(1) When God was silent Saul interpreted that someone among them has sinned. Eventually, he found out that that person was his son. From the perspective of the people Jonathan was the rescuer to Israel in that battle. There is no reason to consider him as sinful and thus put to death. Then why was God silent to Saul?
There are 3 passages about the timing:
a. v.36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them
b. v.37b But [God] he did not answer him that day
c. v.45b As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day
That was a special day in Israel, on that day Israel won the Philistines and Saul intended to extend the victory until the next morning. However, when he said that he did not think about God. Not until the priest reminded him to inquire the LORD Saul just made his own plan. He did not give credit to Jonathan or God as the rescuer. It is possible that that was the reason why God did not answer him.
c. v.45b As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day
That was a special day in Israel, on that day Israel won the Philistines and Saul intended to extend the victory until the next morning. However, when he said that he did not think about God. Not until the priest reminded him to inquire the LORD Saul just made his own plan. He did not give credit to Jonathan or God as the rescuer. It is possible that that was the reason why God did not answer him.
Reflection: Do we give credit to God? Is God silent to you when you are proud? When everything goes smooth do we forget about God?
(2) Saul insisted to find out the sin by casting lots.
v.41b But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, respond with Thummim.”
(NET) The Urim and Thummim were used for lot casting in ancient Israel. Their exact identity is uncertain; they may have been specially marked stones drawn from a bag.
Even with the result which pointed out that Jonathan was the one who sinned he was rescued from death by the army.
v.45 As surely as the LORD lives, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground! For it is with the help of God that he has acted today.
(NAC) Saul did not have the power to enforce his curse. The curse of a king, like every other royal utterance, was ultimately the word of a human being and thus mired in the frailties of the human condition. In this case the power of the royal curse was shattered by nameless “men” (v. 45) who said “Never!” to the king’s demand that Jonathan be slain. The men thus “rescued” ...the king’s son. Even oaths spoken by earthly kings (v. 44) were the product of human breath and could be quashed. A royal oath could be overruled by another’s oath sworn by “the life of Yahweh...
(NAC) Saul did not have the power to enforce his curse. The curse of a king, like every other royal utterance, was ultimately the word of a human being and thus mired in the frailties of the human condition. In this case the power of the royal curse was shattered by nameless “men” (v. 45) who said “Never!” to the king’s demand that Jonathan be slain. The men thus “rescued” ...the king’s son. Even oaths spoken by earthly kings (v. 44) were the product of human breath and could be quashed. A royal oath could be overruled by another’s oath sworn by “the life of Yahweh...
Reflection: Saul's leadership was weak and overruled by his people. It was because his disobedient to God and his bad policy. People's hearts do not follow him. Dont get me wrong, he was a mighty warrior and won many victories after this one v.47. However, he was not the leader who is after God's heart.
How is our leadership? Do we obey God and follow His heart?
Audrey
Audrey
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