1 Samuel 14:24

1 Samuel 14: 24 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 on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.  The people of Israel were distressed because Saul had declared a fast until evening.  Saul may have feared that the people would lose time in their pursuit of the Philistines by eating food that had been left behind, but Matthew Henry says this was a cruel decree because it left the people weakened.  Verse twenty-five adds, And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.  While under this decree of a curse on anyone who ate that day, they found a wooded area with honey on the ground.  This would have been a good source of energy for the tired people.  We should never keep people from getting the nourishment they need just to show our power over them, especially if God has provided a source of nourishment for them.  Verse twenty-six continues, And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.  Even when the honey dropped on the ground, the people would not even put their hand it it for fear of the curse that Saul had proclaimed, which he had done without consulting God and because he felt he had been disrespected.  If the world seems to be getting the best of us, we need to look to God for direction and not act because we somehow feel disrespected.  Verse twenty-seven states, 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 an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.  Having not heard Saul’s proclamation, Johnathan ate some of the honey.  Since Saul had made the decree, this would mean that Jonathan was subject to the curse, even if he hadn't heard it,and it said his eyes were enlightened, or he could see more clearly.  Verse twenty-eight adds, Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.  One of a people told Jonathan about Saul's curse on anyone who ate that day,which they had refrained from doing,even though they were faint.  If someone who feels that they are obeying the law, no matter how harmful it may be, they are often quick to point it out if someone else doesn't obey it.  Verse twenty-nine continues, 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.  Jonathan told this person that his father, the king, had troubled the land, because nourishment would enlighten their eyes, or refresh their strength as it had his.  There is never a good reason to impose unnecessary burdens of God's people, especially if it is done for personal reasons by those in power.  Verse thirty concludes, How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?  Jonathan continued by asking what better time would there be to eat and replenish their energy than now, when the Philistines had left so much food available to be eaten.  We should never get so carried away with engaging in battle with the world that we neglect the things God has blessed us with to help us to continue to do what He calls us to do.  Verse thirty-one says, And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.  The people of Israel killed the Philistines over a great area, but they were very faint from fasting even as they did so.  We should never call for people to do something that makes it harder for them to do what they need to do, especially if we are in a position of power over them.  I believe the opposite is true, and that we should do all that we can to ensure their health and safety.  Verse thirty-two adds, 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.  The people were so hungry that they killed and ate the sheep, oxen and calves without even draining the blood, which was a requirement of God.  Verse thirty-three states, Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.  The people told Saul that people had transgressed by eating the blood.  If we are guilty of sin, all we can do is confess to God and ask His forgiveness.  Of course, they were not confessing to God, but to Saul.  Saul then told them to roll a great stone to him, but he also did not confess their sins to God nor seek His guidance.  Verse thirty-four adds, And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. Saul then told the people to bring their oxen and sheep and slay them there, and eat, but not to sin by eating the blood.  Of course, they had already done this, so simply following God's law afterwards would not remove the sin that they had already committed.   Sin cannot be covered over with later obedience, but must be confessed to God and forgiven by Him through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-five continues, And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.  Saul then built an altar to God, which was the first one that he had built.  Saul was actually turning away from God, but he wanted an appearance of Godliness.  Too many people are still that way today.