If you would, turn with me to
1 Samuel chapter 14. 1 Samuel chapter 14. And beginning in verse 24. 1
Samuel 14, starting in verse 24. That is in the Old Testament,
and let me see if I can help you. It's a little better after
Judges there. Okay, verse 24. And the men of Israel were distressed
that day, for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be
the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be
avenged of mine enemies. So none of the people tasted
any food. And all they of the land came
to a wood, and there was honey upon the ground. And when the
people were coming to the wood, behold, the honey dropped. But
no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with
the oath. Wherefore, he put forth the end of the rod that was in
his hand, and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth,
and his eyes were enlightened. Then answered one of the people
and said, Thy father straightly charged the people with an oath,
saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And
the people were faint. Then said Jonathan, My father
hath troubled the land. See, I pray you, how mine eyes
have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
How much more if happily the people had eaten freely today
of the spoil of their enemies, which they found. For had there
not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? And they
smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Ajelon. And
the people were very faint. And the people flew upon the
spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slew them on the
ground. And the people did eat them with the blood. So when I last left off in 1
Samuel, it was chapter 7, and we're now in chapter 14. And
I just go through Samuel, and where
God leads me to go through something, that's what I go through. So
I am headed somewhere with it, though, as I go through it. And
I'm not going to go into great detail, but I want to kind of
bring us up as to where we are. So we left off in chapter 7 where
the Lord fought against Israel's enemies. If you remember, it
says he disconfited them. And what happened? Peace. We
read after that where Samuel gets older in chapter 8 and he
sets up his sons to be judge over Israel. Samuel's sons did
not follow after Samuel in following the Lord. They took bribes and
perverted judgment, he says. Then what is Israel's desire?
God Almighty has fought for them and has been their king even
though they were evil. He disconfited their enemies,
but what do they want now? They want a king to rule over
them. They wanted to be like all the
other nations and to have a king to rule over them. They had God
going out before them in Egypt up until now. He was fighting
their battles and winning those battles. But they want a king
to rule over them like everybody else has. This is us by nature. And I am often like that. Thinking
what God has given me is not good enough. I want what everybody
else has. I know I'm like this. This flesh
will eat up this kind of thing. God knows what he is doing, and
he does all things right. So it goes on, and Samuel does
not like this. That is, that Israel wants a
king to rule over them. He speaks to the Lord. The Lord
tells him to give them what they ask for. He tells Samuel to tell
Israel what this king that they're going to get, he tells them to
tell them about this king that they're going to get, what he'll
be like. The king that they will be getting
will be an oppressing king. He will take and not give anything
back. God told Samuel that the people
have not rejected him, that is, the people have not rejected
Samuel, but they have rejected me, God says. So if you want
what everybody else wants, think about that for a minute. God
tells Samuel to make them a king. I just look at how the king is
described in chapter eight. I just see this, in this king,
a king that takes everything and asks for more. I cannot help
but think of this being a picture of God's law. God's law asks
for everything we have. Everything we have is not good
enough, so it asks for more. More than we can give, it goes
so far as to ask for our life. Because sin is the transgression
of the law, and transgression of the law requires that one
die. Even after all of this was told
them, they still want a king. We read in chapter 9 through
10 where Saul was chosen out of Israel to be their king. One
of the first things done by Saul was to help the men of Jabesh-Gilead
against the Ammonites. This being done by God because
it says he was with Saul. Then we have in chapter 13, Saul
taking upon himself to do that which was not directed by God. He offered a sacrifice himself,
which God did not respect, as the sacrifice was not done as
appointed by God. Then in verse 13 of 1 Samuel
chapter 13 we read, and Samuel said to Saul, thou hast done
foolishly. Thou hast not kept the commandment
of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. For now would
the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. What is God's way? God's way
is himself. He does all the work. He does
all the fighting, He does all the sacrifice, He does all the
saving. Salvation is the Lord, is of
the Lord from eternity to eternity. We do not do anything, we cannot
do anything for ourselves because we are weak, we have no strength.
So let's look at some things this morning as it concerns our
chapter here that we're in. Trespass against God. weakened
in trespass, the Lord wins the victory. I have entitled this message,
A Taste of Honey. But trespass against the Lord.
