1 Samuel 14.6 6 Jonathan said to the young man who
carried 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 can hinder
the Lord from saving by many or by few.” (ESV)
It’s interesting to me to read the accounts of the saints
in the Old Testament and think about their theology: how they viewed God. How
do you view God; what is your mental picture of Him? Is God a strong warrior or
a gentle Shepherd? Is He near or is He far away? How we think about God sums up
how we relate to God.
Jonathan strikes me as someone whose relationship with
God was more than superficial or superstitious. Jonathan seemed to know God personally whereas his father, Saul,
seemed to know God corporately:
according to the party-line. Saul was superstitious. Jonathan’s words bespeak a
depth of understanding that his father didn’t possess: “It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the
Lord from saving by many or by few.” Jonathan understood the power and presence of
God and he acknowledged it.
How do our words about God bespeak our theology of God?
What beliefs do we have about the Almighty that are expressed in our words and, more importantly, in our actions?
Jonathan’s life is described as courageous (if not just a little risky); he was
a loyal, loving friend of David’s. He was the heir-apparent yet he seemed to be
aware if such was to happen, it would only happen because of God’s doing.
Jonathan understood the theology of circumcision: being set apart for God. Jonathan understood serving God was evidenced through
a life of action. Jonathan may have been a great king in the history of Israel.
What about our lives and our theology? Do we know, experientially:
“…nothing can hinder the Lord from saving
by many or by few.” You see, it makes a difference in how we live by what
we say, and if what we say is backed up by what we do. What is God calling us
to do? How is God using the circumstances of our lives to shape the theology of
our lives? Would we be bold enough to take on the modern equivalent of a
Philistine garrison? Would we trust God on the level of picking a fight, in
some arena of modern life, to show the unbelieving (as portrayed by the uncircumcised
Philistines in this story) the reality of the power and presence of God? That’s
a Jonathan life – that’s a theology we’re being called to and supposed to live
out.
I have a friend who has taken on human trafficking. Her
passion against the evil of this trade is remarkable. She is relentless. I
admire her and want to emulate her. She understands the theology of
circumcision being set apart to fight for good. What motivates my friend to do
what she does? It’s the same motivation of Jonathan: God said do something about it.
Today, I look at my comfortable life and wonder, Paul,
what’s it gonna take before you accept the theology of circumcision? How mad do
you have to get before you stand up and say, “ENOUGH!”? That’s how Jonathan
lived. That’s how David lived. That’s how those who understood the theology of ‘set
apart’ carried themselves. Do I see? Do
I care? Do I pray? Will I act? O Lord,
put within me the theology of standing fast, standing apart and standing
against – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
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