SERIES I --- THE NATION UNITES --- LESSON 15
SAUL’S OATH
A TASTE OF HONEY
From 1 Samuel 14:24-52
Saul was so excited about his victory over the Philistines that he made a foolish vow. ‘By evening I will have revenge on the Philistines,’ he said. ‘Whoever eats food before evening will have a curse upon him.’ Even though Saul’s men found honeycomb in the forest that day, they would not eat it, for they were all afraid of Saul’s foolish vow. But Jonathan had not heard the vow, so when he found a honeycomb, he dipped a stick into the honey and ate some of it. Like the rest of the men, Jonathan was tired and weakened from fighting the Philistines. The honey gave Jonathan immediate energy and his eyes brightened. ‘Your father made a vow!’ someone told Jonathan. ‘He put a curse on anyone who eats food today.’ ‘My father’s vow is foolish,’ Jonathan answered. ‘Do you see how my strength has revived since I ate some honey? Think how much greater our victory would be if the men could eat some of the food we took from the Philistines.’ Saul’s men kept on fighting with what little strength they had left, cutting down the Philistines all that day, from Michmash to Aijalon. But as the day wore on, they grew more faint. At last, when evening came and the time of the vow had ended, Saul’s men were so hungry that they butchered some sheep, oxen and calves that they had captured from the Philistines and began to eat the raw meat with blood in it. Someone told Saul about this and reminded him that it was considered a sin to eat bloody meat. ‘They can’t do that!’ Saul said. ‘Roll a big stone over here to me. Then go out among the men and tell them to butcher their animals here and drain the blood from the meat so that we don’t sin against Adonai.’ When the men had finished, Saul built his first altar to Adonai there. ‘Now let’s keep on chasing the Philistines tonight,’ said Saul. ‘By morning we will have complete victory over them.’ ‘We’ll do whatever you think is best,’ the men answered. But the priest who was with them restrained them. ‘We must first ask YHVH what to do,’ he said. Saul asked Adonai what they should do. ‘If we pursue the Philistines tonight, will You go with us and give us victory?’ Saul asked. But Adonai would not answer. ‘Someone has sinned,’ Saul said to the leaders. ‘Gather all the men and we will find out who he is. Whoever is guilty will die, even if it is my own son Jonathan.’ Although Saul’s men knew, not one of them would tell him that Jonathan had eaten the honey. ‘Stand over there,’ Saul told his men. ‘Jonathan and I will stand over here.’ ‘We will do whatever you think is right,’ the people responded. Then Saul prayed. ‘Adonai, YHVH of Israel, show us why You have not answered. Show us who has sinned. If Jonathan or I have sinned, show us when I cast lots. But if the sin is among our people, then let the lots show us that when I cast them.’ When the lots were cast, they showed that the guilt was on Saul and Jonathan instead of the people. ‘Now we will cast lots to show which of us is guilty,’ said Saul. When they did, the lots revealed that the guilt was on Jonathan. ‘What have you done?’ Saul asked Jonathan. ‘I ate some honey,’ Jonathan answered. ‘I picked up a little on the end of a stick and ate it. But I’m ready to die if I must.’ ‘You must die!’ said Saul. ‘May YHVH strike me dead if you don’t.’ But the people did not like this. ‘Why should Jonathan, who saved Israel today, die because he ate some honey? This must never happen! Not one hair of his head will be lost, for he has brought a great victory to Israel.’ The people saved Jonathan from execution. But Saul would not go after the Philistines and they fled in safety to their homes. Now that Saul, as king, had united his own people behind him, he turned his attention to fighting Israel’s enemies; the Moabites, Ammonites, the people of Edom, the kings of Zobah and the Philistines. Saul had many victories, conquering the Amalekites and saving the Israelites from those who held them in bondage. Saul’s three sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malchishua and his daughters were Merab and Michal. His wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaz. The commander-in-chief of his army was his cousin Abner, son of his Uncle Ner. Ner was a brother of Saul’s father Kish and their father was Abiel. As long as Saul was king, there was a constant struggle between the Israelites and the Philistines. Whenever Saul found a strong, courageous young Israelite man, he drafted him into his army.
