Going Deeper (Bible study) - Choosing our Response
Bible Story
And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred armed men....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. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.” So his armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart....” So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.” Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.”
Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armor bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armor bearer killed them. That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land. And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked....
(Exerted from 1 Samuel 14:2, 6-7, 11-15)
Going Deeper Insight
Consider Saul’s position in this story: he saw himself as a victim, driven by forces beyond his control. The Philistines had overwhelmed the land of Israel, scattering the people and leaving Saul with a tiny group of soldiers and only two swords. Saul appears to have resigned himself to the hopelessness of the situation. We can picture him brooding over the events that had led to this unfortunate position. Perhaps he was waiting for the Lord to do something, or perhaps he had forgotten the Lord altogether in his discouragement. In either case, he wasn’t doing anything.
In contrast, Saul’s son Jonathan did not wait for circumstances to change. He decided to go with his armor bearer and take on a Philistine garrison with a single sword. His trust was not in his own power or luck, but in the Lord. By choosing to take the initiative, Jonathan began a complete rout of the Philistines and won a great victory for Israel. While Saul saw himself as a helpless victim, Jonathan felt capable of doing what needed to be done. His confidence in the Lord brought him great success.
Part of your mind is like Saul and part is like Jonathan. Part would have you give up on your job, marriage, friendship and keep your bad habits. But another part of your mind would have you do what needs to be done so you can enjoy the Lord’s blessings.
Human beings are free. We don’t have to give up with the apparent helplessness of King Saul. If we turn to the Lord and His Word, we will recognize the alternatives to difficult situations. We are free to choose which part of our minds we will listen to. We can pursue the possibilities like the one Jonathan sensed. With this freedom comes a sense of hope and confidence that no person or event can take away.
By Rev. Eric Carswell, Bishop's representative for Education and Vice Chancellor of the Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania.
