Anonymous writes "Saul begins to think like a king in this battle. He makes the fight personal. Instead of talking about winning a victory for the nation or for God, Saul demands that he be avenged upon his enemies. Instead of leading out the troops and rallying them with a speech about fighting for nation and way of life and so on, Saul places them all under orders to fast form food and water all day until he is avenged upon the Philistines. The Saul of the chapter before, who made peace with those who had spoken against him becoming king would not have dared to impose such a burden on the people. Now he is thinking of himself as the king, the embodiment of the nation, and believing that an insult to the nation is a personal insult to himself and that all the Israelites are his to command as he wishes. Even Jonathan, his heir, thinks his father is putting on airs. Jonathan speaks clearly against the foolishness of his father in ordering such a fast. It weakened the army so that more of the enemy got away from the pursuit. Jonathan did not know of the ban on eating and drinking until he had violated it by taking a mouthful of wild honey along the road. Later that day his breaking of the oath is discovered and though Saul wants to put him to death for it, the people save Jonathan. Between the exhaustion of the troops and the distraction of the oathbreaking the Philistines are able to preserve most of their force and escape the hands of Israel. How often do we get too big for our britches (US euphemism for getting prideful beyond reason) and think we can order others around? How often do we think we know what God wants without bothering to ask Him? Let us go back to God’s word for the wisdom He gives and be careful not to put our own opinions into His mouth.
Without Wax,
"
