1 Samuel 14:36

1 Samuel 14:36 says, And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.  Saul decided to go into the camp of the Philistines at night and kill all of them.  The people of Israel said to Saul that they would do as he said, eqven though they were tired and needed rest themselves.  Some leaders today have very little concern for the people they are ove, but look only to what is good for themselves.  The priest said the should draw nigh to, or ask God what they should do first, and so should we today in every situation.  Verse thirty-seven adds, And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.  Saul did then ask counsel of God, asking if he should go down after the Philistines, but God did not answer him that day.  We may not get an immediate answer from God at all times, especially if we have gotten ourselves into a situation without consulting Him first.  Verse thirty-eight states,  And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.  Since God did not answer, Saul called the people together to find out what might be causing God to not answer.  If God doesn't seem to be answering our prayers, we may need to see if there is some sin in our life that is standing between Him and us.  Of course,  I believe that God always hears and answers our sincere prayers, but we often do not recognize the answer.  Verse thirty-nine adds, For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.  Saul then said that as the LORD liveth, if the problem was created even by Johathan, his son, that he would surely die.  Though the people knew what Jonathan had done, they did not tell Saul.  Of course, the problem was really of Saul’s own creation by denying the people the right to eat while they were fighting the Philistines.  Verse forty adds, Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.  Saul then separated Jonathan and himself from the rest of the people of Israel and again the people told him to do what seemed right.  Sometimes, we may guiltily of telling leaders, religious or secular, to do what seems right, instead of telling them to do what God says is right.  Verse forty-one says, Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.  At least Saul then left the decision up to God by asking that He give a perfect lot, which would choose between the people and Jonathan and himself as the source of the problem.  I believe that if we feel  that there is a problem in the church today that we should always be willing to consider that we are possibly the problem and not just look for someone else to blame.  The lot fell on Jonathan and Saul, so the people escaped.  Verse forty-two adds, And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. Saul then asked that the lot then be cast between Jonathan and himself, and the lot fell on Jonathan.  Of course, the situation arose because of an ill advised decree from Saul, and sometimes our problems may occur because of ill advised decisions on our part.  Saul’s decree had nothing to do with obeying God's commandments and was made without consulting God.  Verse forty-three continues, 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 mine hand, and, lo, I must die.  Saul asked Jonathan what he had done, and he told him.  He took responsibility for his actions, telling Saul that he had tasted a little of the honey, and even though he did not know of Saul's decree, acknowledged that he would die for his actions.  Verse forty-four states, And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.  Saul did not seek God's guidance about how to handle the situation, but instead vowed to God that he should die if he did not kill Jonathan for his action.  We may make bold statements about our willingness to die if we do not do some particular thing that we have vowed to God to do, without first seeking His will before we even make the vow. Verse forty-five adds, 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.  The people of Israel came to Jonathan's defense, pointing out that he had been responsibly for their victory over the Philistines acting under God's direction.  Jonathan did not die, even though Saul, his father and their king, was ready to kill him simply because he had innocently disobeyed Saul’s decree.  Again, this wasn't about Jonathan being disobedient to God, but only about his being disobedient to Saul’s decree which he knew nothing about.  We can sometimes get caught up in legalism in the church, being ready to condemn people for things that may not be in God's will to start with.  Verse forty-six continues, Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.  At this point, Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and they went to their own place.   Again, Saul did not consult God about this decision.  We should never make decisions as Christians without first consulting God.