COMMENTARY
SAUL’S FAMILY
While the Israelite army was pursuing the fleeing Philistines, Saul commanded the soldiers not to eat until nightfall and to continue to pursue and kill the enemy. Saul never expected Jonathan, his son to disobey this order by eating some honey. Would Saul punish his own son, the man YHVH had used to bring victory? A foolish oath was soon to bring grief and shame to the royal family. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin, descendants of Jacob’s youngest son. Saul’s father was a wealthy land owner, who raised Saul to continue as a farmer, but neither Saul nor any of his six children would earn their fame as farmers. Saul’s oldest son aided him in commanding the Israelite army. Although he was heir to his father’s throne, Jonathan never inherited it. He and two younger brothers, Abinadab and Malchishua, died at the hands of Philistine warriors. The youngest son, Ishbosheth, sometimes called Eshbaal, ruled for a brief time at Saul’s death. Saul’s oldest daughter, Merab, married Adriel, a wealthy man in a town across the Jordan. Another daughter, Michal and David were at first happily married, but Saul’s hatred allowed them to live together for only a short time. When David replaced Saul as Israel’s king, historians began to record David’s family tree. Saul’s descendants after that were recorded only through his eldest son Jonathan.
The message, "Be the Salt & Light," was delivered on location at 60 Bailey Ave., Manchester, NH for First Fruits Ministries Sabbath celebration of March 3, 2023: https://bit.ly/3Zqowgg.
For the presentation transcript, download the PDF here: https://bit.ly/3mur3Y1
Sermons at First Fruits Ministries are based on weekly Torah Portion readings announced each week in the church bulletin. This week's messages are based on: Exodus 27:20-30:10; 1 Samuel 15:1-34; Ezekiel 43:10-27; Matthew 5:13-20; Hebrews 13:10-16 (https://bit.ly/3J7rBMo).
This sermon was a heavy hitter. I highly recommend you watch if you are concerned about "seeker-sensitive" churches or Christian schools: https://bit.ly/3Zqowgg
Here's a list of Apostolic passages I recommend studying with #torah portion #kitisa ("When you take", Exodus 30:11-34:35), plus links to commentary and related videos.
https://www.americantorah.com/....2021/03/01/parsha-ki
Psalm 110:2, “ The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.” (KJV) The translation of this verse was very clear when it was first written, for today’s language only three words should be adjusted so it would be easier to understand. “ The Lord shall send the rod of His strength out of Zion: He will rule in the midst of His enemies.”
"Yahweh is with you, while ye be with him: and if ye seek him, he will be found of you, but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you."
2Ch 15
Goeie môre
Baie Dankie vir al julle gebede ??
Hier is die video opname van die skrifgedeeltes vir die week ?
Ek glo die Woord sal ook vreugde en vrolikheid in jou en jou geliefdes se harte wees ?
Baie seën vir die week wat voorlê?
Vrede vir jou
Goeie môre
Baie Dankie vir al julle gebede ??
Hier is die video opname van die skrifgedeeltes vir die week ?
Ek glo die Woord sal ook vreugde en vrolikheid in jou en jou geliefdes se harte wees ?
Baie seën vir die week wat voorlê?
Vrede vir jou
Thought for Today: Sunday March 05:
May Elohiym open your eyes to see your life, your worth and your entire destiny from His point of view. He is doing a beautiful work in you. May you open your arms wide today and receive His abundant blessings, abundant Love, His Powerful Promises and His Faithfulness. He will never fail you! May you live as one He has spoken for, provided for, and who are the apple of His eye.
