1 Samuel 14
But what of Saul? He has been left tarrying under a pomegranate tree in Migron, while God is triumphing over the Philistines through Jonathan (v. 2). "And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us." vv. 16,17. All that is regular as to form is with Israel, but not faith. "And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there." That is all they know about it.
"And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God" (v. 18). Here again there is form—the form of honoring the Lord in seeking His guidance. It seems all right, yet it is but the form. Saul will have the ark brought; but while he talks with the priest, the tumult of defeat in the host of the Philistines still going on and increasing, he bids him stop; "Withdraw thine hand," he says (v. 19). There is no simplicity of dependence upon God, but the uncertainty and bewilderment of unbelief.
He joins the battle (v. 20), but it is not as entering into the spirit of the thing. He has no sense of that on which Jonathan had counted, the secret of Jonathan's strength—"There is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few." He calls the people around himself, and adjures them saying, "Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies" (v. 24). "So none of the people tasted any food." There is great apparent energy, it is true; but it is not of the Spirit of God, so that when he gets into the tide of victory he is in reality only a troubler, distressing Israel, and hindering the pursuit. It is a carnal and selfish zeal. We may get into the path of faith, but we shall find there that nothing but faith can walk in it; let the flesh mix itself up in the work of faith, and it is only for weakness.
The people came to a wood; there is honey upon the ground; yet no man puts his hand to his mouth, for they fear the oath (vv. 25,26). Jonathan has not heard that oath; wherefore he puts forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dips it in the honeycomb, and puts his hand to his mouth, and his eyes are enlightened (v. 27). When made acquainted with the curse, and seeing the people faint around him, he at once exclaims, "My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"
Happy Jonathan! Faith is so occupied with its work, and has so the sense of God's love and grace, that it has full liberty, and whatsoever God presents in the way, it can thankfully avail itself of, taking it and going on; while the carnal zeal of that which is but an imitation of faith, and which never works with God, makes a duty of refusing it. Had Jonathan not been occupied heart and soul in the Lord's work, he might have stopped to think about the honey; as it is, he merely takes it for the refreshment, and passes on. Through the energy of faith, he is carried clean out' of the knowledge of the oath (v. 27), out of the reach of this unbelief. He can avail himself of the kindness of his God with joy and thanksgiving, and pursue his course refreshed and encouraged, while the people (who had not the faith to go with him) are under the curse, and cannot. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Saul has put both himself and the people under this miserable restraint (if the flesh puts itself under bondage, it must keep its oath); and, in result, they are led into sin, for they are so hungry that when the time of the oath is expired, they fly upon the cattle taken as spoil, and slay them, and eat the flesh with the blood thereof, thus violating a direct command of God (Deut. 12:22, 2322Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike. 23Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh. (Deuteronomy 12:22‑23)).
The effect of all this is that of making faith guilty for acting in liberty. Such is ever the way of the flesh in its mixing itself up with faith.
At a moment of manifest outward blessing Saul must build an altar, and make much of the Lord's name, just as previously he had professed to seek counsel at the ark. He builds his altar (v. 35). But let us mark the emphatic comment of the Holy Ghost, "The same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD." Then, through the priest, he consults God as to pursuing the Philistines; "But He answered him not that day" (v. 37). On this he seeks by an appeal to the "God of Israel," to discover the hidden and hindering sin (vv. 36-41). The Lord indeed acts, yet it is only to manifest the folly of the king; the "perfect lot" is given, and Jonathan is taken (v. 41).
"Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die. And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan." vv. 43,44.
The people do not allow this. They interfere, and say, "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." That is self-evident. "So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not" (v. 45).
He had "wrought with God." His was the simple, happy path of unhesitating faith which counts on God, on His faithful connection with His people, and walks in the blessed liberty of taking the refreshment He may give by the way—liberty for refreshment, not for licentiousness, while the flesh is making its solemn resolutions not to touch, not to taste, not to handle, and then, the occasion serving, setting aside the authority of God. Faith of this sort confers not with flesh and blood; it acts from God, and it acts for God.
All the religious actings, all the forms of piety, are with Saul. He has the ark and the priest. He makes the vow to abstain from food; manifests zeal for ordinances; prevents the people eating flesh with the blood; builds his altar, when others have got the blessing, and takes the credit to himself. He can be religious when he has comfort and blessing; but there is no reference to God in faith, so as to go through difficulties with God. There is Energy, but it is energy in the flesh; deliberation, when God is acting; and action, when he does act, is in haste and bewilderment.
The Lord preserve His people from the guidance and help of unbelief in the work of faith, blessed in the simplicity which acts with Him.