The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns. Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead. Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the LORD’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.” “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. Had you kept it, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” [1 Samuel 13.6-14]
Satan is opportunistic when it comes to our fear. Count on it. When fears come, be need to pay close attention!
Idols (including the idol of "self") play on our fears, bolster our doubt, question God's Word, and incite us to act independently of God and His Word when times of fear come.
Every fear we have is an opportunity to see God's glory, unless of course, we begin to act upon our own ways and/or solicit help elsewhere, other than from God.
In contrast to Saul's succumbing to fear above, we find in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer. Their response to fear was much different.
In short, Jonathan and his armor bearer faced their fears head-on, but not in foolish or arrogant bravado. Theirs was not a heady suicide mission either, but instead a strategically calculated plan of attack, against insurmountable odds (2 against 20), dependent entirely upon the help and leadership of God.
“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.” “All right, then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the LORD’s sign that he will help us defeat them.” [1 Samuel 14.6-10]
When fear entices us to doubt God and turn to idols (including the idol of "self" and its ways), we miss an opportunity to see God glorified through our lives. Not only did Jonathan and his armor bearer defeat the 20 men they encountered, but their fearless obedience ignited a 'domino-effect' of uncontrolled fear among their enemies. God was glorified in their selfless obedience.
Contrast the events described in this article to modern "believers." We find every good reason to rely on our advanced ways of problem-solving (our intellect, our idols) and no reason to intentionally put ourselves in a situation where only God can see us through. Instead of defying fear in calculated defense of "faith in God alone," we rely on perfectly reasonable human solutions and call it good - and worse, we call it God's doing. That is the exact train of though Saul followed and got rebuked for. In contrast, it is everything Jonathan avoided.
Father in heaven, help us to see the contrast between Saul and his son, Jonathan. Help us study Jonathan so that we might emulate his confident faith seeing how his resignation to his own ways foreshadowed Jesus Who said give up your own ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. So be it.
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