Faith That Shakes the Enemy.

Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.

1 Samuel 14:1

Meanwhile…

And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron:* and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.   1 Samuel 14:2-3

So, Jonathan prepared to go up…

through a passage framed by two sharp rocks…

And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez*, and the name of the other Seneh.*

The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.    1 Samuel 14:4-5

With a heart full of faith…

and confidence in the Living God…

Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour…

Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised:

it may be that the LORD will work for us:

for there is no restraint to the LORD

to save by many or by few.

And his armourbearer said unto him…

Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee;

behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

Privily, they planned a strategy…

to undertake the challenge…

Then said Jonathan…

Behold, we will pass over unto these men,

and we will discover ourselves unto them.

If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you;

then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

But if they say thus, Come up unto us;

then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them

into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.

Cautiously, they advanced…

And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing.

And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer…

Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them

into the hand of Israel.

Courageous. Valiant. Strong.

Jonathan was moved to ACTION…

And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. 1 Samuel 14:6-14

So effective was their assault…

the Philistines trembled …

And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled,

And the earth shook…

and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.  1 Samuel 14:15

And God delivered them over to fear and confusion…

And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.

And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.

And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

So the LORD saved Israel that day:

and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.

1 Samuel 14:16, 19-20, 23

And so the enemy was overcome…

through the FAITH and fearless efforts…

       of Jonathan and his loyal armorbearer.

Two courageous, willing hearts…

advancing against an enemy stronghold…

Strong. Valiant. Brave. Heroic.

The heart of FAITH…

Knows NO LIMITATIONS…

It only knows…

GOD DELIVERS!

*Of special note:  I found it interesting that the sharp rocks were actually named…so I looked up their meanings:

Bozez= mud; bog.

Salneh= brambles; enemy.

For further consideration…the place  where Saul tarried…Migron, it means FEAR.

When Giants Come Tumbling Down

SPECIAL EDITION!

For those who face giants…and  OVERCOME!

In the days of Saul, the king …

the Philistines gathered their armies together…

to battle against Israel.

They sent out their best champion…

to harass, intimidate and torment…

the armies of the Living God.

Goliath was his name….

and bullying was his game…

And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 1 Samuel 17:8-10

This 10 ft tall, armor clad, despiser of the Living God…

had the king and all his army…

cowering in fear…

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.   1 Samuel 17:11

Goliath was not about to back down…

For 40 days…

he boldly provoked, threatened and vexed…

the king and all his men.

Something had to be done!

Something drastic !

Something powerful!

Something unforgettable!

The answer came in the form of a lowly shepherd boy…

David by name.

And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.   1 Samuel 17:20-22

And when David was come to the camp…

he listened…

And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

and watched…

And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 

and considered…

And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.   1 Samuel 17:23-25

And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.   1 Samuel 17:26-27

And was moved to ACTION…saying…

Is there not a cause?

And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.  1 Samuel 17:29,31

And David said to Saul…

Let no man's heart fail because of him;

thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

And Saul said to David…

Thou art not able to go against this Philistine

to fight with him: for thou art but a youth,

and he a man of war from his youth.

Undeterred…

David shared his testimony…

Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.

Fully persuaded…

the king gave his blessing…

And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

and his armor…

And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it.   1 Samuel 17:37-38

But the king’s armor would not do…

to take down this giant…

David needed  something more powerful than the king’s armor.

And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. 

So he armed himself…

with the humble instruments of a shepherd…

and the FAITH that slays giants.

And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.   1 Samuel 17: 39-40

Game ON!

And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

Goliath was not amused.

Insults, scorn and cursing flowed from his mouth…

Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?

And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air,

and to the beasts of the field.

David was unshaken…

Courageous. Fearless. Bold.

he replied…

Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield:

but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts,

the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; 

and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee;   

and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth;  

 that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, 

and he will give you into our hands.

And it came to pass…

when the Philistine arose…

and came and drew nigh to meet David…

that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone,

and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead,

that the stone sunk into his forehead;

and he fell upon his face to the earth.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith.

And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.  

1 Samuel 17:41-51

And so David PREVAILED…

and defeated the giant…

with the simple instruments of a shepherd…

and a valiant heart of FAITH…

in the MIGHTY God of Israel.

What giants are you facing right now?

Be encouraged…

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,

to shew himself strong in the behalf of them

whose heart is perfect toward him.

