April 11

1 Samuel 13-14 (biblegateway.com)

Faith or Fear: A Tale of Two Leaders

Chapters 13 and 14 of 1 Samuel give us a powerful look at two very different kinds of leaders, Saul and his son Jonathan. Though Saul is king, we begin to see early signs of cracks in his character. He’s impatient, disobedient, and struggles to truly trust God. In contrast, Jonathan steps onto the scene with bold faith and courage, believing that God can bring victory no matter the odds. These chapters remind us that God values obedience more than rituals, and faith more than fear. As the story unfolds, we start to see the shift. Saul’s leadership is faltering, and God is preparing to raise up someone new.

Chapter 13 marks a turning point in Saul’s leadership and reveals flaws in his character that will shape the future of his reign. The chapter begins by noting his military organization. He selects 3,000 men to form a standing army, keeping 2,000 with himself at Mikmash and assigning 1,000 to his son Jonathan at Gibeah (v. 1-2). Jonathan takes bold initiative and attacks a Philistine outpost at Geba, located between Mikmash and Gibeah (v. 3). This initial strike leads to an Israelite victory. However, Jonathan’s move provokes a major Philistine retaliation, and fear spreads rapidly among the Israelites. Many hide in caves, thickets, rocks, and cisterns, while others flee across the Jordan to Gad and Gilead (v. 5-7). Meanwhile, Saul summons the people to Gilgal to gather additional forces to support Jonathan (v. 4). This marks the first of three major battles Israel will fight against the Philistines during Saul’s reign.

As the army dwindles and fear intensifies, Saul anxiously waits for Samuel to arrive and offer the required sacrifices. Samuel had commanded Saul earlier to wait seven days (v. 8), but as the deadline approaches and the prophet does not appear, Saul’s impatience and fear overwhelm him. Under pressure from the approaching Philistines, he takes matters into his own hands and disobeys God. He offers the burnt offering himself, violating the role and authority of the prophet-priest and stepping outside the boundaries of his kingship (v. 8–9). He was doing a good thing (offering a sacrifice to God before a crucial battle), but he did it in the wrong way. Like Saul, our true spiritual character is revealed under pressure. The methods we use to accomplish our goals are as important as the attainment of those goals.

As soon as the offering is completed, Samuel arrives, and the consequences of Saul’s disobedience begin to unfold. Samuel confronts Saul, who attempts to justify his actions by blaming the people, the Philistines, and Samuel’s delay (v. 10–12).

Trusting God becomes especially hard when it feels like your resources are dwindling and time is running out. That was Saul’s struggle. His impatience with God’s timing led him to take matters into his own hands. He treated the ritual as a solution, substituting ceremony for genuine trust in God. In moments of pressure or uncertainty, don’t let fear or impatience push you into disobedience. When you’re confident in what God has asked of you, stay the course, even when the outcome seems unclear. Sometimes, God allows delays not to frustrate us, but to refine our faith and reveal the depth of our obedience.

Samuel responds with a sharp rebuke, declaring, “You have done a foolish thing” (v. 13), and goes on to explain that Saul’s failure was not merely a tactical error, but a serious act of disobedience against the direct command of the Lord. He tells Saul, “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time” (v. 13). With these words, Samuel delivers the devastating news that because of Saul’s impatience and lack of trust in God, his kingdom will not endure. Instead, God has already chosen someone else, a man after His own heart, to one day lead His people with the kind of faith and obedience that Saul has failed to show (v. 14).

The chapter concludes with a depiction of Israel’s military disadvantage. Only Saul and Jonathan have swords or spears, as the Philistines have monopolized the blacksmithing trade to keep the Israelites in oppression (v. 19–22). Meanwhile, the enemy sends out raiding parties to maintain control and pressure the Israelites, adding to their already dire situation (v. 17–18).

True obedience to God is not partial or conditional. It requires trusting His commands and timing, even when circumstances seem urgent or frightening. God values obedience over sacrifice (as Samuel will later emphasize in 1 Samuel 15:22), and He does not tolerate leaders who presume upon His authority. This chapter illustrates the grave responsibility of spiritual leadership and the consequences of disregarding divine instruction.

Saul had no shortage of excuses for why he disobeyed, but Samuel cut straight to the heart of the matter. Saul did not keep the Lord’s commands. Like Saul, we can be quick to downplay our failures, wrapping them in justifications or blaming our circumstances. We might even try to make our disobedience sound spiritual. But in God’s eyes, an excuse is still disobedience. He sees through our motives and desires honesty more than pretense. God is gracious. He forgives, restores, and blesses those who come to Him in humility. But Saul’s refusal to own his sin cost him the kingdom.

Are you living with a heart that honors God’s authority, or are you prone to impatience and self-reliance when circumstances are difficult? Reflect on an area in your life where you are tempted to act before seeking or obeying God’s direction. What would it look like to truly wait on Him, even when it feels uncomfortable or risky? Ask God to develop in you the heart of someone who follows Him fully, someone after His own heart.

In 1 Samuel 14, the narrative turns from Saul’s disobedience in chapter 13 to a striking contrast in the character of his son Jonathan, whose bold faith plays a crucial role in delivering Israel.

As the skirmish with the Philistines resumed, Saul camped near the capital city of Gibeah with about 600 men. Meanwhile, Jonathan quietly launched a daring mission into the enemy camp near Mikmash, without telling his father. He said to his armor-bearer, “Come, let us go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side” (v. 1). In contrast, Saul remained under a pomegranate tree in Migron, a subtle image of passivity and indecision (v. 2).

