1 Samuel 14:13-23

God's faithfulness to his own.

The facts are—

1 . Jonathan and his servant ascend the precipice and slay, on a narrow strip of land, about twenty men.

2 . A panic arising, from a combination of causes, the commotion attracts the attention of Saul's sentinels.

3 . It being ascertained that Jonathan was engaged against the Philistines, inquiry is sought of God, by Saul, through the priest Ahiah.

4 . The tumult among the Philistines increasing, Saul abruptly stops the inquiry and leads on his followers to battle.

5 . The deserters and the fugitives fall on the rear of the retreating Philistines. The historian sums up the narrative of events in this section by the suggestive words, "So the Lord saved Israel that day." It was "the Lord," working through the instrumentality of a noble hearted man and the events concurrent with his action—not withholding the reward of fidelity, notwithstanding the questionable conduct of the king. "It is the Lord," must be the verdict of history, not only of their deliverance, but of many others in all time.

I. GOD 'S FAITHFULNESS IS SEEN IN PERFECTING THE WORK WHICH HE INSPIRES . There can be no doubt but that Jonathan received this "good and perfect gift" of inspiration, to seek the salvation of his country, from God. We have seen that it could not have been a mere human, earth born impulse. There may be a point at which the human free aspiration becomes touched with a Divine power; but, as a whole, the impulse is of God. The narrative tells us how certainly God wrought for the perfecting of that which he saw in the heart. Not a step of his way did Jonathan find to be a practical denial of the truth of his inward prompting. Thus the life of the true man of God is crowded with evidences of the Divine faithfulness. He who begins a "good work" within us will carry it through. He is "not unrighteous to forget our work of faith and labour of love." He will "perfect that which concerneth us." "Loving his own," he loves "to the end." Abraham, under an inspiration from God, went forth, and all through his pilgrimage he found Jehovah to be a covenant keeping God. In our painful and protracted endeavours, in obedience to an aspiration born from above to rise to the heights of holiness and to bless others, we shall find him faithful who hath promised never to leave nor forsake us.

II. IN MAINTAINING HIS FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PEOPLE GOD CAUSES VARIED INFLUENCES TO CONVERGE ON THE DESIRED RESULT OF EFFORT . The Divine faithfulness is not arbitrarily and absolutely manifested. It is seen in realising the desired end by a succession of events naturally connected. Jonathan's exertions were put forth as though all rested on the courage of his own heart and the strength of his own arm. The narrative shows us how an unseen hand upheld the brave soldier, and caused diverse things to converge on the one issue: e.g. the young soldier's skill, tact, and courage; the folly of the defenders in allowing him a footing on the narrow pathway of the upper part of the precipice; the fear aroused through ignorance of the full facts of the assault; the panic spread from post to post—strengthened, possibly, by a slight shock of earthquake; the onward movement of Saul's troop; and the opportunity created for the rallying of fugitives and deserters ( 1 Samuel 14:21 , 1 Samuel 14:22 ).

Such an historical episode is of great value to us, as indicating in distinct, traceable incidents the reality of that Divine wisdom and power which ever presides over all the efforts of Christians to rid themselves and the world of Sill. It illustrates as on a picture the great formula of faith—"All things work together for good to them that love God." As "the stars in their courses fought against Sisera," and as even holy angels are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation," so may it be said, in the case of every one who strives to purify himself from all sin, or seeks by some bold or ordinary endeavour to win the world over to Christ, "all things are yours,"—are being governed by the Lord of all so as to subserve the one holy end to the attainment of which your hearts are inspired.

III. IN MANIFESTING HIS FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PEOPLE GOD PERMITS THE IMPERFECT TO SHARE IN THE BLESSINGS PROCURED BY THE MORE PERFECT . Primarily, it was God's compassion for Israel and his covenant with Abraham that must account for this new deliverance. Secondarily, it was a reward to Jonathan's fidelity and self-consecration. Saul had shut himself out of the honour and privilege of obtaining deliverance for the nation. Even now his old folly and rashness reappear, in religiously beginning to seek counsel, thus honouring God, and then in irreverently discontinuing to seek that counsel, through his impetuous haste to join in the pursuit, thus preferring the impulse of his heart to the declared will of God. Nevertheless, even Saul derives great advantage from the prowess of the good and devout Jonathan. God, in his mercy, does not sacrifice the final interests of his people to the folly of a leader. Thus, also, Joseph's brethren shared in the prosperity won by their holy and wise brother. The inferior Christians of today participate in some of the outward blessings accruing to the faithful as the result of their fidelity.

General lessons. —

1 . It would be a profitable study to note in detail, over the field of sacred and Church history, and in the sphere of private Christian enterprise, to what a large extent the world is indebted for spiritual, material, and educational good to the honour God has put on the labours of the most faithful of his servants.

2 . We may be perfectly sure in the pursuit of any holy enterprise, to which personally we may feel inadequate, that God, with whom is "no restraint," will develop helping circumstances.

3 . The helping circumstances desiderated will arise, not at first, but only as we faithfully press along the line of duty.

4 . The cumulating record of God's faithfulness to his people through the long ages should make us calm, strong, and immovable in the most perilous of enterprises undertaken for Christ.