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.