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Faith That Moves Mountains: Jonathan's Bold Trust
May 20, 2026 · 14 min
A pastoral reflection on 1 Samuel 14: Jonathan's daring faith, how God uses few to win many, and the call to trust rather than mere religion.
Series Stand on the Word - Video On Demand May 20, 2026 · 14 min · Stand on the Word - Video On Demand
A pastoral reflection on 1 Samuel 14: Jonathan's daring faith, how God uses few to win many, and the call to trust rather than mere religion. ...more Show the full description Show less A pastoral reflection on 1 Samuel 14: Jonathan's daring faith, how God uses few to win many, and the call to trust rather than mere religion.
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Jonathan's Daring Faith in Action 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Thanks for joining me this morning. A beautiful day this morning. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. I am on the road this week0:21 traveling, but I don't wanna miss any of our time together. But I would ask you to pray, for us this week as we're traveling. Speaking a lot, having to fly back to DC, I'm scheduled to be there today, to testify before0:33 the House Judiciary Committee. So I certainly would appreciate your prayers. Today, our journey takes us to first Samuel chapter 14 verse 29. But Jonathan said, my father has0:45 troubled the land. Look now how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. Now here's a question for you. What's the difference between having faith in God0:57 and being religious? Well, that's 1 of the several things that we're going to find here in chapter 14 of first Samuel as we see a contrast between Jonathan and1:09 Saul. Now Israel was still under the repressive thumb of the Philistines, but the conflict was, as we read here, kind of at a standstill. Nothing appears to be happening. Verse 1, chapter 14.Saul's Rash Religiosity 1:21 Now it happened 1 day that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who bore his armor, come, let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side. But he did not tell his1:33 father. And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gebbia under a pomegranate tree, which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about 600 men. So Saul sitting in the1:44 shade with about 600 soldiers with him, but Jonathan is on the move. Verse 6. And then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, 'Come, let us go over to the garrison of those1:56 uncircumcised.' That was a, referring to the Philistines, the Gentiles who were not circumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing restrains the Lord2:08 from saving by many or by few. Faith here is on the move. Jonathan, I mean look at Jonathan's insightful and2:20 logical understanding of God's power. If it is God's power that delivers, then whether it be many or few, it is God that brings about the victory. In fact, the2:32 greater the odds against our success in the natural, the greater the glory God gets from the victory. And and we see that time and time again in scripture.2:44 Verse 11, so both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the and the Philistines said, look, the Hebrews are coming up out of the holes where they have hidden. Kind of a little snark, a little sarcasm2:55 there. Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, come up to us and we'll show you something. Jonathan said to his armor bearer, come up after me for the3:07 Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel. So the the Philistines looking down at, these 2 guys coming up from the bottom of the cliff, he says, come on up3:19 here and we'll teach you a thing or 2. When, we're on the side of God, when we're walking in obedience to God, standing in the truth of God, the intimidating words of the3:31 opposition are not only meaningless, they're actually a source of inspiration. Because when they mock the people of God, they're mocking God. Verse 13. And Jonathan3:43 climbed up on his hands and knees with his armor bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan, speaking of the Philistines. And as he came after them, his armor bearer3:55 killed them. The first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made were about 20 men within about half an acre of land. And there was trembling4:08 in the camp, in the field, and among the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled, and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling. See, the arsenal of4:19 God is limitless as he uses the forces of nature, which he created and he controls for his purposes. You know, as we read here, these weapons of God are triggered by the4:31 faith of man in God. Reminds me of the words of Jesus in Matthew 20 one:twenty 1. So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what4:43 was done to this fig tree, but also you will say to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea, and it will be done.' Our faith can move and shake mountains. You know, as I was reading4:56 as I was reading this this morning, I thought about the events of, August 20 ninth and thirtieth of 17 76. It was the Battle of Long Island. It was when the Continental Army was,5:08 literally on the verge of collapse. They had had a number of defeats. General Washington found his army trapped against the East River, near Brooklyn Heights. The British had5:20 superior numbers. The siege of Boston had already shown that they could crush the colonial forces in open battle, and many believed that this this was probably the end of the revolutionary5:33 effort itself. So, on the night of August 20 ninth and thirtieth, 17 76, Washington ordered a silent evacuation of roughly 9000 troops, horses,5:44 artillery, and supplies across the East River into Manhattan. Small boats were used to quietly ferry the men across the river. I mean, it was going on all night long. The British were close enough5:56 that they had they discovered the retreat, they could have the retreat, they could have pounced and destroyed what was left of the Continental Army. So as the cover of darkness was be being pulled back as the sun was6:08 rising on the thirtieth of August, there were still many American troops on the Brooklyn side, and they were vastly outnumbered, essentially defenseless when the British discovered the retreat.6:20 But then something happened. Fog settled over the area. That fog concealed the final stages of the withdrawal and by the time the fog6:32 lifted mid morning, the entire American force had escaped. Now, many historians regard this as 1 of the most important strategic