TWO SOLDIERS CONQUER THOUSANDS!  (1Samuel 14)

         1. King Saul was in a fix. The Philistines had come up to make war with him and when his men saw that they were greatly outnumbered they were fearful and fled, hiding in caves and thickets among the rocks and in holes. Some even crossed over the Jordan River to safety on the other side.
         2. This left a small band of only 600 men camped with Saul and his son Jonathan near the town of Micmash. This was the moment of weakness the Philistines were waiting for. They sent raiding parties out in a threepronged manoeuvre to prepare for assault, and one detachment had approached the rocky pass at Micmash.
         3. Among the meagre troops of King Saul there was one soldier who was undaunted by the advantage of the enemy. It was Saul's own son, Jonathan.
         4. "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side of the pass," said Jonathan to his armour-bearer. But he did not tell his father. In fact it says, "No one was aware that Jonathan had left."
         5. As Jonathan approached the high cliff on the other side of the pass he spoke courageously to his young armour-bearer, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised fellows. It may be that the Lord will work for us. The Lord is not limited to save by many or by few!"
         6. What a declaration of faith! It so moved his armour-bearer who then said, "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul!"
         7. Cautiously they began to climb the steep rocky wall leading upwards to the enemy garrison. And when the two young soldiers reached a point not far from them, Jonathan said, "Come, let us move out into the open and let them see us. If they say, 'Wait there until we come to you,' we will not go up to them. But if they say, 'Come up to us,' we will climb up, for that will be a sign to us that indeed the Lord has given them into our hands!"
         8. So both of them came to an opening where they could easily be seen, and as soon as the watchmen of the Philistines saw them, they roared mockingly, "Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in!" Then the men shouted down to them, "Come up to us and we'll teach you a lesson."
         9. It was the sign that Jonathan had hoped for, and with the voice of assurance he said to his armour-bearer, "Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel!" And the two brave soldiers were filled with faith as they scaled the last stretch of the rocky height.
         10. Arriving at the top, both of the young warriors drew their swords, miraculously slaying twenty men.
         11. Then panic struck the whole army of the Philistines--those in the camp and field, those in the outposts and raiding parties-and suddenly the earth began to quake and tremble!
         12. As Saul's lookouts saw the enemy army "melting away" they took courage and they rallied together, and when Saul discovered that Jonathan and his armour-bearer were gone, he sent his men into the battle, only to find the Philistines in total confusion, even slaughtering each other with their own swords!
         13. Then even the men of the Hebrews who had hidden themselves in the hill country for fear of the enemy came out of their places and ran to help. When the Philistines saw them coming, they started to run, and the men of Israel followed in hot pursuit. A truly great victory was won!
         14. So the Lord rescued Israel that day--all because of the courageous faith of young Jonathan and his armour-bearer.
         15. Only two men stood strong against a terrible army which the Bible says had as many soldiers "as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude."
         16. Don't underestimate the power that God can give you. If you've got God with you, you're unbeatable, no matter how small you are. One man against the World with God is more than a match for the Devil!--One man and God are a majority!
         17. "And this is the victory that overcometh the World, even your faith." (1John 5:4)