What Seems Best

1 Samuel 14:36-40

36 Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.” “Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied. But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.”

37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day.

38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them said a word. 40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.” “Do what seems best to you,” they replied.

Rule of Thumb

A video posted online shows a woman tried to touch a moose wandering through downtown. She nearly got attacked in the process. The person who filmed the video gasped when she spotted the woman walking close to the moose. She said the scene was horrific as the woman followed the animal.

Parks and Wildlife fined the woman for harassment of wildlife. Wildlife officials said moose can be both territorial and aggressive. It is recommended to use the “rule of thumb” during wild animal encounters. “Extend your arm, and if you can cover that animal with your thumb, then you’re at a good distance. If you can’t, then back up and give that animal space.

It says in Proverbs 14:12, 12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
(ESV)

The woman may have been excited to see a moose nearby. In excitement, she may have thought of telling her friends that she finally, touched a moose.

Excitement cannot guarantee anybody to decide wisely. In his excitement of defeating the Philistines, King Saul told his army to pursue their enemies.

1. Pursue

36 Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.” “Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied. But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.” 37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day.

His follower did not contradict King Saul. They did not say that they would follow his orders. They just say, “Do whatever seems best for you” after Saul told them to pursue the Philistines. At first glance, it seems like the Israelites were very supportive to King Saul. Their answer was very politically correct.

Saul had cursed anyone who eats food before he had avenged himself on his enemies. On that premise, his primary concern was his personal reputation. So, the Israelites responded that King Saul will do whatever seems best for him, which he always did in the past ever since he became king of Israel.

Nonetheless, the unnamed priest advised that they inquire of God. God did not answer King Saul. King Saul understood that God did not want him to pursue the Philistines. He thought that it’s great time to destroy and plunder his enemies. It’s the best time to avenge himself of his enemies but the Lord was silent.

King David said in Psalm 28:1, To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Silent Treatment

King David may have felt some kind of emotional and spiritual torture when the Lord remained silent. See? It’s not very pleasant when parents don’t speak to their children, when teacher don’t speak to their student, when employers don’t speak to their employees. There’s some gap or wide space of some sort.

Silent treatment is effective behavior for the other person to reflect upon. Have you observed children when they quarrel and don’t want to greet or talk to their playmates? “Hindi kita bati!” (I am not at peace with you!) is an expression of silent treatment for the other party. It is used to pressure others.

Again King David said in Psalm 35:22, Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord.

Where God is silent, there’s no love, no joy, no peace, what else? Nothing of heavenly attributes. There’s an indescribable pressure for the soul.

After King Saul inquired if they would pursue the Philistines, God remained silent and didn’t answer. Saul interpreted it that God ignored him. He suspected that someone in his army must have disobeyed his order, and he tried to purge his army so that he can avenge for himself on his enemies completely.

2. Purge

38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them said a word. 40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.” “Do what seems best to you,” they replied.

When Saul separated himself and Jonathan from the Israelites to purge his army, the Israelites told King Saul to do what seems best for him again. Saul may have been confident that he and Jonathan were not guilty. It is also possible that the Lord gave him the idea to separate him and Jonathan, why?

God may have wanted to teach Saul that his decision was not pleasant to the Lord. The story narrated that Jonathan was found to have broken the order of his father, and King Saul wanted to kill Jonathan, but the army saved him.

Purging had been practised by the Israelites whenever they were defeated by their enemies or something went wrong. The Israelites were victorious but because of Saul desired to completely avenge for himself on his enemies, he wanted his army to be purged or cleansed from those who disobeyed his order.

Achan

When the Israelites entered Canaan, they defeated the city of Jericho.

After that, they attacked the small city of Ai but they were defeated. Why?

Previously, the Lord commanded the Israelites in Joshua 6:18-19, 18Keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.

And, it says in Joshua 7:1, 1 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.

Achan hid in his tent things that were devoted to Lord. He was punished for what he did. After the Israelites were cleansed from the disobedience of Achan, the Lord empowered them and defeated the city of Ai.

In comparison, King Saul tried to use similar strategy to purge and cleanse his army from disobedience. Earlier, King Saul to put his army on oath not to eat food before he can avenge for himself but that was not a command from God. So, King Saul misused the purging strategy of ordering the death of anyone who disobeyed. Why did God allowed that Jonathan to disobey his father?

We may interpret disobedience to parents that the Lord approves is when we chose to obey God rather than follow cultural practices of honoring parents.

One Flesh

It says in Mark 10:6-9, 6At the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.

Among Asians, living with parents is cultural practice. Children who are married still live with parents. Such cultural practice is very noble and responsible way of care for parents. If believers leave their parent and start their own household, it opposes the above cultural practice but the Lord accepts it.

But if married children still chose to continue living with their parents, there’s no command that would prevent children to live with parents, right?

In conclusion, when obedience to the Lord is at stake to disobey or not following cultural practices of giving honor to parents, the Lord allows it.

King Saul may have wanted his son Jonathan to be obedient to his order. But since Jonathan and his armor-bearer escaped to attack the Philistines, he did not hear the order of his father. For Saul, it was right thing for him to order his army not to eat food before he can avenge for himself on his enemies but for Jonathan, it was right thing not to tell his father that he would attack their enemy.

Choose you pick. Which one do you favor? King Saul or Jonathan?

Do whatever seems best to you!

><((‘> … ><(((‘> tmec\2020 <‘)))>< … <‘))><

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