1 Samuel 13:15-23: a reflection

15Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 16Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17The raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears”; 20but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his own plowshare, mattock, ax, and sickle. 21The price was one payim each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks, axes, and goads. 22So it came to pass in the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

This passage paints a picture of severe disadvantage. The Philistines had kept Israel from having blacksmiths, so that the people could not make swords or spears; they even had to go down to their enemies just to sharpen their farm tools. When the day of battle came, almost no one in Saul's small army of six hundred had a proper weapon. Only Saul and his son Jonathan were armed. By every measure, Israel was outmatched and under-equipped.

The scene is set deliberately to highlight how little Israel had to work with. Their enemies were many, well-armed, and confident; Israel was few, disarmed, and afraid. Humanly speaking, the situation was hopeless. But the very next chapter will show Jonathan, with almost nothing but faith, striking a blow that begins to turn the tide, because, as he will say, nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few. The stage of scarcity is where God's power will show.

You may find yourself, at times, feeling as under-equipped as Israel here, facing something large with what seems like far too little. This passage prepares you for a truth the story is about to prove: God is not limited by your lack of resources. When you have almost nothing, no advantage, no weapons, no obvious means, that is precisely where God delights to work. Do not measure the outcome by your scarcity. The God who saves is not restricted by how little you bring.

Lord, sometimes I face what is large with what feels like far too little, disarmed and outmatched like Israel. Remind me that you are not limited by my lack of resources, and that you delight to work where I have almost nothing. Keep me from measuring the outcome by my scarcity, and let me trust the God who saves by many or by few. Amen.