Jonathan disobeyed his father King Saul's order not to eat any food until evening in order to seek vengeance against their enemies. Jonathan ate some honey and was refreshed, showing the curse was empty. King Saul's order troubled the land and weakened the army, preventing a greater slaughter of the Philistines. Saul's actions were motivated by selfishness rather than seeking God's glory. Jonathan said his father troubled the land. The people eventually ate and defeated the Philistines but could have been more victorious if not for Saul's unwise command.

1. Stone
Creek
www.rossvillechurch.com
781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741
March 11, 2012 1

2. 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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3. 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 David
The battle against the Philistines is winding down.
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4. 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. 4

5. 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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6. 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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7. 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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8. 27 ButJonathan 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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9. 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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10. 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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11. 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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12. 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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13. 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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14. 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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15. 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.
have transgressed.
No acknowledgement of his own failures.
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16. 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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17. 35 AndSaul 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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18. 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 Not for
Without obedience
worship. God's glory.
or sincerity.
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19. 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.
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