains and hills, where prominent rocky formations create the appearance of a deep chasm or great gap. These two cliffs had been occupied by the Philistines, who had stationed guards there to block any passage — the enemy forces were so numerous that no open road to them was available.

Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet to attempt the ascent. But could he be expected to fight effectively after exhausting himself climbing pathless terrain? Let us look at what he actually relied on: 'Let us go up to these unbelieving, uncircumcised men and show ourselves to them. If they say, Come up to us — then we will boldly attack them.' 'For that will be a sign of their cowardice — that they do not dare come out from their position. And by that sign we will know that God has given them into our hands.' 'But if they say, Wait until we come to you — then we will stand where we are and not go up to them, for that will be a sign of their boldness and confidence.' What sort of plan is this? Would you not call it childish fantasy — indeed, sheer madness in the face of such danger? Jonathan seems not only reckless and ill-considered, but even impious toward God, treating what amounted to a meaningless omen as a sign from heaven.

But we see that God approved this act — He guided Jonathan and delivered the enemies into his hand. They fell at the mere sight of him, struck with panic as if terrified by his shadow, and his armor-bearer finished them off without difficulty. When we see this, must we not look up and marvel at God's work? How were the Philistines — who had just been celebrating their triumph as if the victory were already theirs — suddenly seized with such terror that they fell in fear? How were they broken, struck down, and put to flight by the Israelites without any real battle — while the Israelites were simply dispatching men whom fear had already laid half-dead on the ground? Looking at all of this, we must confess that Jonathan ventured nothing and undertook nothing apart from divine guidance and divine impulse. He was in a sense blind, having no idea what he was walking into.

See how many different ways God works in compassion for His own: when He sends a battle to test them, He equips them with sound judgment and courage. But when He does not do so — when they are without counsel, blind, and at a loss, anxiously pressing into impossible situations — God nonetheless directs and upholds them by His hand against all expectations. He favors their efforts and grants a good outcome, provided they rely on Him alone and cast their affairs on Him.

So God often wills that we first be brought low and humbled — reduced to something like infants — stripped of counsel, lacking all resources, completely blind and ignorant of what lies ahead. And yet in that state we are to hope well and rest in God's promises, since He has declared that He cares for us and will never allow us to be so pressed that we are crushed. In the greatest difficulties He will be present with us and bring our affairs to a good outcome. Let Jonathan be our example of this.

In the book of Judges we see God sending a spirit of wisdom and courage upon those He chose to use as instruments of His grace — for the defense of His people and their deliverance from enemies. But here we find something different, something we should especially observe — so that we do not measure God's power by our own standards. Whenever we fall into difficulty, if we immediately imagine some specific way out, we in some sense block God by our own imagining. If we settle on a plan we have convinced ourselves of and put our confidence in it, we take away from God's strength and power just as much as we attribute to ourselves — and we give Him so much less reason to save us.

This is therefore something to observe even more carefully: God brings help to those who are struggling in various ways. Sometimes He opens their eyes and equips them with all the necessary gifts of His Holy Spirit when it pleases Him. But sometimes He allows them to remain anxious and uncertain — and yet He moves them forward anyway, just as a father leads by the hand a child who cannot yet walk on his own, supporting him from behind, guiding him along the right path though the child does not know the way, and not letting him stumble into harm. This is how God deals with us: He supports those who are tottering and rules us so that with eyes closed, not knowing where we are going, He still moves and leads us. God often leads us well beyond our own expectations, when we are ignorant of the outcome �� governing us by some hidden power so that we finally arrive at our destination, though the path itself was unknown to us all along.

