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Saul's Slippery Slope: Part 4

Saul was not always that jealously vicious king children often hear about in Sunday school. At one time, he was humble, perceptive, and bold. Yet, because he made a foolish and hasty decision to offer an unlawful sacrifice to the Lord, Samuel prophesied that Saul would ultimately lose his throne to another (1 Samuel 13). Many conjectures may be made over what went on in Saul's mind once he realized the gravity of his brash decision, but the fact is that instead of fully repenting over his sin, he let the wound fester by allowing doubt and bitterness lodge in his heart. After Samuel's rebuke, Saul camped out in Gibeah with only six hundred men. They were a ragtag team with little weapons and dampened spirits. It is not known whether Saul was planning an attack, standing his ground, or simply hiding from the Philistines. What is certain is that his son, Jonathan, would manifest heroic bravery and unflinching faith.
In 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan chooses to fight instead of sit idly by simply hoping for mercy or a miracle. He said to his armor-bearer, "Let's go to the military post of these uncircumcised people. Maybe the LORD will act on our behalf. The LORD can win a victory with a few men as well as with many (Vs. 6 / GWT)." While everyone else was hiding, Jonathan stepped out in faith and trusted that God could give him the victory. Such courage and confidence would later be shown through the life of David as well. After Jonathan boldly killed over twenty Philistines from the garrison, an earthquake shook the ground and caused mass confusion in the Philistine camp. Some fled for their lives while others started fighting against their fellow men! Eventually Saul noticed the ensuing chaos and led his army into the fray. Even the Hebrews that had once joined themselves with the Philistine military, abandoned them and fought with Saul's army. Indeed, God delivered Israel that day, but I can't help wonder, what would have happened if Jonathan did nothing?
Saul should have been the one to commit the battle to the Lord while leading his army against the Philistines. Instead, he was entrenched on the outskirts of Gibeah watching and uneasily waiting. It is one thing to wait on the Lord and another entirely to remain idle with fear. Hastiness towards holy things became one pitfall for Saul, but now slothfulness towards the battlefield would prove to be another. In the final instructions Paul gave to the Corinthian believers, he declared, “Be alert. Be firm in the Christian faith. Be courageous and strong (1 Corinthians 16:13 / GWT).” God's ways are marvelous, but sometimes for us to recognize, experience, and rejoice in them, we must step out of complacency and “...be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (Ephesians 6:10 / KJV)” Would Jonathan have ever saw the mighty earthquake blast forth, if had not trusted in God? Would Peter have ever had the chance to walk on water, if he had not first stepped out of the boat to be with Christ? What is keeping you back from fighting the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12)?

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