Saul’s pagan oaths became a problem for Israel. His ways become more and more HIS ways instead of God’s ways.
After Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed the twenty Philistines, panic struck the whole Palestinian camp. Not only were twenty men lying dead in the fields, the ground shook. God must have caused an earthquake to frighten and confuse the enemies. All of this was before Saul’s pagan oaths happened. Jonathan was showing great courage and obedience.
God was with Jonathan and Saul’s men. He was giving victories before Saul’s pagan oaths were taken and demanded of others. Until then, whatever Jonathan did prospered.
As Jonathan was bravely conquering the enemies, Saul and his men were still in their camp. They continued plotting and scheming and trying to decide on a plan. From their lookout, Saul’s watchmen could see the Philistine army melting away in all directions.
Saul was curious to know why this was happening. Who was helping them out without orders? He told his man in charge to muster the forces and determine who had left them. It was discovered that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were missing.
CHASING THE CONFUSED ARMY
Saul called for the Ark of God and went out to join the battle. He released the priest of his duties and took charge of the Ark himself. The Philistines’ confusion had increased. They were striking one another instead of their enemies. Some of the Hebrews had previously sided against Saul with the Philistines. When this happened, these men changed their minds again. They went up to help Saul. The Israelites hiding in the caves and hills heard the Philistines were losing the battle. They too went up to join Saul’s army and fight with him.
You can’t depend on men who just want to be on the winning side. Despite this weakness, Israel was still prevailing. There was one huge reason why.
Because of Jonathan’s righteousness, bravery and obedience, Israel won that battle.
The Philistines moved on toward Beth Aven.
SAUL’S FIRST PAGAN OATH
Who knows why Saul decided to do this (maybe because of all the deserters coming back into the army again.) He made all of the army be bound with an oath which said, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!”
So, none of the troops tasted food. They were tired and hungry. The whole army passed through some woods where they saw some honey. Apparently, in their haste to leave, the Philistines had dropped all of their honey and left it behind.
Because of their oath, not one man touched the honey.
JONATHAN TASTES THE HONEY
Jonathan had been away when Saul’s pagan oath was given. He was unaware. Instinctively Jonathan quickly reached out his staff and brought forth some honey. Taking it in his hand and his hand to his mouth, he ate some of the honey. His eyes brightened.
One of the men told Jonathan about the Saul’s pagan oath. Saul had made them agree to abide by it.
Jonathan answered with these remarks: “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 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?”
SAUL’S PAGAN OATH CAUSES HIS MEN TO SIN
All day long the Israelites slaughtered the Philistines. At the end of the day, they were exhausted. They had taken plunder from the battle. Because of their great hunger, they consumed the sheep, cattle and calves. These animals were butchered right on the ground. They ate them without removing their blood.
Someone saw what was going on. This person mentioned to Saul that the men were eating meat without removing the blood. This was a sin against God. Almost everything under Saul’s charge was against the ways of God.
So, Saul had a huge stone brought in. He told the men to bring their cattle and sheep. Saul specifically commanded them not to eat without removing the blood. Every man brought his ox and slaughtered it in the place where Saul placed the stone.
SAUL IS IMPATIENT FOR BATTLE
That night Saul built an altar to the Lord. It was the first time he had done such a thing.
Before the altar was finished, Saul announced that he wanted to go down by night and slaughter the Philistines. They would plunder them. Not one would be left alive.
At first the men agreed.
Then the priest said, “Let’s inquire of God.”
GOD IGNORS SAUL
So, Saul inquired of God, but God did not answer him.
That day had given the results of Saul’s pagan oath. It had brought sin into the camp. His men knew that the oath of Saul was a pagan thing to do. It was a tactic often used by the Canaanite armies. Those armies did not honor God. We can hear almost the same words from Saul’s lips in another part of the scriptures. Those words were from the mouth of Jezebel who was pagan through and through.
Because of Saul’s pagan oath, Saul’s men had become fatigued. Their hunger stopped them from having a more complete victory with the Philistines. Though it looked like an Israelite victory, most of the Philistines had escaped.
This intense hunger caused Saul’s men to sin against God. They did not take the time to bleed the blood out of their animals before eating meat. They were too hungry to take the time. This meant the whole army was now operating in a state of sin.
Funny how one sin leads to many others. Sin often starts out small and grows.
It is never good for an army to battle while living in a state of sin.
SAUL SEEKS FURTHER ANSWERS
What happened next made matters even worse.
When God did not answer Saul announced he would find out who had sinned. He would know why this sin was preventing his answer from God.
Funny also to consider was the fact that Saul never considered his own wrong ways.
Saul’s words were, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.”
TWO PAGAN OATHS IN ONE DAY
Again, Saul’s pagan oath was not a godly way for a king to act. Taking such an oath was a common pagan practice. These words from Saul’s lips sounded very familiar and much like those used by Jezebel. Saul should not have taken this matter into his own hands. He should have waited to hear from God.
Yet, he continued in 1 Samuel 14:41, Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel. “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim.”
Saul had no right to use the Urim and Thummim. They were reserved to be used only by the consecrated priesthood. This practice belonged to the High Priest who wore the breastplate which contained these sacred stones. Again, Saul shows arrogant disrespect for God’s ways.
SAUL CONDEMNS JONATHAN
The lot fell on Jonathan and Saul. Saul immediately assumed he could not be guilty. He turned to Jonathan and demanded that he tell him what he had done.
Jonathan told Saul about tasting the honey. After confessing, he admitted that now he must die.
Saul shows no pity or mercy for his own son. He boastfully speaks of how he would make sure that Jonathan died.
JONATHAN IS RESCUED
However, the men of the army were appalled. They realized Jonathan had defended Israel and fought against the Philistines. The whole army demanded that Jonathan was innocent. They insisted that he should not be punished. These loyal men helped Jonathan to be freed from the wrongly rendered sentence from Saul.
Saul knew who the guilty person was. He could have repented of his own sins and God would have responded and helped him.
That didn’t happen. Saul was a stubborn, arrogant King.
Not long after this day, Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines. They withdrew to their own land.
The scriptures briefly describe some other battles which Saul fought as King. They don’t go into great detail because God does not respond to things that do not matter. If you desire more details, you might like reading this link: https://www.learnreligions.com/saul-first-king-of-israel-7011. Ironically, the battles of King Saul are silent except for a few places. The scriptures do go on to name all of the members of Saul’s family in detail.
Finally, it is mentioned Saul is troubled by the Philistines the whole time of his reign as King of Israel.
Everywhere that Saul went, he recruited strong men for his army.