Through these chapters we see a lot of places where we can
see trespass against the Lord. It seems like every time God
does something for the people of Israel, they turn right around
and rebel against him. This is in fact true of all of
us. We do this all the time. Without God, we can do nothing
but rebel and sin against God. Even as believers, or maybe especially
as believers, we depend on our Lord for everything. What do
we read of the people of Israel in 1 Samuel 8? 1 Samuel 8, turn
back there with me, verse seven. 1 Samuel 8, verse seven. 1 Samuel 8 and verse 7 through
9. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the
people in all that they say unto thee, for they have not rejected
thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over
them. According to all the works which
they have done since the day that I brought them up out of
Egypt, even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me and served
other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto
their voice, albeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show
them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. We read of this same type of
thing in Luke 19, and if you would turn back, turn over there
to Luke 19 with me please. This is a parable of our Lord. Luke 19, verse 12, starting in verse 12,
Luke 19. He said, therefore, a certain
nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom
and to return. And he called his ten servants
and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them, Occupy till
I come. But his citizens hated him and
sent a message after him saying, we will not have this man to
reign over us. And it came to pass that when
he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded
these servants to be called unto him to whom he had given the
money, that he might know how much every man had gained by
trading. Then came the first saying, Lord,
thy pound hath gained 10 pounds. And he said unto him, Well thou
good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a very little,
have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came saying,
Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise
to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying,
Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in
a napkin. For I fear thee, because thou
art an austere man. Thou takest up that thou layest
not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto
him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere
man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did
not sow. Wherefore then gavest not thou
my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required
mine own withusery? And he said unto them that stood
by, take from him the pound and give it to him that hath 10 pounds.
And they said unto him, Lord, he hath 10 pounds. For I say
unto you that unto every one which hath shall be given, and
from him that hath not, even that he hath, shall be taken
away from him. But those mine enemies which
would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay
them before me. It says his citizens hated him. The way it's said here, it was
all of them that hated him and did not want him to reign over
them when you first read it. And I know this is certainly
true of my flesh. I have specifically said this
myself in my own mind. I will not have this man reign
over me. I wanted what everyone else had.
What did they have? Their free will. I wanted to
be in charge of my salvation. Not knowing that I had no strength
to save myself, I had no ability to save myself. Even in this
parable, though we do see some who did have this man reign over
them, something changed their mind from not wanting him to
reign over them. Those who were reigned by this
noble man, and this noble man is Jesus Christ. These who were
his took what was given them and they gained usury of what
they had. They put it in the bank. What
did they do? They shared the gospel of Jesus
Christ and him crucified to the extent that the Lord allowed
them. I believe that's what it's talking about. I cannot give
salvation, but I can proclaim the salvation, the good news
of the gospel to as many as the Lord will allow. What do we read
in scripture, Matthew 10, 32 and 33? Whosoever therefore shall
confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father
which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before
men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
As we are born in Adam, we hate God with all that we are. We
will not have this man reign over us. Until he comes to us
in power, knocking down our walls of rebellion, we will do nothing
but rebel and hate God with all that we are. God be thanked. There are some who he comes to
them in power and breaks down their citadel so that they can
no longer resist. But what else do we see when
it comes to man's rebellion? We read in chapter 13 of 1 Samuel,
chapter 13 of 1 Samuel. Back there. Chapter 13, verses
seven through 14. And some of the Hebrews went
over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was
yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. And he
tarried seven days according to the set time that Samuel had
appointed. But Samuel came not to Gilgal,
and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, bring
hither a burnt offering to me and peace offerings, and he offered
the burnt offering. And it came to pass that as soon
as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel
came, and Saul went out to meet him that he might salute him.
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because
I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest
not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered
themselves together at Michmash. Therefore said I, the Philistines
will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication
unto the Lord. I forced myself therefore and
offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, thou
hast done foolishly. Thou hast not kept the commandment
of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. for now would
the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. But now thy kingdom shall not
continue. The Lord hath sought him a man
after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be
captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which
the Lord commanded thee. Saul thought he could help God
out. He did not seek the Lord. He tells Samuel he forced himself. I really didn't want to do that,
but I forced myself to make my own sacrifice to the Lord. He
actually blames it on Samuel is what he did. He told Samuel
that he did not show up when he was supposed to. Isn't that
like us? We like to blame our sin on someone
else. Saul, when he was doing this, he was not looking to idols.
