www.rossvillechurch.com

781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 307411

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StoneCreek

March 11, 2012

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God used Jonathan and his armor-bearer to defeat an

overwhelming force.

Little is much when God is in it.

1 Samuel 14 6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.

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Do you believe that?

Do you believe that God can use one man, or one woman, or even one child to accomplish His Will?

Joseph DavidThe battle against the Philistines is winding down.

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1 Sam 14:24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

Distressed - to drive; tyrannize, oppress

To force men to fight on an empty stomach is unjust and unwise.

Saul cared not for his people, but for himself.

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Saul's severe order was very unwise; if it gained time, it lost strength for the pursuit. Such is the nature of our bodies, that daily work cannot be done without daily bread, which therefore our Father in Heaven graciously gives.

Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.

Why did King Saul give such an order?

" that I may be avenged on mine enemies."

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It wasn't for the welfare of the nation.

It wasn't for the glory of God.

It was for Saul's glory and vengeance.

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25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.

The entire army entered the woods and saw a honeycomb on the ground.

The men were afraid to eat, because Saul was a tyrant and had declared a curse on anyone who ate.

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27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

The moment he ate some of the honey, Jonathan was refreshed, and his eyes brightened.

The curse was empty; God didn't honor it.

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28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. 29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

King Saul is the trouble-maker here.

This curse was an attempt to have vengeance on his enemies and to glorify himself as king.

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30 [Jonathan] How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

The men weren't able to pursue and slaughter the defeated Philistines;They were weak with hunger.

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If Saul had allowed his army to eat,The slaughter would have been greater,

The nation would have dwelt in greater safety,

God Almighty would have been glorified.

They could have eaten of the food the Philistines had brought to the battlefield.

It was there for the taking.

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Was this a spiritual fast in obedience to God?

No!

King Saul didn't wait to receive instructions from the Lord.

1 Samuel 14 (NIV) 18 Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God." (At that time it was with the Israelites.) 19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."

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31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.

God gave them a great victory --Thanks to Jonathan's faith,

And in spite of Saul's selfish motives and actions.

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But it could have been so much greater.If Saul had sought the glory of God,

and not his own.

So, Jonathan ate of the honey, and his eyes were brightened, and he said,

"My father has troubled the land."

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32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.

ye have transgressed.

No acknowledgement of his own failures.

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34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.

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35 And Saul built an altar unto the Lord: the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord.

Saul was turning aside from God, and now he begins to build altars, being then most zealous, as many are, for the form of godliness when he was denying the power of it.

Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.

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When the leader fails to lead with God's direction,

The people make mistakes.

Saul gets ever more religious,

Even as he walks farther from God.

Didn't worship.

Not for God's glory. Without obedience

or sincerity.

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Whatever we do in the Name of God,

must really be for God, in obedience unto God.

We must walk in the Power of God's Holy Spirit.

We must act with the leadership of His Holy Spirit.

Toward God.