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Men of the Old Testament: Jonathan – 1 Samuel 14  Late one night in 1917 a soldier sat in his tent scanning the pages of a book by candlelight. The man, Major Vivian Gilbert of the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force, was up late in his desert tent looking for the name Michmash in his Bible. Gilbert’s brigade had just received orders to take a village controlled by the Ottoman Empire. The village was located on a rocky hill on the side of a valley opposite Gilbert’s brigade. The village was named Michmash, and Major Gilbert was sure that that name was familiar to him from the Biblical text. Eventually Gilbert found what he was looking for and after reading the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer in I Samuel 14 he concluded that there must still be a narrow passage through the rocks on the way to Michmash. That night he woke his commander and together they decided that the passage must be found. The two men sent out patrols and eventually they found the pass which was only lightly guarded. The commander altered his original plan of attack. Instead of a massive frontal assault he now sent a single company through the pass under cover of darkness. The few guards for the pass were overpowered with little sign of a scuffle, and shortly before the sun came up the company took up position outside the Ottoman camp. The rest of the camp put up as little resistance as the guards and all of the Ottomans were killed or taken prisoner. In Major Gilbert’s words, “after thousands of years British troops successfully copied the tactics of Saul and Jonathan.” When you read about Saul and Jonathan in I Samuel you end up wondering how it is that Jonathan wound up like he did. Where his dad was selfish Jonathan seems selfless. Where his father was hasty and cowardly Jonathan seems content and brave. In I Samuel 14 Jonathan exhibits a bravery that is balanced with the ability to wait on God and his timing. However, when he concludes that God is in something he goes all out to accomplish the objective. Jonathan’s strategy in I Samuel 14 ended up being the first drop of rain in a great flood of victory of the Israeli army. Jonathan knew something that his father, the king, did not. He knew that “Nothing can prevent the Lord from delivering, whether by many or by a few.” Jonathan was not reliant on strategies, or numbers, projections, or likely scenarios. He was singularly focused with God and his ability. To this young prince if God was for something that settled the issue. Where Saul saw reasons to panic Jonathan saw reasons to believe. Which one’s efforts do you think God honored? Questions for Discussion/Reflection 1. What is there in your life that holds you back in your relationship with God? 2. What do you tend to rely on in your life other than God? Further Study on Joseph Bible Dictionary Entries on Jonathan Bible.org Article on I Samuel 14 Map of the Battle of Michmash Staff Writer: Aaron Sharp |
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