Day 83 - 1 Samuel 14-16

ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 83 - 1 Samuel 14-16 (Courageous Faith)
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"'Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few."  So his armorbearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.'"   (1 Samuel 14:6-7)

Most people who know even a little about the Bible would recognize the name of David because of his mighty exploits, but not so with another man who happened to be David's best friend and who had a courage and faith just like David.  That man was Jonathan, the son of king Saul.

Jonathan deserves the credit for one of the most spectacular victory of Israel against its enemies.  When Saul was annointed as the first king of Israel by Samuel, Israel was still subject to the Philistines and had to pay tribute to the Philistine lords and endure the harsh treatments by the Philistine soldiers stationed in their garrisons all over the land where the Israelites dwelt.  It was under these circumstances that Jonathan decided he has had enough and decided to attack the garrison in Geba.  

In response, the Philitines gathered their entire army to fight against Israel. The Israelites became afraid and hid in caves and anywhere they could hide.  Saul had only six hundred men with him to fight against an army the Bible described as many as the sand on the seashore.  

Perhaps thinking that he was to blame for their plight, Jonathan decides to take matters in his own hands and, as our text above narrates, goes over to the garrison of the Philistines with his armor-bearer to attack it.  

In the same chapter, we are told by the author of 1 Samuel that the garrison which Jonathan attacked was situated on a cliff accessible only by climbing it using one's hands and knees.  I can just imagine Jonathan and his armor-bearer climbing the rock hill with their hands and knees carrying their weapons and the Philistine soldiers just watching them and waiting until they got close to the top where they thought they could easily swing their swords and spears down at the two.

Jonathan and his armor-bearer must have had the quickness of a cat and the skill of a Ninja warrior because they not only made it to the top of the hill but was able to kill the twenty men at the garrison.  Then, the miraculous happened.  God comes to the aid of the Israelites and sends a terrible earthquake in the land where the Philistines were and caused the soldiers to turn against each other with their swords.  Saul and all the Israelites including those who were hiding in caves goes after the Philistines and defeats them in battle.

I love this story of Jonathan and how he brought about a remarkable victory for Israel because of his faith in God that gave him great courage in the midst of impossible odds.  He believed that "nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6). 

O how I wish to have the same faith and courage as Jonathan so that I will not only believe God to do the impossible but also be brave enough to live out my faith no matter what the cost.  I know God can and will enable me to have my wish as I am faithful in the little things that He throws my way in order to strengthen my faith and courage.