Saul is both outnumbered and outgunned in this battle. In other words this is a completely unfair fight. Saul’s soldiers don’t even have swords or spears only Saul and his son, Jonathan, have them. There were no blacksmiths in Israel, so the Israelites have to go to the Philistines for farming equipment and repairs. The Philistines controlled the technology for iron-making, and so they were able to limit Israel’s ability to make weapons. The Philistines not only outnumbered the Israelites, but they possessed military superiority as well. 22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand only Saul and his son Jonathan had them. 21 The price was two thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads. Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. Once again, we find an interesting parallel to this in our passage in 1 Samuel 13. We fight with spiritual weapons (19-22)īut we not only fight a spiritual battle, we fight with spiritual weapons. You had better be self-controlled and alert.ī. You are engaged in a spiritual battle with eternal consequences, and the enemy is on the move trying to gain new ground in your life. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) It’s been said that the Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. We read in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be self-controlled and alert. As a Christian your primary struggle is always spiritual.Īnd just as the Philistines were sending out various raiding parties in different directions, your enemy is also on the move. Your problems are not primarily health-related, financial or relational. We read in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against … the spiritual forces of evil.” (Ephesians 6:12) You are not fighting other human beings. Not only has Saul lost ground, but now the enemy is sending out raiding parties to the north, west and east in order to gain even more ground.Īs Christians involved in various conflicts we must always remember that we fight a spiritual battle.
You may remember from last week that Saul and his men were originally camped at Micmash, so this was a case of losing ground to the enemy. So Saul and his men are in Gibeah, while the Philistines are camped at Micmash. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, 18 another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the desert. 17 Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Micmash. Now Saul in 1 Samuel 13 was fighting an actual, physical battle, but we find some interesting parallels to our spiritual battle here. But as Christians, we are not to fight like the world fights.įirst of all, we fight a spiritual battle. The world fights dirty, the world fights by its own rules, the world fights for its own causes and in its own ways. Do not fight like the world fights (13:16-22)Īnd the first principle is this: do not fight like the world fights. And as we look at Jonathan’s faith together this morning, we can learn some important principles about acting boldly in faith for our own lives as well. You can’t read this passage without falling in love with Jonathan and his great, big, bold faith in God. That man is David, of course, but Jonathan also fits the description. Last week God told Saul through Samuel that he had chosen another king, a man after God’s own heart.
#JONATHAN SON OF SAUL FULL#
Jonathan is everything his father should be as king: he is bold, daring and full of faith in God.
(Read 1 Samuel 14:6-9)Īs we said last week, it is a shame that Saul acted foolishly and lost the kingship, because his son, Jonathan, would have made a great king. Now this week we see Jonathan as an example of someone who instead of acting foolishly out of fear acts boldly in faith.
Then we saw Saul as an example of someone who instead of finishing well acted foolishly out of fear. First we saw Samuel as an example of someone who finished well. And this is actually the third of three character studies in a row. This week’s passage focuses on Saul’s son Jonathan.
#JONATHAN SON OF SAUL SERIES#
INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called “The Rise and Fall of Saul,” and last week we saw how Saul began his downward slide. Click here for more messages from the book of 1 Samuel.Ĭlick here to return to the Sermons page.ġ Samuel 13:16-14:23 (Jonathan attacks the Philistines)
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