He was offering sacrifice to God, the God of Scripture. But
Saul did not do it according to the way God had said to do
it. Sounds like he was out for his own way. Saul was told the
following by Samuel, and this is Samuel talking to Saul in
1 Samuel 10 8. And thou shalt go down before
me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come down unto thee to offer
burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings.
Seven days shalt thou tarry till I come to thee and show thee
what thou shalt do. He was told to wait seven days,
but not just seven days. Samuel says, till I come. Saul
waited the seven days, but he did not wait until Samuel came
to tell him what to do. He took it upon himself to do
that which only God can do. He wanted to help God out. He
thought he was capable. He thought he had the ability
to help out God, or he thought he could get to God on his own.
God does not want our help. God does not need our help. It
is an offense to God when you try to put your hand to God's
work. You remember Uzzah? He just put his hand up to steady
the ark. God killed him on the spot. He
was offense to God, as he thought God needed his help. This ark
was not supposed to be touched by men. They were supposed to
put staves in it and lift it up. And all he did was put his hand
up. God killed him dead. Don't think that if you try to
add your work, that is your doing, to what God does, don't think
it is a trifling thing. We do not put our hands to God's
work. God is holy. You put your unrighteous,
unholy works to what God does, you are looking for God to deal
with you. When anyone tells you that you
are perfected once you are saved by the keeping of God's law,
they are lying to you. They are trying to put you into
bondage. All the law can do is kill us.
As we see in our text, it weakens us so that we have no strength. So weakened in trespass, number
two. First Samuel 14, 24, it says, And the men of Israel were
distressed that day. For Saul had adjured the people,
saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening,
that I may be avenged of mine enemies. So none of the people
tasted any food. It says they were distressed.
The word there means oppressed. When the law comes, it will oppress
us. It will not give us any sustenance.
which we might be strengthened with. What else does it say in
1 Samuel 14, 28? Then answered one of the people
and said, thy father straightly charged the people with an oath,
saying, cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And
the people were faint. The law of God charges us to
keep the whole law without any failures. There are no do-overs. You break the law, you will die. Not everyone is oppressed under
the law of God. Some never know this oppression.
Some never become faint. Some are never distressed. Some
are alive unto the law. But God, for some, those whom
he has chosen, he will bring the law to them in this way.
They will come to the end of themselves, knowing they have
no strength, no power, no will to save themselves. The law for
some kills them. There has to be someone else
who can do it. Someone else who will fight the
battle for us. There he is, and that one is
Jonathan. That is Jesus Christ as typified
here who will take our place and give us sustenance. Now this is a type, so not everything
here in this passage fits, you know, into some doctrinal precept. It's merely a type, a shadow.
So we do not get the full picture, we get an outline of the real
thing. But there is one, that is Jonathan, who will bring the
victory. 1st Samuel 14, 31 says, and they
smoked the Philistines that day from Michmash to Agilon. There
was a victory over the enemy, but there is a reason why this
came to pass. This great victory did not just
happen. Something was done which made
the victory. There is a result to what our
Lord did, seen here in what Jonathan did. I told you earlier that
I see Saul typified here in 1 Samuel as the law of God. What is it
that the law demands? Justice. The soul that sinneth,
it shall die. There was an oath that no one
should eat anything until the evening. When that oath is broken,
someone has to die. When it comes to sinful fallen
men, there is no question as to whether we will break God's
law or not. It is a foregone conclusion that
we have already broken his law and we must die. Romans 3.23
says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 5.12 says, wherefore as by one man sin entered into the
world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for
that all have sinned. Sin is the transgression of the
law, and we have all sinned. That's scripture. Because we
have all sinned, we need one that can take our place. One
had to die for the people so that the people might go free.
