A Pattern of Bad Decisions

1 Samuel 14:24-46

      (selected verses – you’ll want to go and read the entire passage for yourself)

24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food.

25 Now when all the people came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground.

26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright.

28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”

37 And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.

38 And Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today.

39 For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.

40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”

41 Therefore Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.”

44 And Saul said, “God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

45 Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die.

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

God is rarely interested in our grand gestures. What they tend to do is deplete our resources and waste our time. If we think that God is impressed, we are deluded. Today we see just such a gesture go terribly wrong for Saul and almost end the life of his son, Jonathan. In an effort to manipulate God and bring victory against the Philistines into reality, Saul makes a very rash command – everyone is fasting. That means that soldiers who are in need of physical strength now have no food. God didn’t ask for this fast; nor did He promise victory if His children would make such a sacrifice at that time. This is all Saul’s idea; an idea he failed to share with everyone, including his own son and one of his commanders, Jonathan. When Jonathan innocently eats some honey he has broken the vow his father made and now there will be trouble. Fortunately for Jonathan, cooler heads prevailed and his life was spared.

When we are not in touch with God, in communication with Him, it is easy to come up with stuff that isn’t of Him. We’re just making it up as we go along. Suddenly we are implementing “the grand gesture” in order to please God or get Him to do what we want Him to do. In my imagination, I see God just watching these events play out as we stumble across the rocks and sticks we’ve thrown onto our own path. Then, when we are lying in the dirt, we look up and finally ask God for help. In my experience, He generally allows us to suffer the consequences of those ‘gestures’, perhaps with the hope that we will not be so foolish the next time.

Several years ago I had a sore on my tongue that just would not go away. I tried all kinds of home remedies to no avail. Finally, I went to God and asked Him to heal it and I promised that He would get all of the glory should He choose to grant me this miracle. The sore persisted. Finally, I went to the oral surgeon for testing (after having been promised by my dentist that this was nothing to mess with) and it was cancer. I then made the same promise to God again. You come and heal this and I promise I’ll tell everyone and You’ll get all the glory. My promises to God were pretty fantastic and grand. I fasted and prayed and even had others pray over me for this healing. God was pretty clear with me. I was going to have to submit myself to the medical community and suffer the humiliations that go along with surgery and treatment. If you know me at all, you know that I avoid doctors with everything that is in me. This was a difficult path. But it was a path filled with opportunity to speak of God and humbly allows others to serve me. It was one of the seminal events of my life and God used it (and continues to use this story) in numerous ways that all bring Him glory. Instead of devising a plan for Him, I needed to step back and watch Him at work. It was a tough way to learn that lesson, but it made an indelible mark upon my life (and my tongue!). His plans are better than mine and generally, mine just get in the way. Why would I waste my time with them in the first place?!