Religion or Refreshment?
Religion or Refreshment?
Words of Faith 9-30-24
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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1 Samuel 14
[24] Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, "Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!" So, none of the troops tasted food. [25] The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. [26] When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out, yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. [27] But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. [28] Then one of the soldiers told him, "Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, 'Cursed be any man who eats food today!' That is why the men are faint." [29] Jonathan said, "My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. [30] How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?"
Things were beginning to turn. As Saul continued to make mistakes in leadership, his son Jonathan was increasing in valor and in his ability to discern the will of the Lord. The contrast between Saul and Jonathan was growing. It was not so much that Saul was wicked as he was foolish and frustrated. His intentions were good and expressed a kind of religious piety, but he pursued them in self-defeating ways.
It seems that during the battle against the Philistines, Saul had bound the troops under a religious oath of abstaining from food for the entire day of the battle. This was understandable because this was a "holy war," but the result was that the troops were "in distress" or "hard pressed" with hunger. Saul's motivation, however noble, resulted in his men becoming "faint" and "exhausted."
Saul's religiosity seemed to backfire. The very thing that he had hoped would energize the troops for battle ended up weakening them. Jonathan had a clearer discernment, and the involvement of honey seemed to confirm that Jonathan was more sensitive to the leading of the Lord than his father.
Just as a riddle about eating honey in a Philistine context got Samson into trouble, so also tasting honey in a Philistine context almost cost Jonathan his life. Upon entering a forest, Saul's troops noticed a honeycomb on the ground. Although it was filled with honey, no one so much as tasted any of it because they "feared" the oath-- that is, they took it seriously, and they respected it.
But Jonathan, unaware of the oath, used the end of his staff to dip some honey from the comb. Bees' honey was especially sweet and was virtually a luxury food. It was greatly refreshing and full of energy. When Jonathan ate it, his eyes brightened. His eyes "shone" or "lit up" with the renewal of strength. We are reminded of Psalm 19:8-10: "The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes... The ordinances of the LORD... are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb."
One of Jonathan's fellow soldiers warned him about his father's oath, adding the observation that obeying it had caused the troops to become "faint" or "exhausted." Jonathan's response, based on the experience of his refreshment, was that Saul "had made trouble for the country." It is most interesting that Jonathan, not his father, had correctly interpreted God's will. Jonathan argued that even more Philistines would have been killed if Saul's men had eaten some of the food they "took" as plunder from the enemy.
It is so important that we discover that God is not about religion. He is about relationship. He is about refreshing and renewal. Religious oaths can wear you and sap your strength. Saul was simply going through the motions of demanding rituals and creating oaths that seemed appropriately holy. The truth was that going into battle, the troops would have done better if they had been fed and renewed. Religion will never renew us. Relationship will.
We don't want to miss the fact that God's Word is often characterized as honey in the Bible. If we can discover the honeycomb of God's precious Word, our eyes will be brightened, and our vision will become clear. We will be renewed and strengthened for the battles that are ahead.
Where are you today? Are you more caught up with rituals or with the sweetness of God's Word? Are you more intent upon oaths that wear people out or renewal that will give light to our eyes?
Father God, I am ready for honey! I desire the honeycomb of Your Word and the sweetness of Your Spirit. Renew and refresh me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2024 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.