The Prince: Jonathan by Francine Rivers

they obeyed God, would the Lord not give them victory on every side? Would the Lord not help them rid their land of the Philistines just as He had helped them crush the Ammonites at Jabesh-gilead? “Samuel said—”
    “Be silent! I am the king. Let me think . . .” Saul gripped his head. “I didn’t expect rebellion from you!”
    Abner cleared his throat. “My lord, what order shall I give the men?”
    Saul lowered his hands and stared off into space.
    “My lord?”
    Saul turned, jaw set. “Send out messengers and have them blow the trumpets. Tell everyone I attacked the Philistine outpost.” He glared at Jonathan. “Better if the people think I acted boldly than have them know my son acted in haste and without the backing of the king.”
    Humiliated, his confidence shredded by doubt, Jonathan said nothing.

    Jonathan went cold when he heard three thousand Philistine chariots had been sighted. Each bore a driver and a skilled warrior equipped with bow and arrows and several spears.
    Saul paled. “How many soldiers?”
    “Too many to count, my lord. They are as numerous as the grains of sand upon the seashore, and they’re already at Beth-aven.”
    Worse news came the following morning. Some of Saul’s warriors had deserted in the night. Terrified by the power of Philistia, others clustered and whispered among themselves. The men of Israel took to caves and thickets, hid among rocks and in pits and dry cisterns.
    Saul returned to Gilgal and waited for Samuel. Jonathan went with him, as did a young armor bearer Saul pressed into Jonathan’s service. What Ebenezer lacked in size, he made up for in zeal.
    Kish, Abner, and the others were full of advice for the king, but the king listened to no one.
    Racked with guilt, Jonathan spent hours in unceasing prayer, asking for the Lord’s forgiveness and pleading for guidance. Though many cheered the victory at Geba, most were sick with fear and ready to run.
    Abner grew frustrated and confronted the king. “We have less than two thousand warriors right now, my lord, and more are deserting every day. You must make a decision.”
    Jonathan was afraid to give advice. He was afraid to make claims about what God would do. No one could question God’s power, but every man alive in Israel questioned whether He would use it for their defense. Worse, Jonathan realized now that his one small victory could precipitate an all-out war. He looked out over the tents and couldn’t help wonder how so few could stand against so many. Rather than rallying his father and his army, Jonathan had succeeded only in bringing their fear to the surface and sending thousands into hiding.
    What a sight we are! Lord, why is it so hard for Your people to trust You when You’ve proven Your power and faithfulness to us time after time? Is it because we know we continue to sin? How do we root out the sin in us? Our forefathers didn’t listen to You, and now we don’t. Only a few days ago, You sent lightning and thunder and rain, and all these men can think about is the ruined crops and what they will eat when winter comes! You are God! You hold our lives in the palms of Your hands!
    Fear spread like tares in the wheat until even Jonathan felt the roots of it sinking into his heart. Some of those who had been with him at Geba deserted. Each morning revealed more empty spaces among the camps of Saul’s “best of Israel.”
    The king grew more and more frustrated. “The entire army will scatter before that old man gets here!”
    Jonathan shuddered. That old man? Samuel was God’s prophet, God’s voice to the people. “He will come.”
    “Where is he? Why does he delay? He said he would come in seven days.”
    “It hasn’t been seven days yet, Father.”
    “Soon, my entire army will have melted away.”
    Abner did what he could to rally the remaining warriors, but confidence in the king was at its lowest ebb and the prophet’s warning was fresh in their minds. Their king had brought