1 Samuel 12:12-15
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he was king over Israel forty-two years. Saul chose 3,000 men from Israel. Two thousand men stayed with him at Micmash in the mountains of Bethel, and 1,000 men stayed with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul sent the other men in the army back home.
Jonathan attacked the Philistine camp in Geba, and the other Philistines heard about it. Saul said, “Let the Hebrews hear what happened.” So he told the men to blow trumpets through all the land of Israel. All the Israelites heard the news. The men said, “Saul has defeated the Philistine camp. Now the Philistines will really hate us!” Then the Israelites were called to join Saul at Gilgal.
The Philistines gathered to fight Israel with 3,000 chariots and 6,000 men to ride in them. Their soldiers were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. The Philistines went and camped at Micmash, which is east of Beth Aven. When the Israelites saw that they were in trouble, they went to hide in caves and bushes, among the rocks, and in pits and wells. Some Hebrews even went across the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead.
But Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the men in his army were shaking with fear. Saul waited seven days, because Samuel had said he would meet him then. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the soldiers began to leave.
So Saul said, “Bring me the whole burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then Saul offered the whole burnt offering. Just as he finished, Samuel arrived, and Saul went to greet him.
Samuel asked, “What have you done?”
Saul answered, “I saw the soldiers leaving me, and you were not here when you said you would be. The Philistines were gathering at Micmash. Then I thought, ‘The Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, and I haven’t asked for the Lord’s approval.’ So I forced myself to offer the whole burnt offering.”
Samuel said, “You acted foolishly! You haven’t obeyed the command of the Lord your God. If you had obeyed him, the Lord would have made your kingdom continue in Israel always, but now your kingdom will not continue. The Lord has looked for the kind of man he wants. He has appointed him to rule his people, because you haven’t obeyed his command.”
1 Samuel 13:1-14
- Who else besides Saul would have heard these admonitions?
- What actions did Saul take?
- What did Samuel tell him? List the specifics.
- How would this affect Saul's son Jonathan?
- What effect might information like this have had on Jonathan's attitude toward God? toward his father?
Also, Jonathan might of looked at his father as a coward for not having enough strength to obey God.
- Think of someone you admired who made poor choices that affected you and your future. What was the outcome?
- What was (or is) your attitude toward this person? toward God?
Whoever listens to what is taught will succeed and whoever trusts the Lord will be happy.
Proverbs 16:20
- What advice is offered in this verse?
So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely. Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times. So do not be foolish but learn what the Lord wants you to do. Do not be drunk with wine, which will ruin you, but be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:15-18
One day Jonathan, Saul’s son, said to the officer who carried his armor, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine camp on the other side.” But Jonathan did not tell his father.
Saul was sitting under a pomegranate tree at the threshing floor near Gibeah. He had about six hundred men with him. One man was Ahijah who was wearing the holy vest. (Ahijah was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub. Ichabod was the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh.) No one knew Jonathan had left.
There was a steep slope on each side of the pass that Jonathan planned to go through to reach the Philistine camp. The cliff on one side was named Bozez, and the cliff on the other side was named Seneh. One cliff faced north toward Micmash. The other faced south toward Geba.
Jonathan said to his officer who carried his armor, “Come. Let’s go to the camp of those men who are not circumcised. Maybe the Lord will help us. The Lord can give us victory if we have many people, or just a few.”
The officer who carried Jonathan’s armor said to him, “Do whatever you think is best. Go ahead. I’m with you.”
Jonathan said, “Then come. We will cross over to the Philistines and let them see us. If they say to us, ‘Stay there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are. We won’t go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, and the Lord will let us defeat them. This will be the sign for us.”
When both Jonathan and his officer let the Philistines see them, the Philistines said, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in!” The Philistines in the camp shouted to Jonathan and his officer, “Come up to us. We’ll teach you a lesson!”
