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trouble to the land

1 Samuel 14:24-42 (JDV)

1 Samuel 14:24 and the men of Israel were stressed out that day, because Saul had placed the troops under an oath: “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So, none of the troops tasted any food.
1 Samuel 14:25 Everyone went into the forest, and there was honey on the ground.
1 Samuel 14:26 When the troops entered the forest, they noticed the flow of honey, but none of them ate any of it because they feared the oath.
1 Samuel 14:27 However, Jonathan had not heard his father make the troops swear the oath. He reached out with the end of the staff he was carrying and dipped it into the honeycomb. When he ate the honey, he had renewed energy.
1 Samuel 14:28 Then one of the troops said, “Your father made the troops solemnly swear, ‘The man who eats food today is cursed,’ and the troops are exhausted.”
1 Samuel 14:29 Jonathan replied, “My father has brought trouble to the land. Just Notice at how I have renewed energy because I tasted a little of this honey.
1 Samuel 14:30 How much better if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Then the slaughter of the Philistines would have been much greater.”
1 Samuel 14:31 The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash all the way to Aijalon. Since the Israelites were completely exhausted,
1 Samuel 14:32 they rushed to the plunder, took sheep, goats, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate meat with the blood still in it.
1 Samuel 14:33 Some reported to Saul: “Notice, the troops are sinning against Yahveh by eating meat with the blood still in it.” Saul said, “You have been unfaithful. Roll a large stone over here at once.”
1 Samuel 14:34 He then said, “Go among the troops and say to them, ‘Let each man bring me his ox or his sheep. Do the slaughtering here and then you can eat. Don’t sin against Yahveh by eating meat with the blood in it.'” So, every one of the troops brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there.
1 Samuel 14:35 Then Saul built an altar to Yahveh; it was the first time he had built an altar to Yahveh.
1 Samuel 14:36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don’t let even one remain!” “Do whatever you want,” the troops replied. But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.”
1 Samuel 14:37 So Saul inquired of God, “Should I go after the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.
1 Samuel 14:38 Saul said, “All you leaders of the troops, come here. Let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.
1 Samuel 14:39 As surely as Yahveh lives who saves Israel, even if it is because of my son Jonathan, he must die!” Not one of the troops answered him.
1 Samuel 14:40 So he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” And the troops replied, “Do whatever you want.”
1 Samuel 14:41 So Saul said to Yahveh, “God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant today? If the unrighteousness is in me or in my son Jonathan, Lord God of Israel, give Urim; but if the fault is in your people Israel, give Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were selected, and the troops were cleared of the charge.
1 Samuel 14:42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was selected.

trouble to the land

Jonathan’s mistake was real, and God’s Spirit was right to withhold himself from the Israelites until that mistake was acknowledged. But it was Saul’s mistake to curse his own people in his zeal to slaughter more Philistines. His command for his troops to refrain from eating was merely to boost his own importance in the battle. As a result, he brought trouble to the land that day, and that trouble involved his own son.

Just as small acts of faith can domino, leading to great God events, so also small acts of selfishness can ruin much good. Zeal for the second coming can lead to an adventist movement, but date-setting can defile the movement. We need courage to step out and do what God wants, tempered with wisdom to refuse to allow selfish motives to bring trouble.