Word of Encouragement (09/19/2023)
Then Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." But the priest said, "Let us draw near to God here." 37And Saul inquired of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?" But he did not answer him that day. (1 Sam. 14:36-37)
When Saul made this inquiry, he was in the middle of a war with the Philistines. He and his soldiers were able to successfully repel the Philistines, thanks to Jonathan’s bravery. But the victory did not come without hiccups. Saul was so bent on avenging himself on the Philistines that he banned his men from eating until the evening to finish off the Philistines (v. 24). This caused the men of Israel to grow faint and starved. So, as soon as the day for the battle was over, some slaughtered animals and ate meat with blood (v. 32), which was against God’s law (Lev. 3:17). Also, because Jonathan was not there when Saul issued the ban, he ate the honey he found.
Saul had no intention of inquiring the LORD about pursuing the defeated Philistines to finish them off. He did not want to waste any time and lose the momentum. But at the urging of the priests, he stopped to ask the LORD whether he should continue his pursuit. It is a blessing to have someone to give wise counsel at critical moments of our lives, isn’t it? And Saul at this point was sensible enough to give heed to the priests’ counsel.
Saul was a man of war, quite a successful one at that. Later in v. 47, we read a summary of his reign: “When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them.” He had many weaknesses and flaws as a king, but it seems like he was quite good at military leadership. And maybe that was why he felt so anxious to pursue the Philistines. As a good military leader, he could see that the momentum was with him and his men, and he did not want to lose that momentum.
But is such momentum a random occurrence? Can it not turn the other way as easily and quickly as it did before? Think about this battle between the Hebrews and the Philistines. Before the battle began, the momentum was definitely with the Philistines as the Hebrews were hopelessly outnumbered. At the sight of the large Philistine army, many Hebrew men fled and hid in caves (1 Sam. 13:6). But when Jonathan went up to a garrison, asking for a sign from the LORD, and killed some of the enemy soldiers there when God gave him a sign, the tide quickly and unexpectedly turned and the Philistines were routed despite their large number.
Isn’t it foolish to follow the lead of the fickle momentum? And what can be wiser than to trust in the Lord and pray for His guidance? What determines your actions and decisions? The fads of the world and the predictions of the so-called experts? Do you pause enough to reflect on the Word of God and seek His will through prayer?