{"id":6480,"date":"2023-05-23T00:01:29","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T07:01:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/?p=6480"},"modified":"2026-02-26T14:59:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T22:59:08","slug":"1-samuel-146-7-then-jonathan-said-to-the-young-man-who-bore-his-armor-come-let-us-go-over-to-the-garrison-of-these-uncircumcised-it-may-be-that-the-lord-will-work-for-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/?p=6480","title":{"rendered":"1 Samuel 14:6\u20137: \u201cThen Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, \u2018Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.\u2019 So his armor bearer said to him, \u2018Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.\u2019\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jonathan, the son of Saul, called the Philistine gentiles uncircumcised<\/em> because they did not have a covenant relationship with God. He was pointing out the advantage the Israelites had because of the blessing of God on their lives. This is a beautiful illustration of what it means to take a venture in faith. Jonathan saw that they had the advantage of a personal relationship with the eternal God, so he said, \u201cit may be,\u201d or said another way, \u201clet’s go and see\u201d if God would give them victory over their enemy.<\/p>\n

We love the phrase \u201cit’s not a difficult thing for God to do\u201d because nothing restrains the Lord. Or we might say that something is “no sweat” or a “piece of cake\u201d for God. Jonathan realized God was capable of saving by a whole army or by a couple of people. Even one person yielded to the hand of God is an instrument that can change the world. Jonathan knew God’s character and that God was predictable, and he trusted Him enough to risk his own life.<\/p>\n

Trust is only convincingly established, over a long period of time, under a variety of circumstances, with consistent action. We have the great advantage of having the whole Word of God, and we can see clearly that He has revealed Himself as consistent and faithful. He is not arbitrary; He doesn’t make decisions based on whim or impulse. He is trustworthy. Faith is trust placed in an object, and the correct object is God Himself. We need to learn to take \u201cventures in faith,\u201d and to go to the edge with God, knowing He will meet us there. Faith is daring the soul to go father than it can see.<\/p>\n

“LORD, help us to take a venture in faith with You this day, farther than we can see.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

=============================================================<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Samuel 14 KJV<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1<\/sup>\u00a0Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines\u2019 garrison, that\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>on the other side. But he told not his father.\u00a0\u00a02<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>in Migron: and the people that\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>with him\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>about six hundred men;\u00a03<\/sup>\u00a0And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, I-chabod\u2019s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the\u00a0LORD\u2019S\u00a0priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.\u00a0 4<\/sup> And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines\u2019 garrison,\u00a0there was\u00a0<\/em>a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.\u00a05<\/sup>The forefront of the one\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.\u00a0\u00a06<\/sup>\u00a0And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the\u00a0LORD\u00a0will work for us: for\u00a0there is\u00a0<\/em>no restraint to the\u00a0LORD\u00a0to save by many or by few.\u00a07<\/sup>\u00a0And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I\u00a0am\u00a0<\/em>with thee according to thy heart.\u00a08<\/sup>\u00a0Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto\u00a0these\u00a0<\/em>men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.\u00a09<\/sup>If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.\u00a0\u00a010<\/sup>\u00a0But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the\u00a0LORD\u00a0hath delivered them into our hand: and this\u00a0shall be\u00a0<\/em>a sign unto us.\u00a011<\/sup>\u00a0And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.\u00a012<\/sup>\u00a0And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the\u00a0LORDhath delivered them into the hand of Israel.\u00a013<\/sup>\u00a0And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.\u00a014<\/sup>\u00a0And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land,\u00a0which\u00a0<\/em>a yoke\u00a0of oxen might plow\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a015<\/sup>\u00a0And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.\u00a016<\/sup>\u00a0And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down\u00a0one another\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a017<\/sup>\u00a0Then said Saul unto the people that\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>not\u00a0there\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a018<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. 19<\/sup>\u00a0And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that\u00a0was<\/em>in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.\u00a0\u00a020<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul and all the people that\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man\u2019s sword was against his fellow,\u00a0and there was\u00a0<\/em>a very great discomfiture.\u00a0\u00a021<\/sup>\u00a0Moreover the Hebrews\u00a0that\u00a0<\/em>were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp\u00a0from the country\u00a0<\/em>round about, even they also\u00a0turned\u00a0<\/em>to be with the Israelites that\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>with Saul and Jonathan.\u00a022<\/sup>\u00a0Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim,\u00a0when\u00a0<\/em>they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.\u00a023<\/sup>\u00a0So the\u00a0LORD\u00a0saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven. 24<\/sup>\u00a0And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed\u00a0be\u00a0<\/em>the man that eateth\u00a0any\u00a0<\/em>food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted\u00a0any\u00a0<\/em>food.\u00a025<\/sup>\u00a0And all\u00a0they of<\/em>the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.\u00a026<\/sup>\u00a0And 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.\u00a027<\/sup>\u00a0But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.\u00a028<\/sup>\u00a0Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed\u00a0be\u00a0<\/em>the man that eateth\u00a0any\u00a0<\/em>food this day. And the people were faint.\u00a0\u00a029<\/sup>\u00a0Then 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.\u00a030<\/sup>\u00a0How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?\u00a031<\/sup>\u00a0And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.\u00a032<\/sup>And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew\u00a0them\u00a0<\/em>on the ground: and the people did eat\u00a0them\u00a0<\/em>with the blood. 33<\/sup>\u00a0Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the\u00a0LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.\u00a0\u00a034<\/sup>\u00a0And 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\u00a0them<\/em>here, and eat; and sin not against the\u00a0LORD\u00a0in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew\u00a0them\u00a0<\/em>there.\u00a0\u00a035<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul built an altar unto the\u00a0LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the\u00a0LORD.\u00a036<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.\u00a037<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.\u00a038<\/sup>And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.\u00a0\u00a039<\/sup>\u00a0For,\u00a0as\u00a0<\/em>the\u00a0LORD\u00a0liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But\u00a0there was\u00a0<\/em>not a man among all the people\u00a0that\u00a0<\/em>answered him.\u00a040<\/sup>\u00a0Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.\u00a041<\/sup>\u00a0Therefore Saul said unto the\u00a0LORD\u00a0God of Israel, Give a perfect\u00a0lot\u00a0<\/em>. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.\u00a0\u00a042<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul said, Cast\u00a0lots\u00a0<\/em>between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.\u00a043<\/sup>\u00a0Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>in mine hand,\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>, lo, I must die.\u00a044<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.\u00a045<\/sup>\u00a0And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid:\u00a0as\u00a0<\/em>the\u00a0LORD\u00a0liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.\u00a046<\/sup>\u00a0Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place. 47<\/sup>\u00a0So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed\u00a0them\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a048<\/sup>\u00a0And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.\u00a0\u00a049<\/sup>Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-shua: and the names of his two daughters\u00a0were these;\u00a0<\/em>the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:\u00a050<\/sup>\u00a0And the name of Saul\u2019s wife\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>Abner, the son of Ner, Saul\u2019s uncle.\u00a0\u00a051<\/sup>\u00a0And Kish\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>the son of Abiel. 52<\/sup>\u00a0And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jonathan, the son of Saul, called the Philistine gentiles uncircumcised because they did not have a covenant relationship with God. He was pointing out the advantage the Israelites had because of the blessing of God on their lives. This is a beautiful illustration of what it means to take a venture in faith. Jonathan saw […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6480"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6480"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16164,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6480\/revisions\/16164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}