Sermon Tone Analysis

! Introduction

!! A.                 Jonathan’s Adventure In Faith.

!!! 1.                  Jonathan’s Has A Proposal (v.1-3).

!!!! a)                  It happened one day (v.1a):

!!!!! (1)                 At the beginning, there was nothing in this day that indicated it would be a remarkable day.

But it would!

On this day, God would win a great victory through the *bold trust *of Jonathan.

!!!!! (2)                 “God is looking for those who will receive his power and grace on the one hand, and transmit them on the other.

He chooses them, that by them he should make his mighty power known.”

*PAUL WRITES TO THE CORINTHIANS: *"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence."

(1 Corinthians 1:26-29, NKJV)

!!!!! (3)                 God is not looking for millionaires or famous athletes or entertainers or statesmen.

!!!!! (4)                 A simple, uneducated, untalented, and clumsy believer who has trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and who faithfully and humbly follows His Lord is immeasurably wiser than the brilliant Ph.D. who scoffs at the gospel.

!!!!! (5)                 The very things that put them ahead in the world may actually put them behind with God.

It is the feeling of inadequacy that makes people aware that they have need, and often draws them to the gospel.

!!!! b)                  The young man who bore his armor (v.1b).

!!!!! (1)                 Every “officer” in the Israelite army had an “assistant” known as an armor bearer.

The armor bearer would help the officer in fighting and administration of the army.

They would often simply carry the armor and weapons of the officer, so they were known as armor bearers.

!!!!! (2)                 “Armor-bearers in ancient times had to be unusually brave and loyal, since the lives of their masters often depended on them.”

(Youngblood)

!!!!! (3)                 Later, God would raise up a special armor bearer for King Saul: a young man named David.

!!!! c)                  Let us go over to the Philistines garrison (v.1c).

!!!!! (1)                 The Israelites were outnumbered, and were greatly surpassed in military technology.

Yet Jonathan is bold enough to go over to the Philistine garrison just to see what the LORD might want to do.

!!!!! (2)                 Jonathan probably was awake at night, offended and outraged at the way these godless Philistines were oppressing the Israelites.

As he lay awake that night, perhaps a thought suddenly came into his mind: “Shamgar!”

Shamgar?

Jonathan probably remembered him from his Bible.

Judges 3:31 describes how Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with a sharp stick.

Jonathan probably thought, “Well, if God could do it through Shamgar, He could do it through me!” 

!!!!! (3)                 As Jonathan thought about it more, he considered there was no way the LORD had forsaken Israel.

Even though the odds were great against them, God was greater than the odds.

God had promised to do great things for Israel.

!!!!!! (a)                 He promised that Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.

(Leviticus 26:8)

!!!!!! (b)                He had won great victories against great odds before, as in the days of Gideon or Samson.

God gave this land to Israel, not to the Philistines.

God could do it!

Why not now?

Why not today?

Why not through me? 

 

!!!! d)                  Jonathan did not tell his father (v.1d).

!!!!! (1)                 Why not?

It may have been just an oversight, or something easily and properly explained.

Or, it may have been that Jonathan deliberately did not tell his father, because he believed his father would have simply said “no.”

!!!!!  

!!!! e)                  Saul was sitting (v.2-3a).

!!!!! (1)                 What a contrast!

The bold, brave, king is simply sitting . . .

under a pomegranate tree while his son boldly goes over to the Philistine garrison.

Saul is there; the priest with the ephod is there (as sort of an “army chaplain”).

They sit back while Jonathan bravely trusts God. 

!!!!! (2)                 The Mention of Ichabod seems almost unnecessary.

!!!!!! (a)                 Why would we need to know that the priest with Saul, Ahijah, was the nephew of Ichabod?

Probably, God wants us to associate the meaning of Ichabod’s name with where Saul is at spiritually.

!!!!!! (b)                Saul’s royal glory is almost gone, and it is appropriate that he associates with a relative of “The Glory Has Departed.”

!!!! f)                   The people did not know that Jonathan was gone (v.3b).

!!!!! (1)                 This indicates that Jonathan did not do this out of a desire for personal glory.

If that were his motivation, he would have told at least a few people that he had gone over.

!!!!! (2)                 *Temporal Glory is not to be desired: Temporal Glory:*

*Is Given By God—*/Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar "You, O king, are a king of kings.

For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory;" (Daniel 2:37, NKJV) /

*It Passes Away—*/"All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers, And its flower falls away, " (1 Peter 1:24, NKJV) /

*Is Seduced By The Devil—*/"Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory."

(Matthew 4:8, NKJV) /

*Is Not To Be Sought From A Human Source—*"/Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men.

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward./"

(Matthew 6:2, NKJV)

*Ends in destruction—*"/Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself And opened its mouth beyond measure; Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it.

/" (Isaiah 5:14)

 

!!! 2.                  Jonathan Finds A Strategic Position (v.4-5).

!!!! a)                  Between the passes . . .

there were sharp rocks on either side (v.4).

!!!!! (1)                 On his way to the Philistine garrison, Jonathan sees something that any military man would notice.

He sees a strategic position - a narrow path through a pass, with large, sharp rocks on either side.

A few men could easily fight against a much larger number at this strategic place.

!!!!! (2)                 If Jonathan would have never decided, to go “over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side”  (1Sam.14:1) he would have never found this strategic place.

God guided Jonathan, as Jonathan was boldly trusting God, and acting on that bold trust.

*THE PSALMIST WRITES *"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

" (Psalm 9:10, NKJV)

*DAVID WRITING TO HIS SON SAYS *"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind”(1 Chronicles 28:9, NKJV)

*PAUL SAYS *"I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." (2 Timothy 1:12, NKJV)

*JESUS SAID *"this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

(John 17:3, NKJV)

"Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

" (Psalm 62:8, NKJV)

"“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

" (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NKJV)

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

" (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV)

"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.

" (Psalm 16:9, NKJV)

"Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.

The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.

" (Psalm 25:8-9, NKJV)

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

" (Psalm 32:8, NKJV)