SERIES I --- THE NATION UNITES --- LESSON 14
JONATHAN’S VICTORY
A ONE-MAN ARMY
From 1 Samuel 14:1 -23
While the people of Israel waited in fear for the Philistines to attack, Saul’s son Jonathan decided to do something. Without telling anyone, not even his father, Jonathan headed toward the Philistine camp with his armour bearer. ‘Let’s cross the valley and go into the Philistine camp,’ Jonathan told the armour bearer. Jonathan had been in the Israelite army camp which Saul had set up near Gibeah, surrounding the pomegranate tree at Migron. Another man who was staying in the Israelite camp was Ahijah the priest, who was the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, grandson of Phinehas and great-grandson of Eli, Adonai’s priest at Shiloh. Jonathan slipped away so secretly that no one knew that he was gone. From the Israelite camp, he had to cross a deep pass with a rocky crag on each side, one named Bozez and the other Seneh. The northern crag was near Michmash and the southern crag was near Geba. ‘Let’s go into the Philistine army camp and see what miracle Adonai will do for us,’ Jonathan told his armour bearer. ‘Nothing can stop Adonai from helping us, no matter how many Philistines there are.’ ‘Do whatever you think is best,’ the young man answered. ‘With all my heart and soul, I am with you.’ ‘Good,’ said Jonathan. ‘This is our plan. We will cross over the pass and let the Philistines see us. If they tell us to wait where we are, we will stay there and not go up. But if they tell us to come up, we will go, for Adonai will give us a great victory and that will be His sign to us.’ Jonathan and his armour bearer did as they planned, letting the Philistines see them as they crossed the pass. ‘Look! The Israelites are crawling from the holes where they hid,’ the Philistines shouted. Then they called down to Jonathan and his armour bearer. ‘Come up here and we’ll teach you a lesson!’ they said. ‘Let’s go up,’ Jonathan told his armour bearer. ‘You come right behind me, for Adonai has given them into our hands.’ Jonathan and his armour bearer immediately climbed up hand and foot. When they reached the top, the Philistines fell before Jonathan as he and the young man began killing them. Before they had crossed a half acre, they had left about twenty dead Philistines behind them. When the other Philistines saw that, panic swept through the camp and to the outposts beyond. To add to the confusion, a great earthquake came at that very time. Saul’s watchmen of Gibeah saw the hordes of the Philistines moving about in all directions. When they reported to Saul, he demanded an accounting. ‘Find out who is missing!’ he ordered. When the Israelites had an inspection, they found that Jonathan and his armour bearer were gone. ‘Bring the Ark of YHVH!’ Saul told Ahijah. At that time, it was still with the people of Israel. While Saul talked with the priest, the commotion grew louder and louder among the Philistines. At last Saul cried out, ‘Withdraw your hand!’ Then he and his men rallied and went to fight the Philistines. When they reached the Philistine camp, they found the Philistines so confused that they were killing each other. The Israelites who had been forced to serve in the Philistine army had also joined in the battle, killing the Philistines. Before long, the Israelites hiding in the hills joined Saul and his men, chasing the Philistines as they ran away. On that day Adonai saved Israel and the battle raged beyond Beth-Aven.
COMMENTARY
FORESTS OF CANAAN
As king, Saul should have set an example of trust and of obedience to YHVH. But Saul became afraid of losing his power as more and more of his army slipped away just before a battle with the Philistines. In the Philistine camp, there were thousands of horsemen, chariots and warriors. Saul had only a small band of trembling men. In his fear, Saul disobeyed Adonai. Samuel announced YHVH’s Judgment: Adonai would seek out another man to be king and leader of His people. Jonathan was the oldest of Saul’s sons. He was a young man who trusted Adonai and who acted on his faith. Jonathan boldly began the battle with the Philistines and Adonai brought His people a great victory. Many kinds of trees grew in the different regions of Canaan. The hot moist lowlands of the Shephelah were ideal for the tangled sycamore. Towering stands of oak thrived in the cooler mountains of Galilee, Carmel and on high hills through the land. In the Jordan Valley, date palms rose gracefully above the other trees. Groves of stubby olives were everywhere on the hillsides. The north held magnificent forests of pine, fir and cedar. As large groups of people settled in Canaan, these woodlands began to disappear. Phoenician traders exported cedar to Egypt for ships, buildings and mummy cases. Farmers spent their lives clearing the wooded hillsides for their fields. Fighting tribes destroyed large areas by setting fire to woods that hid their enemies. The needs of normal living alone made a steady drain on the forests. Woodcutters chopped daily fuel for cooking and sacrifice. Idols, furniture and farming tools came from oak. Fir and cypress were used in instrument making; and weapons and kitchen tools came from still other trees. Generations of such removal left much of the country bare, permitting the wind and rain to carry away much-needed soil. Today only traces remain of the once-beautiful forests.
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