1 Samuel 14:8-1

⁸ Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.” ¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” ¹² The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.”

¹³ Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. ¹⁴ In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

Gideon

How do you practically know when God is calling you to join mission work?

When Gideon heard his calling from the Lord, he was hesitant. He wanted to be sure that he was really called to lead Israel since in his assumption, he was the least in his family, and his clan was the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh.

It narrates in Judges 6:36-40, ³⁶ Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— ³⁷ look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” ³⁸ And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

³⁹ Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” ⁴⁰ That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Not once but twice Gideon asked for a sign that the Lord would eventually use him as instrument to save Israel. In comparison, when Jonathan and his armor-bearer approached the Philistines, did he really ask the Lord for a sign?

1. Sign

⁸ Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.”

Jonathan practised his faith in God. It was not clear if he asked for sign from the Lord. Yet, he told his armor-bearer a sign that they would defeat their enemies. Together, they approached the Philistine camp. They were not scared but they also wanted to be assured that attacking their enemy was God’s will.

It was strategic move for them to show themselves to the Philistines, Why? Jonathan was very specific of what he wanted to hear as sign that the Lord will help them victorious over the enemies. Why did he tell his armor-bearer about the sign? He wanted to make it sure that both of them heard it very clearly.

Have you ever asked God for sign to know His approval to your decision? Have you ever wished to see how the Lord answers your prayer request?

Abraham’s Servant

Abraham wanted a wife for Isaac from his relatives, and sent his servant.  Abraham’s servant prayed. He told God the sign he wished to see that he chose the right woman for Isaac. He could have just chosen someone who was pretty from the relatives of Abraham, but he prayed instead in Genesis 24:12-15.

¹²Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. ¹³ See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴ May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.

Indeed, the Lord answered him. Even before he finished praying, Rebekah came out carrying water. The servant had testified also to the family of Rebekah on how he knew that it’s the Lord’s will for Rebekah to become wife of Isaac.

The servant may have observed how Abraham prayed to the Lord, and he trusted that the sign he asked would confirm the Lord’s answer to his prayer.

Some believers could not dare to ask for signs because of what Jesus said in Matthew 12:39, A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! 

Christ said such statement when the Pharisees and teachers of the Law asked for a sign because the Lord knew that they did not really believe in Him when He said that. Actually, He repeated the same statement as emphasis that it’s no joke. Yet, when Jesus was born, an angel told the shepherd in Luke 2:12, ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Non-believers ask for signs to prove the existence of God. For genuine believers, asking sign could be used which decision we take when obeying God.

Anyway, both Jonathan and his armor-bearer confirmed what he wanted to see as sign of victory from the Lord when the Philistines shouted to them.

2. Shout

¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” ¹² The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.”

When the Philistines shouted, “Come up to us,” Jonathan was very sure in his heart that the Lord had granted them victory, why? That was exactly the sign that he asked as signal that the Lord would give them victory over the Philistines. When the Philistines shouted that they would teach Jonathan and his armor-bearer a lesson, it implies that the Philistines were very proud of their ability.

The Lord Jesus says in Matthew 23:12, ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Boxing

In combat sports like boxing, there’s no scarcity of proud individuals. Most boxers boast about their chances to win, and many of them suffer defeat terribly.

It only proves that whatever the Lord says, it will happen just as He said it.

Isaiah 55:11 says, My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

After they heard the sign, Jonathan grew in his confidence that the Lord gave victory not just to him and his armor-bearer but to Israel. And, they climbed the cliff next to the Philistine camp effortlessly and slaughtered as they went.

3. Slaughter

¹³ Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. ¹⁴ In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

Wow! Can you imagine that? The Philistines fell before Jonathan. How did it happen? It was not Jonathan who killed but his armor-bearer. It implies that Jonathan may not use his sword. Maybe his armor-bearer was still climbing when an enemy attacked, so Jonathan had to defend himself, how? Possibly, Jonathan used a staff or hand-to-hand combat, similar to karate, judo, or aikido.

It’s also possible that the Philistines were drinking wine, since they knew that the Israelites were scared, and maybe, their spies reported that the Israelites were hiding in caves, that was why they said, “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in!” The Philistines were not prepared. Or, since they were wearing heavy armor, they stumbled when they attacked Jonathan.

King David testified in Psalm 27:2, When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.

When we put our trust in the Lord, He didn’t exempt us in spiritual warfare. We’ve got no worry though, because enemies will stumble and fall even before they can come near us, and the Lord helps us to escape in case of uncertainty.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Temptations of any kind, trials of different magnitudes confuse believers any time. Are we not tempted to eat junk foods even if they are not helpful for our health? Seriously, many believers would claim that they cannot attend prayer meeting, or even Sunday services sometimes because they have to attend to their personal or family needs.  There’s spiritual warfare everywhere.

The threat of war between the Philistines and Israel was not easier than our problems today, don’t you think? May Jonathan’s practice of faith in God be an inspiration for us to practice our faith even when problems confuse us.

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