Jonathan said to his officer, “Climb up behind me, because the Lord has given the Philistines to Israel!” So Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, and his officer climbed just behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines as he went, and his officer killed them as he followed behind him. In that first fight Jonathan and his officer killed about twenty Philistines over a half acre of ground.
All the Philistine soldiers panicked—those in the camp and those in the raiding party. The ground itself shook! God had caused the panic.
Saul’s guards were at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin when they saw the Philistine soldiers running in every direction. Saul said to his army, “Check to see who has left our camp.” When they checked, they learned that Jonathan and his officer were gone.
So Saul said to Ahijah the priest, “Bring the Ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)
While Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp was growing. Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Put your hand down!”
Then Saul gathered his army and entered the battle. They found the Philistines confused, striking each other with their swords! Earlier, there were Hebrews who had served the Philistines and had stayed in their camp, but now they joined the Israelites with Saul and Jonathan. When all the Israelites hidden in the mountains of Ephraim heard that the Philistine soldiers were running away, they also joined the battle and chased the Philistines. So the Lord saved the Israelites that day, and the battle moved on past Beth Aven.
1 Samuel 14:1-23
- Describe what you learn about Jonathan from this passage.
- Who or what was the source of Jonathan's daring feat?
- How did God honor Jonathan's faith?
- Where were Saul and the rest of the army? What were they doing?
- What was Saul's reaction to the event? What did he do?
- What did God do for all of Israel that day?
- Describe a time when you plunged ahead in your job, community, family, or other circle of influence to do something others thought was not possible. What was the outcome? Who or what motivat4ed you?
- Do you consider yourself a faithful servant? Why or why not?
Proverbs 18:10
- What does God offer those who run to Him?
Matthew 21:21-22
1 Samuel 17:55-18:9, 19:1-7
- What were the circumstances surrounding Jonathan's introduction to David?
- What was Jonathan's response to David?
- How did Saul react to David?
- Discuss Jonathan's boldness in opposing his father on behalf of his friend.
- List the considerations Jonathan laid out for his father regarding David. How effective was his approach?
- Share about a time when you experiences immediate friendship.
- Are you still close to that person?
- Has one of your friendships ever created conflict with your family? If so, what steps did you take to resolve the conflict? What was the outcome?
Proverbs 18:24
- How would you define friends in this verse?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
1 Samuel 19:1-7
- In this passage, what leadership skills and attributes does Jonathan exhibit?
1 Samuel 14:24-30. 36-46
Contrast Jonathan's relationship with the people to his father's.
Compare Jonathan and Saul regarding wisdom and logic.
Of what value was Jonathan to his father?
How did the people value Jonathan? How did they show it?
How do your peers perceive you? What about those in authority over your?
What leadership skills do you have? Have you made them available to God?
Psalm 139:23-24
How do you think God will measure your abilities?
1 Corinthians 4:2-4
1 Samuel 20:1-42
What is Jonathan's first response to David's accusations regarding his father?
What does Jonathan's oath imply?
Jonathan took his usual approach with his father regarding David. What happened this time?
Do you think Jonathan believed his father was capable of murdering David? Why or why not?
What convinced Jonathan?
Upon hearing the outcome of Jonathan's confrontation with his father, David fled. What did Jonathan do?
Do you believe the best about your parents? Why or why not?
Have you ever gone against you parents' wishes? If so, what happened? If not, why not?
Proverbs 1:8-9
What does God promise to those who obey their parents' teaching?
1 John 2:28-29
Review 1 Samuel 20:1-42
What arrangements did Jonathan make for his family?
Who was he trusting to see that the arrangements were carried out?
1 Samuel 31:1-7
2 Samuel 1:17-27
How and with whom did Jonathan die?
What did the people of Israel do after Saul and Jonathan were killed?
How did David honor his covenant with Jonathan?
Discuss David's tribute to Jonathan.
What arrangements have you made for those you love after you die?
What kind of legacy will you leave?
Ecclesiastes 7:1
What do you think your dearest friends will say about you when you are gone?
Ephesians 1:11, 13-14
John 15:9-17
