trouble upon them. Forgotten was the victory over the Ammonites. All men could think of was the gathering storm of war, the three thousand chariots and multitude of foot soldiers getting ready to destroy them.
Jonathan felt he had to do something to make up for bringing all this on his father. But what? What, Lord? No answer came.
Jonathan awakened Ebenezer before dawn on the seventh day. “If my father misses me, tell him I’ve gone out to wait for Samuel.” Jonathan went to the edge of the shrinking camp. Men huddled over their fires, ducking their heads when he glanced their way. He didn’t want to think about what they might be discussing.
Because of me, Lord, they’ve lost hope in Your king .
The sun rose. There was no sign of Samuel. Jonathan worried. Had his actions at Geba caused the prophet trouble as well? What if the Philistines had taken him captive? Or worse, what if they had killed the aged man of God? He broke out in a cold sweat even thinking such thoughts.
Lord, we need him. He speaks Your Word to us. Please protect him and bring him to us. Oh, God, help us. Tell us what You want us to do! I thought I was stepping out in faith, but maybe my father and his advisors are right and I acted the fool. If so, forgive me, Lord. Let the trouble fall on my head and not my father’s. Not on these men who shake with fear. Don’t abandon us on my account, Lord .
Jonathan’s armor bearer, Ebenezer, came running. “The king—” he rasped for breath—“the king wants you with him. He’s going to make the sacrifice.”
“What?” Jonathan ran as fast as he could, Ebenezer close behind him. When he reached his father’s tent, he entered and went cold at the sight of the king wearing a priestly ephod. “No!” His lungs burned. His heart pounded so hard, he thought he would choke. He grasped the Law he wore around his neck. “You can’t do this, Father. The Law says only a priest—”
“There is no priest!”
Terrified for all their sakes, Jonathan went to his father. “It’s not midday yet, my lord. Samuel will come.”
Sweat beaded on Saul’s brow. “I called for him and he did not come. I can’t wait any longer.” His face was pale and strained.
“The Lord will not help us if you do this.”
“My army! My men are leaving me! What would you have me do?” He looked around at all his advisors.
“Whatever is in your heart to do, my king.” They all seemed to agree.
Jonathan looked from Abner to Kish to the others and back to his father. “Samuel will come!” He stepped in front of his father. “Gideon had fewer men than we have, and he defeated the Midianites.”
“I am not Gideon!”
“You were a farmer like him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon you, too. You gathered a force of three hundred and thirty thousand warriors and defeated the Ammonites!”
“And where are all my warriors now?” Saul yanked the flap of the tent aside. “Gone!”
“You have more than Gideon had. Nahash and the Ammonites are destroyed!”
“The Philistines are a worse scourge than the Midiantes or the Ammonites.” Saul let the flap fall. He groaned, rubbing his eyes. “I never asked to be king. I never asked for any of this!”
“God chose you, Father.” Jonathan spoke as calmly as he could, though their fear seeped into him. “Trust in the Lord and in the power of His strength!”
“And what does that mean?” Abner stepped forward. “In practical, tactical terms, Jonathan?”
“God could send lightning bolts on our enemies,” Kish agreed. “Why doesn’t He?”
Saul turned abruptly. “Where is the Ark?” They all looked at him. “Maybe if I had the Ark with me. The Philistines were afraid of it once. Remember?”
Jonathan felt a knot growing in his stomach. Did his father mean to use the Ark like an idol? “They captured the Ark.”
“Yes. And a plague of mice and rats destroyed their crops. The Philistines were sick with tumors. Eventually they sent it back on a cart
Jonathan felt he had to do something to make up for bringing all this on his father. But what? What, Lord? No answer came.
Jonathan awakened Ebenezer before dawn on the seventh day. “If my father misses me, tell him I’ve gone out to wait for Samuel.” Jonathan went to the edge of the shrinking camp. Men huddled over their fires, ducking their heads when he glanced their way. He didn’t want to think about what they might be discussing.
Because of me, Lord, they’ve lost hope in Your king .
The sun rose. There was no sign of Samuel. Jonathan worried. Had his actions at Geba caused the prophet trouble as well? What if the Philistines had taken him captive? Or worse, what if they had killed the aged man of God? He broke out in a cold sweat even thinking such thoughts.
Lord, we need him. He speaks Your Word to us. Please protect him and bring him to us. Oh, God, help us. Tell us what You want us to do! I thought I was stepping out in faith, but maybe my father and his advisors are right and I acted the fool. If so, forgive me, Lord. Let the trouble fall on my head and not my father’s. Not on these men who shake with fear. Don’t abandon us on my account, Lord .
Jonathan’s armor bearer, Ebenezer, came running. “The king—” he rasped for breath—“the king wants you with him. He’s going to make the sacrifice.”
“What?” Jonathan ran as fast as he could, Ebenezer close behind him. When he reached his father’s tent, he entered and went cold at the sight of the king wearing a priestly ephod. “No!” His lungs burned. His heart pounded so hard, he thought he would choke. He grasped the Law he wore around his neck. “You can’t do this, Father. The Law says only a priest—”
“There is no priest!”
Terrified for all their sakes, Jonathan went to his father. “It’s not midday yet, my lord. Samuel will come.”
Sweat beaded on Saul’s brow. “I called for him and he did not come. I can’t wait any longer.” His face was pale and strained.
“The Lord will not help us if you do this.”
“My army! My men are leaving me! What would you have me do?” He looked around at all his advisors.
“Whatever is in your heart to do, my king.” They all seemed to agree.
Jonathan looked from Abner to Kish to the others and back to his father. “Samuel will come!” He stepped in front of his father. “Gideon had fewer men than we have, and he defeated the Midianites.”
“I am not Gideon!”
“You were a farmer like him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon you, too. You gathered a force of three hundred and thirty thousand warriors and defeated the Ammonites!”
“And where are all my warriors now?” Saul yanked the flap of the tent aside. “Gone!”
“You have more than Gideon had. Nahash and the Ammonites are destroyed!”
“The Philistines are a worse scourge than the Midiantes or the Ammonites.” Saul let the flap fall. He groaned, rubbing his eyes. “I never asked to be king. I never asked for any of this!”
“God chose you, Father.” Jonathan spoke as calmly as he could, though their fear seeped into him. “Trust in the Lord and in the power of His strength!”
“And what does that mean?” Abner stepped forward. “In practical, tactical terms, Jonathan?”
“God could send lightning bolts on our enemies,” Kish agreed. “Why doesn’t He?”
Saul turned abruptly. “Where is the Ark?” They all looked at him. “Maybe if I had the Ark with me. The Philistines were afraid of it once. Remember?”
Jonathan felt a knot growing in his stomach. Did his father mean to use the Ark like an idol? “They captured the Ark.”
“Yes. And a plague of mice and rats destroyed their crops. The Philistines were sick with tumors. Eventually they sent it back on a cart
Similar Books