Let us not, therefore, accuse Jonathan of recklessness. Let us rather believe that he was moved by God — as if carried along in a kind of trance — to undertake an entirely divine and extraordinary work. As he was pulled in this direction and that, remaining uncertain of the outcome and then finally finding the way — all of that was wholly God's doing. Jonathan was stirred to it by God. He would never have attempted something beyond all human ability if he had been relying on his own human calculations. What else can be said but what I noted before: Jonathan was as if taken out of himself, seized in his great anxiety and pressure, led by God's hand, and thrown against the enemy like a scarecrow dropped into the middle of an army — so that the mere sight of him delivered them to destruction. From this, then, let us learn to flee to God in the greatest difficulties and pray that He govern our plans, surround us with His favor, rescue us from our straits, enlighten us with His light, and direct our steps. And if it please Him to bring us low and humble us — to keep us as if blind in the dark, which is often the discipline we need — let us still know that the way out of our troubles is open to Him. Let us never stop praying that He sustain us by His power as we walk in our calling. So let us pray not only that God give us eyes and wisdom to see what is right, but also that even when we are without all counsel and are wandering as if blind, He still govern us by His power so that we never depart from the good — and let us cast all our ways into His hands and providence. Though we labor under great confusion and ignorance, let us still pray that He have mercy on us, govern our blindness, and bring us to a good outcome — so that we will always have even more reason to praise and glorify Him, the more abundantly He has blessed us beyond all our hope and expectation. This is how we must make use of this account, if we want to draw real fruit and benefit from it.

When Jonathan is said to have received a sign of victory through the enemy's words — interpreting their challenge as a sign of cowardice and timidity, and from it concluding that God would deliver them into his hands — this is not an example to be casually imitated. It is unique, like certain other accounts in Scripture we discussed in Judges. When Gideon asked God for a double sign to strengthen his faith, he was not establishing a pattern for others to follow — he was moved by God, and God confirmed it through the outcome itself. If we were to try to imitate this today, we would be acting presumptuously, and God would punish our frivolity. We must remember what our Lord Jesus Christ said when His disciples asked whether they could call down fire from heaven on those who refused to receive them — just as Elijah had done: 'You do not know,' He said, 'by what spirit Elijah was led.' He was saying: 'You do not have the same access to God's secrets and revelation that Elijah had — and yet you want to copy him.' We must therefore hold to this: God gives special privileges to His servants and moves them toward specific tasks, but He does not intend those tasks to be turned into a general law or pattern for everyone to follow. This is an important teaching.

We know how prone we are to imitate God's servants in all their actions without discernment — so that the imitation is more like a theatrical performance than genuine faith. We see this throughout Israel's history: the Israelites fell into corruption and shameful error in every era, yet with great arrogance they boasted in God's covenant with their fathers �� a covenant they had broken over and over with the deepest ingratitude. When the prophets rebuked them sharply, they tried to cover their sins with this excuse: 'Our fathers — our fathers, I say — were accepted by God; we have the temple of God, the temple of God!' Yes — but they should have looked to God's commands, followed and kept them, and avoided what was forbidden.

In the papacy today, whatever is called the worship of God is mere abomination — because they have tried to make permanent laws out of what were extraordinary, one-time acts. In this way the true worship of God has been thoroughly corrupted and distorted. Where does this come from except foolish imitation of private, individual devotions? Someone performs a special act, it gets turned into an example and a rule, and in this way the true worship of God gets buried. These things I am pointing out must therefore be observed all the more carefully — since the slide into the opposite error comes so easily. God often moves His servants to a particular act that He accepts as pleasing, but which He has no intention of turning into a pattern or a general rule.

A clear example of this is the servant of Abraham. Sent by Abraham to find a wife for his son Isaac, he devised a sign for himself to know whether his mission would succeed: the first young woman who came out of the house to draw water, and who, when he asked for a drink, not only gave it freely but also voluntarily watered his camels — she would be the wife his master's son, chosen by the Lord. But if we were to try to imitate this kind of divination today, God would certainly punish that arrogance severely — even though Abraham's servant's prayer was approved by God, precisely because God Himself prompted it and brought it to pass.

Exactly the same applies to Jonathan. It would have seemed incredible to anyone that enemies would be struck with terror at the sight of two men — especially since it was known throughout the land that Israel had no weapons to defend themselves, let alone attack, and the enemy was vast in number. True, only the garrison guards saw Jonathan and his armor-bearer directly — but what were two men against so many? They could have been killed in a moment. There was no reason at all for those Philistine sentinels to be afraid. They had seen no threatening force arrayed against them. So when the two men appeared, they responded with contempt, calling out: 'Look, the Hebrews are crawling out of the holes where they were hiding, and they mean to fight' — as if to say, 'Ha! These pitiful little men have actually dared to show themselves — they'll be in our hands whether they like it or not!'

