He hath wrought with God. 1st Samuel 14:24-52 Because of his impatience, Saul never got divine guidance while waiting in front of the ark with the priest. He finally told the priest not to bother and went about doing things his own way again. He watched the enemy flee as he stood on the high ground of Gibeah and realized Israel was winning the battle without him. So, instead of having divine guidance in the energy of the flesh, he pronounced a curse instead of a blessing. His flawed leadership produced depression and gloom among the people, clouding the victory that God was working among them.
When we find ourselves in emergency situations, the silence of God may be because we have our own agenda and have vowed and not been paid. Jephthah lived his life with regret after a great victory because of a “spur of the moment” vow. John the Baptist was beheaded because Herod made a vow that he still regrets – no John, no Jesus. Some Jews made a vow to kill Paul, which they did not likely keep for very long. The Lord Jesus Christ taught us that our decisions should be made with a simple “Yes” or “No” and that we should not swear an oath to fulfill foolish vows.
Saul’s oath exemplifies poor leadership, a foolish vow, and misplaced loyalties. It is easy to get into trouble with a misplaced vow. It may sound good, noble, and wise at the moment, but vows made without a true heart before God are not practical, nor do they have the backing of the word of God. Making such commitments to break habits, console people, or use them as a way to enforce a decision or friendship can leave a person entangled with promises that should not have been made in the first place.
Only the courage of the people, rallied by the faith of Jonathan and his armor-bearer, kept disaster from falling on the people of God. Jonathan could press on in faith and carry out the work of the Lord, which was not bound by rules and regulations imposed by men or their interpretation of religion. Saul's curse resulted in men being too tired to fight and so hungry that they ate blood forbidden by the law, and even Saul was ready to kill his own son to save himself from embarrassment. Impulsive statements are usually regretted later.
The soldiers of Saul's army were not only forbidden to eat food and made to fear, but they were faint and without the strength needed to complete the God-given victory because Saul had bound them all with his foolish oath. As a result of that oath, the people were, in a sense, forced to sin against God by eating blood, which was forbidden by law. Desperately, they disobeyed God because the king was acting in the flesh. This act took place in the same area where, years before, the sun stood still while Joshua led the vigorous army of the Israelites to a victory that was not bound by human opinion.
Saul's legalistic bondage kept food from the people when they needed it most. The Lord Jesus, by contrast, had compassion for the hungry people when He was here and "would not send them away fasting lest they be faint..." Saul really had nothing in common with the Lord. All he had was a religious form that he wanted to maintain before the eyes of the people. Also, instead of encouraging the people, Saul made them afraid of him and the results of his foolish oath.
One man out of touch with God can ruin a whole work of God when he acts according to his own opinions and fleshly ambitions rather than under divine guidance. When we are under tension and pressure, we should be extra careful about what we say and do. A leader who fills the hearts of the Lord's people with fear because of his rash statements and actions is out of his place. We must provide for their needs and show them grace when they are afraid.
Legalistic practices limit the work of God by taking away the liberty we have in Christ. Religious systems have creeds and forms to follow that take the place of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which is practiced in scripturally gathered assemblies. Following the word of God is not a legalistic practice but obeying divine authority. Man-made interpretations that are commanded by human habits or will result in legalistic practices.
A man can hinder the work of all of God's people when he acts impulsively in the flesh. Not even an altar raised up as a form of religious subjection can overcome the wrong done and the bitter results that follow. When we have done something foolish, not backing down and admitting our wrong just makes the problem worse, and the error will continue. To save face, a man can cause something far worse to happen to other people. It takes courage to admit to having done wrong. A sacrifice made does not lift the darkness when there is no confession of sin. A guilty conscience isn't removed until there is repentance and turning to the Lord in faith. Sin silences the voice of God to our souls.
Saul was ready to kill his own son to uphold his foolish decree rather than admit his wrong. Jonathan would have died if it hadn't been for the intervention of those people gathered around Saul and Jonathan. The flesh passes judgment on faith and finds it guilty by the law of sin, which is more concerned with looking good than being right.
God allowed Saul to continue as king so the people would know what their choice of a king was really like. Not only was Saul a man of the flesh, but he put Abner, his uncle, in charge of the army. There was no evidence of faith, righteousness, godliness, or courage in Abner even though he was a skilled warrior. What he was inside was what he was outwardly.
What we are is more important than who we are. God allows wrong and evil to continue according to His own timetable for His own sovereign reasons. We can only commit ourselves and our ways to God and trust Him to bring the right results. The people of Israel finally woke up to see the spiritual and moral blindness of Saul, who they had wanted to lead them. They were also made aware of the faith of Jonathan and the power that faith in God has when the Lord guides it. Jonathan's spiritual character greatly contrasts Saul's fleshly, self-centered character. Jonathan admitted to what he had done. Saul wanted to look good before the people even though they could see through his narcissism.