2 Chronicles 16:9

An Altogether Different Spirit

And so the time was come…

to go up and possess the land…

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. 

Numbers 13:1-2

And Moses sent them out…

with special instructions…

…and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;

And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;

And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land.   Numbers 13:17-20

For the next 40 days…

they traveled throughout the promised land…

         taking careful note of everything …

And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.  Numbers 13:25-26

And they gave a report…

of all they saw…

And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.  Numbers 13:27-29

Suddenly, Caleb spoke up…

And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said,

Let us go up at once, and possess it;

for we are well able to overcome it.  

Numbers 13:30

But the voice of unbelief prevailed…

We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. Numbers 13:31-33

The congregation was distraught at the news….

Disheartened. Intimidated. Doubtful.

they voiced their discouragement…

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them…

Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt!

or would God we had died in this wilderness!

And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land,

to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey?

were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

And they said one to another, Let us make a captain,

and let us return into Egypt.  Numbers 14:1-4

Then Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb were greatly distressed…

and fell on their faces…

and rent their clothes…

Because they were of an altogether different spirit…

And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying…

The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land,

and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them,

and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Numbers 14:7-9

And how did the congregation respond to the call of FAITH?

But all the congregation bade stone them with stones.

Numbers 14:10

And how did God respond?

And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.   

Numbers 14:26-33

I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.   Numbers 14:35

And the men which brought up the evil report…

what became of them?

And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.   Numbers 14:36-37

And the men of FAITH, Joshua and Caleb…

what was their lot?

But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. Numbers 14:24

But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.  Numbers 14:38

And so it was…

Through the eyes of unbelief, the task was…

Intimidating. Hopeless. Unattainable.  Impossible.

And through the eyes of FAITH…

The land be ALREADY conquered.

We are WELL ABLE to overcome.

He WILL bring us IN!

You are faced with the same question today.

How will you respond?

Unbelief or FAITH?

In the words of Joshua…

Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth:

and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve;

whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood,or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua 24:14-15

The Mighty God of Daniel!

…and there is no new thing under the sun.

~Ecclesiastes 1:9

In the age of the great Empires…

kings ruled vast expanses of the world…

and men hungered for power…

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.  Daniel 6:1-2

Among them…

was a man that feared the Living God…

Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.  Daniel 6:3

Because of this…

                he had many enemies…

Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.  

Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.   Daniel 6:4-5

So, an evil conspiracy was formed…

with the express purpose…

of eliminating Daniel.

Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.   Daniel 6:6-9

Nevertheless…

having full knowledge of their wicked scheme…

Daniel was undeterred from his purpose…

Faithful. Steadfast. Unmoved.

Daniel hungered for GOD!

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Daniel 6:10

Even his enemies noticed…

his unwavering devotion…

Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.   Daniel 6:11

Thinking to have the advantage over him…

they immediately informed the king…

Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?

The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.   Daniel 6:12-13

This news greatly troubled the king.

Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.   Daniel 6:14

But Daniel’s enemies were ruthless…

and unmerciful…

Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.  Daniel 6:15

And the law…

was unchangeable…

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.  Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.   Daniel 6:16-17

Uneasy.  Troubled. Grieved.

the king passed the night…

wide-eyed and restless.

Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.  Daniel 6:18

At the earliest possible moment…

the king arose to fetch Daniel…

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel,

O Daniel, servant of the living God,

is thy God, whom thou servest continually,

able to deliver thee from the lions?

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths,

that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him

innocency was found in me; and also before thee,

O king, have I done no hurt.

Then was the king exceeding glad for him,

and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den.

So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.   Daniel 6: 19-23

And Daniel’s accusers?

What became of them?

And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.   Daniel 6:24

And Daniel’s testimony spread…

over the face of the earth…

in the form of a decree…

Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth;

In the words Darius, king of the Medes:

Peace be multiplied unto you.  I make a decree,

That in every dominion of my kingdom

men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel:

for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever,

and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,

and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

He delivereth and rescueth,

and he worketh signs and wonders  in heaven and in earth,

who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 6:25-28

An intensely intriguing, true story…

that transcends the ages….

Power- hungry, political schemers.   Insidious, deceptive laws.  Conspiracy.

One God-fearing man….

faithful and steadfast…

amidst the rising tide of evil.

Enter: The Mighty God of Daniel.

Mighty to deliver.

Mighty to save.

Mighty to transform any situation…

For HIS glory!

Do you KNOW Him?