Jonathan and his armor-bearer didn’t look like much of a threat against the massive Philistine army. But while others hesitated in fear, these two trusted God completely, confident that His power wasn’t limited by numbers. Their faith and courage were rewarded with a remarkable victory, one that only God could have made possible.

Have you ever felt outnumbered or overwhelmed by life’s battles? God is never outmatched. No problem is too big, and no enemy too strong. When He calls you to act, step forward in faith, even if your resources seem small. Offer what you have, trust His strength, and watch Him lead you to victory.

Jonathan’s faith is captured in his confident statement: “Perhaps the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few” (v. 6). His willingness to act with uncertain outcomes reveals a deep trust in God’s sovereignty. His armor-bearer supports him fully, saying, “Do all that you have in mind ... I am with you heart and soul” (v. 7). Jonathan devises a sign. If the Philistines invite them to come up, it will be a sign that the Lord has given them into their hands (v. 9–10).

As they approach the Philistines, the enemy mocks them and invites them to climb up, a confirmation of Jonathan’s plan. The two climb up on hands and feet and kill about twenty men in a sudden attack (v. 11–14). God responds, spreading panic through the Philistine camp (v. 15), and the enemy turns on itself in confusion.

From his lookout post, Saul’s watchmen could see the enemy scattering in all directions. Realizing that something unusual had triggered the chaos, Saul ordered a headcount to find out who had acted without orders. It quickly became clear that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone (v. 16-17). Saul initially wants to consult the priest, but when the confusion grows, he interrupts the inquiry and rushes into battle (v. 18–20). Saul was rushing the formalities of getting an answer from God so he could hurry and get into battle to take advantage of the confusion of the Philistines.

Israelites who had previously hidden or defected to the Philistines now join the fight, and the Lord grants Israel a significant victory that day (v. 21-23). However, Saul, driven by fear and a desire for control, had made a rash oath. “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies” (v. 24). This foolish command weakens the soldiers and limits their success.

His troops were too exhausted to continue fighting effectively, their intense hunger led them to eat meat with blood still in it, directly violating God’s law (v. 32), and Saul nearly ended up executing his own son, Jonathan (v. 42–44). What may have sounded bold and noble in the moment turned out to be reckless and harmful. When you’re in the heat of a situation, be careful not to make impulsive promises that you’ll later regret or feel pressured to fulfill.

Jonathan, unaware of the oath, eats some honey from a honeycomb, and his eyes brighten (v. 27). When told of his father’s curse, he rebukes the decision, saying, “My father has troubled the land” (v. 29). He points out that the army could have had a much greater victory had they been allowed to eat freely (v. 30). Later, the soldiers, tired and hungry, rush to slaughter animals and eat them with the blood, violating the law (v. 31–32). This so alarmed Saul that he hastily built an altar on which to offer a propitiatory sacrifice to the Lord in an effort to correct the situation (v. 35), but the damage had been done.

As Saul seeks to continue the attack, he inquires of God but receives no answer (v. 37). Assuming sin in the camp, he uses lots to determine the culprit and finds that Jonathan is the one who violated the oath (v. 42–43). Saul, in his rigidity, insists that Jonathan must die, but the people intervene. “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it!” (v. 45). They redeem Jonathan, affirming that it was through him that God saved Israel.

The chapter concludes with a summary of Saul’s military efforts and his family, but a shadow lingers over his leadership (v. 47–52). His failure to lead with discernment, spiritual depth, or humility becomes increasingly evident in contrast to Jonathan’s faith.

This chapter highlights that God works through those who trust Him deeply and act in faith. Jonathan’s initiative is a portrait of godly courage. It displays a faith that moves forward even when outcomes are uncertain. In contrast, Saul represents a form of leadership that is impulsive, performance-based, and disconnected from true spiritual discernment. God’s silence to Saul underscores that leadership without obedience and intimacy with God leads to futility. God does not bless control-driven religiosity; He honors those who walk by faith.

This chapter invites us to consider whether we are more like Jonathan or Saul in moments of decision. Do we act in faith, trusting God to work through our steps, or do we hesitate, try to control outcomes, and make impulsive choices out of fear or ego? Jonathan shows that great spiritual victories often begin with simple acts of trust. Saul shows that even with authority, one can be spiritually blind. We are called to lead, serve, and act in ways that reflect humble dependence on God, not the manipulation of circumstances.

Are you taking faith-filled risks in your walk with God, or are you waiting for perfect clarity before you move? Like Jonathan, we are often called to act with a “perhaps,” to trust God’s power even when we don’t have all the answers. Where might God be inviting you to step out in faith today? And like Saul, are there areas where pride or control is keeping you from hearing God’s voice? Ask the Lord to cultivate in you a heart like Jonathan’s, bold, trusting, and responsive to the Spirit, and to remove the Saul-like tendencies of fear, rashness, and spiritual superficiality. Obedience and faith often walk hand-in-hand into God’s victory.

In conclusion, Saul’s failure reminds us that partial obedience is still disobedience and that leadership without trust in God ultimately crumbles. Jonathan’s bravery encourages us to step out in faith, even when the odds are against us. As we reflect on these passages, may we learn to trust God fully, obey Him wholeheartedly, and act with courage that comes from confidence in His power.