INTRODUCTION
The title for tonight’s sermon is “To Tarry or Not To Tarry”, and is from events captured in the book of First Samuel. Before we go any further, let’s go to the Lord in prayer…
Please turn in your Bibles to the Old Testament… to the book of First Samuel… chapter 14. We’re going to look for some insights from examining the behavior of 3 main characters in the events that unfold for us in First Samuel 14. Let’s begin reading with verse 1.
[READ 1 Samuel 14:1-3, 6-23]
As we take a closer look at our 3 main characters, I want you to think about their behaviors and to be a little introspective. I want you to consider what behaviors or character traits you exhibit in your own life, in your own walk with the Lord. After all, we’re not here just to discuss theology or talk about Bible stories. My family and I did a devotional study on these passages several weeks ago. I confess to you tonight that God convicted each one of us in a mighty way as we studied and discussed these verses. I pray that you would allow the Word of God to settle on your heart, and be open to what the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to you about yourself tonight.
I. LACKADAISICAL LEADER
Let’s examine our first character, King Saul, our “Lackadaisical Leader”.
"Lackadaisical" is a word we don’t hear very often, but it means to be “without much enthusiasm, energy, or effort”. Let’s take another look at verse 2:
14:2 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men.
Sitting. Saul was sitting under a pomegranate tree. If we look a little deeper, we can see that this wasn’t just Saul taking a quick breather in the shade with 600 of his buddies. The original Hebrew word that is used here is the word, “yashab” (yaw-shab’) which is translated as “tarried” in the King James Version. “Yashab” means to tarry…to remain…to dwell…to inhabit…to remain.
Saul tarried. He was camped out. He was waiting.
The Bible doesn’t explicitly specify his reasons for tarrying, but we do know from the text that he was essentially camped out in the shade, while the enemy was perched on his doorstep. The people of Israel and the Philistines were at war with each other. Saul was camped out close enough to the enemy that they were able to see and hear the commotion brought about by Jonathan and his armor bearer.
Look at verses 16 and 19:
16 Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there.
19 Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
Was Saul tarrying because he was waiting on God? I don’t think so.
Take a look at verse 3:
3 Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod.
Encamped with Saul was the high priest, who was wearing an ephod. The high priest’s ephod contained the Urim and Thummim, which were used to inquire of God’s will. God would speak directly to mankind through dreams, through His prophets, and through the Urim and Thummim. Saul had at his immediate disposal everything he needed to inquire of God’s will for dealing with the Philistines. He had with him the high priest and the ephod with the Urim and Thummim. Yet the scriptures don’t tell us of Saul seeking after God for divine direction. Saul was simply tarrying. His behavior in this case is very similar to what he did when facing the Philistines later in chapter 17…the famous story of David and Goliath. Saul and his army are tarrying. But worse than that, they tarried in fear.
Flip back a little to chapter 13, to the last half of verse 7:
7b …As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
Now fast forward to chapter 17, verse 11:
11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine [Goliath], they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Saul was faced with a powerful enemy and his fear immobilized him. Did he choose to seek God’s direction? Did he prepare sacrifices? Did he call the people to fast and pray? Did he choose to prepare for battle? No. He simply chose to do nothing. He chose to tarry.
What about us as believers? We too are faced with a powerful enemy. How often do we allow ourselves to become immobilized with fear and indecision? How often do we choose to do nothing and simply tarry?
King Saul…The Lackadaisical Leader.
II. FEARLESS FIGHTER
Let’s now take a look at our second character, King Saul’s son Jonathan, our “Fearless Fighter”.
Verse 1 reads:
1 Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.”
But he did not tell his father.
You’ve heard the expression that sometimes “it’s better to ask forgiveness than ask permission”? Well, that’s what Jonathan was doing. He didn’t want King Saul to know about his daring plan. Jonathan chose not to tarry. He chose to take action.
Jumping ahead to verse 6, it reads:
6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.
Wow! Such an amazing portrait of unbridled faith in the Lord God! Look at it more closely. Notice how Jonathan says, “it may be that the Lord will work for us”. Other translations read, “perhaps the Lord will work for us”. He didn’t agonize over whether it was “God’s will for his life” to do this. He wasn’t immobilized by indecision. He acted completely out of faith, leaving the outcome in God’s hands. Jonathan was ready to face these enemies of God regardless of whether God would choose to give them the victory or not…regardless of the overwhelming odds against them. Jonathan was prepared to die battling the enemies of God. What a contrast to the fearfulness of Saul!
As we consider our own walk with the Lord, how often do we engage the enemy regardless of the odds, regardless of what it might cost us personally? Do we have the kind of faith that propels us into battle, knowing we fight the enemy of God, and knowing only that “perhaps” God will work for us? The inverse, or opposite, of “perhaps God will work for us” is “perhaps we will fail”. In Jonathan’s case, failure probably meant death.
Not only was Jonathan fearless, he was also a man of action who exhibited tremendous faith in the Lord God.
Jonathan…The Fearless Fighter.
III. SACRIFICIAL SERVANT
Finally, let’s examine our third character, Jonathan’s armor bearer, the “Sacrificial Servant”. Remember in verse 6, Jonathan asks his armor bearer to join him as they single-handedly take on the garrison full of Philistine soldiers. Let’s read starting with verse 6, and continuing through verse 7 as we look at the armor bearer’s response:
6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.
7 So his armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”
Jonathan wasn’t afraid to ask for sacrificial commitment, and his armor bearer didn’t hesitate to follow. He trusted Jonathan and was willing to follow him and serve him, regardless of what it might cost him personally. [pause] Let me say that again. He trusted his master… and was willing to follow him… and to serve him… regardless of what it might cost him personally.
The similarity of this story to our own relationship with God is striking. Keep your place marked in First Samuel 14, and turn with me to John chapter 12, verses 25 and 26:
25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
Jesus makes it explicitly clear what kind of commitment He is calling us to. Sacrificial, devoted commitment. The kind of commitment that requires faith, and requires courage. With that comparison as a backdrop, let’s go back to First Samuel and look at verse 13, which reads:
13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armor bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armor bearer killed them.
Notice that the armor bearer followed behind Jonathan…His master led him into battle. How might this story have played out if the armor bearer was in the lead, and Jonathan followed? I doubt it would have ended so well for them. That’s the same with us, isn’t it? How is it going to turn out when we try to take the lead…When we are trying to do things in our own strength and expecting God to follow us? We are only deadly to the enemy when we follow behind Him.
Jonathan’s Armor Bearer…The Sacrificial Servant.
CONCLUSION
Those are the portraits of our 3 main characters:
The Lackadaisical Leader…The Fearless Fighter…The Sacrificial Servant
As we examined each of these characters, which of the three do you most closely resemble? What is the Holy Spirit revealing to you about yourself that needs to be dealt with? Whatever it is, I urge you to deal with it tonight.
Let’s pray…