That was the arrogance and insolence of the enemy. They feigned a kind of menace when they told Jonathan to come up to them: 'Come up here — we'll give you something.' It is like the way we would address an enemy in French: 'Hey, come here, come up, I want a word with you' — which carries the force of a threat. So the Philistines were threatening Jonathan and his armor-bearer with those words, while at the same time not daring to leave their own position. This shows that God was restraining their fury and sending fear into their hearts — so that, despite outnumbering the Israelites enormously, they did not dare attack two men or even try to drive them back. They should at least have advanced a few steps to frighten Jonathan. But they were held back by fear and stayed contained within the rocky crags — as if they were facing a great army, not two poorly armed men who had just crawled up the hillside.

Jonathan took those words as his sign — and afterward, as we read, fear spread through the entire Philistine camp. We will have more to say about this tomorrow, God willing. For now, let it be noted that God worked a miracle here: a vast and powerful enemy was seized with terror by something that gave no natural reason for fear. What does this tell us? It shows that God holds the hearts of men in His hands. He can cause those who were as bold as lions to run and hide when no one is even chasing them — cowardice overtakes them and they dare not come out, even though no enemy is pursuing. This is what Scripture says about the wicked: they flee even when no one is pursuing them.

We can easily judge that Jonathan would not have accepted that sign unless he had already convinced himself in his mind that God would prosper his plans. And this must not be understood as though Jonathan was relying on his own prudence or strength — as we said, he was in a sense taken out of himself, and it is certain that this disposition came to him from God. Yet even though there was much weakness in him and his mind was anxious and unsettled, he was resting on a good foundation. His words to his armor-bearer reveal remarkable faith: 'Nothing can prevent the Lord from saving by many or by few.' Unless Jonathan had a well-grounded knowledge of God's power — and had placed his complete dependence on it — he could never have spoken those words, especially in the desperate straits he was in.

It is easy, when things are going well and circumstances are favorable, to praise God's strength and declare that He alone can break all the schemes of enemies — even if the whole world were conspiring against you. But when mortal danger is staring you in the face, who can speak with such confidence about God except someone who has sent the roots of faith deep? Those who place all their confidence in God will easily disregard bold and reckless attackers — not in the manner of those reckless men who have neither fear of God nor hope in His goodness, and who throw themselves into any danger without a thought, as captured in the famous saying: 'Let us dine here, as though we'll be supping in the underworld tonight.' That is not bravery and nobility of spirit — it is sheer rashness, as I have said.

Jonathan was nothing like that. His plans were of a different character entirely, and his strength rested on a different foundation. He depended completely on God, on whom alone he cast the hope of his life. He acknowledged that God could save him with few men just as easily as with many — even if Jonathan himself brought nothing to the table in terms of strength or strategy. That is the meaning of this passage, and the useful teaching to draw from it. We see the same spirit in good King Jehoshaphat, who encouraged his soldiers when an enormous coalition of enemies had conspired against him — an alliance so vast that he seemed already overwhelmed before the battle began, with no hope of surviving such a slaughter. Yet he looked to God alone, and he taught that God's strength and power cannot be confined by any limit. He did not trust in his royal dignity or in his soldiers, whom he acknowledged as having no strength apart from God. In this he acted very differently from the way kings and generals typically behave — men who measure victory by the size of their armies, their soldiers' enthusiasm and fighting ability, and who, after counting their thousands of horses and fortifications and armed men, think they have nothing to fear. It is true that human beings need such resources to win battles. But God is entirely different — He borrows nothing from any mortal, and His hand is more than powerful enough to help His people in any danger.

Let us therefore drive this teaching deeper into our minds: nothing can stand in God's way and prevent Him from bringing timely help to His own. When He chooses to use human effort in helping His people, He honors them greatly by doing so — but He is not compelled by any necessity. Who doubts — who can fail to hold as certain — that God, who created all things, can also use all things according to His will to protect and preserve us when we walk consistently in His obedience and press forward without hesitation wherever He calls? If these things take firm hold in our minds, no danger and no fear of death will be able to pull us from our duty or move us in the slightest. So much for Jonathan's undertaking, which we will treat at greater length hereafter.

