ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Tusite Tisema 14, 2021

it may be that the Lord will work for us

hei‘ilo ‘e ngāue ‘a e ‘Eiki ma‘ataua

 

1 Samiuela 14 (1 Samuel 14)

(v. 6-7) Pea pehē ‘e Sonatane ki he talavou na‘e fua ‘ene mahafu, Ha‘u, ta laka ange ki he le‘o ‘a e kau ta‘ekamu na: hei‘ilo ‘e ngāue ‘a e ‘Eiki ma‘ataua: he ‘oku ‘ikai loki ‘a Sihova ke fai ha fakamo‘ui ‘aki ha tokolahi pe ha toko si‘i. Pea tali ‘ene to‘o mahafu, Fai pē ‘a e me‘a kotoa ‘oku ‘i ho loto: afe atu, te u ‘iate koe ‘o hangē ko ho loto.

(v. 6-7) Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.” So his armorbearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”

 David Guzik :: Study Guide for 1 Samuel 14:6-7

It may be that the Lord will work for us: For Jonathan, this was more than a reconnaissance expedition. He wanted to see what God might do through two men who trusted Him and stepped out boldly.

Jonathan knew the need was great. Israel was hopelessly outnumbered and demoralized.

Jonathan knew God wanted to use someone. King Saul just wanted to sit under a pomegranate tree. Something had to be done, and Jonathan was willing to let God use him.

Jonathan knew God wanted to work with someone. Jonathan could have just prayed that God would rain down fire from heaven on the Philistines. But Jonathan knew that God uses the bold action and fighting spirit of His people. “It was not Jonathan that was to work with some help from God; it was the Lord that was to work by Jonathan.” (Blaikie)

For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few: This is wise courage in God. Many in Israel probably believed this as theological truth but few believed it enough to do something. Jonathan’s faith was demonstrated by his works.

Nothing restrains the Lord: The only thing that can be said to restrain God is our unbelief (Matthew 13:58). God’s power is never restrained but His will may be restrained by our unbelief. He may choose not to act until we partner with Him in trust. God had a trusting partner in Jonathan.

By many or few: The odds were already against Israel. Did it matter if it was a million-to-one or a thousand-to-one? Numbers or odds did not restrain God, but unbelief could. Jonathan never read the New Testament, but he had a Romans 8:31 heart: If God be for us, who can be against us?

Jonathan had little faith in himself but great faith in God. It wasn’t “I can win a great victory with God’s help.” It was “God can win a great victory through even me.”

Go then; here I am with you: These words from Jonathan’s armor bearer must have cheered Jonathan greatly. When we step out in faith, encouragement can make all the difference for good and discouragement can make all the difference for evil.

God was going to use Jonathan, but He wasn’t going to use Jonathan alone. When God uses a man He almost always calls others around the man to support and help him. They are just as important in getting God’s work done as the man God uses.