Bad Environment and Yet Hope

1 Samuel 13:15 (ESV) And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

Saul's army has completely shrunk. If you remember at the beginning of his reign he gathered them to his side through intimidation and fear (1 Samuel 11:7). Now through his own fear of losing their respect and rashly offering the sacrifice, the army has dwindled from 300,000 to 600.

On top of that, the Philistines have confiscated all weapon making and forging abilities keeping Israel bereft of any real hope of superior armament.
1 Samuel 13:19 (ESV) Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.”

On top of THAT, the Philistines are charging exorbitant prices for the Israelites to sharpen their agricultural tools:

1 Samuel 13:20–21 (ESV) But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle, 21 and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.

The nation is in despair. And if this was any other people than the people of God, they would have vanished from the face of the Earth. But there's always someone in the purposes of God who is ready to be used of God for bringing hope back. In this case, it will be Jonathan, the son of King Saul. The text moves from the failure of Saul's leadership to the bold faith of Jonathan with only his armor bearer at his side:

1 Samuel 14:6 (ESV) 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.”

This is what I love about the scriptural record. The Lord always has a man or woman ready to take the lead in faith. Look at Jonathan's words! "Nothing can hinder the Lord". I love that phrase. Jonathan is not going to let his father's poor leadership or the dwindling army or their lack of weapons keep him from believing God can act on behalf of His people. 

And notice also what Jonathan says about what the Lord does: "SAVING".  The Lord SAVES His people. This is the truest message of the scriptures. The Lord saved Israel from bondage. He saved them from Egypt and assimilation into the occupying forces of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. His people are back in their land today living in a sovereign state. 

But the most important thing for Christians is to know we are now adopted into the family of God. We who are in Christ are the Israel of God. We are who we are because the Lord saves. He saved us from our sins. He saved us from pagan idolatry and ignorance. The name Jesus means, "The Lord saves." And that is what He did for us. 

Now you think about Jonathan's words here. Like Jonathan we used to live under the influence of a bad king who ruled through fear and intimidation. At times it may seem like he's still in charge. But we know the Lord is STILL able to save us. He brings some of us out through powerful and impressive works done through His Church, others were saved by a short conversation or an untrained preacher who fumbled through his message (see Charles Spurgeon's testimony). 

The point is, in spite of the bad leadership around us, we can know the powerful grace of God that leads us out of fear and into faith. 

You may be in a bad situation like Jonathan. Do not let that keep you from believing the Lord is still able to save. You do not have to be defined by what your natural influences may have done or exhibited for you. The Lord brings you into His family where His sovereign power can always save.