Saul is next said to have heard the uproar in the enemy camp, summoned the high priest, and ordered him to bring the ark of the Lord and put on the ephod to inquire of God. Meanwhile, when Saul noticed that Jonathan was absent, he ordered a search — and at the same time ordered the priest to stop and go no further. We noted at the beginning of this account that God had shown compassion to His people while at the same time branding Saul with the deepest shame and declaring him unworthy of any credit. For Saul had remained behind in the camp out of fear, not daring to advance ��� while Jonathan had dared to march against such a massive army and attack so many armed soldiers alone.

Saul's reputation was indeed greatly boosted by Jonathan's deed — but the Holy Spirit shows us that Saul played no part in it and that nothing was accomplished by his strength or planning. When he perceived what Jonathan had done and how it was going, he decided to pursue the enemies and urged the people to chase them down — if possible leaving not a single one of that vast army alive. In all of this he showed the arrogance and rashness combined with the most extreme cruelty that we will see more clearly below, when he condemned his own son to death. Though he did not act with deliberate malice, he was nevertheless falling into a reprobate mindset. This is already visible in the fact that he ordered his soldiers to be counted — and when they were counted, it became plain just how badly his position had deteriorated. Even so, he did turn to God at this point, since he could see plainly enough that his situation was hopeless without God's counsel and guidance. So he ordered the priest to put on the ephod and approach the ark to consult God about what to do in this crisis. But it was far too late.

God therefore permitted neither the ark of the covenant nor even the ephod to do Saul any good. What he was doing, he was doing out of distrust, not faith. And so, suddenly hearing the tumult in the enemy camp, he ordered the priest to stop — as if beside himself — and abandon what he had begun. The unspoken logic was: 'With things moving this fast, what need is there to consult God anymore? There is no time to wait — we'll manage without an oracle for now.' And so he recklessly pursued his enemies without any divine direction, ordering his soldiers to follow him in the attack. All of this is recorded in summary to show Saul's arrogance and faithlessness.

We noted earlier that Saul had the high priest with him when he too hastily ordered the sacrifice before Samuel arrived. So while he had leisure — why did he not order the priest to consult God and inquire of His will before the enemy ever attacked? He simply did not think of it. He stood there, idle and passive. Then, suddenly seized by terror, he convinced himself that there was no longer time to inquire of God. But he was wrong — the seventh day had not yet ended, and Samuel arrived before it did, just as he had promised. Saul had both the time and the duty to inquire of the Lord through the priest.

God had granted His people a special provision: in times of crisis and the greatest difficulty, the priest clothed with the ephod could come before the mercy seat and inquire of the Lord what was to be done. There were two kinds of ephod: one belonged specifically to the priests, and the other was a common garment worn also by ordinary men and those who were merely Levites — the kind of cloak David wore when accompanying the ark. But beyond these was the great ephod — the sacred vestment — which contained sacred emblems and signs. Saul could have ordered the priest to put on the ephod and inquire of the Lord on his behalf — but he did not do so until everything had already fallen apart, until he was so bewildered that he had no idea what to do. Because that inquiry came too late and from the wrong motive, the Lord did not answer it — and Saul went away without any direction, completely in the dark about what would happen to him.

We must therefore weigh these things carefully: as long as the Lord makes Himself available to us, we must not be idle or slow in seeking His will, and we must not neglect the opportunity He offers. The devil will try every means to obscure God's truth — so if we are sluggish in calling on Him, we will find it uncertain and out of reach, and we will wander far from it. We must therefore take pains, while God's Word is daily preached among us and rings in our ears by His will, to shape ourselves for obedience to it. We must submit wholly to His will, use His Word as the surest defense against every attack, advance in our knowledge of it day by day, and redouble our prayers and entreaties morning and night.

But if we are lazy and slow, and tell ourselves that lost time can always be recovered later, we will be disappointed and find ourselves deceived. We see most people saying in their youth: 'This is not yet the right time in my life for prayer — when I grow older, I will give myself to prayer consistently.' But God's grace does not follow our schedule, and it is not in our power. His truth cannot be gotten around. So as long as we have freedom to pray — as long as God grants us the opportunity to call on Him — let us push aside all wicked thoughts and all the obstacles that turn us away from prayer. Let us never wait for a better time or a more convenient opportunity, lest when we finally want to enter, we find the door shut against us.

This is exactly what happened to Saul: because he did not seek God when necessity demanded it and the opportunity was open, when he finally wanted to, he could not — God no longer gave him the chance to inquire of His will.

Now let us prostrate ourselves, etc.