First Samuel is a great "guy" book. It's full of bloody action scenes. Not sure why it has never been made into a Sly Stallone or Bruce Willis action movie, because it would make a good one. I've been reading through it (again) the past few weeks. And as I get to 1 Sam. 14 I read it as I have always done. Except this time I don't keep going. I really start thinking about what is really happening in verses 4 through 23. I meditated on this passage for a couple days. I also did a little research on the actual location. And then I had an epiphany. Well, at least some people might consider it an epiphany. I consider it more divine inspiration.
Countless times I had read that story and thought that Jonathan had sort of wishy-washy faith. He believed God would deliver the Philistines into his hand. But not being 100% sure he asks God to give him a sign. If they say "Come up to us", God is with us. If they say "Wait until we come to you", then we stay put (implying God is not with us). Similar situation to Gideon in Judges 6, right? I've read through that countless times, and think to myself that he has a 50/50 chance of getting one answer or the other. I'd be willing to bet you've come to the same conclusion. But I had been wrong. Jonathan knew what the answer was going to be. He knew the Philistines we going to tell him and his armorbearer to "Come up to us". He knew God was going to work a miracle through him and his armorbearer. And he knew, and believed it so profoundly that the only way to keep him from taking this step of faith, would have been for God to perform a miracle to stop him. Why do I make such an assertion, you ask? Well let's think about a couple things for a minute. Who was Jonathan and where was this battle?
Jonathan was a military man. The Philistines were military men. Jonathan knew the Philistines were military men. As I reflected on this fact, I also recalled a number of things I was taught in bootcamp: 1) Never voluntarily give up any advantage you have over your enemy. 2) If you have the higher ground, you have the advantage. These are pretty basic principles. I mean they even teach them to lowly privates in the modern military, so it couldn't be too complicated. Jonathan knew this principle, and knew the Philistines would know this principle. When Jonathan says "if they say ‘Come up to us,’" he knows that that is exactly what the Philistines are going to say. Unless of course God intervenes on his behalf to cause the Philistines to go against their training, and pull one of the lamest strategic follies in history (OK, that may be an exaggeration, but you get the point). The miracle isn't that the Philistines say "Come up to us", that is the expected, trained response. And Jonathan knows this.
So exactly what sort of terrain are Jonathan and his armorbearer facing here anyway? We read that there are sharp rocks on either side. Yeah, OK, so what? Well, I did a little looking around the 'net and found this picture of the Michmash Gorge.
Now, we may not be able to be 100% certain this is the exact terrain that Jonathan and his armorbearer faced. But it's pretty close. San Diego County and Israel are very similar in terrain and climate. And if you've every been out in East San Diego County you've seen terrain that looks remarkably like this photo. So I would be hard pressed to believe that this, or something very similar to this was not the terrain Jonathan and his armorbearer traversed to attack the Philistines.
Jonathan and his armorbearer were down in this ravine looking up at the Philistines positions. I'm sure you'll agree that anyone in their right mind (military trained or not) is going to look down from a perch like this and of course say "Come up to us". 1 Sam. 14:13 says that Jonathan and his armorbearer climbed up on their hands and knees. So often I've thought that was because they were trying to be sneaky. But after looking at this photo, I now know they were on their hands and knees because that was the only way to traverse the terrain. Fully exposed (no cover at all) and unable to defend themselves until they reached the top. And of course the Philistines would have to have done the opposite if they had voluntarily given up their position. They would have had to traverse down the steep slope, probably on their backsides, losing their footing and/or balance, unable to defend themselves as they approached Jonathan and his armorbearer. Of course the Philistines are going to say "Come up to us".
So now what do I think of Jonathan's faith? There are lots of men in the Bible that act on incredible faith, and because of it God is able to do incredible things. But I can not think of a single other man in the Bible that was so sure of God's direction that he required a miracle from God to stop him from acting on his faith. I know I am constantly requiring God to perform a miracle before I am willing to step out in faith. Maybe someday I will have such steadfast and solid faith that I require God to perform a miracle to stop me from acting on that faith.
Is your faith so solid that you require a miracle from God to keep you from the action He wants to use?
1 comment:
Great word Mike! Press in!
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