There are two main themes in this chapter. Jonathan, Saul’s son, steps out in faith and defeats some of the Philistines, causing their army to panic and flee. In the second section Saul makes a foolish vow that nearly costs him Jonathan’s life, and the war.
“And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.’ So none of the people had tasted food. But Jonathan had not heard… the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff… and dipped it in the honeycomb… Then Jonathan said, ‘My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.’ ” (v24,27,29-30 abr)
Saul foolishly tells Israel they are not allowed to eat until the Philistines are defeated, so they become weak and barely manage to chase the Philistines away. Jonathan, initially failing to hear the oath, later disagrees with it, saying it would have been better for the people to be well-fed and full of energy to fight. Worse yet, when Saul finds out Jonathan ate, he is compelled to put Jonathan to death. “Then the people said to Saul, ‘Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.’ So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die.” (v45)
Jonathan and Israel seem to be wiser than King Saul in this chapter. Jonathan follows the Lord to defeat some of the Philistines. Plus, he has the better strategy of caring for the people as the first priority, rather than seeking revenge like Saul does. It seems Jonathan is a better leader than his father Saul, and the people side with him, redeeming him from his father’s foolish oath.
Have you ever observed a poor leader? Cruelty aside for a moment, perhaps they just make foolish decisions, or maybe they speak without thinking, or maybe you don’t like their hair (okay, that last one is on you, not them). Now think of a leader you love (or would love) to follow – this person may not be a “professional leader”, but they have a people-first quality about them, and maybe they have fantastic vision or wisdom as well.
After roughly 40 years of leading Israel, Saul’s rugged good looks aren’t winning him any more points with Israel, and we know God has already put the stop to his royal lineage (which is kind of too bad, because Jonathan may have done well as king). Why is Saul such a poor leader? Partially because he puts his own agenda ahead of the people’s well-being, but mainly because his agenda is also put ahead of God’s will and leading.
Think again of the leader you believe in, the one you want to follow. Are they dedicated to following the Lord? If so, that could be a key factor in why their leadership is so appealing – they are reflecting the leadership God models in their life.
My encouragement today is to become that leader you would like to follow – invest in your relationship with God, loving Him and loving your neighbors. By submitting yourself to God in obedience to Him, you will naturally become a leader that others will want to follow. Like Jonathan, you may never be called “king”, but you will gain the respect of people, and a rock-solid relationship with God – what more could you ask for?
Father God, our Sovereign and Glorious King, all praises be unto Your name. You are the original leader, the one whom Jesus Himself follows. Father, Jesus’ leadership was so radical and appealing because He made You Lord of His life, and the same could be said of so many other great leaders. Father please help us to become a great leader by following Your lead. Please give us hearts like Moses, Gideon, Jonathan, David, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, and so many other powerful influencers in this world. We may not have the job title, but it’s the heart that matters – may our heart reflect Jesus’ heart. In the name of Him who has redeemed us from the folly of our sin, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training