There was one, and we read of that one in verse 39. For as the Lord liveth, which
saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely
die. Then again in verse 44 of chapter
14, and Saul answered, God so much and more also, for thou
shalt surely die, Jonathan. Why was it that Jonathan had
to die? Because he tasted the honey. Verse 43 we read, then Saul said
to Jonathan, tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told
him and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of
the rod that was in my hand, and lo, I must die. Jesus Christ taking on that which
was me and which was mine, sin, he had to die. He was made a
curse for me. He was made the object of the
wrath of God in my place. You and I could not do this because
we've already sinned and come short of the glory of God. So
there is no law keeping on my part, no law keeping that will
keep me from the wrath of God. There's one way and one way only,
if one died in my place. Just think about this passage
when it comes to the law, Hebrews 9.22. And almost all things are
by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood
is no remission. Remission comes from blood. That
is, it comes from the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We are told
in scripture that the law and the prophets testify of him. We can see it right there in
that passage in Hebrews that I just read. There was always
sacrifice when it had to do with the law, because man cannot keep
God's law. The only way to purge our iniquity
is for blood to be shed. Someone had to die for me. The
law requires all from me but does not give me anything. I
thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ that he loved me. He loved
me to the extent that he was pleased to come down and take
on my sin and my sins on that cross. He gave up the ghost and
died. Now we read here in our passage
that Jonathan did not actually die. I know that, I realize that.
Verse 45, And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die,
who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid, as the
Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to
the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people
rescued Jonathan, that he died not. As I said, this is a type,
so everything does not fit in a nice, neat little package.
But when I read this, I think of another passage, Acts 2 24.
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because
it was not possible that he should beholden of it. Jesus Christ
gave up the ghost and died. God actually died. Jesus Christ
is God, and Jesus Christ died. God died. That's just amazing
to me when I think about that. God died. But he did not remain
there. Where is there? Hell. Jesus Christ
died and hell is where death is. But we also read, neither
did his body see corruption. He arose from the grave victorious
over death. If we follow after Christ who
has fought and won the battle for us, We by his gospel do eat
his body, that is, who he is, and we drink his blood, that
is, what he has done. We see this in our text, 1 Samuel
14, 32, and the people flew upon the spoil and took sheep and
oxen and calves and slew them on the ground and the people
did eat them with the blood. I know scripture says that they
were not to eat the blood because the life is in the blood. But
if you read through this chapter, nowhere do we read where God
said what they were doing was wrong. God did not punish the
people for doing this. Why? Because one stood in their
place, Jonathan. When it comes to following after
the one God that he has ordained to bring salvation to his people,
we are to partake of the spoils which God has won. John 6.53
says, then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you,
except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
ye have no life in you. We are faint. We are distressed. We get our strength. We find
our peace by feasting on Jesus Christ the Lord. This we do not
do physically, of course. We do this by the gospel. To
the believer, there's nothing more important than hearing the
gospel. It is our food. It is what we
feast on when we hear of Jesus Christ and him crucified. This
is done where God's people meet. Because of what Christ has done,
his people want something as well. What's that? They want
a taste of honey as well. The gospel and what he has done. It's as sweet as honey to those
for whom he died. His people will guard his gospel. They will protect Jonathan. He
is their life. Without him, there is no victory. When we desire to have what this
world has, we're asking for trouble. Jesus Christ is enough for the
people of God. What he has done satisfied God. The law of God can do nothing
but put you into bondage. If you follow after the law,
you will die. We've read in 1 Samuel, as I
said before, God would fight for his people. Almost as soon
as he did something for them, they would turn right around
and leave him to follow after something else. When I think
of the law and in light of what God has done for me, I think
of the following. I mean, everyone here knows what
a wake from a boat is, right? Especially if you have a larger
boat that's going towards a smaller boat. A wake is the waves and
stuff that come out. Those who follow after Christ
are following after Him. Following after Him, they have
a smooth path, and I don't mean to say that this life will be
smooth, but that Christ has done all the work needed, and there
is simplicity in that. That is singleness. Salvation
is in no other than Jesus Christ the Lord. The law was this wake
from God's boat. If you are not following after
Christ where the waves of the wrath of God have been calmed,
then you will be caught up in his wake. That is his wrath because
all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. I pray God
keep me and that he keeps my eyes fixed on Christ. Without
him, I am nothing. He is everything to me and to
every believer. Tell me again and again of that
taste of honey. that which my Lord has done for
me. Amen.