Jonathan’s Scouting Mission

Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father. —1 Samuel 14:1

In secret, Jonathan decided to take the battle to the Philistines.

Knowing the Philistine guards were in a stronghold difficult to assail, he devised a plan. If the enemy sentries assumed he was a deserter from the armies of Israel and invited him to come up, he would take that as a sign God was with him. “‘The enemy’s camp was upon a precipice which had three tops, that ended in a small but sharp and long extremity, while there was a rock that surrounded them, like lines made to prevent the attacks of an enemy’ ([Josephus,] Antiquities vi. 6. 2). Those who have visited the site, on the north side of the precipitous wadi, say the residents still speak of it as ‘the fort.’” At daybreak, upon receiving an invitation from the Philistine sentries to “come up to us” (1 Samuel 14:12), Jonathan and his armor-bearer climbed the near vertical escarpment. “It would have been an easy matter for the Philistines to kill these two brave, daring men; but it did not enter into their minds that these two solitary men had come up with any hostile intent. . . . They regarded these men as deserters, and permitted them to come without harm.” Jonathan dispatched the sentries and set upon the sleeping men, destroying twenty before any alarm could be raised. The God of Israel rewarded Jonathan’s courage.

“Angels of heaven shielded Jonathan and his attendant, angels fought by their side, and the Philistines fell before them. The earth trembled as though a great multitude with horsemen and chariots were approaching. Jonathan recognized the tokens of divine aid, and even the Philistines knew that God was working for the deliverance of Israel. Great fear seized upon the host, both in the field and in the garrison. In the confusion, mistaking their own soldiers for enemies, the Philistines began to slay one another.” Great accomplishments are possible when faith in God and trust in His guidance are exercised.

Angels stand ever ready to help in our battles against sin.