retreats in American history6:43 because of the survival of Washington's army literally preserved the revolutionary effort itself. Had that army been destroyed or captured there,6:56 we would not be celebrating the 200 and fiftieth anniversary of America's independence. Coincidence? I don't think so. The weapons of God, activated7:08 for the purposes of God by the faith of man, makes a difference in history. Notice that Jonathan had to step out in faith, or he had to step out. Faith7:20 is action oriented. It produces action. What triggers the provision of God? So he he got it and said, well, let's just wait to see what God does. He prays. He steps out. God7:32 acts. You know, juxtapose the faith of Jonathan to the what I'll call religiosity or spirituality of Saul. Verse 18, and Saul said to Ahijah,Rash Vows and Divine Intervention 7:45 bring the ark of God here, for at the time the ark of God was with the children of Israel. Now there's some debate among the scholars over whether this was calling of the ephod to inquire of the Lord7:57 that the, that the priest would do, or it was to bring the ark in the same manner that the Israelites had done when it was captured by the Philistines sometime back. From what follows,8:09 we are left with the observation that Saul lacked spiritual insight. Look at verse 19. Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the8:21 camp of the Philistines continued to increase. So Saul said to the priest, withdraw your hand. Here we see once again Saul's rash nature. The priest is inquiring him, he says, look, I want you to8:32 inquire of the Lord, the priest is doing it. He says, wait a minute, stop, stop, no need to continue, we're gone. I assume that he thought the window of opportunity was closing, but he did not not allow the inquiry of8:43 the Lord to go forward. Verse 20, then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle. And indeed, every man's sword was against his neighbor, and there was a very there was very great8:55 confusion. Now Saul's impulsive nature is further revealed in what he does next. Let's drop down to verse 24. And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under an9:06 oath, saying, Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening before I have taken vengeance on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food. Now this was,9:19 frankly, this was a reckless use of spiritual practices to gain favor or, I don't know, maybe appear spiritual in the eyes of the people.9:30 There is a time to fast, but it is not in the midst of the battle when strength is needed. And Jonathan understood this. Look what Jonathan said in verse 27. But Jonathan had not heard his father's charge9:43 to the people with the oath. Therefore, he stretched out the end of his rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his countenance brightened. Brightened. Well, certainly,9:54 he'd been when you're in battle in combat, it is exhausting. You're burning calories, burning energy, and you need to be replenished with food. And and10:06 so his countenance was brightened. Then 1 of the people said, your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, cursed is the man who eats food this day. And the people were faint. But Jonathan said,10:18 my father has troubled the land. Look now how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies, which they found?10:30 For now, would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? Had we not had the strength to continue this battle, had we would we not even have finished it? Now they had driven back the10:42 Philistines that day to from Michmash to Ajalon, So the people were very faint. And the people rushed on the spoil, that was at the end of the day, and took sheep, oxen, and calves and10:54 slaughtered them on the ground, and the people ate them with the blood. They were so hungry, they just began to eat the raw meat. This rash vow of man, Saul, led the starving men toFaith Over Religion 11:05 violate a clear prohibition of God about consuming raw meat, eating the blood. Now read on and you'll see yet another, another rash vow of Saul, which11:17 again appears to be an effort to look spiritual as opposed to acting with faith as Jonathan had done. So Saul inquired of the Lord about finishing off the Philistines, but11:29 his inquiry went unanswered, and so they asked the Lord to expose any sin in the camp that may have caused the Lord from not answering them. And not knowing that11:41 Jonathan had eaten, contrary to the oath that Saul had put upon everybody, he says this in verse 39. Now for as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it11:53 be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die, but not a man among all the people answered him. He said, Whoever's responsible for this is going to die. So as it unfolds, Saul, like Japheth,12:05 remember him, is about to carry out an ungodly oath. But this time, this time, the men of Israel stopped him. Look at verse 45. But the people said to Saul, 'Shall Jonathan12:17 die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel?' Certainly not. As the Lord lives, not 1 hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued12:29 Jonathan and he did not die. In this case, they knew that it was wrong for Saul to do what he was going to do, and they intervened. Father, we thank you for your12:40 word. And, Lord, we thank you for this example of Jonathan who acted in faith. But, Lord, we see the contrast of of Saul who kinda went through the motions looking religious,12:52 being spiritual, but not acting in faith. Lord, I pray that we would not give way to religious practices and rituals, but, Father, may we operate in a13:04 relationship with you, Lord, operating in faith, trusting you. Lord, stepping out and seeing you work in our midst even this day. Lord, as we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but13:16 against principalities, against powers, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places, Lord, may we do battle in your name through the power of the Holy Spirit. And, Lord, may we13:28 see great accomplishments through the power of the Holy Spirit. For we pray and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning. And until next time, keep standing13:40 on the Word. Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following13:51 along in just a few minutes a day, you can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash14:03 bible.In this video 0:00 Jonathan's Daring Faith in Action1:10 Saul's Rash Religiosity7:33 Rash Vows and Divine Intervention11:00 Faith Over Religion
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